# TdF 2016 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 3, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997 "2016-07-03T13:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shearer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Shearer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shearer)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/41 "2016-07-10T16:33:45Z")
Quintana doesn’t even deserve a podium place. What a coward. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/42 "2016-07-10T16:40:27Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Everybody on Tinkoff is in it for themselves; They’re all riding for their next contract. I hope Sagan gets a real team next year. Tinkoff doesn’t appreciate him. Did Chris Froome punch someone in Stage 8 or what? Our SOB DVR didn’t tape it. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/43 "2016-07-10T16:42:53Z")
> [@Shearer](#): > > Quintana doesn’t even deserve a podium place. What a coward. Agreed. It’s beyond me why he never really seems to try. Perhaps he simply doesn’t have the ability. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/44 "2016-07-10T16:44:04Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > I hope Sagan gets a real team next year. Tinkoff doesn’t appreciate him. > > Did Chris Froome punch someone in Stage 8 or what? Our SOB DVR didn’t tape it. Yeah. He punched an idiot spectator who was carrying a flag and running inches from Froome. I wish more riders did this. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/45 "2016-07-10T16:44:10Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Barring illness or accident I just can’t see Froome losing this one. I predict more mountain stages that follow the same script. Quintana sits on Froome’s wheel and no serious contender is able to put any time on him. Froom and Sky are so dominant that it’s almost boring. I think Quintana will make a proper move earlier in the race this time. Granted that’s not been his style up to now, but he’s got to have learned from last year when it was actually pretty close. Froome was hanging on in the Alps, another day would have seen him off. Froome is the boss, a complete rider, but if he does have a hint of a weakness it’s probably illness like you mention. 6 watts per kg comes at a price - He’s an absolute skeleton so is a bit more vulnerable than others to getting worn out, chest infections etc. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/46 "2016-07-10T20:13:43Z")
I think Quintana is waiting for Froome to wear himself out or have a bad day. That said, everybody but Quintana is attacking Froome and he is responding to every attack like a champion. So yeah, I think it’s fair to call Quintana a coward. Unfortunately, he’s a coward who may be rewarded for sucking Froome’s wheel. As for as the interference from the spectators, it seems like year after year it gets worse and worse. Today, [George Bennett knocked a guy off his feet](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11672162) because he stepped in front of him on a turn. Froome knocked a guy right in the jaw with a left jab because the idiot was running way to close to him. Probably others have been hit by riders. This shit has got to stop. Some spectators have absolutely no respect for the riders or the race. Utter assholes. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/47 "2016-07-10T20:17:09Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > _Almost_ boring? The only interesting things that happened today were Dumoulin showing that last year’s Vuelta performance was no fluke, and Pinot vs Majka fighting for KOM points. The GC race was utterly uneventful on a day that could have been decisive. I disagree. The attack on Froome were coming fast, one after the other today, and he responded to each one. That was exciting racing, imo. Which doesn’t take away from Dumoulin’s performance today. It was a great ride. But he really didn’t have to worry about being attacked all day because he wasn’t really a threat to the race leaders. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/48 "2016-07-10T20:20:41Z")
Oh, and I said it last yearbefore and I’ll say it again. Everybody needs to shut up about Tejay and his big diesel engine. His big diesel engine runs out of oxygen in the climbs, every damn time. He’s a great rider but he’s not a podium threat. Now Richie Porte, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/49 "2016-07-10T21:24:01Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I disagree. The attack on Froome were coming fast, one after the other today, and he responded to each one. That was exciting racing, imo. Which doesn’t take away from Dumoulin’s performance today. It was a great ride. But he really didn’t have to worry about being attacked all day because he wasn’t really a threat to the race leaders. We must have watched different stages. Did anyone attack Froome on the final climb? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/50 "2016-07-10T21:34:34Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Yeah. He punched an idiot spectator who was carrying a flag and running inches from Froome. I wish more riders did this. I found a Vine of the incident. It’s pretty satisfying to watch. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt by these turkeys. > **[Vine](https://vine.co/v/5WJBraXhT6a)** > > The entertainment network where videos and personalities get really big, really fast. Download Vine to watch videos, remixes and trends before they blow up. Froome’s punched people before, too. I can’t really applaud his sportsmanship, even if I appreciate his sense of self-preservation. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/51 "2016-07-10T23:33:08Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > We must have watched different stages. Did anyone attack Froome on the final climb? Porte, Mollema, and Dan Martin all tried, kinda, but no one put enough zing into their attacks to achieve even a momentary separation. It did result in a bunch of small time gaps to the lesser GC contenders, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/52 "2016-07-11T00:08:52Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Porte, Mollema, and Dan Martin all tried, kinda, but no one put enough zing into their attacks to achieve even a momentary separation. It did result in a bunch of small time gaps to the lesser GC contenders, I guess. I think it’s a testament to how attentive everyone was today. Seeing Froome put time on them on a downhill made them realize they really can’t take their eyes off him even to get a bottle of water. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/53 "2016-07-11T00:14:08Z")
