Cycling thread 2015

davek · September 11, 2015

Bruce Wayne said:
None of the Tour riders have performed at their normal level though, so if you take Froome, Quintana and Valverde (and obviously Nibali) out of the equation for leadership then it becomes a slightly more accessible race. Purito for instance is a talented rider, but if everyone was on form you wouldn't expect him to be near the front of a GT these days.

Before Quintana picked up his virus and Froome his foot injury, Dumoulin was more than holding his own with them on tough climbs in this Vuelta. That's come from nowhere, as he's been leader of a team that's pretty much just set up for sprinters like Degenkolb and Kittel. At least that's the understanding I have of it.

With Froome making this his breakthrough event a few years back, the suspicion is the Vuelta is seen as the one where a rider can come through with minimal fuss and stake their claim.

It'd be ironic if he is doping given the hullabaloo made by his team about being at the forefront of cleaning the sport.

arminisgod · September 11, 2015

It's not just the gc guys. Should he be able to live with maijka (a multiple mountain top winner) or mikel landa (a guy who lived with contador on climbs in the giro)

Bruce Wayne · September 11, 2015

davek said:
Before Quintana picked up his virus and Froome his foot injury, Dumoulin was more than holding his own with them on tough climbs in this Vuelta. That's come from nowhere, as he's been leader of a team that's pretty much just set up for sprinters like Degenkolb and Kittel. At least that's the understanding I have of it.

With Froome making this his breakthrough event a few years back, the suspicion is the Vuelta is seen as the one where a rider can come through with minimal fuss and stake their claim.

It'd be ironic if he is doping given the hullabaloo made by his team about being at the forefront of cleaning the sport.

I think it was probably the Tour that took more out of Froome, Quintana and Valverde than any injuries or illnesses that they've suffered. I don't think any of them were at 100% by any means. I mean Aru shouldn't be outclimbing Quintana, yet he is, largely because he's fresher imo.

So I suspect that it's as much the others not being on their game as it is Dumoulin going up several gears.