Chris Froome in discussions over a mid-season transfer?

[splat]

3 winners in one team always gonna be a problem

 

Works well @ Moviestar !!

 

[Gen]

I also reckon he could almost get away with just 2 mountain goat okes to support him.

 

if anyone knows how the skyborgs work, and how to foil/use them - it's him.

BUT if anyone could use the skytrain differently, it's Bernal.

You need to get to the mountains too hey..some capable enjins are needed to get there...suppose he could always just hop on the sky train..ag I mean Ineos train[emoji2957]

[Christie]

Ineos has the best coaches, researchers, medical team, domestiques etc etc because of their huge budget. They can afford to ce at or beyond the cutting edge of all those marginal gain items. (Also reflected in the sub 2hr marathon) If Fromme he leaves, he will have to make do without all that, which would put him at a disadvantage vs Bernal, Thomas & Carapaz. Also, riders who looked awesome when with the team fell short when they left (Poels, Landa, Porte). Imo leaving Ineos would be the first phase of the road to retirement.

[Jewbacca]

Ineos has the best coaches, researchers, medical team, domestiques etc etc because of their huge budget. They can afford to ce at or beyond the cutting edge of all those marginal gain items. (Also reflected in the sub 2hr marathon) If Fromme he leaves, he will have to make do without all that, which would put him at a disadvantage vs Bernal, Thomas & Carapaz. Also, riders who looked awesome when with the team fell short when they left (Poels, Landa, Porte). Imo leaving Ineos would be the first phase of the road to retirement.

While I agree, none of those guys had been team leader before leaving. Looking good as a super dom is very different to where they landed up trying to lead a team.

 

Froome would be the 1st high profile team leadrer to move from them while still trying to win GT's.

 

He would be a really valuable acquisition to any team with the amount of knowledge and experience he brings.

 

He might also be able to tell people how to unlock their potential at 26, from bog average semi pro to world beater in 2 seasons.

 

That type of information is invaluable to any team..............

[daveno7]

While I agree, none of those guys had been team leader before leaving. Looking good as a super dom is very different to where they landed up trying to lead a team.

 

Froome would be the 1st high profile team leadrer to move from them while still trying to win GT's.

 

He would be a really valuable acquisition to any team with the amount of knowledge and experience he brings.

 

He might also be able to tell people how to unlock their potential at 26, from bog average semi pro to world beater in 2 seasons.

 

That type of information is invaluable to any team..............

Thomas liked to flirt with teams and contacts etc...just maybe upping the pressure on contact talks...even as a 4 time TDF winner its gong to be a buyers market still...most teams will be just happy to survive...the idea of a last great pay day might be a fancy idea...but playing second or third fiddle to Bernal et al is possibly a harder pill to swallow....and his numbers might not be as good yet to win another tour..

[Wayne pudding Mol]

I can’t wait for the Ineos documentary on Netflix next year - 4 grand tour winners in a team all looking for success

Going to make Movistar doccie look like Bambi

[Shebeen]

You need to get to the mountains too hey..some capable enjins are needed to get there...suppose he could always just hop on the sky train..ag I mean Ineos train[emoji2957]

Yes, that much is assumed. Most teams have those riders on the books

[DieselnDust]

Didn't realise that he was actually going to go anywhere but Ineos from next year.

So the conspiracy theorists can harp on what secrets that go with him.

 

Where could he go? Would need to be a place that has GC aspirations, budget and a spot for a marque rider. He might need to take a serious paycut to get the right place and then have TdF win as a huge bonus - or come with a sponsor.

 

Lotto Jumbo - no space

bahrain mclaren - would piss on cavendish's batteries a bit

movistar - wtf is the point of movistar again?

 

Ag2R/FDJ - ja, how would that even work?

 

So i only see teams like EF/MS and DDD working simply, the rest would come as quite a shift from how he normally operates..

 

 

 

Trek - link up with richie, well they got nibbles now

 

 

NTT and The coffee stop bike shop are where all pro's go to retire so you may be onto something there...

[Gen]

Yes, that much is assumed. Most teams have those riders on the books

How many times have we not seen GC favourites lose time on flat windy stages..you need a special group with a particular skill set to get you through those kind of days.

[SwissVan]

He has not yet been tested since his crash... isn't it a bit of a risk to place your eggs in the Froome basket when you do have Thomas and esp Bernal,

 

None of them (Thomas, Bernal) have been tested this year either,,,imo Froomes injury concerns have been helped by CV -19 in that the other riders are going to be going into TDF with the same amount of "racing" as Froome has.

 

INEOS need to establish the pecking order asap, having 3 top dogs "fighting" (what Bernal actions suggest) amongst themselves could be detrimental to the teams results 

 

TBH I don't see Froome beating Bernal in an out and out race through the mountains, but there is more to a 3 week tour than just physical ability... Froome has on a few occasions shown some unconventional cunning to win tours, think back to his breakaway in the giro and previous TDF top tube descending "skills" 

 

Bernal as a fellow team member should be patient and at least respect Froome enough to say he will support him to achieve his goals with TDF most wins, Bernal's time will still come after Froome retires...unless Froomie pulls a Valverde and races until 40, which i doubt.

[J Wakefield]

I doubt he’ll leave Ineos. Brailsford would never let him go.

 

Wouldnt bet my house on that if I was you. If another team during the transfer window can support him, his goal, believe he can win the Tour and pay his salary, he will move. 

[J Wakefield]

Ineos has the best coaches, researchers, medical team, domestiques etc etc because of their huge budget. They can afford to ce at or beyond the cutting edge of all those marginal gain items. (Also reflected in the sub 2hr marathon) If Fromme he leaves, he will have to make do without all that, which would put him at a disadvantage vs Bernal, Thomas & Carapaz. Also, riders who looked awesome when with the team fell short when they left (Poels, Landa, Porte). Imo leaving Ineos would be the first phase of the road to retirement.

 

Many have gone on to better things leaving sky/ineos etc also.

 

Landa would of won Giro if it wasn't for Team orders.

Porte despite his Tour crash has been very good and that Tour he was on fire before the crash

Joe Dombrowski 

To name a few 

Edited May 15, 2020 by J Wakefield

[Jakkals.]

We've not yet seen Bernal against in form opponents in a GT. Don't think we can write off Froomey just yet.

[J Wakefield]

We've not yet seen Bernal against in form opponents in a GT. Don't think we can write off Froomey just yet.

 

None of his competition or rivals in the Tour were not in form last year?

[Shebeen]

How many times have we not seen GC favourites lose time on flat windy stages..you need a special group with a particular skill set to get you through those kind of days.

I totally agree with you on that.

it's just if you wanted to hire Froome and pivot your team to win TdF and build support riders - the diesel engine/dopmestique guys can be in most squads already. What Froome would need is his Poels/Kwiat type riders, who are not as common;y spread.

[stringbean]

I’m surprised by many comments here supposing that things will continue  as normal in the cycling world post Covid .Maybe I’m just a bit negative at the moment.Because of the funding model in cycling teams I believe ALL of them are going to be in the ****.No company is going to retrench a single person while at the same time sponsor a cycling team.Gone are the days of the luxury of having 3 leaders.When the Covid dust settles the culling will start.

Advertising budgets of companies will be first to go.Dont expect the “tv rights” funding to happen.ASO won’t let that happen.

I foresee smaller teams with smaller budgets.Wont even get into our local SA cycling teams.Sorry to burst some bubbles but if I was a pro cyclist now I’d be looking at plan B if I was a young up and coming cyclist I wouldn’t look at that as a career.

just my 2C