Tour De France 2013

[yellowcard]

Froome and Sky totally dominated this stage, so much so that the tour is now effectively over after the first mountain stage. All the other GC contenders lost a huge amount of time to Froome considering the last climb was only 7km long. Inevitably the questions will follow as to how believable Froomes dominance actually is. I wish I could admire Froomes and Skys performance but results from the past would mean that such admiration would have to be suspended. The transformation in Froome in the last 2 /3 years has been incredible.

[bennydorano]

Sure we'll wait to see what Kimmage has to say & then u can regurgitate it as your own again, or just cut & paste Kimmage's /'yours' about Wiggins last year.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Sure we'll wait to see what Kimmage has to say & then u can regurgitate it as your own again, or just cut & paste Kimmage's /'yours' about Wiggins last year.

http://www.newstalk.ie/player/listen_back/19/2395/06th_July_2013_-_Newstalk_Sport_Part_4

26 mins in.

[bennydorano]

I'm on a dodgy link on a phone in France, i've no chance of listening to it, but from speaking to a fella who was at one of Kimmage's talk nights i'd have a fair idea of the  jist of it's content.

I'm not going to get drawn into a defence of Sky, I think they are clean, end of. It's the cycling troll time of year as those with a genuine interest
in cycling are easily identifiable from the cycling thread.

[yellowcard]

Sure we'll wait to see what Kimmage has to say & then u can regurgitate it as your own again, or just cut & paste Kimmage's /'yours' about Wiggins last year.

Sorry but I haven't heard Kimmages views, and to suggest I have regurgitated them is an insult. Are you seriously telling me that the questions shouldn't be asked of Froome at least and he be put under the scrutiny that any rider who rips apart the field in the manner he did today should?

Surely if we have learned one thing from the past it is that the fawning over an awesome display such as Froomes/Portes today should at least be held in check. You don't have to agree with me but at least be rational enough to admit that there has to be some doubt.

Your obviously well clued into your cycling so tell me what did Froom achieve prior to 2011 that indicated he had the potential to be a tour winner?

[bennydorano]

If you knew  about cycling you'd realise success in cycling is generally a work in progress, barring the likes of Sagan (why are you not questioning his abilities?), you serve your apprenticeship like in most other sport. Froome  worked as a domestique, graduating to a super domestique, following the the rite of passage for all neo-pro's & established pros with an eye for GC.

It's like asking when did Roy Keane become the player he did - he worked at it & learnt from experienced pros, teams & clubs. I wish people would apply that thinking to cycling but it seems beyond most.

[yellowcard]

If you knew  about cycling you'd realise success in cycling is generally a work in progress, barring the likes of Sagan (why are you not questioning his abilities?), you serve your apprenticeship like in most other sport. Froome  worked as a domestique, graduating to a super domestique, following the the rite of passage for all neo-pro's & established pros with an eye for GC.

It's like asking when did Roy Keane become the player he did - he worked at it & learnt from experienced pros, teams & clubs. I wish people would apply that thinking to cycling but it seems beyond most.

Thanks for the cycling education, but I'm familiar with the graduation policy. The cycling public have been hoodwinked and sold countless pups in the past thus making it necessary to suspend belief on stages were the field has been ripped up like today's.

The question is, what are Sky doing that other teams aren't? That performance from Froome today and possibly even more so from Porte was insane. If people didn't ask questions and put these riders under scrutiny where would we be now. Still celebrating Armstrong as a Demi god? Did you slate anyone that questioned Armstrong, Ullrich, Contador, Pantani etc etc etc or did you conveniently ignore the unbelievable climbing capabilities of these riders because you didn't want to destroy your belief that what you were looking at was all real.

I'm not Kimmage's biggest fan but the sport still needs him to ask the tough questions others won't and to be a thorn in the side of the top riders. Walsh has firmly positioned himself inside Murdochs tent and has compromised his integrity by doing so imo. How can he give objective opinions when his paymaster is controlling the majority of British media, he needs to ask himself what is more important to him. His objectivity as a journalist, or appeasing his employers.

The race will probably be controlled by the Sky train now for the remaining 2 weeks since all they have to do is defend their lead.

[maddog]

If you knew  about cycling you'd realise success in cycling is generally a work in progress, barring the likes of Sagan (why are you not questioning his abilities?), you serve your apprenticeship like in most other sport. Froome  worked as a domestique, graduating to a super domestique, following the the rite of passage for all neo-pro's & established pros with an eye for GC.

It's like asking when did Roy Keane become the player he did - he worked at it & learnt from experienced pros, teams & clubs. I wish people would apply that thinking to cycling but it seems beyond most.

Thanks for the cycling education, but I'm familiar with the graduation policy. The cycling public have been hoodwinked and sold countless pups in the past thus making it necessary to suspend belief on stages were the field has been ripped up like today's.

What do you want Froome to do ? Not grab the handicappers attention and win by a cheeky nose ? I agree there has been much hoodwinking etc and there is always an element of doubt with every rider but I think to question every performance without analysing the relevant abilities at the moment of the others around him is jumping the gun. Porte has been riding exceptionally well all year and could easily be a team leader in his own right at another team. It was no surprise to me to see him finish second on the stage.
I don't think sky will just defend their lead either. I have a feeling the final result could be something like froome 2 mins back to Porte and maybe another 3 or 4 mins back to the 3rd placed rider. The double ascent of Alpe D'heuz could blow the race to smithereens and put some serious gaps between riders. But long way to go.

[bennydorano]

@blazzingsaddles is a blogger & journo for Cyclist magazine, he wrote a great article a while back, synopsis - every commentator no matter their kevel of knowledge thinks they can fire accusations about a la Walsh & Kimmage without doing any of the work.

Everyone has the right to question, trolls have the right to be scorned too.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Ineresting start to today's stage. Porte has been dropped and Froome is on his own.

[maddog]

Ineresting start to today's stage. Porte has been dropped and Froome is on his own.

Seems to suffering for his efforts yesterday, Froome will likely have to go it alone from here unless they can get back on the descent. Movistar piling on the pressure today.

[maddog]

Apologies to Richie Porte, fairly cursed the lad there.

[maddog]

Fingers crossed for Dan Martin, 2 miles to go 36 secs gap. Only the Dane with him

[maddog]

Fair play to Dan Martin, played his hand to perfection

[Donnellys Hollow]

First Irish stage win since his uncle twenty one years ago.