Cycling thread

[Bruce Wayne]

Mumsnet in meltdown as Rachel Mckinnon defends her masters track sprint title at the weekend (took place at Manchester velodrome). A bit of a charade tbh, and the public ear does not seem to be at Mckinnon's disposal this time round. I mean obv the Mumsnet crowd despise her, but haven't heard anything positive from anyone really about a large natal male contesting a women's track sprint (the ultimate high power event in cycling).

Not something I say very often, but I'm inclined to agree with the mumsnet crowd. Landis (as an example) was pinged for inflating his testosterone levels, so there appear to be clear performance gains to be had from having much higher levels than your rivals, which you I would imagine would definitely be the case in McKinnon's case. That said, I don't know much about the science of this issue, so should caveat this with it being largely instinctive.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

Not something I say very often, but I'm inclined to agree with the mumsnet crowd. Landis (as an example) was pinged for inflating his testosterone levels, so there appear to be clear performance gains to be had from having much higher levels than your rivals, which you I would imagine would definitely be the case in McKinnon's case. That said, I don't know much about the science of this issue, so should caveat this with it being largely instinctive.

Testosterone's performance enhancing capabilities are largely in recovery. It was the big bag of reinfused blood and a sense of "What the hell is he doing?!" from the peloton that got Landis his jersey back.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Testosterone's performance enhancing capabilities are largely in recovery. It was the big bag of reinfused blood and a sense of "What the hell is he doing?!" from the peloton that got Landis his jersey back.

Like I said, I don't know a great deal about it. The sprinter Dennis Mitchell was also pinged for testosterone (which is essentially an anabolic steroid), so I figured it helps with the growth of muscles and that, which might be handy for a sprinter.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

I believe her testosterone is chemically suppressed (a regime she has complained about) below a threshold of 10 nmol per litre, which is still a huge amount for a woman.
The argument is more that living 25 or so years as a man gives you very fundamental advantages all over the shop - musculoskeletal, biomechanics, heart and lung capacity etc etc that no amount of testosterone suppression can negate.

She never competed on the bike as a man - I suspect she would have been quite average (in the context of a serious amateur). She did crush the sprint but she actually lost the 500m timetrial earlier in the week. If some legit talented male decided to transition and compete I reckon they would annihilate a woman's race, different time zone. So someone coming in like McKinnon and going life and death suggests an opportunist.

She's also like a right-winger's parody of an entitled trans-rights activist, so is hard to have any time for. But she gets an absolute deluge of hate day in day out, so prob shouldn't be judged too harshly.

 

[sbbefc]

It was a pleasant enough weekend, but I'm a bit baffled as to why it's 'so' popular with the pros. We only did a couple of loops (and omitted Rocacorba because it rained a bit and the descent is sketchy), but the climbs we did were typically ~10km @ 4% or so, so were all done in the big ring fairly comfortably. It was nice weather and the roads were pretty quiet, but I would have thought the pros would want something a bit more challenging?

It was popular with Armstrong as it was easier to take blood dope in Spain than France or Italy. I've known a few people to go there and enjoyed it but rate Majorca ahead of it. I guess there's nice roads and nice weather, whats not to like?

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

It was a pleasant enough weekend, but I'm a bit baffled as to why it's 'so' popular with the pros. We only did a couple of loops (and omitted Rocacorba because it rained a bit and the descent is sketchy), but the climbs we did were typically ~10km @ 4% or so, so were all done in the big ring fairly comfortably. It was nice weather and the roads were pretty quiet, but I would have thought the pros would want something a bit more challenging?

If you're training with power what you want for intervals are hills with a constant gradient that aren't crazy steep so you're using cardio rather than muscular endurance. Add in the ease of accessibility to an international airport and a range of terrain in easy reach with predictable and not too hot weather and you've got cycling heaven (for a pro).

Calpe is as good, Monaco too (but you need the dosh) and Majorca, but that's more isolated. I'd chuck in Nice and (whisper it) the Costa Del Sol too.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Interesting route of the Giro this year, with some very high mountains on the agenda, including a stage over the Agnello that seems to be uphill for about 107km

 

[Bruce Wayne]

So it's all but confirmed that Freeman is a bit odd and was getting testosterone to help Sutton satisfy his significantly younger girlfriend. It was a nice bit of melodrama I suppose and it kept Dan Roan busy for a bit.

 

[Raindog]

It was a pleasant enough weekend, but I'm a bit baffled as to why it's 'so' popular with the pros. We only did a couple of loops (and omitted Rocacorba because it rained a bit and the descent is sketchy), but the climbs we did were typically ~10km @ 4% or so, so were all done in the big ring fairly comfortably. It was nice weather and the roads were pretty quiet, but I would have thought the pros would want something a bit more challenging?

Maybe OT and I'm not sure which bit you're talking about but I've run the Rocacorba Trail a couple of times and it's possibly my favourite trail run. Beautiful place.

Attempt at on topic, I used to mountain bike.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Maybe OT and I'm not sure which bit you're talking about but I've run the Rocacorba Trail a couple of times and it's possibly my favourite trail run. Beautiful place.

Attempt at on topic, I used to mountain bike.

Aye, we didn't do the Rocacorba so haven't ridden the hardest climb in the area. I spent a bit of time riding on the Isle of Wight when younger, and it reminded me of that. Rolling terrain, nothing super hard and some lovely coastal roads. It was nice, without a doubt, but it's still a bit surprising that half the pro peleton live there. I mean we did the coastal loop, which had a couple of the 'noted' climbs in the area on, and I didn't get out of the big ring once, and I'm far from pro.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Tom Pidcock had a good result today - second in the Koppenbergcross in Belgium. Elite cross event which features the sacred cobbles. Been a while (if ever) that a UK male rider has done that well in a world-level cross race, at senior level anyhow.

His rival Eli Iserbyt won - both coming out of the U23 category this season. Iserbyt has been making hay whilst the Big Dogs are away - won several races early season with van Aert injured from that serious crash in the tour TT and van der Poel resting (like God on the seventh day). I think Pidcock may have the measure of Iserbyt but they are peaking at different times.

vdP back on Sunday I believe in a superprestige race. Consensus seems to be that he might take a race or two to get his eye in, then will annihilate everyone - unless his head's not in it it's hard to see any other outcome.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Went to see Maxine Peake's play Beryl last night (about Beryl Burton). Really good if anyone's interested.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

Raymond Poulidor passed away yesterday. A true great, I think he rode the Tour 14 times earning himself the nickname "the eternal second" after his duels with Jacques Anquetil. His son in law is cyclocross world champion Adri Van Der Poel and grandson 2 time cross world champion and coming man of the classics Mathieu Van Der Poel.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Nice photo of the two generations:

And the man in his prime - mixing it with Anquetil:

 

[Black Belt Jones]

This guy (Hambini) is putting out some interesting stuff at the moment - he's an engineer (in the aerospace industry I think) who takes piss-boiling exception to the nonsense some high end bike companies talk about aerodynamics, as well as their manufacturing standards. Goes to town here on a cervelo frame (lots of swearing).



He also has access to a wind tunnel, and absolutely panelled the Watts-saving claims of some wheel manufacturers. He clearly believes the best defence to libel is the truth, as he's been threatened with legal action to pipe him down but appears NEA.