Froome speaks out about TdF

[thwart]

Totally classless.

Implies that Nibali won simply because he stayed upright.

"That's sad for race like the Tour de France. I would've loved to been up in the mountains with him. But he survived, he stayed upright, and he deserves to win."

[Mr. Pink]

Well, if that's the only quote you'll give us, I see his point. The Tour is always about survival, too. Sounds like a compliment.

[redir]

Truth hurts sometimes. The first week was carnage, he managed to survive it is indeed a compliment.

[David Kirk]

I agree with Froomes words...........one needs to stay upright to win. Races are not won by the fittest or strongest person - they are won by the guy who has the best mix of fitness, race savvy, team strength, and of course bike handling. If it was just a matter of testing fitness they could save a lot of time and effort and just line ergometers and see who can make the most watts/body weight and declare a winner.

It's a race and if you crash you lose - Froome crashed and lost.

dave

[ceolwulf]

To finish first, first you have to finish.

[alancw3]

I agree with Froomes words...........one needs to stay upright to win. Races are not won by the fittest or strongest person - they are won by the guy who has the best mix of fitness, race savvy, team strength, and of course bike handling. If it was just a matter of testing fitness they could save a lot of time and effort and just line ergometers and see who can make the most watts/body weight and declare a winner.

It's a race and if you crash you lose - Froome crashed and lost.

dave

+1. it is a race and one needs to stay up to win. simple as that. always has been that way. otherwise might as well put all the riders on stationary bikes and time them the the various stages. i actually think that this tour, with the weather factor, really provided a platform for those who could survive albeit with a little luck.

[roguedog]

Didn't read while article but I don't read what you did in the quote. Sounds like he's just meaning nibali kept the rubber down, survived, rode smart and hard and so he won.

Again without full context hard to read into first part of quote.

[PQJ]

Didn't read while article but I don't read what you did in the quote. Sounds like he's just meaning nibali kept the rubber down, survived, rode smart and hard and so he won.

Again without full context hard to read into first part of quote.

I happen to think he's right, but he should have stopped at "Congratulations, Vincenzo. I look forward to competing against you next year." It amazes me the extent to which some of these guys just don't have a filter and / or are incapable of keeping their inner monologues to themselves. I saw the interview and while it wasn't delivered with Armstrong-like arrogance, it left me thinking the guy's none too classy or diplomatic.

[Charles M]

Froome saying "Nibali wasnt challenged" is 8ull5h!t.

He was challenged... By Froome. And He beat Froome and Contador.

[Jgrooms]

I saw the interview & didn't think it was so negative. And I am not particularly fond of Froome.

Its sad for Nibali, as he will always be dogged by the what if. I like his reply. He was in the lead before either CF or AC crashed.

[PQJ]

Froome saying "Nibali wasnt challenged" is 8ull5h!t.

He was challenged... By Froome. And He beat Froome and Contador.

Well, he certainly beat both Froome and Contador, inasmuch as he won the race and they didn't. But he wasn't really challenged by anyone in this tour, and certainly not by the guys who went out on stages 5 and 10, respectively.

[CunegoFan]

I happen to think he's right, but he should have stopped at "Congratulations, Vincenzo. I look forward to competing against you next year." It amazes me the extent to which some of these guys just don't have a filter and / or are incapable of keeping their inner monologues to themselves. I saw the interview and while it wasn't delivered with Armstrong-like arrogance, it left me thinking the guy's none too classy or diplomatic.

I don't think Froome is very bright. I lost all respect for him after reading his interview with Kimmage.

[StephenCL]

I don't think Froome is very bright. I lost all respect for him after reading his interview with Kimmage.


Agreed...I think he is a total wanker, his pride cost Sky a very real chance at a 3rd TDF, his story is still way to hard to fathom...from bairly finishing the TDF with Barloworld to TDF champion by just switching teams with no other Palmares to his credit....

[CunegoFan]

Agreed...I think he is a total wanker, his pride cost Sky a very real chance at a 3rd TDF, his story is still way to hard to fathom...from bairly finishing the TDF with Barloworld to TDF champion by just switching teams with no other Palmares to his credit....

One of the odd things about that interview aside from his wife answering questions for him is that he seems to have a fuzzy memory about pretty much everything. Kimmage seemed to know more about his career than Froome himself did. I got the feeling that Froome might not be sure what day of the week it was; but when he was asked about the Bilharzia timeline, he launched into a story with an amount of detail that he had not displayed in any other answer. It was as though he had memorized the story and practiced giving it. The needle on my BS meter pegged at that point.

