Giro d’Italia Stage 20: Chris Froome poised to win Giro d’Italia after withstanding late attacks from Tom Dumoulin (+ video)

700c wrote:

Am I being naive in taking this at face value and feeling pleased for him? I just don't get how he could be - in any substantive way - doping in this Giro. It would be madness, surely? I too am not happy about Sky and their TUE's and the cloud hanging over Froome, but I bet he's not even dared have one, nor dared take many puffs on the inhaler.. I stand by what I said on the other thread - this is surely the most impressive performance witnessed in the modern era.

replace Froome with Armstrong, Giro with TDF and go back a few years...

700c wrote:

Am I being naive in taking this at face value and feeling pleased for him? I just don't get how he could be - in any substantive way - doping in this Giro. It would be madness, surely? I too am not happy about Sky and their TUE's and the cloud hanging over Froome, but I bet he's not even dared have one, nor dared take many puffs on the inhaler.. I stand by what I said on the other thread - this is surely the most impressive performance witnessed in the modern era.

absolutely agree with this.  

Ultimately Froome won because he was the class act in what was one of the weaker  Grand Tour  line ups in recent years - just think of all the team leaders who are saving themselves for the Tour.

What was different was that he won it late with one great stage attack, gaining most of his time difference with a stunning descent. 

What makes it extra special is that it continues last year’s achievements.

Innerlube wrote:

700c wrote:

Am I being naive in taking this at face value and feeling pleased for him? I just don't get how he could be - in any substantive way - doping in this Giro. It would be madness, surely? I too am not happy about Sky and their TUE's and the cloud hanging over Froome, but I bet he's not even dared have one, nor dared take many puffs on the inhaler.. I stand by what I said on the other thread - this is surely the most impressive performance witnessed in the modern era.

absolutely agree with this.  

Ultimately Froome won because he was the class act in what was one of the weaker  Grand Tour  line ups in recent years - just think of all the team leaders who are saving themselves for the Tour.

What was different was that he won it late with one great stage attack, gaining most of his time difference with a stunning descent. 

What makes it extra special is that it continues last year’s achievements.

Quite, people forget that he gained 90 seconds on the descent, IF Dumoulin hadn't lost so much time going downhill and just stayed parity with Froome on the downhill sections he'd have had the pink jersey. As it happens he was outdescended by someone who was accused of being a shit bike handler not so long back, generally by people who failed to actually look at the circumstances when he came off, that being for the most part other riders causing him to come off.

He's never had an issue descending fast, comfortable with the odd error as do most at some point or another and as a race leader you don't need to cane it to catch a breakaway rider 50 minutes behind you in the GC.

It's been an object lesson in tactics and preparation long before the race even began and a strong dedicated team knowing when to do the business.

That said reckon there's going to be a lot more big batters at the TdF and SKY/Froome are really going to have to be on it. Can't wait!

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Innerlube wrote:

700c wrote:

Am I being naive in taking this at face value and feeling pleased for him? I just don't get how he could be - in any substantive way - doping in this Giro. It would be madness, surely? I too am not happy about Sky and their TUE's and the cloud hanging over Froome, but I bet he's not even dared have one, nor dared take many puffs on the inhaler.. I stand by what I said on the other thread - this is surely the most impressive performance witnessed in the modern era.

absolutely agree with this.  

Ultimately Froome won because he was the class act in what was one of the weaker  Grand Tour  line ups in recent years - just think of all the team leaders who are saving themselves for the Tour.

What was different was that he won it late with one great stage attack, gaining most of his time difference with a stunning descent. 

What makes it extra special is that it continues last year’s achievements.

Quite, people forget that he gained 90 seconds on the descent, IF Dumoulin hadn't lost so much time going downhill and just stayed parity with Froome on the downhill sections he'd have had the pink jersey. As it happens he was outdescended by someone who was accused of being a shit bike handler not so long back, generally by people who failed to actually look at the circumstances when he came off, that being for the most part other riders causing him to come off.

He's never had an issue descending fast, comfortable with the odd error as do most at some point or another and as a race leader you don't need to cane it to catch a breakaway rider 50 minutes behind you in the GC.

It's been an object lesson in tactics and preparation long before the race even began and a strong dedicated team knowing when to do the business.

That said reckon there's going to be a lot more big batters at the TdF and SKY/Froome are really going to have to be on it. Can't wait!

Unfortunately 'if's don't get into records, if Simon Yates hadn't given his team mate that stage win he would now be in the record as the 'only' winner of four stages in one Giro event, 'if only'. 

Leviathan wrote:

Well, this... is... problematic. He has achieved something unique. Something that should have been considered one of the greatest cycling feats of all time. Except we have this other issue hanging over him. I don't begrudge Froome his win. I know he will be tested daily, he can't hide by just riding one big event. He is probably clean for most PE drugs. But I think Sky played fast and loose with the TUE rules to gain an advantage; you bet. It is the old 'rounder wheels' philosophy, marginal gains. Froome may have just over stepped what he is allowed, or the doctor didn't monitor him, either way he went over. What beggars belief is that the UCI had 8  months to make a decision and couldn't. What more evidence could they possibly find? Why no dates for a hearing. How can the Giro and the now the Tour be allowed to pass with no action?

This farce undermines cycling more than too many huffs on an inhaler.

Yeah, completely agree - Froome was truly amazing and I have nothing but respect for what he did over the course of the Giro. 

But what the hell is the UCI doing? Are they intending to just let it drag on indefinitely? Clear him or charge him, but this state of limbo is ridiculous.