[spookyload]

From an interview with Shane Sutton:

"Froome goes in as red-hot favorite to win the Tour and possibly the only guy that could have beaten him would have been Bradley."

Guess he forgot that Alberto Contador ( who beat Froome handily at the Vuelta) will be in the race as well and is going to be quite fresh. Rodriquez will be there with quite fresh legs as well. Sky obviously doesn't seem them as a threat as much as Wiggins however.

 

[Wookiebiker]

Well ... when you have the best "Program" in the world you can be confident in your riders abilities

 

[LostViking]

Part of the psych war build-up to the TdF.
Try and get inside the head of your competition - essentially planting a seed:

"We're going to win the yellow jersey in Paris, so look for stage wins and other jerseys."

Might get in the heads of some guys, but I'm sure Conti is unmoved by that kind of gamesmanship.

 

[cale262]

Well ... when you have the best "Program" in the world you can be confident in your riders abilities

I thought US Postal had the best program...LOL


J/K

 

[Wookiebiker]

I thought US Postal had the best program...LOL


J/K

They no longer exist ... somebody had to take up the slack

 

[PaxRomana]

I thought US Postal had the best program...LOL


J/K

US Postal did. Sky is UK Postal.

 

[cda 455]

US Postal did. Sky is UK Postal.

I agree.

 

[SFTifoso]

US Postal did. Sky is UK Postal.

They might as well be sponsored by the Queen.

 

[harlond]

From an interview with Shane Sutton: Guess he forgot that Alberto Contador ( who beat Froome handily at the Vuelta) will be in the race as well and is going to be quite fresh. Rodriquez will be there with quite fresh legs as well. Sky obviously doesn't seem them as a threat as much as Wiggins however.

After Contador's pedestrian ITT in the Dauphine today, I think it's hard to argue against Froome as the red-hot favorite.

 

[spade2you]

US Postal did. Sky is UK Postal.

Pure and utter drivel speaking ill of Team Sky and Saint Sir Wiggo.

 

[cale262]

 

[LostViking]

After Contador's pedestrian ITT in the Dauphine today, I think it's hard to argue against Froome as the red-hot favorite.

Perhaps that would be reading a tad too much into one sub-par performance?

How many GTs has Froomie won so far?

 

[harlond]

Perhaps that would be reading a tad too much into one sub-par performance?

How many GTs has Froomie won so far?

Not really. The message I was replying to called out the Sky guy for naming Froome as red-hot favorite, and I was pointing out that the Sky guy's point looks much better now. That seems right to me, especially after today when Froome beat Contador in a mountaintop finish. I'm not selling Contador short, he's the best GT rider of this generation, there's plenty of time for him to come good before the Tour, and Froome could be pulling an Iban Mayo in the Dauphine. But 2 1/2 minutes in a time trial, followed by victory in an uphill finish, that's not nothing.

 

[LostViking]

followed by victory in an uphill finish, that's not nothing.

I'll concede that Conti lost gobs of time to Froome in the ITT, but Froome's piping Conti by 4 seconds today...not impressive.

 

[spookyload]

Not really. The message I was replying to called out the Sky guy for naming Froome as red-hot favorite, and I was pointing out that the Sky guy's point looks much better now. That seems right to me, especially after today when Froome beat Contador in a mountaintop finish. I'm not selling Contador short, he's the best GT rider of this generation, there's plenty of time for him to come good before the Tour, and Froome could be pulling an Iban Mayo in the Dauphine. But 2 1/2 minutes in a time trial, followed by victory in an uphill finish, that's not nothing.

Until last year, who/when was the last time the Dauphine winner won the Tour? I remember Mayo crushing LA and everyone saying LA's day was over. Mayo crushed LA up Alpe d'Huez on the ITT, but a mere month later was nowhere to be seen.

 

[cda 455]

Until last year, who/when was the last time the Dauphine winner won the Tour? I remember Mayo crushing LA and everyone saying LA's day was over. Mayo crushed LA up Alpe d'Huez on the ITT, but a mere month later was nowhere to be seen.

IBTM


Mayo ended up being mostly hype.

Had Beloki not crashed on that infamous descend, I believe he would have been the genuine threat to Pharmstrong.

 

[MG537]

How many GTs has Froomie won so far?

As many as Lance.

 

[bballr4567]

Sky is certainly the top team especially after the ITT performance. Going to be an interesting TdF if they keep it up.

 

[32and3cross]

IBTM


Mayo ended up being mostly hype.

Had Beloki not crashed on that infamous descend, I believe he would have been the genuine threat to Pharmstrong.

If Hamilton had not had a broken clavical I think he would mopped the floor with both of em, he had the mix right that year.

 

[cda 455]

If Hamilton had not had a broken clavical I think he would mopped the floor with both of em, he had the mix right that year.

Good point.