[firerescuefin]

Totally classless.

Implies that Nibali won simply because he stayed upright.

"That's sad for race like the Tour de France. I would've loved to been up in the mountains with him. But he survived, he stayed upright, and he deserves to win."

That quote is 100% spot on...and not a slight at all. With Contador and Froome out, it looked like an adult taking candy from the kids.

[firerescuefin]

Agreed...I think he is a total wanker, his pride cost Sky a very real chance at a 3rd TDF, his story is still way to hard to fathom...from bairly finishing the TDF with Barloworld to TDF champion by just switching teams with no other Palmares to his credit....

If you're refering to Wiggins not being there, Wiggo has more than a little ownership there. We've been down this road before regarding Wiggins's maturity and motivation. Hell, the guy doesn't even know if he wants to race on the road anymore.

[firerescuefin]

http://www.espn.co.uk/cycling/sport/story/327503.html


Then it's a you problem.

[54ny77]

Even LeMond said it, there was nobody that could put up a meaningful challenge to Nibali. THe real race was for 2nd and 3rd.

[joosttx]

Nario Quintana might of had a shot for a 2-fer if he was aloowed to race. the cobbles might of been tough on him though.

[chiasticon]

i didn't read the whole source from which you're quoting but the basic point is correct: nibali wasn't really challenged. on one hand, that's kind of an a-hole thing to say from a previous winner (as if to say "my win is more legit" right?). but on the other, having good luck, good placement, good bike handling and surviving the weather and crashes are all basic principles of the race.

[Md3000]

He's just not a very pleasant person it seems. At least wiggins contador and Nibali have a bit of character and grit. Froome just comes across as, I don't know, just something that happens to exist.

[Climb01742]

About 160 other riders stayed upright and finished. But only one won. So, yes, surviving is necessary but not suffice to win. We can each read CF's words as we see them, but for me, it sounds as if he's trying to diminish Nibali's victory. But then given how CF tried to slag off Wiggo, didn't expect anything else of him.

Luckily, Nibali and CF will meet again and their legs, not their words, will settle matters. My money's on VN.

[unterhausen]

from what I have heard about his book this is high praise for Nibali. The problem for Froome in this situation is that he is probably very frustrated with how it turned out and he's not mature enough to keep that out of his answer. No doubt a person like that figures he could have overcome the time deficit he had without much trouble. In past years, the lead Nibali had when his main competition dropped out would have been pretty commanding, I'm not sure anyone could have beat him. Especially since nobody seemed to have a really strong team this year

[jimoots]

Full quote being:

I think Nibali definitely does deserve the win this year, he did make it through all those stages that had all the crashes and all those difficult parts. But I do believe it would have been a different race if Alberto and I had been competing in the mountains.

It's been difficult for me watching the race—Nibali in the mountains has been relatively unchallenged, he hasn't had people attacking him and it hasn't been a mano-a-mano fight for the yellow jersey.

That's sad for a race like the Tour de France. I would have loved to have been there up in the mountains with him. But he survived, he stayed upright, and he deserves to win.

I take away from that:

- Nibali deserved the win
- Would have been a different race if Contador and Froome had kept the rubber side down
- It was difficult for Froome to watch the race, he was kicking himself and felt like he could have challenged Nibali
- There wasn't ever really a challenge for yellow, and that took some of the excitement out of this year's race
- Nibali definitely deserved the win

Which really just is a summary of sentiment in any forum thread or opinion piece on this year's TDF.

I don't see what the problem is?

[Rudy]

That quote is 100% spot on...and not a slight at all. With Contador and Froome out, it looked like an adult taking candy from the kids.

What was Nibali to do, deliberately lose because two other favorites did not survive? To my eye V. commanded the stages he won and Astana did not copy Sky's two-year tactic of obstructing the race to deliver their rider to Paris. Bully for him, champion of the Giro, Vuelta, and Tour.

[Rednivek]

Totally classless.

Implies that Nibali won simply because he stayed upright.

"That's sad for race like the Tour de France. I would've loved to been up in the mountains with him. But he survived, he stayed upright, and he deserves to win."

He was less gracious than others, but not totally an egomaniac. Yet, I can see your point, he should not have implied that he would have beaten him if not for fate or whatever. Fact is, Froome failed to control his bike and thats part of cycling.

