2017 Vuelta Espania

[Orange Agent]

He's never going to be up there with Merckx. Merckx is still the only rider to win all 3 competitions in the TDF, in the same year - GC, KotM, points. Merckx won 1 of every 3 races he entered - Froome has only been first across the finish line once this season. Merckx also won all 3 GTs, one of only 6 riders to do so - Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Gimondi, Contador, Nibali. Has Froome even ridden the Giro?

Merckx stands alone as the greatest road cyclist of all time. Froome can never even aspire to matching that - he can, however, earn a position for himself on the second step of the podium.

Its hard to compare eras because the science of the sport has changed so many things, no team would allow thier main GC rider to even attempt the triple so that will never get beaten. Froome at just turned 32 goes another 3 years at his current level and nothing untoward is found he goes as close as anyone else. He only rode the Giro in his early years at Sky and still had the chubby guy look he was known for having until the miracle cure for bilharzia was implanted into him. If Sky allowed him to target it, pretty confident he would get it.

 

[Vader]

Its hard to compare eras because the science of the sport has changed so many things, no team would allow thier main GC rider to even attempt the triple so that will never get beaten. Froome at just turned 32 goes another 3 years at his current level and nothing untoward is found he goes as close as anyone else. He only rode the Giro in his early years at Sky and still had the chubby guy look he was known for having until the miracle cure for bilharzia was implanted into him. If Sky allowed him to target it, pretty confident he would get it.

I agree he'd probably win the Giro if he tried. He just doesn't have the all-round pedigree that Merckx had.

Froome is really good at riding & winning the GT races, and shorter stage races in France. Merckx did that, plus riding and winning the Classics as well, including several Monument wins.

Froome is very good at what he does. Merckx was very good at everything. That's why Merckx will probably never be surpassed - he's the Don Bradman of the cycling world.

 

[chargers 09]

I know exactly what you mean. It's an hour later than the TDF, and that makes a world of difference when you have go get up in the morning.

Is there a decent podcast I can plug into in the morning to listen to on the way to work?


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[Vader]

Is there a decent podcast I can plug into in the morning to listen to on the way to work?

No idea. I don't use podcasts, so never gone looking for one.

 

[rippersnipper]

I know exactly what you mean. It's an hour later than the TDF, and that makes a world of difference when you have go get up in the morning.

Even some tour stages finish at 1-2am. How do you get up after those?

 

[Vader]

Even some tour stages finish at 1-2am. How do you get up after those?

Most tour stages finish around 1:15AM. It's ugly, but it's doable. It's rare for a Vuelta stage to finish before 2am - that's beyond my limits.

That said, Saturday night's stage finishes on the Angliru - arguably the toughest climb in professional world cycling. Alpe d'Huez is for pussies - the Angliru is the real thing. I will try and stay awake to watch this stage. At least I don't have to go to work on Sunday.

 

[Bigelow]

Oh well that's that then.

Well done to Froome and Sky, just too good

Hope it is a sign of things to come for Haig

Trentain off to Orica next year, interesting to see how they use him.

Farewell to Contador, thanks for all the fantastic rides
and he can have as many "spanish steaks' as he wants now.

 

[Vader]

Congratulations to Chris "Casy Stoner" Froome, who used his motorbike to good effect.

Contador will be missed because of the way he animated races, constantly attacking and making races interesting to watch. Yes, he was a confirmed doper, but it's easier to forgive him because he made racing fun to watch.