Cycling thread

[Bruce Wayne]

Thomas finished 140th in 2007. It's a disgrace, man.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

no doubt that Thomas is amuch more legit champion than froome will ever be.

but you still have to weigh up what team sky have done and wonder how they are doing it.

Thomas winning the alp duez stage.... hhhmmmmmmmmm

Thomas, Dumoulin, Roglic and Froome (as was Wiggins) are all excellent time trialists, Thomas also has a stellar track cycling background with team pursuit medals and notable palmares triumphs in the Paris Nice and Criterium.

Sky, but not only them by any means, can take cyclists with real TT speed and the ability to climb and fully realise that potential because of their superb team and resources.

Froome who has won six grand tours is arguably the best GC road cyclist in modern times, certainly among the very top bracket and has been completely exonerated from using a controlled (not a banned) substance incorrectly and well within expected limits, to target a fellow racer like G. just because he's in the same team seems ridiculous.

The first thing to understand is the stuff over Froome was never a case, It was a process to determine whether they should bring a case. And 99% of the time that happens behind closed doors, in complete privacy.

In this case, it was public, which is really unfortunate and whoever leaked it — because somebody inside the UCI leaked it — it’s just nasty, vindictive behaviour to do that, It doesn’t actually allow the system to work in the way that it should in a case involving a restricted substance, as opposed to a banned substance.

The scientists proved the test not fit for purpose and yet he's still castigated for it.


To then say a test that has proved unreliable and been incorrectly used to ban cyclists in the past should nevertheless be used to ban cyclists now and in the future is just absolutely senseless, laughable even.


Two wrongs don't make a right


If the scientists maintain that a high degree of variability is to be expected under such extreme conditions and usage then they have far more expertise to determine such a fact than me or rent a mob on the alps and their mates on social media.


Froome has been quite wrongly slandered thanks to a malicious vindictive leak, has had rough justice but shown unbelievable mental strength and fortitude to go on.


He was exhausted by his exploits at the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d’Italia, which sealed his distinction as the first man to hold all three grand tour titles at the same time. He was emotionally bruised, too, by the inquest into his elevated salbutamol readings, the resolution to which came just five days before this summer’s grand depart in the Vendee.


Of course Froome's triumphs are as legitimate as any other.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

Thomas, Dumoulin, Roglic and Froome (as was Wiggins) are all excellent time trialists, Thomas also has a stellar track cycling background with team pursuit medals and notable palmares triumphs in the Paris Nice and Criterium.

Sky, but not only them by any means, can take cyclists with real TT speed and the ability to climb and fully realise that potential because of their superb team and resources.

Froome who has won six grand tours is arguably the best GC road cyclist in modern times, certainly among the very top bracket and has been completely exonerated from using a controlled (not a banned) substance incorrectly and well within expected limits, to target a fellow racer I'm G. just because he's in the same team seems ridiculous.

The first thing to understand is the stuff over Froome was never a case, It was a process to determine whether they should bring a case. And 99% of the time that happens behind closed doors, in complete privacy.

In this case, it was public, which is really unfortunate and whoever leaked it — because somebody inside the UCI leaked it — it’s just nasty, vindictive behaviour to do that, It doesn’t actually allow the system to work in the way that it should in a case involving a restricted substance, as opposed to a banned substance.

The scientists proved the test not fit for purpose and yet he's still castigated for it.


To then say a test that has proved unreliable and been incorrectly used to ban cyclists in the past should nevertheless be used to ban cyclists now and in the future is just absolutely senseless, laughable even.


Two wrongs don't make a right


If the scientists maintain that a high degree of variability is to be expected under such extreme conditions and usage then they have far more expertise to determine such a fact than me or rent a mob on the alps and their mates on social media.


Froome has been quite wrongly slandered thanks to a malicious vindictive leak, has had rough justice but shown unbelievable mental strength and fortitude to go on.


He was exhausted by his exploits at the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d’Italia, which sealed his distinction as the first man to hold all three grand tour titles at the same time. He was emotionally bruised, too, by the inquest into his elevated salbutamol readings, the resolution to which came just five days before this summer’s grand depart in the Vendee.


Of course Froome's triumphs are as legitimate as any other.

You are arguing with the forum buffoon. Save your breath and pick your battles wisely.

 

[Wat Tyler]

no doubt that Thomas is amuch more legit champion than froome will ever be.

but you still have to weigh up what team sky have done and wonder how they are doing it.

Thomas winning the alp duez stage.... hhhmmmmmmmmm

Wasn’t in the top 100 climbing times of AdH.

 

[Toast]

Huge well done to Thomas.
My arl fella knows his stuff and told me to have a bit on each way as he was convinced The Giro must have taken some of Froomes legs.
I cashed in on Thursday as I was convinced he'd fall off if I didn't.

Amazing that Gareth Bale, Sam Warburton and Thomas all went to the same school and had the same PE teacher. Easily amongst the most famous Welsh sportsmen of many a generation.

 

[arminisgod]

Thomas actually has a full cycling back ground and you could somewhat see where his improvements have come through over the years, even tho its hard to believe he has just developed into the best climber in the world over the last couple years..

with froome , he just turned up basically over night with no grand tour background and dominated.

Not quite true....

He did once crash at the start of a time trial for Kenya by riding into someone. And he was on the brink of being sacked by Team Sky until he amazingly finished 2nd in the Vuelta after Team sky's amazing doctors found out he had Bilharzila.

If he was called Kristoff Froomeovski and was riding for Team Skyski..... you'd be pissing yourself

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Not quite true....

He did once crash at the start of a time trial for Kenya by riding into someone. And he was on the brink of being sacked by Team Sky until he amazingly finished 2nd in the Vuelta after Team sky's amazing doctors found out he had Bilharzila.

