Froome - physically or mentally broken?

ManOfKent

In the absence of much information from Team Sky about Chris Froome's injuries yesterday, is it reasonable to suggest he simply bottled it? Considering guys have completed the Tour with broken bones, he seemed rather keen to climb off. I got the impression he just didn't have the stomach for a fight. Or am I being too harsh on someone who labelled his former team leader "mentally weak"?

drlodge

I think its not just the injuries, but the impact of those injuries on his ability to ride a bike over wet cobbles. He'd come off twice, and would likely have come off again may be a few times. That would have destroyed his wrists and made things a whole lot worse.

above_the_cows

ManOfKent wrote:

In the absence of much information from Team Sky about Chris Froome's injuries yesterday, is it reasonable to suggest he simply bottled it? Considering guys have completed the Tour with broken bones, he seemed rather keen to climb off. I got the impression he just didn't have the stomach for a fight. Or am I being too harsh on someone who labelled his former team leader "mentally weak"?

Did you actually see the man climb off? He was holding one arm like a little old lady would hold her handbag while on the way to church and he could barely walk. The man simply could not ride his bike anymore.

Turfle

I think you actually know the answer.

tom3

Regardless of the reasons. I would like to see him just have a rest to be honest.

He was bang on form for two years and that takes alot out of you mentally and physically.

It may have been a blessing in disguise.

Plus next year Quintana gets a party invite.

iainf72

On the cycling podcast, they said they asked Rod Ellingworth how Froome was yesterday morning and he said "he's starting", which sounds like he was in worse shape than expected.

Heads fine, body is borked

r0bh

Yeah I think he was pretty crocked starting the stage. As well as the physical limitations this is likely to alter your mentality too, make you ride more consciously in a 'mustn't crash' way rather than naturally.

above_the_cows

The fact that Richie got Bernie and G, the two cobbled specialists on the team, from the start of the stage says that Sky weren't sure about Froome's ability to finish the stage.

r0bh

Above The Cows wrote:

The fact that Richie got Bernie and G, the two cobbled specialists on the team, from the start of the stage says that Sky weren't sure about Froome's ability to finish the stage.

Agreed, suggests that Richie was pretty much already plan A before Froome's crashes.

Anonymous

Also - he's just too thin and frail. I don't think its unreasonable to expect to fall off once in a GT (esp CF and his luck!). Nibbles looks like you could throw him down the stairs and be absolutely fine, similarly Contador. I think his issue is being so tall he needs to be so thin to be so light to climb quickly - yet oddly he retains some explosive power to attack at TT well.

I think his head is there. I think he's a cold hearted beast on the bike.

above_the_cows

coriordan wrote:

Also - he's just too thin and frail. I don't think its unreasonable to expect to fall off once in a GT (esp CF and his luck!). Nibbles looks like you could throw him down the stairs and be absolutely fine, similarly Contador. I think his issue is being so tall he needs to be so thin to be so light to climb quickly - yet oddly he retains some explosive power to attack at TT well.

I think his head is there. I think he's a cold hearted beast on the bike.

And off it.




*Please no one post a picture of a snake, I am terrified of them, even pictures.

adr82

coriordan wrote:

I think his head is there. I think he's a cold hearted beast on the bike.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. If you read his book he doesn't come over as someone who'd give up on the Tour unless he really had to.

adr82

Above The Cows wrote:

coriordan wrote:

Also - he's just too thin and frail. I don't think its unreasonable to expect to fall off once in a GT (esp CF and his luck!). Nibbles looks like you could throw him down the stairs and be absolutely fine, similarly Contador. I think his issue is being so tall he needs to be so thin to be so light to climb quickly - yet oddly he retains some explosive power to attack at TT well.

I think his head is there. I think he's a cold hearted beast on the bike.

And off it.




*Please no one post a picture of a snake, I am terrified of them, even pictures.

Is that bunny a model for L'Oreal or something?

mfin

tom3 wrote:

Regardless of the reasons. I would like to see him just have a rest to be honest.

He was bang on form for two years and that takes alot out of you mentally and physically.

Yeah, the likes of Merckx would back you up there, he always liked a rest after a couple of years, as all the greats do.

tom3

I think the demands of a modern clean cyclist place too much strain on the body and mind to continue for much longer than 2 years at full gas.

Cuddles, Wiggo, Nibali, Froome since 2010/11.

mfin

Above The Cows wrote:

*Please no one post a picture of a snake, I am terrified of them, even pictures.

Must stop myself, must stop myself, must stop myself...

tailwindhome

He didn't seem able to close the car door.... wrist must have been in really bad shape.

RichN95.

tom3 wrote:

I think the demands of a modern clean cyclist place too much strain on the body and mind to continue for much longer than 2 years at full gas.

Cuddles, Wiggo, Nibali, Froome since 2010/11.

Nibali?

2010: 3rd in Giro, 1st in Vuelta
2011: 2nd in Giro, 7th in Vuelta
2012: 3rd in Tour
2013: 1st in Giro, 2nd in Vuelta
2014: Doing OK so far

Froome is out because two riders moved erratically in front of him on stage 4 causing him to crash. No more, no less.

salsiccia1

This thread = absolute bollocks.

OP is trolling, and really poorly too.

No_Ta_Doctor

Sorry ATC.

But I always think Froome is just a tiny bit reptilian...

More Alien Lizard King than snake though.

tom3

RichN95 wrote:

tom3 wrote:

I think the demands of a modern clean cyclist place too much strain on the body and mind to continue for much longer than 2 years at full gas.

