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Chris Stott said:
Following it on the TDF site and cycling news... sounds like a mega stage... looking forward to watching it when I get home 
The last 15 mins were full on.Sky got it tactically perfect but only because they had riders who could do it. Thomas went off like he was launched out of a cannon there. I thought he'd left it too late but he had time to spare. Big Tom as impressive as ever.
johnxjsc1985 said:
what now for Froome does he support Thomas after all the work Thomas has done over the years for him.
Catch your breath after that one it was brutal and now Thomas has a decent lead over Froome.
Depends if G can make it stick for another 10 (well, 9) stages. Froome may be biding his time for the Pyrenees.Catch your breath after that one it was brutal and now Thomas has a decent lead over Froome.
Looking forward to watching the recording at home.
No way will Froome do anything other than try his hardest to win the TDF. He'll want his 5th TDF to match the greats and he's already sat on 3 consecutive GT's, with the chance at doing the Giro/TDF double in the same year - only 6 people have ever achieved this... plus he would then have the option to go for the 'holy grail' of winning all 3 in the same year, which has never been done.
Doubt we'll see him try anything before the 3rd week though... unless Thomas bonks somewhere.
No way will Froome do anything other than try his hardest to win the TDF. He'll want his 5th TDF to match the greats and he's already sat on 3 consecutive GT's, with the chance at doing the Giro/TDF double in the same year - only 6 people have ever achieved this... plus he would then have the option to go for the 'holy grail' of winning all 3 in the same year, which has never been done.
Doubt we'll see him try anything before the 3rd week though... unless Thomas bonks somewhere.
Edited by Chris Stott on Wednesday 18th July 17:27
johnxjsc1985 said:
I was wondering if SKY want Froome hidden away in the pack without the target on his back however I cant see Thomas letting this go easily now.
Thomas will do as he is instructed. Just like LeMond did with Hinault and Froome did with Wiggins; examples of when the No.1 domestique could have gone for glory themselves but remembered they work for a Team with a Plan. Froome is still Team Leader and unless it is agreed by Management that Thomas is best suited to win overall, then he will eventually have to concede to work for Froome.
Today was great for Thomas, I'm sure he is very happy and will still see Froome as Leader until told otherwise.
Coolbanana said:
Thomas will do as he is instructed. Just like LeMond did with Hinault and Froome did with Wiggins; examples of when the No.1 domestique could have gone for glory themselves but remembered they work for a Team with a Plan.
Froome is still Team Leader and unless it is agreed by Management that Thomas is best suited to win overall, then he will eventually have to concede to work for Froome.
Today was great for Thomas, I'm sure he is very happy and will still see Froome as Leader until told otherwise.
its been mentioned they are joint leaders although I think this is all to do with keeping Froome away from the mob.Froome is still Team Leader and unless it is agreed by Management that Thomas is best suited to win overall, then he will eventually have to concede to work for Froome.
Today was great for Thomas, I'm sure he is very happy and will still see Froome as Leader until told otherwise.
Tomorrow will be interesting a lot of riders put a lot into today .
Coolbanana said:
Thomas will do as he is instructed. Just like LeMond did with Hinault and Froome did with Wiggins; examples of when the No.1 domestique could have gone for glory themselves but remembered they work for a Team with a Plan.
Froome is still Team Leader and unless it is agreed by Management that Thomas is best suited to win overall, then he will eventually have to concede to work for Froome.
Today was great for Thomas, I'm sure he is very happy and will still see Froome as Leader until told otherwise.
I wonder where it would lead if Thomas pulled a stunt on Froome like Nacer Bouhanni did to his Cofidis team on stage 1 of La Route d'Occitanie? I can't see Thomas breaking ranks, as he'd end up out in the cold a bit like Bouhanni seems to be right now. Contracted to the team, but put out to pasture on minor stage races and one-dayers while riders who'll do as they are instructed get the exposure of riding in the Grand Tours. Froome is still Team Leader and unless it is agreed by Management that Thomas is best suited to win overall, then he will eventually have to concede to work for Froome.
Today was great for Thomas, I'm sure he is very happy and will still see Froome as Leader until told otherwise.
I'll be honest, I'd like to see Thomas given the lead in this race now, and have Froome work for him. Heaven knows he'd deserve the opportunity after some of the shifts he's put in for the team. But the headlines that another Froome Tour win would generate make me think that Sky, for the time being at least, will pull out all the stops to get Froome into Yellow and keep him there...
yellowjack said:
I wonder where it would lead if Thomas pulled a stunt on Froome like Nacer Bouhanni did to his Cofidis team on stage 1 of La Route d'Occitanie? I can't see Thomas breaking ranks, as he'd end up out in the cold a bit like Bouhanni seems to be right now. Contracted to the team, but put out to pasture on minor stage races and one-dayers while riders who'll do as they are instructed get the exposure of riding in the Grand Tours.
I'll be honest, I'd like to see Thomas given the lead in this race now, and have Froome work for him. Heaven knows he'd deserve the opportunity after some of the shifts he's put in for the team. But the headlines that another Froome Tour win would generate make me think that Sky, for the time being at least, will pull out all the stops to get Froome into Yellow and keep him there...
I think you are correct; commercial reasons will keep Froome first choice unless it is revealed he isn't up to it this year for some reason. I'll be honest, I'd like to see Thomas given the lead in this race now, and have Froome work for him. Heaven knows he'd deserve the opportunity after some of the shifts he's put in for the team. But the headlines that another Froome Tour win would generate make me think that Sky, for the time being at least, will pull out all the stops to get Froome into Yellow and keep him there...
We could see a deal struck if Thomas proves a worthy contender and Froome is struggling to overtake his lead - Froome agreeing to work for Thomas next year, a'la LeMond/Hinault again.
It finishes with an individual time trial sky would gain a lot of lost respect from the public if they stick by their word that they are both team leaders and free to race each other all the way to the TT. Froome still has a few more years to break the records G may just be the fitter of the two and I may have a chunk of money on him winning it.
I wonder whether to some extent Thomas is using this race as a shop window to show other teams that he’s a serious GT contender prior to looking for somewhere to move to as the no.1 rider. It’s his only hope of winning the Tour.
It’s a shame about Yates not being in the running but hopefully he’ll transfer his thoughts to taking a stage now instead of going for the overall.
It’s a shame about Yates not being in the running but hopefully he’ll transfer his thoughts to taking a stage now instead of going for the overall.
Worth remembering that today was a short stage and G himself said it wasn't really the plan today, tomorrow is much longer with 3x HC, a profile much better suited to Froome and one on which he could be planning a move similar to stage 19 of the Giro.
Stage after is flat so a chance to recover before a couple of punchy stages then the Pyrennees.
Stage after is flat so a chance to recover before a couple of punchy stages then the Pyrennees.
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