Chris Froome

RichN95.

Nothing special, but better than I'd manage at my peak

robnewcastle

Be interesting to see if he gets a full block of training in this month without setbacks. As a physio I’ve been interested to see and hear about his rehab. January will likely be the foundation to go on and do the harder stuff. Still big question marks but the bloke will no doubt be frothing at the mouth to prove everyone wrong.

m.r.m.

RichN95. said:

Nothing special, but better than I'd manage at my peak

I can manage that at the end of summer, riding alone. Not at the end of winter though.

zest28

It is just training. And if I guesstimate his power numbers on this low intensity ride. it is a good base to start from.

However I don’t see Froome winning this year as both Egan and Thomas have a head start on Froome. Froome will be a support rider for both Egan and Thomas in my opinion.

I think 2021 is when Froome can win the Tour again after having a “recovery year”.

m.r.m.

I agree with that. Don't think he can come back stronger than the other two. Thomas will also feel the need to prove he isn't a flash in the pan. He took 2019 too lightly and enjoyed the spotlight too much. Would expect him to be refocused as well.

Remco vs. Egan is the future. A dark horse will always also emerge though.

robnewcastle

That’s probably correct. Cycling podcast seemed pretty convinced Thomas was going to Giro but somebody on here said he’d confirmed tour at his live event. I’d imagine Froome will do the Vuelta too even if it’s just for the training like he used to do. Good to see him training either way.

m.r.m.

I'll just put this here, since he comes up,

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/alberto-contador-and-chris-froome-clash-of-the-titans/

Great interview with Alberto Contador. He answers really candidly. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

focuszing723

m.r.m. said:

I'll just put this here, since he comes up,

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/alberto-contador-and-chris-froome-clash-of-the-titans/

Great interview with Alberto Contador. He answers really candidly. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Cheers.

"PC: Are you still in favour of getting rid of power meters?

AC: Power meters are very valuable for training. But in racing it kills off the instinctive element, riding on feeling and without thinking too hard. Without power meters, time trials wouldn’t be just a question of trying to hit 400 watts throughout, but going with your instincts. It'd be far more interesting than getting rid of race radios."



Ahmen!

RichN95.

At the risk of starting the powermeter debate again, the idea that a top level pro can't judge 400w without a powermeter is like saying a Michelin starred chef can't judge 100g of sugar without a scale. They may not get it bang on, but they won't be far out.

What a powermeter won't tell you is how long you can maintain the power you are doing. And theirin lies the rub.

m.r.m.

There were many other aspects in that interview I found much more interesting. Like how he always attacked on rainy days or days after rain (was not aware of this); or his take on what makes a GT parcours interesting and challenging; or facing Sky with an inferior team or his take on his legendary masterclass on the Mortirolo/Giro.

DeVlaeminck

Well I've been riding a fair while and I'd struggle to ride at a set power without a power meter - I think they'd be far enough out that it'd be important. In any case if they really do make no difference there will be no objections to getting rid of them - or at least real time data on a display.

awavey

DeVlaeminck said:

Well I've been riding a fair while and I'd struggle to ride at a set power without a power meter - I think they'd be far enough out that it'd be important. In any case if they really do make no difference there will be no objections to getting rid of them - or at least real time data on a display.

I really dont think it would make a big difference as I agree with RichN95 a top level pro should know inately what wattages they are kicking out probably to within even 10watts Id imagine just by how it feels in the legs/body and muscle memory, Contador isnt using some mystic jedi power only he possesses to think he doesnt need a power meter, its experience, hours of practice and knowing how your body feels in certain situations.

the difference he might be alluding to might be that someone who isnt a top level pro can use a power meter like a "cycling aid" to help them short circuit the experience/hours of practice route and get to be a top level pro a bit quicker or compete with the top level pros better

so its a bit like driver aids in F1, nobody would ever say Lewis Hamilton needs launch control to make a good race start, but a rookie driver in their first race might be able to make as a good a start with it, but you know if they get rid of the launch control, that just forces the rookie to spend hours practicing and perfecting it to get it right instead.

rick_chasey

RichN95. said:

Nothing special, but better than I'd manage at my peak

Am I being stupid or is that quite a slow cadence for him?

robnewcastle

I saw Brailsdord saying Carapaz and Dennis to Giro, Thomas and Bernal to Tour. So Froome as a super domestique at the tour and then Vuelta? (Of course people crash and/or Froome may surprise with his recovery). Someone’s going to have to work on the front though.

fenix

m.r.m. said:

Thomas will also feel the need to prove he isn't a flash in the pan. .

Remind us again where Thomas finished on overall in the tour last year ?

