Jul 26, 2015 at 03:27 AM
I find it sad that everyone decided that Froome must be doper because he took 58 seconds out of Quintana on the first mountain stage. What about quintana taking 90 seconds out of Froome today ? What does that say about Quintana ?
Nothing.
Because Froome came into the tour on top form aiming to take time early and then try and hold one as his form faded and others came in slightly under form, with a view to peaking in the Alps.
Which is pretty much what happened. No eye-of-newt or wing-of-bat shenanigans, just riders on slightly different peaking strategies.
People keep saying the Sky are just like Postal. Well having very recently watched the first 6 Armstrong tours there was resemblance only on the first mountain day, and to a lesser degree on the second day in the Pyrenees. The Sky riders showed signs of sickness, fatigue, days of poor form, while others came good only in the latter half of the race (Roche). Whereas every single day Postal would have almost a full complement of riders until the final climb and then still have a few key climbers with Armstrong until very late into the finale. They never tired. There is a marked contrast.
In fact the most outrageous performance of the tour was Sagan, who was in the break for 4 or 5 days straight. Some amazing powers of recovery he has.
So. Personally, I am delighted that Froome and Sky won. He is not the most elegant rider I admit, but he proved to be a way better bike handler and descender than a lot of people expected. And on a few of the mountain summits he made sure he got the most points he could, so he put some effort into winning the spotty jersey, which no GC contender has done for a long time.
Nothing.
Because Froome came into the tour on top form aiming to take time early and then try and hold one as his form faded and others came in slightly under form, with a view to peaking in the Alps.
Which is pretty much what happened. No eye-of-newt or wing-of-bat shenanigans, just riders on slightly different peaking strategies.
People keep saying the Sky are just like Postal. Well having very recently watched the first 6 Armstrong tours there was resemblance only on the first mountain day, and to a lesser degree on the second day in the Pyrenees. The Sky riders showed signs of sickness, fatigue, days of poor form, while others came good only in the latter half of the race (Roche). Whereas every single day Postal would have almost a full complement of riders until the final climb and then still have a few key climbers with Armstrong until very late into the finale. They never tired. There is a marked contrast.
In fact the most outrageous performance of the tour was Sagan, who was in the break for 4 or 5 days straight. Some amazing powers of recovery he has.
So. Personally, I am delighted that Froome and Sky won. He is not the most elegant rider I admit, but he proved to be a way better bike handler and descender than a lot of people expected. And on a few of the mountain summits he made sure he got the most points he could, so he put some effort into winning the spotty jersey, which no GC contender has done for a long time.
