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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [ToBeasy] [ In reply to ]
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ToBeasy wrote:
Am I the only one who thinks AG2R did too much work AFTER Froome reattached? I totally agree that they likely didn't go all out when the leader was behind and I don't know why. But why the hell kept day pulling when Froome was back. And I am not speaking of Bardets attack which was great. Wouldn't it be Sky that have to control? I think the others are more worried to lose the podium then to sit and let Froome work. Only at the end did he need to do some work to help keep Martin close.

I really like how this Tour is playing out though. Aru has always been aggressive in the mountains since I know him. And I quite like Bardet and Kind of root for him. And the longer the Tour lasts the more I see what a beast Martin is. Would be a shame when Sky keeps the Jersey all the way to Paris. I don't mind if they win at the end after a tight race with Froome taking it back in the TT. But please let the last mountain stages be a slaughterfest.

I am not the biggest sky fan. But I can't stand the fact that people are booing Froome. He is a strong rider and deserves his three tour wins and he has never done something unfair or been disrespectful. One does not need to love him but show respect at least.

And I find sky makes it interesting. At least when they are not in yellow. Des, when they have the jersey they control it (because they are strong enough to do so). But when they are not in yellow you can expect them trying hard and giving their absolute everything. Remember Froome last year on the descent? Or when he broke away with Sagan to sneak some seconds on a flat stage. Unexpected, awesome and certainly interesting.

I can't wait for tomorrow. Man, what am I going to do next week?


You know, I am fan of Froome the rider, but not a fan of Sky in the sense that I'll be a fan of a team if they win one or two tours, but after a while I don't want them winning anymore just to mix it up. Same reason I don't love the Patriots. They are just winning too much....but just like Brady's miracle comeback at this year's Superbowl, I am a fan of players who can step and execute when things are down. Froome is beyond amazing. He does not panic, he takes time when no one is expecting it and his attention to detail is meticulous. He is an "athlete's athlete". Same way Phelps wins his 7th gold medal in Beijing by half stroking Cavic at the wall. Cavic had the upset and win in hand, but Phelp's attention to detail basically stole the win (and 7th Gold medal) from Cavic. Guys like Phelps, Froome, Brady, on the surface if feels like their instinct and luck are uncanny, but really it is their focus and attention to detail that make all that execution and luck happen. if Froome was on Bora, or Katusha, or Direct Energy, I'd be cheering for him like crazy, but with the entire Sky train, I want him to lose just for another team to beat Sky since they come to game with a completely unbalanced team relative to the have not teams. In that vein, it is awesome to see what Sunweb or Cannondale are pulling off with 1/3 of the budget.

So, if you ask me, who do I want in yellow in Paris, I say "anyone but Sky"...but with Froome at Sky, if and when he wins, I'll totally be happy that the best man pulled it off, because he leaves no time on the table. As a fan, I have huge respect for that, even though I am tired of his team winning. If Froome does not win, I absolutely don't want Landa winning. I want a non Sky athlete (even though Landa is virtually non Sky and according to Lance, has signed with Movistar)
Last edited by: devashish_paul: Jul 17, 17 12:24
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [ChrisC42780] [ In reply to ]
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ChrisC42780 wrote:

Here it is, my awesome prediction for this week. Uran will win the Yellow Jersey, thanks to the help of AG2R's attacks on Froome this week. Bardet will be in yellow until the final TT and Uran takes it from him in the Final TT!!!

That would be quite the finish!
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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RandMart wrote:
Alvin Tostig wrote:
1. Landa wasn't coasting through the. Giro ala Armstrong. But unlike Quintana going for the win, he could take a day off on some stages and still win the Blue Jersey and finish 17th on GC. Still, he's been impressive in the Tour.
2. It didn't cost Landa much to drop back to help Froome. Short of a catastrophe, Sky is all about supporting Froome. Landa is doing what he should and he'll be rewarded in the long term.


He'll be rewarded, but not by SKY

Good point.
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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For me it is anyone but Aru. Sky are all corporate and have odd issues with "borderline" practices but Astana seem to see the rules as optional. They hire Vino and Johan (great moral leadership there), for a while there seemed to be a drug bust weekly, they see nothing wrong with towing their riders along with the team car, and will hit the gas is any rival has a mechanical (which whether it is right or not, pissed off a lot of the other GC contenders).

it would be great for the sport for a French rider to win - although the fans seem a bit undeserving with all that booing. i like Dan Martin and Rigo Uran (although he seems a bit of a follower); and i do think Froome is the best cyclist there so i don't have a problem with him winning. it also seems like a course designed to prevent Froome winning - no long time trials (in my fading memory there always seemed to be 2 of them in the 80s and 90s - each one over an hour; and less big summit finishes)
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [Hybridlete] [ In reply to ]
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Hybridlete wrote:
Dave Brailsford has really lost his marbles and is now attacking journalists:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...lingnews-journalist/

'Roid rage?
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [NordicSkier] [ In reply to ]
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NordicSkier wrote:
Anyways, however it goes, I'd love to see Rigoberto in yellow in Paris.

