Criterium Du Dauphine 2017 *** SPOILERS***

EnacheV

whining for nothing is one thing

whining and threathning revenge in the next race is borderline childish

tbh i have never read something as stupid. if someone knows of a previous "unsubstantiated whine + revenge" with names in clear, from anothe rider , please link it

bobmcstuff

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's almost like you lot don't like the beef...!

More vegetarians than one would have thought

Meh, I'm up for a bit of needle. I just hadnt read the direct naming and 'shaming' by the wee Tassie, and wanted to know where that had been reported.

Riders complaining about other riders riding to make them lose, is a practice as old as time itself, non?

It's the same as Dumoulin in the Giro, why he thought Quintana or Nibali would ride to protect 2nd or 3rd. Porte should be asking himself the same about Froome, why would he bother riding to protect 2nd or 3rd when he's won the thing 3 times.

You're right, it isn't new!

secretsqirrel

TheBigBean wrote:

SecretSqirrel wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

TheBigBean wrote:

- For someone that regularly climbs well I've often wondered why Fuglsang always seems to be a super domestique. He's 32.

Never the favoured child, is he

At Tinki/Saxo, he had to ride for Bert

At Astana, he's been well down the pecking order after Nibz (till this year) and Aru

That's not strictly true, he was designated team leader for the 2013 TDF. A decision made months in advance. He came a very creditable 7th place.

Accordingly to Wikipedia that was only after the abandonment of Janez Brajkovic. But even if he was joint leader at the start, the point still stands, he is capable of 7th in the tour, but that is his only top 10 in any GT. My memory of Fuglsang is of a rider there at the end in some big mountain stages, but for some reason never challenging for the overall.

In that case I challenge Wikipedia

From November 2012 - http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fuglsang-will-lead-astana-at-tour-de-france/

wombly_knees

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's almost like you lot don't like the beef...!

More vegetarians than one would have thought

Meh, I'm up for a bit of needle. I just hadnt read the direct naming and 'shaming' by the wee Tassie, and wanted to know where that had been reported.

Riders complaining about other riders riding to make them lose, is a practice as old as time itself, non?

Fair points made. But neither is criticising whinging a new thing, is it?

larkim

I suppose there was a point on the final climb as he was coming past Froome that Froome knew the victory was gone, and perhaps Porte asked him "Let's bring home 1st and 2nd here mate" to which Froome said "Can't be arsed". Or words to that effect.

In Porte's eyes, that'd be not supporting him. In Froome's eyes that'd be not giving two hoots about finishing second when he can't win it.

okgo

Is it just me or is the tour pretty well lacking in summit finishes?

I cannot believe Froome is going to get to the tour in bad shape. He and Sky are not that way inclined. I think its just more about leaving it a bit later for Vuleta.

Richmond Racer 2

wombly knees wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's almost like you lot don't like the beef...!

More vegetarians than one would have thought

Meh, I'm up for a bit of needle. I just hadnt read the direct naming and 'shaming' by the wee Tassie, and wanted to know where that had been reported.

Riders complaining about other riders riding to make them lose, is a practice as old as time itself, non?

Fair points made. But neither is criticising whinging a new thing, is it?

Whingeing about whingeing certainly isnt a new thing

Richmond Racer 2

okgo wrote:

Is it just me or is the tour pretty well lacking in summit finishes?

I cannot believe Froome is going to get to the tour in bad shape. He and Sky are not that way inclined. I think its just more about leaving it a bit later for Vuleta.

Counterpoint: 2014 Tour


I actually think he's in better shape than 2014, but he's missing something

However, as I said in an earlier post, you'd be a fool to assume he wont make it

RichN95.

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

I actually think he's in better shape than 2014, but he's missing something

Yeah, his team. I think only three of the Dauphine team will make it to the Tour (Rowe, Stannard, Kwiatkowski). His team mould the race to his strengths.

I think he was in better shape in 2014 prior to crashing (he won a TT and a MTF). I also think he was in similar shape the last two Dauphines to this year, but he had a team that could cover for the missing bits of form.

blazing_saddles

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

I actually think he's in better shape than 2014, but he's missing something

For me, it's more this.

RichN95 wrote:

Yeah, his team. I think only three of the Dauphine team will make it to the Tour (Rowe, Stannard, Kwiatkowski). His team mould the race to his strengths.

Than this.
Bottom line is that he still needs his best legs to finish off the team's work, however strong they are.

Not saying he won't have found them, come Beautiful Girls.

Richmond Racer 2

^yep


Nah, sorry, but his TT ride was nowt to do with who he did or did not have around him. That was enough of a tell sign

He's still lacking a certain something and it's not the team

RichN95.

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

^yep

Nah, sorry, but his TT ride was nowt to do with who he did or did not have around him. That was enough of a tell sign

He's still lacking a certain something and it's not the team

But his pre-Tour TTs have rarely been great

Non-prologue pre-Tour TT results 2013-2017: 6 4 3 / 1 1 / 10 13 / 4 3 / 9 8 (the two wins were in 2014)
_______________

But like I've said - the Dauphine is like a Tour opinion poll - there's a limited amount it tells us.

bobbydazzla

Just watched the highlights again, couldn't work out when / how Kwiato got on the front of the lead group for the run to the final climb. He was dropped from the Froome & Porte group near the top of the Colombière and was nowhere to be seen on telly shots.

Then he suddenly reappears on the front of the Froome group on the valley road, at some point on the descent Kwiato must have ridden past Porte to catch Froome but Kwiato did it without anyone getting on his wheel...

blazing_saddles

bobbydazzla wrote:

Just watched the highlights again, couldn't work out when / how Kwiato got on the front of the lead group for the run to the final climb. He was dropped from the Froome & Porte group near the top of the Colombière and was nowhere to be seen on telly shots.

Then he suddenly reappears on the front of the Froome group on the valley road, at some point on the descent Kwiato must have ridden past Porte to catch Froome but Kwiato did it without anyone getting on his wheel...

Here you go.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1546792?filter=overall

bobbydazzla

Would have been great to see his descending skills as he flew past Porte, shame the cameras didn't catch it.

rick_chasey

So what conclusions can we draw?

Astana look good.

Froome doesn't look as strong as last year.

Benoot is gonna win a stage isn't he?

Crampeur

Rick Chasey wrote:

So what conclusions can we draw?

Astana look good.

Froome doesn't look as strong as last year.

Benoot is gonna win a stage isn't he?

Benoot must be one of the most versatile riders out there. Reckon he has the potential to win all 5 monuments?

Richmond Racer 2

Crampeur wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

So what conclusions can we draw?

Astana look good.

Froome doesn't look as strong as last year.

Benoot is gonna win a stage isn't he?

Benoot must be one of the most versatile riders out there. Reckon he has the potential to win all 5 monuments?

V impressive fer shure