Cuddles, Wiggo, Nibali, Froome since 2010/11.

Nibali?

2010: 3rd in Giro, 1st in Vuelta
2011: 2nd in Giro, 7th in Vuelta
2012: 3rd in Tour
2013: 1st in Giro, 2nd in Vuelta
2014: Doing OK so far

Froome is out because two riders moved erratically in front of him on stage 4 causing him to crash. No more, no less.

Froome is out because his bunch positioning was piss poor on stage 4. You move back you get caught up.

RichN95.

tom3 wrote:

Froome is out because his bunch positioning was wee-wee poor on stage 4. You move back you get caught up.

Nonsense , he wasn't at the back. He was in the third to fourth row in the first 4km of the stage.

adr82

tom3 wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

tom3 wrote:

I think the demands of a modern clean cyclist place too much strain on the body and mind to continue for much longer than 2 years at full gas.

Cuddles, Wiggo, Nibali, Froome since 2010/11.

Nibali?

2010: 3rd in Giro, 1st in Vuelta
2011: 2nd in Giro, 7th in Vuelta
2012: 3rd in Tour
2013: 1st in Giro, 2nd in Vuelta
2014: Doing OK so far

Froome is out because two riders moved erratically in front of him on stage 4 causing him to crash. No more, no less.

Froome is out because his bunch positioning was wee-wee poor on stage 4. You move back you get caught up.

The only way to avoid the type of crash he had would be to ride on the front himself. As long as there's a single person in front of you the danger of touching wheels is there. At some point you have to trade off risk avoidance against staying out of the wind.

type:epyt

I've said in the other thread that this is no different to both Cancellara and Boonen crashing out of the cobbled classics seasons in 2012 and 2013.

There is no need to over analyse this. It's racing and spills will happen, whether the rider's fault or someone else's mishap.

mulletmaster

What's all this chat about him being in top top shape for 2 years solid? He has hardly entered a race this year! If he wants to keep his physique at the bleeding edge of lean constantly, more power to him, but it's not because he is tearing the pro circuit up all year long!

kleinstroker

I think we have to assume Sky knew the true extent of the wrist injury before yesterdays start, and if so the plan for the day should have been to protect Froome at al costs. I'm not sure how the crashes actually happened, but a combination of bad bike handling and nervousness must have contributed in at least one of them, its hard to believe both crashes weren't a result of one or the other.
Cobbles and rain were the perfect storm for that kind of injury, not sure why he couldn't have had a seriosly strong painkiller, or local anaesthetic etc. A single dry day might have given him time to recover!

r0bh

kleinstroker wrote:

Cobbles and rain were the perfect storm for that kind of injury, not sure why he couldn't have had a seriosly strong painkiller, or local anaesthetic etc. A single dry day might have given him time to recover!

A good dose of Tramadol maybe? :?

adr82

OnYourRight wrote:

I think Froome’s self-belief and drive to win are second to none. His body, though, is a finely honed thing (literally) and not well-suited to being soaked, frozen, and repeatedly banged on the ground. Combined with his dubious bike-handling skills this does hurt his chances of being able to express his talent in a three-week race.

In fact, since Froome’s physical abilities are so strong – dominant, really – I am surprised Froome and Brailsford haven’t done a better job of reducing his other risks, even if doing so blunts his core strengths. People ascribe many crashes to luck, but isn’t it odd that people like Sagan have consistently good luck and people like Froome so often have bad luck?

Bike-handling can be trained to a large extent, and avoiding crashes has genuinely become a key way to win races – even though nobody yet gives that the recognition it deserves. More drastic action needs to be done to avoid them. And that’s not to mention the obvious stuff, like staying well away from inexperienced riders in the first few nervous kilometres of a stage – easily done with a strong team like Sky.

Sagan has crashed already in this Tour, at least once. Check the photos from yesterday where he has a dressing on his arm. You can be the best "bike handler" in the world, it isn't going to save you when someone directly in front goes down in the wet at 30mph. It comes down to luck in the end, sometimes you get away with a few scrapes and bruises, sometimes you do yourself some real damage. You can't realistically train yourself to hit the ground "the right way" in any situation. It's a part of racing, you can minimise the risks but you can't avoid them.

Also I don't remember anyone talking about Froome's bike handling in 2012/2013, have we just decided he can't ride a bike based on falling off in the Dauphine? Or was it his much older TT incident? Is Fabian a crappy bike handler because he crashed in the Olympics?

Anonymous

To be fair to Canc - I too have fallen off there, but turning left going up the hill.

FJS

RichN95 wrote:

tom3 wrote:

Froome is out because his bunch positioning was wee-wee poor on stage 4. You move back you get caught up.

Nonsense , he wasn't at the back. He was in the third to fourth row in the first 4km of the stage.

Just to add, Jens Keukeleire has already owned up and apologised to Froome for swerving into him on stage 4 causing Froome to crash, although Jens said he had to move himself to avoid an unidentified swerving Belkin rider.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cn ... 8_01172080

ddraver

FJS wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

tom3 wrote:

Froome is out because his bunch positioning was wee-wee poor on stage 4. You move back you get caught up.

Nonsense , he wasn't at the back. He was in the third to fourth row in the first 4km of the stage.

Just to add, Jens Keukeleire has already owned up and apologised to Froome for swerving into him on stage 4 causing Froome to crash, although Jens said he had to move himself to avoid an unidentified swerving Belkin rider.

SHUT UP FJS!!!!!

Froome can't ride a bike ok!