Froome out? "Contains SPOILERS"
Discussion
thiscocks said:
Now Sky will regret not having brought Wiggo. Idiots
Not sure I agree with this band wagon everyone is jumping on... Firstly, Wiggo isn't exactly the steadiest of riders in the wet, every chance he would have hit the deck just as hard.
Secondly, it's already been proven that the 2 clash and having them both on the same team was a bigger risk than Froome crashing out IMO.
Thirdly, Wiggo would have been ripped apart when the stages ramp up, not enough TT stages for him this year to have been a real contender.
Oh balls, does this mean we're looking at a Bertie-Fest for the next two weeks 
Hope Nibali can throw a spanner in those particular works.
Will Sky now regroup behind Porte? Glad I'm not in Brailsford's shoes right now.
Fingers crossed for more Jens Voigt off the front. I know it doesn't often work but he's got style that man.
Hope Nibali can throw a spanner in those particular works.Will Sky now regroup behind Porte? Glad I'm not in Brailsford's shoes right now.
Fingers crossed for more Jens Voigt off the front. I know it doesn't often work but he's got style that man.
selym said:
thiscocks said:
Now Sky will regret not having brought Wiggo. Idiots
Absolutely. Sky are now a rudderless ship.You think they didn't consider Wiggins? They didn't take him because they thought they would have better team cohesion without him. It's no use bringing other riders that will result in a team split and people not working for each other.
ChrisMCoupe said:
Not sure I agree with this band wagon everyone is jumping on...
Firstly, Wiggo isn't exactly the steadiest of riders in the wet, every chance he would have hit the deck just as hard.
Secondly, it's already been proven that the 2 clash and having them both on the same team was a bigger risk than Froome crashing out IMO.
Thirdly, Wiggo would have been ripped apart when the stages ramp up, not enough TT stages for him this year to have been a real contender.
Not sure how you worked that out. Won the Nationals TT ,won tour of calafornia and dominated the TT so easily would have been the best bet for Sky without Froome.Firstly, Wiggo isn't exactly the steadiest of riders in the wet, every chance he would have hit the deck just as hard.
Secondly, it's already been proven that the 2 clash and having them both on the same team was a bigger risk than Froome crashing out IMO.
Thirdly, Wiggo would have been ripped apart when the stages ramp up, not enough TT stages for him this year to have been a real contender.
thiscocks said:
ChrisMCoupe said:
Not sure I agree with this band wagon everyone is jumping on...
Firstly, Wiggo isn't exactly the steadiest of riders in the wet, every chance he would have hit the deck just as hard.
Secondly, it's already been proven that the 2 clash and having them both on the same team was a bigger risk than Froome crashing out IMO.
Thirdly, Wiggo would have been ripped apart when the stages ramp up, not enough TT stages for him this year to have been a real contender.
Not sure how you worked that out. Won the Nationals TT ,won tour of calafornia and dominated the TT so easily would have been the best bet for Sky without Froome.Firstly, Wiggo isn't exactly the steadiest of riders in the wet, every chance he would have hit the deck just as hard.
Secondly, it's already been proven that the 2 clash and having them both on the same team was a bigger risk than Froome crashing out IMO.
Thirdly, Wiggo would have been ripped apart when the stages ramp up, not enough TT stages for him this year to have been a real contender.
el stovey said:
I know! What on earth do Brailsford or team SKY know about cycling! They obviously have no idea at all. Except for winning the last two tours and Brailsford's phenomenal success with British Cycling coming top of the cycling medal table in the last two olympics.
You think they didn't consider Wiggins? They didn't take him because they thought they would have better team cohesion without him. It's no use bringing other riders that will result in a team split and people not working for each other.
You think they have a better team now then? Contador and Armstrong didnt both just spontaneously combust because they didnt like each other in 2009. You think they didn't consider Wiggins? They didn't take him because they thought they would have better team cohesion without him. It's no use bringing other riders that will result in a team split and people not working for each other.
thiscocks said:
Not sure how you worked that out. Won the Nationals TT ,won tour of calafornia and dominated the TT so easily would have been the best bet for Sky without Froome.
lol - there was nobody decent in either of those races, they mean f
k all in the grand scheme. And even then when the road went up in Cali he lost a LOT of time. Chris is right, this bandwagon is misinformed. What other teams take a back up rider for when the main one falls off? And what of the other teams back ups are any better than Porte (had a rough start, but I reckon he will be going OK)?
el stovey said:
I know! What on earth do Brailsford or team SKY know about cycling! They obviously have no idea at all. Except for winning the last two tours and Brailsford's phenomenal success with British Cycling coming top of the cycling medal table in the last two olympics.
You think they didn't consider Wiggins? They didn't take him because they thought they would have better team cohesion without him. It's no use bringing other riders that will result in a team split and people not working for each other.
Risk mitigation. They now have a team with no Froome AND no Wiggins. You think they didn't consider Wiggins? They didn't take him because they thought they would have better team cohesion without him. It's no use bringing other riders that will result in a team split and people not working for each other.
Looking at the GC and the contenders, Porte is in effect third behind Nibali and 9 seconds behind van den Broeck who has been dodgy in recent years, but looked better at the Dauphine, but has a worse team around in him in the mountains than Sky.
Sagan, Cancellara and Gallopin will be out of it by the end of the Vosges let alone the Alps and Fuglsang will be sacrificed for Nibali. Kwiatowski won't keep up form for three weeks.
Sky weren't to know Froome would have to retire, so who better to go with as a number 2 in the Tour (which happens to be light on TTs)? Wiggins: good on the TT, but a diesel on the climbs, unable to help Froome cover attacks from Contador, Nibali or Valverde, arguably not in great climbing form, ageing, won ToC, but not a great field and looked vulnerable on a couple of uphill stages and known issues with Froome which you'll have to trail around France for 3 weeks, answering questions each day and under a microscope even if they are getting on.
Or Porte; decent TTer, won races like Paris-Nice in the past, so no mug for a back-up leader, good climber and able to better match accelerations from Froome's rivals, gets on well with Chris, younger developing rider who if keeps getting snubbed for Grand Tours might well jump ship for his best years.
Sagan, Cancellara and Gallopin will be out of it by the end of the Vosges let alone the Alps and Fuglsang will be sacrificed for Nibali. Kwiatowski won't keep up form for three weeks.
Sky weren't to know Froome would have to retire, so who better to go with as a number 2 in the Tour (which happens to be light on TTs)? Wiggins: good on the TT, but a diesel on the climbs, unable to help Froome cover attacks from Contador, Nibali or Valverde, arguably not in great climbing form, ageing, won ToC, but not a great field and looked vulnerable on a couple of uphill stages and known issues with Froome which you'll have to trail around France for 3 weeks, answering questions each day and under a microscope even if they are getting on.
Or Porte; decent TTer, won races like Paris-Nice in the past, so no mug for a back-up leader, good climber and able to better match accelerations from Froome's rivals, gets on well with Chris, younger developing rider who if keeps getting snubbed for Grand Tours might well jump ship for his best years.
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