RichN95.

robnewcastle said:

I saw Brailsdord saying Carapaz and Dennis to Giro, Thomas and Bernal to Tour. So Froome as a super domestique at the tour and then Vuelta? (Of course people crash and/or Froome may surprise with his recovery). Someone’s going to have to work on the front though.

If he's good enough he'll be another leader at the Tour. But nobody, not even Froome, can know at the moment, so Brailsford has to plan without him and treat anything he can do as a bonus.

RichN95.

Double post

redvision

If froome does recover in time for the tour and manages to find form, it is pretty scary to hear that list of possible leaders at the tour. Really does emphasise the strength of Ineos.

I have heard G is in far better shape than this time last year and is focused again on that top step in Paris, whereas he is relatively open in admitting he enjoyed himself too much after his tour win and didn't prepare for the 2019 tour as he should have.

blazing_saddles

redvision said:

If froome does recover in time for the tour and manages to find form, it is pretty scary to hear that list of possible leaders at the tour. Really does emphasise the strength of Ineos.

I have heard G is in far better shape than this time last year and is focused again on that top step in Paris, whereas he is relatively open in admitting he enjoyed himself too much after his tour win and didn't prepare for the 2019 tour as he should have.

And yet I still think he would have won, had he not crashed out of Switzerland.
Certainly wasn't a question of weight.

mrb123

redvision said:

If froome does recover in time for the tour and manages to find form, it is pretty scary to hear that list of possible leaders at the tour. Really does emphasise the strength of Ineos.

I have heard G is in far better shape than this time last year and is focused again on that top step in Paris, whereas he is relatively open in admitting he enjoyed himself too much after his tour win and didn't prepare for the 2019 tour as he should have.

For me it's a shame that G isn't going to the Giro but the reality for Ineos is that the Tour will always come first and everything else is a distant second.

orraloon

rick_chasey said:

RichN95. said:

Nothing special, but better than I'd manage at my peak

Am I being stupid or is that quite a slow cadence for him?

Is average innit. Given he'd be fast pedalling up the mountain, then freewheeling down, ergo 79.

awavey

look this time last year we were still processing the fact Sky had announced they wouldnt continue to sponsor Brailsfords team after 2019, Ineos were still 2 months away from being announced & taking over,it was nearly 5 months till Froomes TdF 2019 ending crash.

how can anyone possibly at this point in time say with certainty, who is going to line up at the start line for any of these grand tours this year ? yes Brailsford has to plan and is just telling us what his plan is, but I think we are along way from knowing how this will actually all pan out yet.

m.r.m.

fenix said:

m.r.m. said:

Thomas will also feel the need to prove he isn't a flash in the pan. .

Remind us again where Thomas finished on overall in the tour last year ?

He came second. You're welcome.

RichN95.

awavey said:

look this time last year we were still processing the fact Sky had announced they wouldnt continue to sponsor Brailsfords team after 2019, Ineos were still 2 months away from being announced & taking over,it was nearly 5 months till Froomes TdF 2019 ending crash.

And Bernal was going to be the leader at the Giro

robnewcastle

As ever form will decide things I guess. Ineos will have to have all their guns blazing v Jumbo-Visma. If Froome is going to do the tour but can’t match Bernal/Thomas for form then he’ll have to make do with mountain lieutenant for those two. Be interesting to see how things develop. Crashes may simplify things anyway.

specialgueststar

redvision said:

I have heard G is in far better shape than this time last year

That's not going to be difficult to be fair

philbar72

specialgueststar said:

redvision said:

I have heard G is in far better shape than this time last year

That's not going to be difficult to be fair

tough crowd. he was very close to winning, but lost a few seconds here and there, and that was all because of a few beers at the end of the season after his win the year before.... he was always playing catch up...

mididoctors

rick_chasey said:

RichN95. said:

Nothing special, but better than I'd manage at my peak

Am I being stupid or is that quite a slow cadence for him?

a lot of downhill where he isn't pedalling i suspect.

bobmcstuff

mididoctors said:

rick_chasey said:

RichN95. said:

Nothing special, but better than I'd manage at my peak

Am I being stupid or is that quite a slow cadence for him?

a lot of downhill where he isn't pedalling i suspect.

Zeroes are not included in the Strava average (nor Garmin or any other one I've seen).

No_Ta_Doctor

philbar72 said:

specialgueststar said:

redvision said:

I have heard G is in far better shape than this time last year

That's not going to be difficult to be fair

tough crowd. he was very close to winning, but lost a few seconds here and there, and that was all because of a few beers at the end of the season after his win the year before.... he was always playing catch up...

To be fair, he was pretty off weight/form early season. That said, with the abandoned and shortened stage 19/20... He wasn't just close to being in yellow in Paris, if they'd fought to bring Bernal back then he was sitting in the wheels ready, and could well have won overall. Stage 20 would probably have suited him nicely.