Tour de France 2016

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Jimmy_Fingers

Rather curious L'Equipe article wistfully musing on the mystery of Chris Froome, bemoaning the missed opportunity on Ventoux for him to be liked, English translation here:

http://julesark.tumblr.com/

It's a very wordy way to say that Froome is a bit odd.

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in reply to @Jimmy_Fingers

Quite enjoyed that, minus the accusations in the last paragraph. Although this (also from the last paragraph) is good:

This was the theatre of structured public relations, exactly where the public demands authenticity.

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Jimmy_Fingers in reply to @

I was in two minds about it: on one level it is quite accurate, I liked him citing the Spanish writer as Froome being 'Frankenstein in Brailsford's hands', but at the same time I didn't like the negative, sneering tone. But Froome is strange, shy in his speaking, submissive in his body-language, curious on the bike. His career does feel stage-managed, both by Sky and by Cound. This Tour in particular felt like a charm-offensive for the French people at times, the PR machine in overdrive to banish the antipathy of the previous Tour. His 'unplanned' swashbuckling attack on the descent, and his surge to follow Sagan. Sky took risks, and we didn't see any devastating attacks on the mountains like the Ventoux in 2013.

I think perhaps his point is that for all the efforts to make Froome charming it only makes him more charmless, but to cite the Ventoux incident, which quite brazenly he suggested was down to the machinations of Brailsofrd rather than an independent decision by the commissaires, as a missed opportunity in winning over a skeptical public is absurd.

lets face it, the French are never going to love Chris Froome, I mean we Brits struggle. At best he may earn a grudging respect and a belief he isn't doped to the gills.

Ooh also 'Black Watch' was a good term for his Lieutenants on the climbs.

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