I didn't used to think Wiggo or Froome were dopers. Now I'm not so sure, especially about Froome. At least when Wiggins won (and Evans) the average speeds were well down, and there were no ridiculous solo breakaways through the mountains holding the peloton at bay without losing time.
Froome's win was at an overall average speed that was back up at Armstrong levels. The other interesting thing about Froome's win was that several teams and riders had severe fluctuations in form from world beating to grovelling and back again. I suspect that they have found a new way of microdosing EPO (possibly inhalers - that would explain why 85% of the peloton have suddenly developed asthma) that is effective but extremely hard to detect and that they were still experimenting/fine tuning during that Tour. Horner's Vuelta win was even more suspect in my eyes and there were several other remarkable individual performances.
Now we're back at levels that are just stupid and I suspect that as this Tour goes on we will see Contador and Porte flaunt the levels of what we can accept as humanly possible.
Other things like Valverde saying he is stronger now than before his doping ban and Horner saying he was putting out 400 watts on the last climb on Stage 8, which was the power he generated when he won the Vuelta, yet he got dropped easily.
The one thing you can be sure of is that if there is doping going on, and I'm sure there is, the ones who are winning are the ones who are doping.
I didn't used to think Wiggo or Froome were dopers. Now I'm not so sure, especially about Froome. At least when Wiggins won (and Evans) the average speeds were well down, and there were no ridiculous solo breakaways through the mountains holding the
I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this thread about 5pm today.
Horner coming out with that was ridiculous, mouth engaged before brain. The equivalent of calling the top climbers all dopers, which clearly isn't the case. Mind you as he was glowing during the Vuelta, so I suppose he's had to diall it down for racing in France. I'd be very surprised if he's pushing the same numbers.
I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this thread about 5pm today.Horner coming out with that was ridiculous, mouth engaged before brain. The equivalent of calling the top climbers all dopers, which clearly isn't the case. Mind you as he was glowin
Froome's win on Ventoux last year was Armstrong-esque. He was going so fast he nearly crashed into the motorbike in front. And a brilliant climber like Quintana was left punch drunk in the end.
I was at that Stage last year and experienced TdF watchers were saying something stank about it
Froome's win on Ventoux last year was Armstrong-esque. He was going so fast he nearly crashed into the motorbike in front. And a brilliant climber like Quintana was left punch drunk in the end.I was at that Stage last year and experienced TdF watcher
They must be benefiting from Bjarne's knowledge and experience,the expedience and the relative ability of their bodies to recover throughout this tour have stood out.
They must be benefiting from Bjarne's knowledge and experience,the expedience and the relative ability of their bodies to recover throughout this tour have stood out.
Majka's performaces in this tdf have been an absolute joke. In his first stage win he was in the morning break, sprinted at the top of 3 Cat 1 mountains for mountain points, then was still able to bridge from group to group, attack and win on an HC summit finish, holding off a flying GC group in the process. Not only that but he was hardly out of breath where everyone else was suffering, and even able to find the time to wink twice at the camera. Rancid.
On Hautacam it was a similar tale. When he attacked out of the group of GC guys that actually made me laugh. OK, Pinot, TJVG and Peraud did catch him, but to me even that seemed phony. Almost as if Riis was in his ear saying "Don't catch the yellow jersey, try and make it look a little bit realistic, wait for the next group...".
Rogers' performance looked higly suspect to me as well - if you look at Europcar on the Port de Bales they are doing the old one-two - with Gautier attacking then Voeckler. Rogers is able to stay with this, and then actually lead for the final part of the climb.
Majka's performaces in this tdf have been an absolute joke. In his first stage win he was in the morning break, sprinted at the top of 3 Cat 1 mountains for mountain points, then was still able to bridge from group to group, attack and win on an HC s
Theres no more doping, youre all being far too cynical. Natural talent, hard training, right nutrition, proper rest, ability and bloody-mindedness to withstand suffering - thats what youre seeing, and when someone produces a good performance and all you can resort to is cry foul play cos its an easy default-position stock-answer reaction to generate, then frankly i think its a poor effort ....
Theres no more doping, youre all being far too cynical. Natural talent, hard training, right nutrition, proper rest, ability and bloody-mindedness to withstand suffering - thats what youre seeing, and when someone produces a good performance and all