Tour de France 2016, July 9, Stage 8: Pau / Bagnères-de-Luchon *SPOILERS*

cunavalos

Quintana wasn't the only Colombian Froome gave a bloody nose to today.
https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/751803200404131840

equivariant

velo.2010 wrote: »

After watching that, I think Froome will have a harder time winning this years Tour. The last two wins came courtesy of winning the first mountain stage in dominant fashion and holding on - No chance of doing it this year. Froome bust his balls today and it will be interesting to see if Movistar decide to test him early tomorrow. Plus, apart from Henao, his team don't appear to be as strong as last year.

I think Froome has a few more big days in him yet. He is a superb bike racer and I can't see anyone taking yellow off him now.

Dan looked very strong on the climbs. Definitely a good shout for the podium I think

dastardly00

cunavalos wrote: »

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/751803200404131840

Well done Froome!!

Lusk_Doyle

Froome will be putting the rest to the sword on the first mountain top finish. He just showed today that he has other weapons in his arsenal and his real fire power is yet to come. It's early still and lot's can happen but it looks as though the hat trick is going to come with "relative" ease. The only other teams that can attempt to soften up sky are astana and movistar but I can't see where they are superior than the sky team as demonstrated today.

Inquitus

Anyways the best news is Dan really seems to have his best Grand Tour / High Mountain legs ever with him for this Tour, and he has a great opportunity for both stage wins and a great GC standing come Paris in 2 weeks time.

happytramp

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Froome will be putting the rest to the sword on the first mountain top finish. He just showed today that he has other weapons in his arsenal and his real fire power is yet to come. It's early still and lot's can happen but it looks as though the hat trick is going to come with "relative" ease. The only other teams that can attempt to soften up sky are astana and movistar but I can't see where they are superior than the sky team as demonstrated today.

Well Quintana had the beating of him in the Alps last year... in fact barring the time Quintana lost in the echelons early on he would have won it. Now it's possible that Froome wasn't pushing himself all that hard but Quintana dropped him quite easily twice. His ability to thrive late in the tour is by far his strongest weapon. Far to early to be calling this for Froome.

Inquitus

happytramp wrote: »

Well Quintana had the beating of him in the Alps last year... in fact barring the time Quintana lost in the echelons early on he would have won it. Now it's possible that Froome wasn't pushing himself all that hard but Quintana dropped him quite easily twice. His ability to thrive late in the tour is by far his strongest weapon. Far to early to be calling this for Froome.

Given the fact there were no real decisive MTF type finishes in the first week, you'd think Froome is aiming to peak in Week 2 this tour and as such should maintain his form into the Alpes better than last year....

happytramp

Inquitus wrote: »

Given the fact there were no real decisive MTF type finishes in the first week, you'd think Froome is aiming to peak in Week 2 this tour and as such should maintain his form into the Alpes better than last year....

Very possibly. But then again Quintana has had a ridiculously strong build up to the Tour this year (winning 3 stage races and podium on the other 2)... He's also a year older and stronger and has lost very little time compared to this time last year. We'll probably have a more realistic idea tomorrow of where people are at climbing wise since we've seen very little so far.

Lusk_Doyle

happytramp wrote: »

Well Quintana had the beating of him in the Alps last year... in fact barring the time Quintana lost in the echelons early on he would have won it. Now it's possible that Froome wasn't pushing himself all that hard but Quintana dropped him quite easily twice. His ability to thrive late in the tour is by far his strongest weapon. Far to early to be calling this for Froome.

IIRC Froome put the guts of a minute in Quintana last year on one stage after even he couldn't stick with him when they both rode away from the rest.

happytramp

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

IIRC Froome put the guts of a minute in Quintana last year on one stage after even he couldn't stick with him when they both rode away from the rest.

Yeah that was earlier on... I was just really talking about how stong Quintana seems to be in the high alps in the third week. Quintana took just under two minutes out of him there last year. No idea what's going to happen but unless Froome has a massive lead going to the last week i'd say it's still an open race.

