Giro d'Italia / Tour de France Cycling thread 2013

[olaftab]

My partner refuses to believe Wiggins or Froome are clean, or Usain Bolt for that matter.

I am with her/him. I think UB will follow where others have ended up!

Please post your evidence for this as I'd love to read it.

The  phrase "I thinK" implies that I think not that I know or have evidence.

[lovejoy]

OK - what's your logic in reaching that view?

[olaftab]

I think you are wrong.

I hope so however with Armstrong disgrace and track Athletes being "found out" on a regular basis I am just dubious that anyone is clean these days.

[UK Redsox]

His Dad is English, born in Gloucestershire, he represented England at hockey. By saying Froome is not British you are basically saying that anyone born abroad to an ex-pat family isn't British either.

I thought that the Gloucestershire connection was that Froome's mother's parents were from Tetbury before emigrating to Kenya (where Chris' mother was born).

[Dave Cooper please]

His Dad is English, born in Gloucestershire, he represented England at hockey. By saying Froome is not British you are basically saying that anyone born abroad to an ex-pat family isn't British either.

I thought that the Gloucestershire connection was that Froome's mother's parents were from Tetbury before emigrating to Kenya (where Chris' mother was born).

Might be, I've not taken that much notice, just caught bits of stuff when listening to the Eurosport commentary.
Not that bothered really, he wants to be British so I'm happy with that.

[TonyD]

God Save The Queen played on the Champs-Élysées is always a bonus.

Wiggo won it easily last year.   Froome totally pissed it this year.    And will next year.

[Jon Crofts]

Wiggo didn't win it easily.

As for Froome pissing it next year, possibly, but I'd expect a major challenge from Quintana, he's quite a talent.

[Dante Lavelli]

Are there (m)any cases of Team Sky suing journalists etc who question their cleanness? That was part and parcel of armstrong's tactics whereas Sky appear to have been quite open towards the media. It's not evidence of being clean but they're at least trying to be proactive in clearing things up.

[seanthevillan]

Wiggo didn't win it easily.

As for Froome pissing it next year, possibly, but I'd expect a major challenge from Quintana, he's quite a talent.

Didn't Quintana lose a few minutes in the time trials? He will have to improve there if he wants to challenge, and also he will be a marked man next year. But I hope he does well, I like his style.

[Jon Crofts]

Are there (m)any cases of Team Sky suing journalists etc who question their cleanness? That was part and parcel of armstrong's tactics whereas Sky appear to have been quite open towards the media. It's not evidence of being clean but they're at least trying to be proactive in clearing things up.

They invited at least one journo to spend time with the team prior to the Giro, I think it was a guy from the Sunday Times, they saw everything, I really don't think Sky have anything to hide and they encourage openness with the press and authorities.

[taylorsworkrate]

I think you are wrong.

I hope so however with Armstrong disgrace and track Athletes being "found out" on a regular basis I am just dubious that anyone is clean these days.

That's one of the worst things about the Armstrong era. People now just assume that winning cyclists are doping, when the statistical evidence and advances in drug testing completely suggests otherwise.

The times the peloton were regularly putting up in the doping era are largely astonishing compared to the last couple of years. No sport is ever going to be completely clean of some form of cheating, but cycling has undeniably become a much cleaner sport in recent times.

Froome is just head and shoulders above the rest at the moment, the best climber and the best time trialist of the GC contenders. There has not been one scrap of evidence, rumor or anything that could lead people to believe that he is doping. On the contrary, he rides for a team which has allowed notorious anti doping crusading journalists to follow them through every aspect of their operation.

[peter w]

His Dad is English, born in Gloucestershire, he represented England at hockey. By saying Froome is not British you are basically saying that anyone born abroad to an ex-pat family isn't British either.

I thought that the Gloucestershire connection was that Froome's mother's parents were from Tetbury before emigrating to Kenya (where Chris' mother was born).

Might be, I've not taken that much notice, just caught bits of stuff when listening to the Eurosport commentary.
Not that bothered really, he wants to be British so I'm happy with that.

Not sure about the mom's side but his dad is British. Froome also said that the has always considered himself to be British. a little like my son who was born in London and has thus far lived most of his life in Nigeria. However, he will always be a dyed in the wool Villa fan. Wherever he's living or 'from'.

[Sister of Top Cat]

I see that its an evening race today.

All those long stages in the heat of the day and the organisers have the easiest day (for the bulk of the pelaton) in the cool of the evening.

It certainly wasn't cool - it was still 35 degrees at 11pm.  The tarmac around the Arc De Triomphe had all melted - we were so relieved we managed to find a relatively shady spot for our wait.

[aj2k77]

I find it hard to believe Froome is clean. Being the best climber and best time trialist is too much like the bad old days. Someone his size shouldn't be soundly beating the more powerfull guys on flat tt's without some illegal help.

[MoetVillan]

Surely its not just about how big they are, its power to weight.  If he has less baggage to cart around then he wont have to be so extremely powerful.  Triathlon competitors dont tend to be big bastards, just incredibly fit, and they have to use a varying amount of mucsles.  Fair play to Froome, and for what its worth, i think he is clean.  The step change in mentality, and the huge policing in the sport now is the evidence I would quote.