brasch wrote:
devashish_paul wrote:
brasch wrote:
For either Froome or Thomas to be serious contenders, they would have to almost match Bernal in the Mountains and win on the TT and from what I recall it’s not a flat TT this year. On the other hand, columbians in general haven’t had the most consistent careers. When that’s said, Froome is too old, he won’t win the tour again, doubt he would have won last year either, 2018 was his last real shot at 5 wins
Haha....maybe 2012 was his last real shot for his 5th win (before the other 4 happened) and then there was 2014 crash. Heck if he won both of those, and actually stayed upright in the Dauphine last year, we'd all be talking about him matching Number 7 last year and maybe retiring now!
But I guess this is why they race.
In 2012, if he was so much stringer than wiggins, why didnt he just take it then? - i Think the team, aside from wiggins, would have forgiven him for not following team orders of he won the tour. I dont get it, if he surely could have taken it, he should have done so, But maybe he werent that much better than the rest. In 2014 both Froome and Contador crashed out and “handed” the victory to Nibali. But Contador never really came back after that, did he? - i doubt he would have won anyway. As for Froome, he would have lost the tour on the cobbles anyway, had he been able to continue. From what I recall, he wasnt THAT injuried after his crash (I might be wrong). 2018 there was the whole TUE case and that might have taken a mental toll on him, but still he did a Landis and won the Giro. So he didnt have his usual peak in the tour. I doubt it was a mental thing, what happened was that got greedy. 2019 he would never have beaten Bernal. This year, a lot of recovery and too old, next year, I’ll doubt he’ll be en top-5. Personally I hope he’s in good shape and lands somewhere near the podium in ‘20 or ‘21 just so he’ll have a decent ending to his career after the crash, But I doubt it. I dont feel certain that all 3 Grand tours Will be ridden this year, they’ll surely start the tour, But probably be cut even shorter and rest of season is cancelled, if I had to put my own money on it. If everything does play nice and the races are held, I Think evenepoel in the Giro is the most interesting. The Way he has smoked everyone so far an his statement That he wants to ride GC should be interesting.
As of this moment, Remco’s major competitors are Carapaz, Fuglsang, and an old Nibali and based on Michele Ferrari’s estimation, Evenepoel has the w/kg to win a grand tour, so who knows.
Based on the firepower at the tour this year, if I were a top rider who hasn’t won a grand tour like Pinot, I’d gamble on the Giro being riden, pull out of the tour and win the Giro.
Dan Mayberry
Amateur a lot of things, professional a few things.