Tour de France 2012

[Red Zone]

Don't really understand what happened yesterday....just some things that don't make sense to me.

I think both Wiggens and Froome wanted to go for a stage win? They had a chat on the col de balles and they pretty much went flat out.

 

For example why would Wiggins pace so hard at the bottom of the climb?

The only real reason I could see was to help close the gap to Valverde for Froome. But then why did Froome not go when they got rid of Nibali? Surely Wiggins knew he was strong enough to keep the tempo on the climb and still finish ahead on the climb?

 

Only thing I can think of is they wanted to go for the stage win but not by taking the risk that Wiggins might puncher and loose time without support?

The problem yesterday was it ended up looking bad for Sky if you ask me. Froome got a bit eager and if you go and look at it again...it is never good when a helper tells the Boss to move he ass!!Not once but many times.

 

The right thing would have been to either let Froome go full gas or make him stay in front of Wiggins without any complaints and forget about the stage win.

 

It was extremely frustrating to watch that last climb!!!!

I think the only reason Froome was held back was in case Wiggo had a mechanical on the last climb and needed a wheel / bike change, with the field shattered and spread all over it could take minutes for a service vehicle to get to him. The tour is a team game and Froome showed that he is a true team player, sadly the best rider is not going to win the tour, which is frustrating and irritating for us, but there are team orders and contracts in place, that Froome needs to honour to look after his career. I would bet serious money that we wont see Wiggo & Froome on the same team for much longer.

[Delgado]

Don't really understand what happened yesterday....just some things that don't make sense to me. I think both Wiggens and Froome wanted to go for a stage win? They had a chat on the col de balles and they pretty much went flat out. For example why would Wiggins pace so hard at the bottom of the climb? The only real reason I could see was to help close the gap to Valverde for Froome. But then why did Froome not go when they got rid of Nibali? Surely Wiggins knew he was strong enough to keep the tempo on the climb and still finish ahead on the climb? Only thing I can think of is they wanted to go for the stage win but not by taking the risk that Wiggins might puncher and loose time without support? The problem yesterday was it ended up looking bad for Sky if you ask me. Froome got a bit eager and if you go and look at it again...it is never good when a helper tells the Boss to move he ass!!Not once but many times. The right thing would have been to either let Froome go full gas or make him stay in front of Wiggins without any complaints and forget about the stage win. It was extremely frustrating to watch that last climb!!!!

Almost as contrived as Formula 1 and every bit as good to fall asleep to!

['Dale]

I think the only reason Froome was held back was in case Wiggo had a mechanical on the last climb and needed a wheel / bike change, with the field shattered and spread all over it could take minutes for a service vehicle to get to him. The tour is a team game and Froome showed that he is a true team player, sadly the best rider is not going to win the tour, which is frustrating and irritating for us, but there are team orders and contracts in place, that Froome needs to honour to look after his career. I would bet serious money that we wont see Wiggo & Froome on the same team for much longer.

 

['Dale]

The Tour's not over yet...

 

This is the stage before the ITT tomorrow.

Several riders would wanna see whether they can get into the top 10 with a final flurry.

Watch out for less successful teams to get a stage win or for Greipel and Sagan getting a 4th.

 

 

http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2012/1800/PROFIL.jpg

Edited July 20, 2012 by ' Dale

[nochain]

I think the only reason Froome was held back was in case Wiggo had a mechanical on the last climb and needed a wheel / bike change, with the field shattered and spread all over it could take minutes for a service vehicle to get to him. The tour is a team game and Froome showed that he is a true team player, sadly the best rider is not going to win the tour, which is frustrating and irritating for us, but there are team orders and contracts in place, that Froome needs to honour to look after his career. I would bet serious money that we wont see Wiggo & Froome on the same team for much longer.

 

I see Porte was about a minute back so I agree it would have been a risk. But I don't understand Wiggins charging up for the first km or 2 like a madman and then they decide that it is risk to let Froome go. Maybe he felt good and felt like he could stick with Froome and they could still get a stage win like that.

 

The Problem is yesterday Froome did not look like a 100% team man that he maybe is because it must have frustrated him big time. Accelerating like that time after time and looking back and showing your "boss" to get a move on has left a bad impression. Many of the big names in cycling is now saying it's not the way to do it....sit there and set a pace that Wiggins can keep and do your job and hope you still win the stage or go full gas because they gave you the go ahead.

