Cycling thread

[Bruce Wayne]

Alaphilippe, Vivianni, Gilbert, Ewan, Gaviria and Sagan for the fun of it. Difficult race to predict though; the best one rarely wins.

It's arguably the least predictable monument, and one of those races that shouldn't be as engrossing as it is, but I suppose the nature of the route means you've got a few different ways of trying to win it, and all generally get played out, so you're guaranteed a battle between the puncheurs and the sprinters. Sadly, I've got some work on Saturday so won't be able to watch it live.

 

[Armel]

Sadly, I've got some work on Saturday so won't be able to watch it live.

Everybody who likes cycling should probably like MSR; granted it starts very slow but the final moments are all worth it.

Yes I had that with the opening weekend; only saw snippets. On the bright side, I did learn that Sporza isn't geoblocked in the UK (was quite surprising tbf).

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Everybody who likes cycling should probably like MSR; granted it starts very slow but the final moments are all worth it.

Yes I had that with the opening weekend; only saw snippets. On the bright side, I did learn that Sporza isn't geoblocked in the UK (was quite surprising tbf).

It is slow, but that's a virtue in my opinion. Like a test match in cricket, the first 2/3 of the race might look as though not much is happening, but you get a gradual wearing down of the peleton and signs of form come through. It's a more subtle form of attrition than the likes of PR or Flanders, but it's attrition nonetheless.

 

[lichfieldblue]

I bought my lad a brand new Sky jersey for his 10th birthday last month. Bastards!

 

[Armel]

I bought my lad a brand new Sky jersey for his 10th birthday last month. Bastards!

I don't see the problem mate. You see lots of people riding around in Molteni shirts, a team that stopped existing in 1976.

 

[lichfieldblue]

I don't see the problem mate. You see lots of people riding around in Molteni shirts, a team that stopped existing in 1976.

I've always fancied la vie claire 1986 myself.

But it doesn't work like that when you're 10!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I've always fancied la vie claire 1986 myself.

But it doesn't work like that when you're 10!

Get him a Pantani bandana and full Mercatone kit, like this bloke I saw once in France (granted, at 10 years of age he might struggle with the goatee)

 

[Walken]

Good to see with the takeover team sky will be just as easy to despise

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Bit of a predictable winner but fair play, he's been unbeatable this season.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Had a nice ride round the Cheshire Cat sportive today with the missus - route through Staffs up to Macc was really nice. Cheshire was Cheshire. Nice enough day but really blustery - was just bimbling but pretty shelled even from that, happy doing the medium route at 80 miles.

Mow cop was a bit of a state - one shouldn't judge but it was like a dentist's waiting room. Six grand cervelos being pushed up left and right. Was harder than I expected, though - needed a decent dig.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Had a nice ride round the Cheshire Cat sportive today with the missus - route through Staffs up to Macc was really nice. Cheshire was Cheshire. Nice enough day but really blustery - was just bimbling but pretty shelled even from that, happy doing the medium route at 80 miles.

Mow cop was a bit of a state - one shouldn't judge but it was like a dentist's waiting room. Six grand cervelos being pushed up left and right. Was harder than I expected, though - needed a decent dig.

It is tempting to think that many of the new breed of cycling enthusiast think that they'll get quicker by buying the most expensive bike they can. You see a huge number of really expensive bikes underneath portly blokes pootling along.

 

[Armel]

Bit of a predictable winner but fair play, he's been unbeatable this season.

Was nice to see though. Stybar and Gilbert killed all the sprinters on the Poggio

Resulting in this:



Wout van Aert also did a good job: https://cyclo-sphere.com/w/b4a59eff88ba95b73b99713e9957bbafd9ba8cb0467c062c034be3bbf521de2d/en

 

[Black Belt Jones]

It is tempting to think that many of the new breed of cycling enthusiast think that they'll get quicker by buying the most expensive bike they can. You see a huge number of really expensive bikes underneath portly blokes pootling along.

One particularly striking one walking up Mow Cop had a rotor powercrank - you are now doing zero watts

If fat men didn't buy bikes, there would be no bike industry, so one shouldn't grumble. Was wondering about getting a proper road bike myself yesterday, albeit not a six grand one - find it quite uncomfortable on longer rides on the CX bike, feet and hands mainly. It's basically because I don't have the miles, but the road bike might help a little. Cross geometry is quite upright and short wheelbase.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Was nice to see though. Stybar and Gilbert killed all the sprinters on the Poggio

Resulting in this:



Wout van Aert also did a good job: https://cyclo-sphere.com/w/b4a59eff88ba95b73b99713e9957bbafd9ba8cb0467c062c034be3bbf521de2d/en

It was an amazing speed they managed up the Poggio, especially some 250km into the race!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Interesting power data, especially the pretty low w/kg figures for the race as a whole. Shows what you can save by riding in a bunch.