Critérium du Dauphiné 2021 ***Spoilers***

Pross

mididoctors said:

rick_chasey said:

gweeds said:

Froome caught by his minute man.

poor guy

Who was his minute guy?

Pollit I think.

rick_chasey

He used to be a genuine favourite for most TTs.

gweeds

Froome came in 2:12 down, 93/141.

ddraver

It's getting quite hard to believe.... 😥

phreak

gweeds said:

Froome came in 2:12 down, 93/141.

You wouldn't think his weight would be as big a factor in a TT so his power must be some way off still.

Dorset_Boy

It's just not happening for Froome is it. He was giving the impression his recent altitude camp went very well. Certainly a long way off being a GC contender again, and even stage wins look well beyond him.

Pross

Dorset_Boy said:

It's just not happening for Froome is it. He was giving the impression his recent altitude camp went very well. Certainly a long way off being a GC contender again, and even stage wins look well beyond him.

Feels different to Cav who I generally felt could get a result again at any time and go back to winning regularly (although by time that did happen I had pretty much written him off). He always felt like it was just a couple of percent improvement needed but for a GC contender Froome seems worlds away from the wins again and I really don't see how he will get back there. In the meantime there are several young riders coming through that could have challenged him at his best.

DeVlaeminck

It's a shame - I think people would really warm to Froome if he could have an Indian Summer and I don't care how thick skinned he is or that he's done well from the sport it'd be nice for him to have a couple of years where he is the one the crowds are cheering for.

phreak

In his time trials this season he's finished 83rd, 90th, 109th, and 93rd.

That compares to last year when in TTs he managed 80th and 86th in his two races. He doesn't really seem to be showing any progress, with his last three stage races resulting in 81st, 93rd, and 96th place overall.

TheBigBean

I'm guessing ISN are wondering what they have done.

pblakeney

TheBigBean said:

I'm guessing ISN are wondering what they have done.

Said it before - Got the sponsors on board. Job done.

RichN95.

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

I'm guessing ISN are wondering what they have done.

Said it before - Got the sponsors on board. Job done.

Also a boost in status. They can attract better riders now. The money is a drop in the ocean for Adams and Baron

amrushton

Ineos knew or were pretty certain he wasn't going to be worth the big ££ when they let him go. But he gets ISN publicity.

RichN95.

amrushton said:

Ineos knew or were pretty certain he wasn't going to be worth the big ££ when they let him go. But he gets ISN publicity.

I think even without the crash Ineos may have moved on to the next generation anyway

pblakeney

RichN95. said:

amrushton said:

Ineos knew or were pretty certain he wasn't going to be worth the big ££ when they let him go. But he gets ISN publicity.

I think even without the crash Ineos may have moved on to the next generation anyway

Not while there was a realistic hope of 5 Tours.
Those days appear to be gone.

gsk82

pblakeney said:

RichN95. said:

amrushton said:

Ineos knew or were pretty certain he wasn't going to be worth the big ££ when they let him go. But he gets ISN publicity.

I think even without the crash Ineos may have moved on to the next generation anyway

Not while there was a realistic hope of 5 Tours.
Those days appear to be gone.

Without his crash he'd have probably won in 2019.

kingstongraham

Looks like today's point of interest comes with 15km to go. 1km at 13% with mostly downhill and probably fairly technical after that.

https://www.strava.com/segments/14504600

ddraver

55 to go, a superbreak have just over a minute but are playing silly games.

BH and BV chasing

Break:
Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal),
Tsgabu Grmay (BikeExchange),
Julien Bernard, Ryan Mullen and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo),
Kasper Asgreen, Josef Cerny (Deceuninck-Quick Step)
Cyril Gautier (B&B-KTM)


Ryan Mullen and Josef Cerny have attacked/been let off the front a little further

All a bit weird

ddraver

Superbreak implodes

42 to go,

Reduced bunch back together

Speed High!

kingstongraham

Looks like it's going to be fast then climb then fast then wall then fast to the line.

ddraver

Kwiato and Froome having a natter on the front...

No_Ta_Doctor

Ineos had a quick echelon attempt, didn't amount to anything though.

ddraver

Sven Erik Bystrøm goes up the road and has a minute as they hit the lumpy bits. Proper narrow, windy farm roads.

Crash at the back - a few down but no big players (which sounds horrible to say, but...)

28 to go

ddraver

Bystrom's lead went up to a minute but a fight for position in the peloton has halved the gap as we approach the steep climb

15 to go

Lanterne_Rogue

Going to watch this climb in reverse later for old times' sake.

(Lawson Craddock off the front...)

ddraver

Ineos swarm the front with FdJ, not a whole lot of action, just GC Defence

Lawson Craddock makes an attempt with 900m of climb to go. No response - Not much space on the road and Ineos & FdJ are taking up all of it

Pacheur battles his way through and 'attacks' with 300 odd m to go.

Craddock still ahead as they go over the top, has about ?15s

12 to go

johnboy183

Would Froome/ISN have anything to gain by hiding his true form? Lull everybody into false sense of security then big attack early doors at The Tour, into first and then defend all the Way to Paris?

blazing_saddles

A whole lot of nothing produced by this fantastic new climb, bar another chute on the descent.

ddraver

Anacona and Rolland spend some time practicing CX,

Ineos have killed this stone dead though. Reduced peloton but Colbrelli in there with a good few team mates.

Craddock about to be caught as they enter the descent

8.5 to go

blazing_saddles

ddraver said:

Anacona and Rolland spend some time practicing CX,

Ineos have killed this stone dead though. Colbrelli in there too with a good few team mates.

Craddock about to be caught as they enter the descent

8.5 to go

I don't think they did, if Lawson Craddock and Quentin Pacher were able to ride off the front. That's a large group left.
Just nobody of note could be arsed, as it topped out a fair way from the finish.