I don’t believe that there is anyone at the moment who can drop Froome. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/54 "2016-07-11T00:14:22Z")
Regarding spectators getting too close, IMHO there should be more of [this](http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr01/2013/7/19/15/anigif_enhanced-buzz-17710-1374262475-9.gif). Any spectator caught tripping a clown in that way should be severely “punished” with free signed merchandise by the riders they are protecting. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/55 "2016-07-11T00:45:41Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > We must have watched different stages. Did anyone attack Froome on the final climb? Scroll down to [4:15pm then up go up to 4:30pm.](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2016/07/10/tour-de-france-2016-stage-nine---live1/) I realize it’s the final 2km, but on climb, a lot of time can be gained in a successful attack. Any one of three riders in that group could have been in yellow tonight if they had succeeded. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/56 "2016-07-11T02:37:21Z")
Let me rephrase my question. Did any rider who actually has a chance to win bother to attack Chris? Let’s be honest. There are two people with a chance to win this whole thing. One at the moment refuses to even try even though he has to know that he’s going to lose time in the TT. Mark my words. He will wait till the last mountain stage and try attacking with 5k to go. That’s all we’re going to see from him. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/57 "2016-07-11T04:18:11Z")
Two of the three who did attack would have taken yellow had they been successful, and the third may well end up on the podium. Froome might be a prohibitive favourite at the moment, but a single bad day will cost him the race. He can’t very well ignore attacks by guys like Porte and Mollema. I too was disappointed Quintana didn’t try anything. With Herrera and Anacona up the road, Movistar could have tried springboarding Quintana from one to the next after Froome was isolated. However, for all we know Quintana was three pedal revolutions from bonking at the finish line, and attacking would have done him in. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/58 "2016-07-11T05:18:24Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I too was disappointed Quintana didn’t try anything. With Herrera and Anacona up the road, Movistar could have tried springboarding Quintana from one to the next after Froome was isolated. I’ve always wondered about that. I can understand the value in having teammates around you when the road is flat; speeds are high enough that drafting gives a benefit. A GC contender can save energy by riding behind his teammates. But what would be the advantage of Quintana having teammates up the road on such a steep climb? They’re going so slow that it doesn’t seem like drafting would matter. Is it just the psychology of riding together; Quintana would have extra motivation to stay with his teammates while Froome wouldn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/59 "2016-07-11T06:34:04Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Two of the three who did attack would have taken yellow had they been successful, and the third may well end up on the podium. Froome might be a prohibitive favourite at the moment, but a single bad day will cost him the race. He can’t very well ignore attacks by guys like Porte and Mollema. > > I too was disappointed Quintana didn’t try anything. With Herrera and Anacona up the road, Movistar could have tried springboarding Quintana from one to the next after Froome was isolated. However, for all we know Quintana was three pedal revolutions from bonking at the finish line, and attacking would have done him in. I’m quite sure Sky wouldn’t have cared if they’d lost yellow for a couple days. I watched the stage again and think the reason I forgot Froome being attacked was that he never once looked the slightest bit bothered. Not sure who if anyone can drop him. Quintana is hard to read. You never know how much he’s suffering. I think Phil was right that he was barely holding on today. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997/60 "2016-07-11T08:35:37Z")
Re: drafting uphill, this (it seems) reasonably well sourced article suggests that there is a benefit to drafting on a mountain climb if you’re going above 16 kph, which most of the top guys should be (usually pulling 20 kph - top speeds up Ventoux are between 22 and 23 kph). Obviously, it’s much less beneficial than on the flat - but the line appears to be, the benefit is in the order of what bike manufacturers would try to provide through marginal gains, so why not, especially if it is free to take. [http://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/1405/is-it-worth-drafting-uphill](http://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/1405/is-it-worth-drafting-uphill) I think the idea that Quintana is a coward and will leave this until the final climb is a bit harsh. I think he is definitely conserving his energy for a push in the Alps but I doubt he’ll leave it that long until the final stage. What he knows about Froome, given that Sky published some of his data last year, is that his power output is worse the longer the tour goes on, so there is better chance of breaking him in the last week if he conserves his energy now. Of course, he has to not be in a large hole on GC times by then. Stages 17-20 are the obvious places to try and take Froome into the red - though 18 is a mountain TT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2016/758997.md?page=4)