[1centaur]

A lot of successful athletes have excess belief in themselves, the kind of ego that may be required to compete at that level. I see Froome's words as closer to "I like to think I had a decent chance if I could have stayed upright," than "staying upright is kind of a lame reason to win the Tour." He may well be wrong about having a decent chance post cobbles, since Nibali never had a bad day after that, but he would not be rare in delusional self talk. In itself, it does not make him a tool.

[firerescuefin]

What was Nibali to do, deliberately lose because two other favorites did not survive? To my eye V. commanded the stages he won and Astana did not copy Sky's two-year tactic of obstructing the race to deliver their rider to Paris. Bully for him, champion of the Giro, Vuelta, and Tour.

I have no issue with Nibali. He's a worthy champion. The truth is he did stay upright and rode tremendously/aggresively when lesser riders could not. That still does not make Froome's quote less accurate. Many others on here have said they enjoyed watching the others fight over the scraps. I didn't. When the rest of the riders in the Tour are unable to hurt him...for even a moment, it's not what I'd want to see.

[pbarry]

Full quote being:



I take away from that:

- Nibali deserved the win
- Would have been a different race if Contador and Froome had kept the rubber side down
- It was difficult for Froome to watch the race, he was kicking himself and felt like he could have challenged Nibali
- There wasn't ever really a challenge for yellow, and that took some of the excitement out of this year's race
- Nibali definitely deserved the win

Which really just is a summary of sentiment in any forum thread or opinion piece on this year's TDF.

I don't see what the problem is?

Well said. Thanks

[CunegoFan]

Froome is currently training with...wait for it...Levi Leipheimer. Apparently he was sitting in Monaco, recovering from a fractured wrist, and decided he needed to fly to America to train with Leipheimer of all people. I guess after watching the Tour he figured that marginal gains were not going to cut it against Nibali.

http://instagram.com/p/rDi4QbGsTd/

[stephenmarklay]

I agree with D. Kirk.

Staying upright is important for sure. As are all the other aspects of racing a bike.

It is more than a fitness test. While fitness is arguably the biggest factor, you cannot downplay the other parts of the game.

Nibali won because he was the best racer this year. His mind and body were one and he commanded the race attention from the cobbles forward.

Others withered under the pressure and conditions.

[Climb01742]

This is very subjective but...what do you say when you lose? The better man won and next year I hope to give him a damn good challenge. Think and feel anything you wish but if you say anything else? By my code, whining.

[firerescuefin]

This is very subjective but...what do you say when you lose? The better man won and next year I hope to give him a damn good challenge. Think and feel anything you wish but if you say anything else? By my code, whining.

As a fan, I like a little more transparency, but if I were advising my son on what to say...I'd go with your version.

[Climb01742]

As a fan, I like a little more transparency, but if I were advising my son on what to say...I'd go with your version.

Agree. It's a fine line and a hard one to walk. We want athletes to say more than cliches and give us some honesty. But it's not easy to make that not sound like whining or excuses. Though I'm not a big Bill Parcells fan, I do think he was right when he said...you are what your record says you are. And this year, VN won and CF didn't finish. CF might be best served by letting is legs do the talking after the fact. But being transparent, not being a CF fan, I'd feel that way, wouldn't I?;)

[PQJ]

It's the delivery that matters, and even then it will be subject to the vagaries of our own internal filters. Jimmy-moots' 'takeaways' are correct (imo) but they don't capture the way Chris delivered them. When I watched the interview, I was left thinking Chris was ungracious / classless / full of sour grapes. Nothing wrong with the content, as I happen to agree with it, but the messenger was the problem.

[Dromen]

I listened to the NBCsN interview and it was anything but complimentary. Not a gracious loser.

[pdmtong]

I'm not a big Froome fan, but really, what do you expect him to say?

He was the odds on favorite, and crashed out. so of course he is going to say hat had he been in the race the results would have been different. You can read it as whining, but can't fault him for feeling that way. When I watched the interview, he seemed sort of stoic and resigned. what coud have been. his words didnt come across to me as bravado or spilled milk

During the banished seven years, the Texan never had a big injury. Second biggest reason besides drugs he won.

The race is won by those in the race. Not by the people who might have been at the race or those who were in the race and dropped out.

Nibali was clearly the best this year. And he honored the jersey on the cobbles and on the stages and at the TT. would you rather have been celebrating another Óscar Pereiro?

[brando]

Dnf

[bobswire]

BTW for those interested here's the Kimmage interview.
Part 1
http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/paul-kimmage-chris-froome-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-part-1-30391816.html

Part 2
http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/paul-kimmage-chris-froome-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-part-2-30394950.html