Should Chris Froome swallow his pride and retire?

takethehighroad

I would be astonished if he finishes top 10 at the Tour from where he is now. He just doesn't look capable of staying with anyone when the going gets uphill

m.r.m.

The way Pogacar is riding, I don't know if Froome wouldn't have aged out of beating him even without his injury.

Dorset_Boy

Pog has said he had to target this race as it's the team's home game and they need to keep the sponsors happy.

bobmcstuff

Being super strong in February is not necessarily key to winning the Tour is it.

Not that I think Froome can - just that there's more of a risk that Pog might be coming in a bit hot a bit early. Except it's so early there is plenty of time to peak and rebuild by then.

davidof

takethehighroad said:

I would be astonished if he finishes top 10 at the Tour from where he is now.

#metoo

He put 9 minutes into Cav on the Ventoux stage though.

blazing_saddles

davidof said:

takethehighroad said:

I would be astonished if he finishes top 10 at the Tour from where he is now.

#metoo

He put 9 minutes into Cav on the Ventoux stage though.

davidof said:

takethehighroad said:

I would be astonished if he finishes top 10 at the Tour from where he is now.

#metoo

He put 9 minutes into Cav on the Ventoux stage though.

And 11 minutes on today's fake Queen stage.
He was actually the third best ISN rider behind Dan Martin and Woods.

davidof

blazing_saddles said:

And 11 minutes on today's fake Queen stage.
He was actually the third best ISN rider behind Dan Martin and Woods.

so another year then?

He's lower than Omer Goldstein on the GC. I've not seen him at all on TV coverage, has he been doing domestic duties or just cruising along in the gruppetto ?

I'm thinking he's saving himself and doing some training miles for the Vuelta.

I don't blame him tbh, I would probably do about 50km of today's stage then take a rest day :-)

Pross

He's been on screen most days at some point. Usually just riding along and looking quite happy or going out the back with the sprinters on the first serious climb of the day. He's the road captain but I'm not really sure what that will entail with ISN as there's not much involved in their tactics - try to get Martin and / or Woods in the break on mountain stages

davidof

Froome uncertain about racing in 2022 after overdoing it training

https://roadbikeaction.com/chris-froome-reveals-uncertainty-of-racing-in-2022/?fbclid=IwAR2JwmPeZvlJpX4cveRCAClqGefvzNVxhbTEXROJ16FP81kqgsIEZk8OdwA

andyp

A good interview with him here - https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/chris-froome-2022-tour-de-france-would-be-a-dream-scenario - sounds like he's finally overcome any lingering injury issues and we'll see how competitive he can be in the next few months.

kingstongraham

Good luck to him, but unless things change dramatically, I don't see what he brings to a tour de france team (cycling wise).

RichN95.

kingstongraham said:

Good luck to him, but unless things change dramatically, I don't see what he brings to a tour de france team (cycling wise).

You could say the same for the rest of their team though. They'll be in it for the breakaways. I'm dubious that Woods & Fuglsang have a top ten in them.

seanoconn

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seanoconn

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seanoconn

kingstongraham said:

I don't see what he brings to a tour de france team (cycling wise).

Beauty, style, elegance?

daniel_b

andyp said:

A good interview with him here - https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/chris-froome-2022-tour-de-france-would-be-a-dream-scenario - sounds like he's finally overcome any lingering injury issues and we'll see how competitive he can be in the next few months.

I'd be delighted to see him come back to somewhere approaching his best, or at least be able to target a few stage wins to recapture some of what he has achieved in the past - that would be a monster comeback if he could achieve it.

I was disappointed to see Pinot only just fail in his attempt to win a stage at the tour of the alps recently - similar really, was hoping he could show form he had displayed previously.

kingstongraham

RichN95. said:

kingstongraham said:

Good luck to him, but unless things change dramatically, I don't see what he brings to a tour de france team (cycling wise).

You could say the same for the rest of their team though. They'll be in it for the breakaways. I'm dubious that Woods & Fuglsang have a top ten in them.

Woods at least has a potential stage win in him. So would Nizzolo (if he went). Mads Wurz Schmidt if he got in the right breakaway on the right day. I don't see how Froome helps any of them.

RichN95.

kingstongraham said:

Woods at least has a potential stage win in him. So would Nizzolo (if he went). Mads Wurz Schmidt if he got in the right breakaway on the right day. I don't see how Froome helps any of them.

But my point was that I don't think any of the others helps either. At least Froome brings publicity and the possibility of improvement. If Israel were on the Netflix show he'd definitely be in.

ugo.santalucia

I think he is finished. In 2020 I thought maybe he could come back and still be decent, but at 37 he is too old now as a credible stage rider and realistically he can’t do anything else… waste of space IMO

DeVlaeminck

The boring answer is if his numbers justify it pick him.

kingstongraham

25'54 down today.

kingstongraham

Can't really leave either of the Danes out.

m.r.m.

What a shitty way to end such a great career. 🙁

davidof

kingstongraham said:

25'54 down today.

That was quite a long way down, 84th place. Goldstein beat him again !

joe2019

ugo.santalucia said:

I think he is finished. In 2020 I thought maybe he could come back and still be decent, but at 37 he is too old now as a credible stage rider and realistically he can’t do anything else… waste of space IMO

You'd fancy your chances then.... Ugo, Dog, Brad?

wavefront

ugo.santalucia said:

I think he is finished. In 2020 I thought maybe he could come back and still be decent, but at 37 he is too old now as a credible stage rider and realistically he can’t do anything else… waste of space IMO

A bit harsh. Does the same apply to us amateurs when we’re racing and get repeatedly shelled out the back or come last on a hill climb. I guess we’re all waste of space too?

Froome is one rider for which racing is truly in his blood. Even being back of the pack probably gives him some enjoyment because he’s out there racing. If he has been smart enough to secure a contract then hats off to him.

ugo.santalucia

m.r.m. said:

What a shitty way to end such a great career. 🙁

wavefront said:

ugo.santalucia said:

I think he is finished. In 2020 I thought maybe he could come back and still be decent, but at 37 he is too old now as a credible stage rider and realistically he can’t do anything else… waste of space IMO

A bit harsh. Does the same apply to us amateurs when we’re racing and get repeatedly shelled out the back or come last on a hill climb. I guess we’re all waste of space too?

Froome is one rider for which racing is truly in his blood. Even being back of the pack probably gives him some enjoyment because he’s out there racing. If he has been smart enough to secure a contract then hats off to him.

I never actually finished last, but no, there are rankings and I only get into a race if I am better than the guy who doesn’t get a spot, it’s all very fair, really. I think Froome at this point is not fit for the PRO peloton and it’s hard to see this changing. That said, if someone is happy to give him a shot, then good on him… probably some youngster would deserve it better though

pblakeney

ugo.santalucia said:

... That said, if someone is happy to give him a shot, then good on him… probably some youngster would deserve it better though

This. Except pro cycling is a business and Chris attracts much, much more attention than a youngster.

DeVlaeminck

I guess his team took a bit of a punt he'd get back to a decent level - no doubt the publicity he generates is big part of him getting that contract but they must have been hoping for a lot more.

If he gets a Tour spot on the basis of who he used to be I wonder how that affects team unity - if he doesn't get a spot then it's pretty much accepting signing him was a mistake.

I'd like to see him there though even if he is off the pace.

kingstongraham

Given they took him last year, and they'll certainly take their newly signed Danish rider, I don't see why they wouldn't take him. It's nice for there to be like a sunset retirement home for them.