Froome the one day racer?

welshmessenger

He obviously loves to race hard and win when he can. Attacking JR and NQ this afternoon when many would've sat tight.

He seems to have the talent and mentality to be at the sharp end of a race. LBL or Lombardy are obvious choices bit this year's world's would suit him too.

Could he be Sky's Classics saviour? Are they too long?

argyllflyer

I could see Froome doing well in the likes of Fleche Wallonne where the peloton ride tempo to the Mur then it all kicks off. Maybe a little too short a climb for him though. He thrives on the longer ones where others can't follow and with no Classics doing HC climbs, it's maybe for now not his territory.

Turfle

He did Liege this year for experience, and I'm sure he'll be back for it next year. Hopefully he'll ride Lombardy this year, even if again just for experience. There's no reason why he shouldn't be capable of being thereabouts in them.

TheBigBean

The problem is that when you have won the tour you need to spend the summer doing post tour crits and endless media stuff, then the following year you need to focus on retaining the tour.

takethehighroad

I'd be surprised if he rides Il Lombardia, mostly because he started at the Tour of Oman and racing from February to October is hard enough

rick_chasey

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.


Also. Let's be honest. Grand Tours are the pinnacle of cycling. One day races sit a good rank lower down in prestige. And he's easily the best GT rider right now. Wiggins comes close but *taps temple*.

dougzz

But as Frank Lebouef used to reply when they said he was at best an average defender "I have a World Cup medal"

welshmessenger

Rick Chasey wrote:

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.


Also. Let's be honest. Grand Tours are the pinnacle of cycling. One day races sit a good rank lower down in prestige. And he's easily the best GT rider right now. Wiggins comes close but *taps temple*.

Those faults are all easily corrected though, if you have the will and opportunity. Not sure Sky/Froome will
tackle them if those races are not a priority.

He's had a long year for sure, but might this be his best chance for he rainbow jersey? Surely that's a target he and DH would consider.

Not sure I agree about GT's being more prestigious, but in the wider world I guess that's true.

Pross

Rick Chasey wrote:

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.


Also. Let's be honest. Grand Tours are the pinnacle of cycling. One day races sit a good rank lower down in prestige. And he's easily the best GT rider right now. Wiggins comes close but *taps temple*.

Can add 'can't drink champagne whilst riding' to that list.

TheBigBean

Eyeing up the Worlds

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23404893

disgruntledgoat

Rick Chasey wrote:

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.


Also. Let's be honest. Grand Tours are the pinnacle of cycling. One day races sit a good rank lower down in prestige. And he's easily the best GT rider right now. Wiggins comes close but *taps temple*.

So Terpstra's a fan then?

milton50

Rick Chasey wrote:

Also. Let's be honest. Grand Tours are the pinnacle of cycling. One day races sit a good rank lower down in prestige. And he's easily the best GT rider right now. Wiggins comes close but *taps temple*.

Nah. The Tour is the pinnacle of cycling. I'd place the monuments on the same level as the Giro and ahead of the Vuelta.

I can't see him turning from a 3-week stage rider into a 200 mile one day classics rider during a single season. Very few riders have been world class at both disciplines. Maybe over a few years he could train more towards the classics but why would he want to when he could so easily win the Tour for four or five years?

This year's worlds is tailor made for Nibali or Gilbert.

trek_dan

Rick Chasey wrote:

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.

If thats true its a bit bloody rich coming from him isn't it?

disgruntledgoat

trek_dan wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.

If thats true its a bit bloody rich coming from him isn't it?

ACtually, apart from the Echelons, I can't see how any of those would hinder you in a one day race.

bipedal

I don't understand why Froome has attracted so much in the way of personal abuse from cyclists (e.g. the Terpstra tweet, the Gadret interview comments) and fans (the french fans booing, all of the invective on this forum slagging off his schooling, choice of nationality / girlfriend etc.)... he seems like a nice, albeit boring, boy

rick_chasey

bipedal wrote:

I don't understand why Froome has attracted so much in the way of personal abuse from cyclists (e.g. the Terpstra tweet, the Gadret interview comments) and fans (the french fans booing, all of the invective on this forum slagging off his schooling, choice of nationality / girlfriend etc.)... he seems like a nice, albeit boring, boy

Don't think Terpstra was abusing. He followed it up by saying how quick he rides.

It is odd that the TdF champion can't do things that we take as normal for pros.

I kinda warm to him. But he's savage on the bike and listening to teammates of his he doesn't take much interest in his rivals or other riders. He's getting abuse for dominating a tour in the first post Armstrong admission TdF. That's all.

rick_chasey

But he's no one day racer....

JackTar

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290, ... 12,00.html

B3rnieMac

I've wondered about pissing on the bike. I'm assuming you just roll the short leg all the way to the top and....pull it out the side? Having a poo in a cap on a bike is way beyond my hand/eye coordination...

welshmessenger

Rick Chasey wrote:

But he's no one day racer....

I reckon he could surprise us. His presence alone give Nibali etc
something to think about. The distance will get him if anything.

alihisgreat

disgruntledgoat wrote:

trek_dan wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

From Terpstra:

We krijgen n Tour winnaar die:geen waaier kan rije,niet vd fiets kan pissen,op zn fiets zit als mn postbode en fietst met een hardloop bril

Rick Chasey translation.

We're getting a Tour winner who: can't ride echelones, can't p!ss on the bike, sits on the bike like a postman, and cycles with running glasses.

I heard he could only very recently ride no handed.

Those types of shortfalls tend to hurt more in a one day race.

If thats true its a bit bloody rich coming from him isn't it?

ACtually, apart from the Echelons, I can't see how any of those would hinder you in a one day race.

They're just examples of how Froome isn't a bike racer... he's a massive engine, who has cycled.. but he wasn't developed very well as a bike racer due to growing up in Kenya and South Africa where there isn't much for a young rider to do compared to Europe.

In the classics you need to be a proper racer to get the positioning right, the bike handling right, you need to know when to make the efforts etc.

Look at MSR this year for example.. there were what like 6 or 8 guys who broke away over the final climb? Then you see someone more inexperienced like Phinney steaming up behind them solo because he clearly had the legs, he just wasn't aware enough to get in the break. Must have been kicking himself!