Man, almost got through this thread with no Rigo mention. I'm pretty excited as to his chances now. He's got help and can TT. Would love to see Cannondale on the podium.
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [craigj532] [ In reply to ]
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craigj532 wrote:
Hybridlete wrote:
Dave Brailsford has really lost his marbles and is now attacking journalists:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...lingnews-journalist/

'Roid rage?

Probably from all those testosterone patches Dr. Freeman ordered for Team Sky. Got to dispose of them now somehow, right?
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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There is absolutely no controversy about what Landa did for Froome by dropping back. Lets go through the list here: He does nothing and Froome 99% still catches up and he is the bad guy now. What he did is wait till the last second after the other teammate sacrificed himself to close the lions share of the gap, and then soft pedal for a bit, recover, and do a pretty easy get back for the two of them. There was no doubt in his mind he was getting back, it really did not hurt him, he knew the pace he dropped off of and knew they were tiring.

He did his job, it didn't cost him a thing, and he gets to be the good team player. In the end it looked to me that Froome was drilling it to try and keep Landu's place, so a bit of payback from the yellow. That was classy in my mind, and an instant payback for Landa. He is still in good shape, losing a place is no big deal, it is still just seconds for him to make the podium. And you can bet if Froome has it locked, he will help him out, and who is a better domestic than the strongest guy in the race?

And the booing of Froome is one of the most classless things I have ever seen in the TDF. Usually the fans appreciate whoever is wearing yellow, sign of the times I guess, YOU LIE!!!!
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [monty] [ In reply to ]
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monty wrote:
There is absolutely no controversy about what Landa did for Froome by dropping back. Lets go through the list here: He does nothing and Froome 99% still catches up and he is the bad guy now. What he did is wait till the last second after the other teammate sacrificed himself to close the lions share of the gap, and then soft pedal for a bit, recover, and do a pretty easy get back for the two of them. There was no doubt in his mind he was getting back, it really did not hurt him, he knew the pace he dropped off of and knew they were tiring.


He did his job, it didn't cost him a thing, and he gets to be the good team player. In the end it looked to me that Froome was drilling it to try and keep Landu's place, so a bit of payback from the yellow. That was classy in my mind, and an instant payback for Landa. He is still in good shape, losing a place is no big deal, it is still just seconds for him to make the podium. And you can bet if Froome has it locked, he will help him out, and who is a better domestic than the strongest guy in the race?

And the booing of Froome is one of the most classless things I have ever seen in the TDF. Usually the fans appreciate whoever is wearing yellow, sign of the times I guess, YOU LIE!!!!


If booing Froome is one of the most classless things you have ever seen in the TdF, then you haven't been watching it lately.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/tour-de-france/11748812/Tour-de-France-2015-Chris-Froome-has-urine-thrown-in-face-and-branded-doped-by-roadside-spectator.html
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [aerobike] [ In reply to ]
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Ya but that is one guy, or even a couple maybe. The booing was by a LOT of people out there. Perhaps it was the fan club of the French riders. I think it has been so long since the French have had any real success in their own race, they are all jacked up because they have so many in jersey positions this year.
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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devashish_paul wrote:
rich_m wrote:
Dan Martin is made of the same stuff as the terminator in Terminator 2. Who crashes at 45mph and just gets back on their bike? i don't even remember any road rash.


I would love to see Dan Martin win this TdF. He just needs a bit of luck with minor mishaps from the others timed perfectly with one of his attacks. If he could have just attacked harder on the Cat 1 yesterday when Froome flatted and brought 4-5 guys with him, I think he would be in Yellow today. I think everyone blew it giving Froome a chance to latch back on. There is no way all these guys were at their limit on a 14% grade with Contador still attached. If Contador was still there, the rest of the guys had head room to go a tad harder and ensure Froome did not reattach. Also they can't be at their limit if Landa can be riding with them, drop back, fetch Froome and pull him up. It does not matter which orange juice Landa is on, that's just outside the realm of possiblity IF THE GC GUYS WERE RIDING AT THEIR LIMIT. Later in the day, Dan Martin had everyone at their limit.

