Cycling thread

Bruce Wayne · September 26, 2020

Love the Giro

Bruce Wayne · September 26, 2020

Meanwhile, at the HQ of Mercatone Uno in Imola...

Walken · September 26, 2020

Good effort from Thomas in the time trail, nice to see someone from herr brailsfords regime being allowed to perform for team GB

lichfieldblue · September 26, 2020

Live camera 500m below Col de la Loze, which was bathed in sunshine a week ago at the Tour. Doesn't bode well for when the Giro hits the Alps in a month's time

http://m.webcam-hd.com/meribel/meribel_front-de-neige

spectateur · September 26, 2020

Those Dutch ladies, 1st 2nd and 4th today.
Must be on the same diet as the Jumbo boys.

Disgruntledgoat · September 27, 2020

Tuned in for the long haul today. From start to finish. Will maybe go the pub for the last hour.

The course is absolutely beautiful. Similar in climbs and climbing meters to LBL, with roads as narrow as RVV. Loads of Pantani stuff everywhere as well.

Black Belt Jones · September 27, 2020

Weather is decent, rain held off thus far. Belgium in charge but surely will be challenged soon.

Bruce Wayne · September 27, 2020

Alaphalippe has got this I reckon.

Black Belt Jones · September 27, 2020

Great win. Wout couldnt answer on that last climb.

Disgruntledgoat · September 27, 2020

Belgian TV absolutely fewwwwwwmin with Roglic for not rinsing himself and his own chance of winning/ a podium for Van Aert.

spectateur · September 27, 2020

French TV going crazy. Nice for the French to have something to cheer about after le tour.

Black Belt Jones · September 27, 2020

Disgruntledgoat said:
Belgian TV absolutely fewwwwwwmin with Roglic for not rinsing himself and his own chance of winning/ a podium for Van Aert.

Pog did blow up the race for him (and Ala), thought he might have shown more in the final sprint since he didn't appear to be working at all beforehand - but it's pointless towing Wout to the line like you say.

Weight of expectation on Belgium must be massive? Seen them get regular stick for bottling tactics in the WC over the years but a race like this is hard to control - it's not in the same league as proper choke artistes like the All Blacks or the RS.

Disgruntledgoat · September 27, 2020

Black Belt Jones said:
Pog did blow up the race for him (and Ala), thought he might have shown more in the final sprint since he didn't appear to be working at all beforehand - but it's pointless towing Wout to the line like you say.

Weight of expectation on Belgium must be massive? Seen them get regular stick for bottling tactics in the WC over the years but a race like this is hard to control - it's not in the same league as proper choke artistes like the All Blacks or the RS.

They rode about the perfect race today. I've been arguing this for the last hour now. If Roglic had the legs to go with Alaphilippe then he would have and guaranteed himself a medal. He was already burst. His only chance of getting anything from the race was to save energy in that group and hope the rest were dead for the sprint. Even Van Aert said that when Sporza tried to get him to blame his trade team leader.

GVA, Benoot, Wellens, Stuyven and the lad on the Scott rode a perfect race today and if Alaphillippe comes over Kwia 100m later on that climb then Wout wins. But he didn't and that's cycling.

lichfieldblue · September 27, 2020

Disgruntledgoat said:
They rode about the perfect race today. I've been arguing this for the last hour now. If Roglic had the legs to go with Alaphilippe then he would have and guaranteed himself a medal. He was already burst. His only chance of getting anything from the race was to save energy in that group and hope the rest were dead for the sprint. Even Van Aert said that when Sporza tried to get him to blame his trade team leader.

GVA, Benoot, Wellens, Stuyven and the lad on the Scott rode a perfect race today and if Alaphillippe comes over Kwia 100m later on that climb then Wout wins. But he didn't and that's cycling.

I think being in a group of 5 worked against Van Aert at the end. If it was one on one vs Ala, I would have fancied him to take some time out of him - recall he out raced Ala on the final descent at San Remo even. As it was, at least some of the time he looked at others for a pull the whole group lost momentum.

Of course we will never know.

Black Belt Jones · September 27, 2020

World Champs returns to the cradle of cycling civilisation next year for the 100th anniversary - Flanders. Should be epic. Might go over to spectate all being well, do some riding on the bergs.