Should Chris Froome swallow his pride and retire?

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Comments

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    redvision said:

    It's horrible to see Froome struggle like this, particularly so early in the race. I guess the further he falls behind though the more likely he will be allowed to ride away should he attack on a stage. So perhaps he is planning one big stage to take a final win (well, first since the team name) in ineos colours.

    Pretty much what I said to a mate this morning. "When he gets to 30 minutes...."
    Didn't think it would be so soon though. 😱
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    edited October 2020
    pblakeney said:



    Pretty much what I said to a mate this morning. "When he gets to 30 minutes...."
    Didn't think it would be so soon though. 😱

    We've also got:

    Pinot +25.19
    I.Izagirre +26.35
    Van Garderen +34.01
    Woods +37.10

    After 17 stages of the Giro 10th place is at 4.26. Only 23 are within that already at the Vuelta
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    Guess that what happens when you start with a bang and side step the sprint stages. 😉
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Cargobike
    Cargobike Posts: 748
    A good mate of mine is an ex-professional footballer who's played for his country and in the Premier League and Championship until injury forced him to retire. He attempted to resume his career for more than a year before accepting the inevitable and calling it a day.
    His biggest regret? Not being able to play the sport for as long as he could, it's all he'd ever done since being a lad.
    Likewise, why should Froome retire, if he is able to reach the required standard to compete. It's still only two years since the accident, it will take the body another year to adapt from an enforced lay-off, not forgetting the pandemic. It doesn't surprise me at all that he isn't at the pointy end yet, he may never achieve it, but it's not our decision, so why speculate?
    He's not putting himself through the wringer for the money. I doubt he'd ever need to work again, but if cycling is all that you know and love, extending the time that you do it has got to be his ultimate aim. A man of his experience and competitive spirit would surely be of use to teams even if he isn't going to be a Grand Tour winner anymore.
  • david37
    david37 Posts: 1,313
    He's yesterdays chip paper. Good for a few epic stages or a classic. then the glue factory
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    RichN95. said:

    pblakeney said:



    Pretty much what I said to a mate this morning. "When he gets to 30 minutes...."
    Didn't think it would be so soon though. 😱

    We've also got:

    Pinot +25.19
    I.Izagirre +26.35
    Van Garderen +34.01
    Woods +37.10

    After 17 stages of the Giro 10th place is at 4.26. Only 23 are within that already at the Vuelta
    To be fair to Woods, it was a bit far for him to pick up his broken bike and run up the final two climbs, after he was left stranded, even for him.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.

    Naturally highly asthmatic surely!?
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    specialgueststar said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.

    Naturally highly asthmatic surely!?
    If only it were so simple.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    david37 said:

    He's yesterdays chip paper. Good for a few epic stages or a classic. then the glue factory

    Only me who sees these guys as heroes then
    _
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    pblakeney said:

    specialgueststar said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.

    Naturally highly asthmatic surely!?
    If only it were so simple.
    Funny how no-one ever mentions his ongoing health problems ever ? I mean that was industrial levels of salbutomol. Maybe he is having a respiratory crisis?
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    edited October 2020
    specialgueststar said:

    pblakeney said:

    specialgueststar said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.

    Naturally highly asthmatic surely!?
    If only it were so simple.
    Funny how no-one ever mentions his ongoing health problems ever ? I mean that was industrial levels of salbutomol. Maybe he is having a respiratory crisis?
    I must remember to use mine. Ah could a been a condenda.

    Anyway. Standard BR forum technique. Ignore the main point and focus on a pedant nuance point. Main point was the Froome had no great love of cycling.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,547
    pblakeney said:


    Main point was the Froome had no great love of cycling.

    I don't think that's true, is it? He might not be a walking cycling history encyclopedia like Wiggins, but he clearly loved the freedom that cycling gave him as a kid, like so many of us I imagine, and has a deep passion for it.

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.


    I very much doubt that's true. You don't past all the obstacles he did when he was younger without some genuine passion for cycling. He may not have paid much attention to the pro sport when he was younger, that's true, but he's not alone there.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    RichN95. said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.


    I very much doubt that's true. You don't past all the obstacles he did when he was younger without some genuine passion for cycling. He may not have paid much attention to the pro sport when he was younger, that's true, but he's not alone there.
    I'll concede that I may be mistaken. (As I did earlier).
    It is still an impression that I have of him.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • robnewcastle
    robnewcastle Posts: 241
    He would hope that he’s starting to show a bit of form towards the end of the Vuelta and I imagine he’s disappointed he got dropped on stage 1. There’s so many factors in play the moment that I think I’ll probably reserve full judgement next spring after a full offseason training. I think it’s unlikely he’ll get back to where he was but that’s how I’m looking at the situation. If he’s still not showing any signs in early races next spring then there’s major question marks really.
  • Matti66
    Matti66 Posts: 190
    pblakeney said:

    RichN95. said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.


