Vuelta A Espana. What's up with Chris Froome?
By koopharper
@koopharper (7601)
Canada
September 5, 2012 2:38pm CST
After following the Tour de France and see him hold back at times so as not to challenge Bradley Wiggins, I honestly thought the man was going to do great things at the Vuelta. Bradley Wiggins isn't riding in this race so for team Sky he's the man. Right now Alberto Contador is leading. Granted Contador a former Tour de France winner was serving a doping violation suspension this time around so he wasn't there to challenge in France. Froome though is sitting back in fourth at the Vuelta now more than nine minutes off the pace. That doesn't look very hopeful. I can't at this point even envision him making the podium.
2 responses
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
5 Sep 12
I'm not a big cycling fan, but I did follow the Tour de France (fan of the mad rush by the finish line). And I also thought that Chris Froome was one of the up and coming cyclist that would contend in other races. The announcers on TV couldn't stop themselves from singing his praises. Specially when he won one of the laps (7 or 8?).
Maybe it's just the TDF. It brings out the best in some riders, but not so much in other races.
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
6 Sep 12
It's possible that his training had him peak for the TdF and right now he is just not in that kind of form. Wiggins is resting till the Tour of Britain and maybe Froome should have as well. Can't be in top form all the time.
@watersprite (168)
•
6 Sep 12
If what I've heard is correct this is one of the first times Froome has been 'in charge', he still learning the tactics and how to get the team to work for best advantage. Fourth place for somebody we'd not heard of last year is exceptional.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
6 Sep 12
Chris Froome has been with Team Sky since 2010. Had a good year in 2010. In 2011 he came second in the Vuelta. He even led for part of the race. He is not doing as well this year. This may well be the first time he has been "in charge" but he certainly hasn't come out of no where.
@toutze (42)
• Denmark
7 Sep 12
I believe Chris Froome simply isn´t in the same form as he was in the tour de france. In the tour I think he had beaten Bradley Wiggins if he ridden for an other team. At the tour his form peaked and now it is going the wrong way. He was the best mountinrider in the tour an the way he drove away from wiggens an then waited for him several times was a demonstration of Chris Froomes power when is form is peaking. Exhaustion is the same reason way wiggins isn´t racing in the vuelta helping Froome even though he owns him one(or two). Maybe Froome is exhausted too.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
7 Sep 12
This is probably the best explanation for what we're seeing now. I'm guessing that next year for the TdF they will be on different teams. I'm hoping to Ryder Hesjedal come back strong. He was a contender in the TdF till he crashed out.
