Pure Savage Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Yes and no again, Typically you want to peak at at GT in the 2nd week, not the 1st and hope for the last 2 weeks and if you look at this years Tour route there only 4 key stages in that time, the rest are medium mountains. As a Top GT contender you can fake those pretty well. His prep is maybe different this year to previous so if you work his training backwards, maybe this is the start of his quality work which essentially ends at the Tour when it counts. Same as Contador who has said this is the start of his intensity and has no huge expectations and the team he has is far from the Team he is taking to the Tour. Yes, Porte is flying, no doubt, he has been all year, as per normal Chris is below par compared to years past but Contador then by all things and any other GT hopeful like Bardet, might as well not go to the Tour cause they aren't smashing Dauphine according to you. There some big mountain stages ahead, Tour contenders will all be gathering data from it and each other. The Tour isnt just about numbers and pre race results but it is important. Giro was a perfect example of Pre-Tour form and races results.Cool insight John. Interesting coming from a coaches background compared to the rest of us that are just shooting off the hip or twitter. ( I am assuming the normal commentators here are not coaches, I hope ) Will be an interesting tour, wonder what the other GC guys think about the month Quintana spent trying to win the Giro?
DJuice Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Eish, maincheese has got to work on his ITT if he has any hope of challenging for future GC podiums. Gonna cheer him every step of the way!He finished with Bardet...not to concern. Personally I think he needs to work on his race tactics and positioning in the bunch.Not sitting at the back, one to two wheels back. He is in my opinion a climber like Bardet, he needs to race the mountains aggressively to make the podium.Otherwise he will be up with a top ten performance. Go Meintjes!
Velouria Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 I agree, his contract also expires at UAE end of 2017.Would love to see him join Dimension Data in 2018 again.But do Dimension Data a) want him back, and b) have the riders to build a GC support team around him?
Pure Savage Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 But do Dimension Data a) want him back, and b) have the riders to build a GC support team around him?Him and Froome can create a team
Cav' Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Anyone seen that FroomeDawg wants to leave Sky and has approached BMC to sign him on? See link below. http://road.cc/content/news/223881-report-chris-froome-wants-leave-team-sky-and-has-approached-bmc-racingThat will be a travesty. (For BMC)
Cav' Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 But do Dimension Data a) want him back, and b) have the riders to build a GC support team around him?I'm sure Ryder has a soft spot for him. I don't think he's at that level, for a team to commit supporting riders towards him. (as his Palmares still lacks promise on paper)
Gen Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 That will be a travesty. (For BMC)L’Equipe stirring th pot earlier than normal this year. Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
J Wakefield Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 He finished with Bardet...not to concern. Personally I think he needs to work on his race tactics and positioning in the bunch.Not sitting at the back, one to two wheels back. He is in my opinion a climber like Bardet, he needs to race the mountains aggressively to make the podium.Otherwise he will be up with a top ten performance. Go Meintjes! Louis already is a Top 10 GC finisher in Tours. Bardet overall is a better rider than Louise, his climbing is also a level up in comparison. Bardet is a threat to winning the Tour, Louise isnt there quiet yet. Louise positioning is perfect for the way he races, he has said that he cant push the power or sustained power that the top GC contenders push int he front of the select group, so by sitting where he does he gets full benefit of the slipstream of the group. If he had to find 2-5% more by sitting closer up front and responding alone essentially to attacks could possibly wear him out sooner resulting in him not getting the results he does.
Imploder Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 This is a bold statement. One to screenshot. Someone will get to say "told you so" or "what was that you said"If I'm wrong I'll just oh, ok I see he lost 4 kg during the tour. Problem solved.
J Wakefield Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Cool insight John. Interesting coming from a coaches background compared to the rest of us that are just shooting off the hip or twitter. ( I am assuming the normal commentators here are not coaches, I hope ) Will be an interesting tour, wonder what the other GC guys think about the month Quintana spent trying to win the Giro? NQ really didnt impress me at all in the Giro, his team were really good (all of Movistar are in all fairness) but he lacked the sustainability of his best secret weapon - Long rage attacks on mountains. He would kick, create a gap and then fade. Other than the Blochaus stage he didnt have it. They tried everything to unseat Big Tom and that would use a lot of energy over 3 weeks and that would cost him going into Tour. To do the double now I believe is impossible, the gap between Giro and Tour is to close, before the gap was "do-able" in terms of April - July but now that they have moved the Giro dates its not. I think the contenders are happy he raced the Giro cause he wont really be a factor in my opinion at the Tour. Movistar will ride for Valverde in July.
'Dale Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Porte looks potent He's not had a bad day lately barring bad luck - like riding into a moto up a hill or punctures in the last 10 mins of a stage Froome Dawg is human after all Maybe less competitive and more chilled with being a dad?What is evident is that Fortress Sky is vulnerable - Porte was excellent, Skybot Poels under a injury cloud and there are piercing concerns about the team's medical practices Hmmm
DJuice Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Louis already is a Top 10 GC finisher in Tours. Bardet overall is a better rider than Louise, his climbing is also a level up in comparison. Bardet is a threat to winning the Tour, Louise isnt there quiet yet. Louise positioning is perfect for the way he races, he has said that he cant push the power or sustained power that the top GC contenders push int he front of the select group, so by sitting where he does he gets full benefit of the slipstream of the group. If he had to find 2-5% more by sitting closer up front and responding alone essentially to attacks could possibly wear him out sooner resulting in him not getting the results he does.John thank you for your input! As mentioned above, you work daily with cyclist and are a competitive cyclist yourself. Can Louise improve to be podium contender in 2 years?Or is hope winning like Oscar Pereira.
'Dale Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Just under 90 kmsAbout 5 mins for the break Pursuit time Don't think the sprinter trains will wanna lose out again
'Dale Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Break has a chance of a snowball in the newest Samsung micro-wave
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