LOL - This is Bigbluenose level stuff. What did he do next, arminisgod?

That's right - became the most dominant GT cyclist of this generation, won six GTs, and the souls of the vanquished trail in his wake. But he's just a fundamentally average rider in your world?

We all agree that the Vuelta of 2011 looked dodgy AF at the time, how could it not? But this argument takes you to silly places - if it was a Jean-Christophe Peraud, or a Chris Horner type performance, then yeah. But subsequent events tell us a different story.

 

[toffeejack]

Huge well done to Thomas.
My arl fella knows his stuff and told me to have a bit on each way as he was convinced The Giro must have taken some of Froomes legs.
I cashed in on Thursday as I was convinced he'd fall off if I didn't.

Amazing that Gareth Bale, Sam Warburton and Thomas all went to the same school and had the same PE teacher. Easily amongst the most famous Welsh sportsmen of many a generation.

Crazy stuff. That school must have pissed school sports day.

 

[arminisgod]

LOL - This is Bigbluenose level stuff. What did he do next, arminisgod?

That's right - became the most dominant GT cyclist of this generation, won six GTs, and the souls of the vanquished trail in his wake. But he's just a fundamentally average rider in your world?

We all agree that the Vuelta of 2011 looked dodgy AF at the time, how could it not? But this argument takes you to silly places - if it was a Jean-Christophe Peraud, or a Chris Horner type performance, then yeah. But subsequent events tell us a different story.

Heard it all before... And I'm sure we will again. An average sportsman doesn't go on to dominate his sport... Without help. Team sky are taking the piss out of the cycling world much more so than us postal. I hate it. It's ruining a sport I love.

What's going to be the damage to uk cycling when they finally get busted? All top level cyclists cheat but they just don't care anymore

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Heard it all before... And I'm sure we will again. An average sportsman doesn't go on to dominate his sport... Without help. Team sky are taking the piss out of the cycling world much more so than us postal. I hate it. It's ruining a sport I love.

What's going to be the damage to uk cycling when they finally get busted? All top level cyclists cheat but they just don't care anymore

Froome has always been a strong advocate for clean sport. But because of his sudden emergence in 2011 he has always been a target for sceptics. His recent salbutamol investigation gave them a stick with which to beat him, however unfairly given the fact he was ultimately found to have no case to answer.

Sky have shown with other specialist TT riders who have always had a latent ability to climb that they can maximize it, weight, body position, everything is looked at, but if you're then surrounded by a battery of top class riders ready to help too, you have a real chance.

Although his rise was meteoric he did ride for Wiggins until it became obvious he was a class above and better equipped to lead.

Anyone who already has a fixed opinion and is implacably against him is unlikely to let anything get in the way of that, no amount of evidence or truths produced or still to come ever will.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Froome has always been a strong advocate for clean sport. But because of his sudden emergence in 2011 he has always been a target for sceptics. His recent salbutamol investigation gave them a stick with which to beat him, however unfairly given the fact he was ultimately found to have no case to answer.

Sky have shown with other specialist TT riders who have always had a latent ability to climb that they can maximize it, weight, body position, everything is looked at, but if you're then surrounded by a battery of top class riders ready to help too, you have a real chance.

Although his rise was meteoric he did ride for Wiggins until it became obvious he was a class above and better equipped to lead.

Anyone who already has a fixed opinion and is implacably against him is unlikely to let anything get in the way of that, no amount of evidence or truths produced or still to come ever will.

It's the sport he loves, yet thinks all top level athletes in that sport cheat. What can you say really? I mean Thomas went for next to last in his first tour to winning it this year. Does that say he's an 'average' cyclist or one with considerable room for improvement? Some folk will always look for a doping story. The clinic is full of tin foil hat wearers, and sadly social media has not helped.

 

[Mozza1987]

It's the sport he loves, yet thinks all top level athletes in that sport cheat. What can you say really? I mean Thomas went for next to last in his first tour to winning it this year. Does that say he's an 'average' cyclist or one with considerable room for improvement? Some folk will always look for a doping story. The clinic is full of tin foil hat wearers, and sadly social media has not helped.

Think the main issue is that cycling is known for people who drug cheat to perform better and then also Sky being completely dominant since turning up will always raise concerns. The sport will always have this hanging over itself especially after the Lance Armstrong stuff.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Think the main issue is that cycling is known for people who drug cheat to perform better and then also Sky being completely dominant since turning up will always raise concerns. The sport will always have this hanging over itself especially after the Lance Armstrong stuff.

It's incomparable though isn't it? Plenty of ex-Postal riders were pinged for doping, and Lance was also beating a lot of people who were pinged for doping. That isn't the case with Sky. Since Contador and Schleck, there haven't really been GC riders banned for doping that Sky have roundly beaten. You also haven't had any ex-Sky riders (Landa et al) blowing the whistle.

 

[arminisgod]

It's incomparable though isn't it? Plenty of ex-Postal riders were pinged for doping, and Lance was also beating a lot of people who were pinged for doping. That isn't the case with Sky. Since Contador and Schleck, there haven't really been GC riders banned for doping that Sky have roundly beaten. You also haven't had any ex-Sky riders (Landa et al) blowing the whistle.

So you believe cyclists have just decided they don't want to cheat anymore? You believe Valverde has suddenly found a consious? Don't be so niave Bruce.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

So you believe cyclists have just decided they don't want to cheat anymore? You believe Valverde has suddenly found a consious? Don't be so niave Bruce.

No no, I'm not having that. You said that you don't like the sport now because cheating is ruining it, with the suggestion being that it was cleaner in the past.