If Froome has another mystery "climb neutralizing mechanical" on any of these upcoming stages, Aru and crew need to go full ballistic. It was a shame that Mont du Chat was largely neutralized. Richie Porte is a fool for telling his peers to slow down at that point. This was the Queen stage on the hardest part of the climb and as far as I am concerned, mid climb like that, any mechanical, the race is ON. It's different from a crash/minor spill. All the talk about Aru attacking with Froome's hand up, I honestly think he planned the attack at that moment and just as he jumped Froome put his hand up. People are ripping up Aru for that, but if any of us had just made a decision to jump on the pedals it takes around half a second to execute that, and if it happened that Froome was lifting his hard at the exact same time, I can see the dilemma. He should have just kept hammering.

Funny how back in the day, riders were measured according to Contador & whether they were having a good day or not if they were even remotely close. Today, it seems Contador is STILL the measuring stick by which the top GC riders are judged. Only difference...it was a good day for them if they were close to him. Now, it is a not so good day if they're tapped out & he is still close.
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [Rocky M] [ In reply to ]
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Rocky M wrote:
devashish_paul wrote:
rich_m wrote:
Dan Martin is made of the same stuff as the terminator in Terminator 2. Who crashes at 45mph and just gets back on their bike? i don't even remember any road rash.


I would love to see Dan Martin win this TdF. He just needs a bit of luck with minor mishaps from the others timed perfectly with one of his attacks. If he could have just attacked harder on the Cat 1 yesterday when Froome flatted and brought 4-5 guys with him, I think he would be in Yellow today. I think everyone blew it giving Froome a chance to latch back on. There is no way all these guys were at their limit on a 14% grade with Contador still attached. If Contador was still there, the rest of the guys had head room to go a tad harder and ensure Froome did not reattach. Also they can't be at their limit if Landa can be riding with them, drop back, fetch Froome and pull him up. It does not matter which orange juice Landa is on, that's just outside the realm of possiblity IF THE GC GUYS WERE RIDING AT THEIR LIMIT. Later in the day, Dan Martin had everyone at their limit.

If Froome has another mystery "climb neutralizing mechanical" on any of these upcoming stages, Aru and crew need to go full ballistic. It was a shame that Mont du Chat was largely neutralized. Richie Porte is a fool for telling his peers to slow down at that point. This was the Queen stage on the hardest part of the climb and as far as I am concerned, mid climb like that, any mechanical, the race is ON. It's different from a crash/minor spill. All the talk about Aru attacking with Froome's hand up, I honestly think he planned the attack at that moment and just as he jumped Froome put his hand up. People are ripping up Aru for that, but if any of us had just made a decision to jump on the pedals it takes around half a second to execute that, and if it happened that Froome was lifting his hard at the exact same time, I can see the dilemma. He should have just kept hammering.


Funny how back in the day, riders were measured according to Contador & whether they were having a good day or not if they were even remotely close. Today, it seems Contador is STILL the measuring stick by which the top GC riders are judged. Only difference...it was a good day for them if they were close to him. Now, it is a not so good day if they're tapped out & he is still close.

...and on top of this, the entertainment factor of fans is determined by if the rest of the riders "out Contadoring" Contador and actually attack and make their attacks stick rather than violently attack and then blow up due to spiking their watts way beyond their capability. He's the bar. Quintana can suck and we just say he's a dud. Contador sucks and we just wait for him to throw out random entertainment and wait to see what entertainment other riders can give us that one ups it. Example of "out Contadoring" Contador was Dan Martin on the day before the rest day. He goes on an attack that SHOULD have been doomed to failure and if it was Contador, we'd be mildly entertained and expect it to just implode, but while everyone is staring at each other trying to figure out who is going to counter, Dan manages to pick up stragglers and cons them into playing "help anyone but Sky".
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Re: TDF Rest Day: The Landa Miracle Giro + Tour and more [monty] [ In reply to ]
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monty wrote:
Ya but that is one guy, or even a couple maybe. The booing was by a LOT of people out there. Perhaps it was the fan club of the French riders. I think it has been so long since the French have had any real success in their own race, they are all jacked up because they have so many in jersey positions this year.


Not exactly one guy. Nor directed toward just one person. Nor related to any French rider. This stuff has been going on for years...

"French spectators are spitting at American Lance Armstrong

"Chris Froome, the current race leader, was branded "doped" and had a cup of urine thrown in his face during the 14th stage from Rodez to Mende

"Cavendish sprayed with urine by angry fans at the Tour de France

"Richie Porte and Luke Rowe were both spat at

"Worlds fans pelt van der Haar with beer, spit

"Facebook user, Cyril Kointz, threatened to break Froome's legs, claiming that he would target the champion on the Pra-Loup climb in the Alps next week.

Last edited by: aerobike: Jul 18, 17 1:43
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