Tour de France 2018

[Vader]

Source?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wad...l-loophole-by-avoiding-pharmacokinetic-study/

 

[bing181]

I hope I'm wrong and the race is a little bit exciting. My prediction is that GT will do to Froome what he did to Wiggins.

I can't see Froome winning, the Giro-Tour double is too demanding. If he does win though, doubt it'll be a parade, I suspect the race will get pretty scrappy.

 

[RU486]

I'm more disappointed as I can see this race becoming another Sky dominated borefest. Their really needs to be a salary cap or similar introduced as Sky are basically like the Golden State Warriors with all the talent.

I've never understood this argument for cycling. Across all sports cycling would have to be one of the most equitable. Plenty of other teams with similar budget's to Team Sky. No one ever complains about EPL, La Liga, NBA etc in which there is a much more dramatic difference in team budgets.

And how is it a borefest? Froome is the most unpredictable and aggressive rider in the entire peloton, why are people so jealous of his successes?

 

[Vader]

I've never understood this argument for cycling. Across all sports cycling would have to be one of the most equitable. Plenty of other teams with similar budget's to Team Sky. No one ever complains about EPL, La Liga, NBA etc in which there is a much more dramatic difference in team budgets.

And how is it a borefest? Froome is the most unpredictable and aggressive rider in the entire peloton, why are people so jealous of his successes?

Not sure you can say that the other teams have "similar budgets", though I guess that depends on your definition of "similar".

Here are the estimated figures from 2016. A quick Google search didn't show any figures for 2018.
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-team-largest-budget-262275

UK Postal's budget was (and probably still is) 25% greater than the 3rd biggest spender (BMC), and 40% greater than the 4th biggest (Tinkoff). That's not exactly what I call "similar". Only Katusha was in the same ballpark, and even they had 10% less to spend.

It's also worth pointing out that Tinkoff is now gone, and BMC look like following them. Tinkoff pulled the plug because he was only interested in sponsoring a team if it could win the TDF, but UK Postal's budget made that impossible, and he wasn't willing to spend that much on a vanity project. BMC's rivers of gold dried up when Andy Rihs was no longer around to pump money into his own vanity project.

 

[BEaston]

I've never understood this argument for cycling. Across all sports cycling would have to be one of the most equitable. Plenty of other teams with similar budget's to Team Sky. No one ever complains about EPL, La Liga, NBA etc in which there is a much more dramatic difference in team budgets.

And how is it a borefest? Froome is the most unpredictable and aggressive rider in the entire peloton, why are people so jealous of his successes?

Err cycling budgets are way more out of whack than the NBA. Can't speak for soccer.

 

[RU486]

Err cycling budgets are way more out of whack than the NBA. Can't speak for soccer.

They haven't bought success as much as they have developed it though. Froome, Thomas and Wiggins were a product of Team Sky, I think it's fair to say all these riders succeeded there expected potential. Sky doesn't buy talent as much as it does create it.

 

[Vader]

They haven't bought success as much as they have developed it though. Froome, Thomas and Wiggins were a product of Team Sky, I think it's fair to say all these riders succeeded there expected potential. Sky doesn't buy talent as much as it does create it.

Wiggins was a product of UK Postal? Garmin Slipstream would be surprised and disappointed to hear that.

 

[RU486]

Wiggins was a product of UK Postal? Garmin Slipstream would be surprised and disappointed to hear that.

Yeh they did alright with him. Sky took him next level though.

 

[yaco55]

or, as they said: “the sample result is not inconsistent with an ingestion of salbutamol within the permitted maximum inhaled dose”.

I look at this with a different view - My suspicion is there is some dodgy science when it comes to WADA putting some drugs on the banned list, leaving others off the banned list and threshold limits for substances - Yes, Froome had money, so could afford the best legal advice and experts but his success in this case may help other athletes in their battles.

 

[yaco55]

Of course the irony is the UCI brought their sport into disrepute by leaking Froome's test results - We could say they kicked an own goal.

 

[yaco55]

I can't see Froome winning, the Giro-Tour double is too demanding. If he does win though, doubt it'll be a parade, I suspect the race will get pretty scrappy.

Froome wins the TDF and I have to think he's from another planet - The riders in the Giro claim it was the hardest one in the last decade.

 

[yaco55]

They haven't bought success as much as they have developed it though. Froome, Thomas and Wiggins were a product of Team Sky, I think it's fair to say all these riders succeeded there expected potential. Sky doesn't buy talent as much as it does create it.

One of the world's greatest myths - Sky's track record of developing neo-pro's is poor - Neither of the riders listed did their neo pro years with Sky.

 

[yaco55]

Yeh they did alright with him. Sky took him next level though.

Did Sky take him to the next level ? It's debateable - Wiggins was already an established rider who finished 4th in the 2009 TDF.

 

[Phone]

i think this is a fair take on it: https://cyclingtips.com/2018/07/opi...ling-of-the-froome-case-is-damaging-to-sport/

to restate it


so basically, if you get caught for this thing and you plead innocence, we'll do a test on you...unless you do that thing in certain circumstances in which case it's just too hard for us to do anything but take your word. cool.

 

[Phone]

let's not tell the other essendon fans

 

[Freakie]

Onto the Green jersey, I think Sagan prevail this year as Matthews has stated it's not his focus.

 

[Vader]

Onto the Green jersey, I think Sagan prevail this year as Matthews has stated it's not his focus.

Would it make any difference if Matthews was actually focusing on it? Sagan would probably win it easily either way. Sagan should win this in a canter, provided he doesn't fall off our get himself thrown out of the race (like he did last year).

 

[Freakie]

Would it make any difference if Matthews was actually focusing on it? Sagan would probably win it easily either way. Sagan should win this in a canter, provided he doesn't fall off our get himself thrown out of the race (like he did last year).

I wish to father Sagan's children. If he ever gets done for doping I officially give up on life.

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

I wish to father Sagan's children. If he ever gets done for doping I officially give up on life.

♥

How do we think Movistar will work out with the 'Big 3'?

 

[eth-dog]

let's not tell the other essendon fans

Amen to that.

I'm hoping for Vincenzo Nibali win but I doubt it happens. Froome getting off is typical and completely unsurprising, cycling wouldn't recover if he was found guilty. It's obvious that he's doped up to his eyeballs though.

 

[Freakie]

♥

How do we think Movistar will work out with the 'Big 3'?

I can't see Landa playing team if he is slightly behind Quintana, Valverde will be a super domestique as I think he's a bit to old to go for the win.

 

[bing181]

Froome wins the TDF and I have to think he's from another planet - The riders in the Giro claim it was the hardest one in the last decade.

Which Froome won by a massive ... 46 seconds.

 

[U2tigers]

Sorry - So is Froome in or not?

Can't wait for it to start, but 10 days until the hills that sucks.

But love the cobble stage being included, I hope its wet as hell that day (makes for a great stage)

 

[eth-dog]

Sorry - So is Froome in or not?

Can't wait for it to start, but 10 days until the hills that sucks.

But love the cobble stage being included, I hope its wet as hell that day (makes for a great stage)

I liked the last time it was wet on the cobbles. Might have been the time before, actually...

 

[Freakie]

Which Froome won by a massive ... 46 seconds.

We get it, you're pro Froome.