 

It must be really hard for Froome to do these things when the adrenaline is flowing...lets go for a stage win....great I have the legs lets go...........no wait for Wiggins and then go....ok don't go just pace.....

[SwissVan]

 

 

The Problem is yesterday Froome did not look like a 100% team man that he maybe is because it must have frustrated him big time. Accelerating like that time after time and looking back and showing your "boss" to get a move on has left a bad impression. Many of the big names in cycling is now saying it's not the way to do it....sit there and set a pace that Wiggins can keep and do your job and hope you still win the stage or go full gas because they gave you the go ahead.

 

 

 

Agree, hope it was not a career limiting move

[Wyatt Earp]

Or Froome has a hotter goose

That one pic really drove you dilly .

[TopFuel]

I wouldn't want to be Wiggy going through life or being on the podium knowing , I wasn't the strongest rider during the tour and probably shouldn't have won it.

 

I'd be very happy going through life knowing that I had won the Tour. Just because you're not the strongest or best rider doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it. And I think that Wiggins definitely has the legs, he just hasn't had to use them very much this Tour, which is a testament to Sky and to his domestiques.

[Wez-O]

I now make that 3 (possibly 4) mountain stages that Chris Froome has had to sit up and wait for Bradley Evans. So is their any justice in the fact that thanks to Team Sky, the best rider in this years TDF will finish second?

[Tumbleweed]

I now make that 3 (possibly 4) mountain stages that Chris Froome has had to sit up and wait for Bradley Evans. So is their any justice in the fact that thanks to Team Sky, the best rider in this years TDF will finish second?

 

Well, yes.

 

1 Wiggins was team leader coming into the race.

2 Wiggins got the yellow jersey.

3 A teams defends a yellow jersey when they get it.

[Tubehunter]

The GC is sorted even with issues for Wiggins. If he is forced to abandon will things change and only a serious fall will do that. Sky will protect him to prevent that. They have ridden very well as a team. Yes it looks like there is confusion between what Wiggins and Froome were saying on the last of yesterday's climb and what Yates told Froome to do. Yates is looking after the team's interest whilst the riders are obviously trying to get whatever they can individually from the stage. It would seem that Sky did not consider the way they would react if they dropped Nibali on the climb and had the opportunity to chase down the stage win, which came up as the stage unfolded. Yates simply made sure the guys stuck to the plan rather than derail the main goal through doing what the spectating public were obviously hoping for. If you were Yates you would likely do the same...

[petatodd]

Well, yes.

 

1 Wiggins was team leader coming into the race.

2 Wiggins got the yellow jersey.

3 A teams defends a yellow jersey when they get it.

Simple really. That's the sport of cycling in 3 points.

[Wez-O]

Well, yes.

 

1 Wiggins was team leader coming into the race.

2 Wiggins got the yellow jersey.

3 A teams defends a yellow jersey when they get it.

 

Well if there is any justice in this years tour de France Wiggins gears will jam in the final TT and his spare bike will get stuck on the roof of the Sky car.

[Wez-O]

Well, yes.

 

1 Wiggins was team leader coming into the race.

2 Wiggins got the yellow jersey.

3 A teams defends a yellow jersey when they get it.

Does point 2 and 3 mean that coming into the mountains, should Radioshack have had Andy Schleck on their team, they would have continued to back and support Cancellara instead of Andy? Obviously I know that the correct answer in that situation would be that point 1 would overturn point 2 and 3, but never the less, there is always a way to let your best man win.

[Cippo]

Im not a big fan of Wiggo but you have to hand it to him just to hang on to Froome and others is a feat in itself. Froome wins tour for Wiggo, but its a team sport and the leader of best team takes the victory. Froome is the unsung hero of the tour. Even if Wiggo has a mechanical I doubt he will lose over 2min to Froome as they will still instruct Froome to slow down. Thats the way it is unfortunately.

[Wez-O]

Im not a big fan of Wiggo but you have to hand it to him just to hang on to Froome and others is a feat in itself. Froome wins tour for Wiggo, but its a team sport and the leader of best team takes the victory. Froome is the unsung hero of the tour. Even if Wiggo has a mechanical I doubt he will lose over 2min to Froome as they will still instruct Froome to slow down. Thats the way it is unfortunately.

Yeah I won't lie, this Sky team is incredible!