Decuc500

Was the fan shouting abuse at Froome to get a punch? Bit heavy handed. If the riders punched every fan who ran alongside them there would be carnage.

Anyway, Froome showed today he doesn't need a mountain top finish to stamp his name on the race. I can't see him letting it slip from here on out.

Darkglasses

Decuc500 wrote: »

Was the fan shouting abuse at Froome to get a punch? Bit heavy handed. If the riders punched every fan who ran alongside them there would be carnage.

Totally justified I think, not much else you can do in that situation.

https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/751818005835808768

Decuc500

Darkglasses wrote: »

Totally justified I think, not much else you can do in that situation.

https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/751818005835808768

That's fair enough. Didn't see that in the clip.

odyssey06

Surely the riders get one free punch per stage?

xxyyzz

Lots of racing left. Movistar were caught on the hop today and it won't happen again. For once Valverde is riding for Quintana and Nairo looked very comfortable on the climb. Game on.

Dcully

Darkglasses wrote: »

Totally justified I think, not much else you can do in that situation.

https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/751818005835808768

In fairness it was a lot more than a hand off.
He could have ignored him like others have done for years.

I'm not defending those idiots who are a genuine danger but to throw a punch is a bit much imo.

Darkglasses

Dcully wrote: »

In fairness it was a lot more than a hand off.
He could have ignored him like others have done for years.

I'm not defending those idiots who are a genuine danger but to throw a punch is a bit much imo.

Yeah it was more than a hand off, but there's no way a professional cyclist is going to let a drunken fool potentially up-end him in the Tour de France. If the flag was where Froome says it was, that's what'd happen.

dastardly00

Dcully wrote: »

In fairness it was a lot more than a hand off.
He could have ignored him like others have done for years.

I'm not defending those idiots who are a genuine danger but to throw a punch is a bit much imo.

Well if the idiot's flag nearly went into Froome's wheel, then I think it was completely justified from Froome. In fact he probably didn't hit him hard enough.

Dcully

There have been many more dangerous incidents over the years where the rider didn't lash out?

As ive said I'm not defending these fools but swinging a punch is the wrong way to go about it.

Eamonnator

Froome has been fined 200 Swiss francs for "incorrect behaviour".

dastardly00

Dcully wrote: »

There have been many more dangerous incidents over the years where the rider didn't lash out?

As ive said I'm not defending these fools but swinging a punch is the wrong way to go about it.

Yes in truth you are correct, the riders shouldn't be lashing out.

But you are probably a more level-headed person than me, so I could see myself doing the same as Froome if I was in that situation :pac:

dragratchet

chicken man deserved it imo. not a big froome fan but when you've been training all year round for a 3 week race and a dipsh1t in a chicken suit endangers your chances/health/career for a bit if a laugh or to get on tv he has a slap coming to him

Beasty

Eamonnator wrote: »

Froome has been fined 200 Swiss francs for "incorrect behaviour".

Well that'll cost him a few more quid in the Brexit aftermath.....

Mint Sauce

Just watxhing todays highlights. When did Froomy learn to desend like that. Unless he crashes out using his new technique, cant see anyone beating him.

Darkglasses

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Just watxhing todays highlights. When did Froomy learn to desend like that. Unless he crashes out using his new technique, cant see anyone beating him.

Kwiato perhaps!

Mint Sauce

Darkglasses wrote: »

Kwiato perhaps!

so over the handlebars though.

:eek:

Darkglasses

Mint Sauce wrote: »

so over the handlebars though.

:eek:

Yeah he takes it to another level, fair play to him. Never really disliked him but I love just how ballsy and ambitious his ride was today!

Just rewatching the highlights so I'll see it again in a bit but I think they clocked him close to 90kmph at one point in the descent, imagine a pothole or something at that speed and position :eek:

Dcully

Impressive from Froome for sure.
Sagan has been doing it for a few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR3QoZWMkok

Brian?

Hello crushing sense of inevitability, you've arrived exactly when I was expecting. I'll just get comfortable with Froome winning the tour and save us both the hassle.