Chris Froome Lookign at Stems

ocdupalais

frenchfighter wrote:

Can someone explain why if this was a proven and effective way of increasing your performance why we dont watch a race and see the majority of riders looking like idiots with their head constantly bowed?

Perhaps you could look at it another way; why do all these "top riders" keep getting pulverised into the sand (Middle East)/dust (everywhere else) because they don't look at their stems...? Clearly it's them who look like idiots for not looking at their stems (and for getting pulverised).

That's the real reason they need ear pieces with their DS's - they're saying "left a bit... A bit more....good, now straight-ish... sharp right coming up...don't look up - keep looking at the stem..."

RichN95.

frenchfighter wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Alright, it's a tic

*shrugs*

Given that he was doing this as per Rich's post (assuming that is what he was doing and not just a one-off) then I suspect this is the only logical answer. Really unpleasant to watch though - human beings connect with people by looking at their face.

I think it's just a twitch as RR says. However, we can't rule out the idea that it may be beneficial by accident. Also maybe he developed it as a result of being someone who was born and grew up at altitude.

Personally, I like to think it goes back to his African mountain biking roots and he's looking out for snakes.

Art Vandelay

C'mon people, It's got nothing to do with marginal gains airway maximisation and nothing to do with SRM slavery. Giro 2009 riding for Barloworld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGpv0xn0E8
(from 5:15 to 5:41)
It's not pretty but hey ho.

Anonymous

Has anyone stopped to think he just finds it comfortable?

adamfo

frenchfighter wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Alright, it's a tic

*shrugs*

Given that he was doing this as per Rich's post (assuming that is what he was doing and not just a one-off) then I suspect this is the only logical answer. Really unpleasant to watch though - human beings connect with people by looking at their face.

I expect not everybody can hold their heads back like AC. It sort of rests on the top of his shoulders in a freakish way.

I posted a while back it's easier to breathe in a low pressure region than with your head stuck out in the airflow and also the possibility of windpipe constriction if the head is not in line with the trunk.

disgruntledgoat

RichN95 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Alright, it's a tic

*shrugs*

Given that he was doing this as per Rich's post (assuming that is what he was doing and not just a one-off) then I suspect this is the only logical answer. Really unpleasant to watch though - human beings connect with people by looking at their face.

I think it's just a twitch as RR says. However, we can't rule out the idea that it may be beneficial by accident. Also maybe he developed it as a result of being someone who was born and grew up at altitude.

Personally, I like to think it goes back to his African mountain biking roots and he's looking out for snakes.

It's the impala that'll kill ya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2oymHHyV1M

iainf72

I think the bit that annoys me about the whole thing is that he's clearly not looking at his stem. More like at the bottle cage on the down tube.

But that doesn't fit with him being a robot.

No_Ta_Doctor

iainf72 wrote:

I think the bit that annoys me about the whole thing is that he's clearly not looking at his stem. More like at the bottle cage on the down tube.

But that doesn't fit with him being a robot.

Unless that's where his battery is kept.

RichN95.

Back to that now legendary Abergavenny breakaway:

Paul 8v

Hydraulic reservoir perhaps? Like Porte said, it's just how he rides, it ain't pretty but it gets the job done.

ocdupalais

iainf72 wrote:

I think the bit that annoys me about the whole thing is that he's clearly not looking at his stem. More like at the bottle cage on the down tube.

But that doesn't fit with him being a robot.

He's looking at his Power Meter like a robot and dropping the World's best, if you're a Sky hater: he's not looking at anything in particular/opening his diaphragm/dropping the World's best if you're not a Sky hater...

Take your pick; either way, as robots go, I rather chance myself with K-9 from the old Dr Who or a Sinclair product... We'd need Michelle Cound's word on this, but my suspicion is that Froome is about as robotic as Peter Crouch's dance or that cretin robot from the World's Worst Film Ever: Short Ciruit 2...
In other words; looks a bit daft but not robotic...


The problem is that this leaves us with a category conundrum: if he's not a "robot" then he's utterly unique and a Tour champion that deserves utter respect for not only continuing a line of un-tainted champions, but for beating those that have been sanctioned/tainted... Perhaps it takes an odd-ball/quirky/yet strangely conformist nutter or two to help shake off the the past demons.. (How's Graeme Obree doing these days?)...

ocdupalais

RichN95 wrote:

Back to that now legendary Abergavenny breakaway:

On the roadside that fine day when "Fatty Froome" went up the road with Bradley...

2 stand out memories: Cav looking quite comfortable up the Tumble - on the front (ish) of the main group (if you haven't done it, it's a f*cking hard climb for the UK).
An 8 year old boy (sat with his older brothers and their mates) mis-timed a fart so loud that it distracted everyone just after the lead riders went through - as everyone turned to look he said, pointing, " the tree did it!". It was very funny at the time. As was Chris Froome's riding style.

RichN95.

OCDuPalais wrote:

2 stand out memories: Cav looking quite comfortable up the Tumble - on the front (ish) of the main group (if you haven't done it, it's a f*cking hard climb for the UK).
An 8 year old boy (sat with his older brothers and their mates) mis-timed a fart so loud that it distracted everyone just after the lead riders went through - as everyone turned to look he said, pointing, " the tree did it!". It was very funny at the time. As was Chris Froome's riding style.