    I very much doubt that's true. You don't past all the obstacles he did when he was younger without some genuine passion for cycling. He may not have paid much attention to the pro sport when he was younger, that's true, but he's not alone there.
    I'll concede that I may be mistaken. (As I did earlier).
    It is still an impression that I have of him.
    In any hobby or endeavour , profession there will always be some one who is more fanatical about it , its just human nature. I’d imagine Froome is just being himself and has a lot of respect and friends in the world of pro cycling .
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    pblakeney said:

    RichN95. said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.


    I very much doubt that's true. You don't past all the obstacles he did when he was younger without some genuine passion for cycling. He may not have paid much attention to the pro sport when he was younger, that's true, but he's not alone there.
    I'll concede that I may be mistaken. (As I did earlier).
    It is still an impression that I have of him.
    I think Chris Boardman once said he didn't love cycling, it was just an 'out' for his competitiveness. Maybe that's what you're thinking of.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    RichN95. said:

    pblakeney said:

    I may be mistaken, but hasn’t it been made public that Froome has no great love for cycling? It just happens to be something that he is naturally very, very good at and is realising the full potential of it.


    I very much doubt that's true. You don't past all the obstacles he did when he was younger without some genuine passion for cycling. He may not have paid much attention to the pro sport when he was younger, that's true, but he's not alone there.
    From listening to his podcast it's pretty clear that Lance Armstrong has no love for cycling.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,308
    Maybe to all of the above.
    May I rephrase my point.
    If Cav was offered a place in a team for little to no money and little chance of a win I think he'd take it. I doubt Froome would.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    pblakeney said:

    Maybe to all of the above.
    May I rephrase my point.
    If Cav was offered a place in a team for little to no money and little chance of a win I think he'd take it. I doubt Froome would.

    I think the critical part in all that would be the "little chance of winning", although to be fair both of them sit up when they've got no chance so I don't think its as different as all that. Cavendish's stubborn belief he can still win just takes longer to wear off, is all.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,784
    At the point of retirement (I'm not calling it anytime soon tbh) I wonder what he'll do next? With a lack of historic knowledge and his quiet demeanour, I cant see a pundit or public facing career beckoning. He doesn't seem the type to go into a team/DS role.
    I reckon it'll be something fairly removed from the sport?
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Pinot has climbed off after just 2 stages of this Vuelta.
    About time he had one of these threads, no?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Matti66
    Matti66 Posts: 190
    Pinot will retire to run a Childrens animal farm , Froome will retire to run a big game reserve.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    edited October 2020
    blazing_saddles said:

    Pinot has climbed off after just 2 stages of this Vuelta.
    About time he had one of these threads, no?

    Oof. He's a bit messed up at the moment (I don't mean that perjoratively). I wonder if he'll ever get it back together.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    blazing_saddles said:

    Pinot has climbed off after just 2 stages of this Vuelta.
    About time he had one of these threads, no?

    Thought these threads were for riders that had actually won something?
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Actually, you've got to question the team putting him in the Vuelta at all.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    carbonclem said:

    At the point of retirement (I'm not calling it anytime soon tbh) I wonder what he'll do next? With a lack of historic knowledge and his quiet demeanour, I cant see a pundit or public facing career beckoning. He doesn't seem the type to go into a team/DS role.
    I reckon it'll be something fairly removed from the sport?

    I could imagine him buying a vineyard or something along those lines.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,784
    DeVlaeminck said:

    carbonclem said:

    At the point of retirement (I'm not calling it anytime soon tbh) I wonder what he'll do next? With a lack of historic knowledge and his quiet demeanour, I cant see a pundit or public facing career beckoning. He doesn't seem the type to go into a team/DS role.
    I reckon it'll be something fairly removed from the sport?

    I could imagine him buying a vineyard or something along those lines.
    Good call. Isn't Michelle got some link to gold mines in SA? Could be a route I guess.

    I guess he'll hold off starting a bike team, after reading about Brad's company going down owing a million this week ...
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    blazing_saddles said:

    Pinot has climbed off after just 2 stages of this Vuelta.
    About time he had one of these threads, no?

    Probably explains why SGS is back on his snidy remarks then.

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