I was there too. In Abergavenny - hence the photo I posted. Froome was a monster that day. By far the strongest in the race.

thomthom

TailWindHome wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Can someone explain why if this was a proven and effective way of increasing your performance why we dont watch a race and see the majority of riders looking like idiots with their head constantly bowed?

Because Sky are willing to do things which make them look like idiots?

Richmond Racer

ThomThom wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Can someone explain why if this was a proven and effective way of increasing your performance why we dont watch a race and see the majority of riders looking like idiots with their head constantly bowed?

Because Sky are willing to do things which make them look like idiots?

Game on

inseine

Art Vandelay wrote:

C'mon people, It's got nothing to do with marginal gains airway maximisation and nothing to do with SRM slavery. Giro 2009 riding for Barloworld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGpv0xn0E8
(from 5:15 to 5:41)
It's not pretty but hey ho.

Interesting. Pours cold water on the SKY robot / SRM theories. Just seems to be his 'style'.

jscl

inseine wrote:

Art Vandelay wrote:

C'mon people, It's got nothing to do with marginal gains airway maximisation and nothing to do with SRM slavery. Giro 2009 riding for Barloworld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGpv0xn0E8
(from 5:15 to 5:41)
It's not pretty but hey ho.

Interesting. Pours cold water on the SKY robot / SRM theories. Just seems to be his 'style'.

He's anal about numbers. You can see a prime example of it in that video - attack/stop and check/attack again/stop and check/attack again.

Anonymous

JSCL wrote:

inseine wrote:

Art Vandelay wrote:

C'mon people, It's got nothing to do with marginal gains airway maximisation and nothing to do with SRM slavery. Giro 2009 riding for Barloworld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGpv0xn0E8
(from 5:15 to 5:41)
It's not pretty but hey ho.

Interesting. Pours cold water on the SKY robot / SRM theories. Just seems to be his 'style'.

He's anal about numbers. You can see a prime example of it in that video - attack/stop and check/attack again/stop and check/attack again.

Wait so when he's attacking, and in the red, he has time to process numbers and do calculations? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

kamil1891

sjmclean wrote:

JSCL wrote:

inseine wrote:

Art Vandelay wrote:

C'mon people, It's got nothing to do with marginal gains airway maximisation and nothing to do with SRM slavery. Giro 2009 riding for Barloworld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGpv0xn0E8
(from 5:15 to 5:41)
It's not pretty but hey ho.

Interesting. Pours cold water on the SKY robot / SRM theories. Just seems to be his 'style'.

He's anal about numbers. You can see a prime example of it in that video - attack/stop and check/attack again/stop and check/attack again.

Wait so when he's attacking, and in the red, he has time to process numbers and do calculations? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

You never ridden with a PM then (for a longer period of time )?

Anonymous

kamil1891 wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

JSCL wrote:

inseine wrote:

Art Vandelay wrote:

C'mon people, It's got nothing to do with marginal gains airway maximisation and nothing to do with SRM slavery. Giro 2009 riding for Barloworld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGpv0xn0E8
(from 5:15 to 5:41)
It's not pretty but hey ho.

Interesting. Pours cold water on the SKY robot / SRM theories. Just seems to be his 'style'.

He's anal about numbers. You can see a prime example of it in that video - attack/stop and check/attack again/stop and check/attack again.

Wait so when he's attacking, and in the red, he has time to process numbers and do calculations? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

You never ridden with a PM then (for a longer period of time )?

No, I haven't.

Expand please.

Yellow Peril

Might be a stupid question but has anyone asked Froome why he rides with his head going up and down?

Might be a short cut to the right answer.

No_Ta_Doctor

Yellow Peril wrote:

Might be a stupid question but has anyone asked Froome why he rides with his head going up and down?

Might be a short cut to the right answer.

To be honest I doubt he's given it all that much thought. It's just how he rides. It's his natural style. That's how he's most comfortable, maybe because he gets a touch more air , but not on a conscious level. And obviously he's checking for snakes as well

vertigo16

Remind me why we care? He's a phenomenal cyclist. Nuff said.

markhewitt1978

vertigo16 wrote:

Remind me why we care? He's a phenomenal cyclist. Nuff said.

That's the reason we care?

TheBigBean

iainf72 wrote:

There is also some interesting stuff re: Froome in here

http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=indepth.view&id=139

The last paragraph from Dr. Evil is quite interesting. Looks like he is not sure how to achieve such thinness, or maybe he just thinks it is more dangerous than orange juice.

Just like Froome, Farah, as well as for the outstanding performances, impresses for the ghastly, unhealthy thinness.
Achieved how...? Only with a particularly strict diet?
This is the question those who care about the physical and mental health of the athletes should try to answer to.

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

Back to that now legendary Abergavenny breakaway:

I hate that cattle grid!

frenchfighter

Stage 6

inseine

I think we get the point

Anonymous

frenchfighter wrote:

Stage 6

Rigo's looking down and whoever the second from the back sky rider is is as well. Maybe there is method and froome just uses it more.

dsoutar

Not sure if this was commented on elsewhere, but beware, other stem-starers are coming your way

From the interview with Nico Roche in cyclist:

"Stefano Feltrin has told us there will be a greater focus on sports science which has clearly worked for Sky. Training with power meters, for instance..."