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The Pro Cycling Thread (Part 2)
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cmq2
26-07-2014
Every rider was blood tested for bio passport on the second rest day.

At today's ITT, Team Sky will follow their riders in a two seater F Type Jag. Porte not sure whether he can push for high stage ranking.

Top five on GC off from around 3:15.
Party Animal
26-07-2014
Cannot see Richie Porte ever becoming team leader for Sky again in a grand tour after this years performance as leader trying to think of a single day where he has had a good one this time round
Marti S
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“If the teams had any sense they would test their own riders every day and pull them out if anything showed up..........before they had the chance to fail an official test

The adverse publicity if they were caught by the race officials could well cause sponsors to pull out

I'm sure that's what they do !”

The problem is they have to send the samples away to be tested, often they dont get them back till after the race has finished, a week or two later.
aggs
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by Party Animal:
“Cannot see Richie Porte ever becoming team leader for Sky again in a grand tour after this years performance as leader trying to think of a single day where he has had a good one this time round”

I think the only ones who thought Porte would be a good option for Plan B were Dave Brailsford, who had backed himself into somewhat of a corner, and people who were wishing more In hope than expectation.
swingaleg
26-07-2014
Peter Kennaugh is riding the points race at the Commonwealth Games later today....

I've not really been following the TdF Time Trial as there's so much else on today......there's probabl about 30/40 minutes to go so I'll just try and catch the last 10/15 minutes to see the top 5 coming in
Electra
26-07-2014
Nibali 4th in the TT.

Does anyone else find that very difficult to believe?
aggs
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by Electra:
“Nibali 4th in the TT.

Does anyone else find that very difficult to believe?”

Wins over all by all but 8 minutes as well and spent all but 2 of the stages in yellow. Have to say the spidey senses are twanging at dodgey.

PhilandPaul had a change of heart today.
Hautacam day they said he would loose time in the TT.
Today before the start they said he would be looking to increase his lead ...

As an aside, am personally pleased at Valverde not troubling the podium tomorrow. Pleased to see 2 French riders there as well.
swingaleg
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by aggs:
“Wins over all by all but 8 minutes as well and spent all but 2 of the stages in yellow. Have to say the spidey senses are twanging at dodgey.
.”

To be fair that's 8 minutes in a race that's lasts well over 80 hours

The man in 2nd will be about 1/600th of the total time behind him

It's like Usain Bolt winning a 100 metres race by 16 centimetres or 10 inches......no one would think that odd !
Electra
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“To be fair that's 8 minutes in a race that's lasts well over 80 hours

The man in 2nd will be about 1/600th of the total time behind him

It's like Usain Bolt winning a 100 metres race by 16 centimetres or 10 inches......no one would think that odd !”

Froome won by 2'28"
Wiggins won by 3'21"

I was giving him the benefit of the doubt until today but given that he's never been one of the top TTers, I'm sorry but my spidey senses are tingling too.
aggs
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“To be fair that's 8 minutes in a race that's lasts well over 80 hours

The man in 2nd will be about 1/600th of the total time behind him

It's like Usain Bolt winning a 100 metres race by 16 centimetres or 10 inches......no one would think that odd !”

No, I'm sorry - but those are Armstrongesque gaps reminiscent of the late 90's and early 2000's. Not helped by the fact that he looks like has been on a Sunday club run at the end. The guys in second and third at least look like they have been in a race.

I hope he is clean. I want him to be clean because I do actually like him and the way he rides - but I'm a heck of a lot less certain now than I was 3 weeks ago.
swingaleg
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by aggs:
“No, I'm sorry - but those are Armstrongesque gaps reminiscent of the late 90's and early 2000's. Not helped by the fact that he looks like has been on a Sunday club run at the end. The guys in second and third at least look like they have been in a race.

I hope he is clean. I want him to be clean because I do actually like him and the way he rides - but I'm a heck of a lot less certain now than I was 3 weeks ago.”

I still think the main point is that Contador and Froome are not there and Rodrigues is coming back from broken ribs........if those 3 genuine grand tour contenders had been there they'd all probably be around the same time within a couple of minutes......and no one would think it odd

Isn't it just the case that there really isn't another contender in the race......and 7 or 8 minutes is the gap between contenders and guys who would be looking to finish top ten........in this race they're finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th because the contenders are not there
Electra
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by aggs:
“No, I'm sorry - but those are Armstrongesque gaps reminiscent of the late 90's and early 2000's. Not helped by the fact that he looks like has been on a Sunday club run at the end. The guys in second and third at least look like they have been in a race.

I hope he is clean. I want him to be clean because I do actually like him and the way he rides - but I'm a heck of a lot less certain now than I was 3 weeks ago.”

That's the position I'm in too.

I'm also pissed off because the fact that he's been in Yellow for almost the whole tour means I've been robbed of seeing his utterly glorious descending.
basdfg
26-07-2014
Originally Posted by Electra:
“That's the position I'm in too.

I'm also pissed off because the fact that he's been in Yellow for almost the whole tour means I've been robbed of seeing his utterly glorious descending.”

Wouldn't another major doping scandal kill off the Tour de France.
Also if a cyclist is doing well anyway through doping why do something even more difficult it has no effect as it will just raise suspicions further.
Bahtat
26-07-2014
I can't understand why there were so many Welsh flags in the England stages and hardly any in France. Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire are not in Wales.
dtcdtcdtc
27-07-2014
As a casual viewer of the Tour, why is it tradition not to challenge for the Yellow Jersey on the final stage ?
Seems odd
swingaleg
27-07-2014
Originally Posted by dtcdtcdtc:
“As a casual viewer of the Tour, why is it tradition not to challenge for the Yellow Jersey on the final stage ?
Seems odd”

Well it's almost always a flat stage into Paris so the opportunity for challenging isn't really there as the leaders team would chase down any attacks........much the same as happens on any flat stage if people near the top of the leader board try to get away

Plus........it's seen as something of a triumphant parade into Paris for the blokes who have survived the race..........so you get things like teams going to the front to take the applause and the jersey wearers riding together across the road, and there's always the photo opportunity of riders with a glass of champagne......

Once they hit the laps of the Champs Elysee the race takes off but the terrain isn't difficult enough to force gaps

At least once in recent history they have made the final stage a time trial where of course it's every man for himself and in that case everyone was challenging........
swingaleg
27-07-2014
There's the inaugural 'La Course' race today.......a 90K race around the Champs Eylsee circuit for women which takes place before the Tour arrives

It's live on Eurosport at 12.45

Good idea !........the crowds and the cameras are already there waiting for the Tour to come in, gives everybody something to do !

Despite most of our top girls being at the Commonwealth games there are still some Brits taking part - Lizzie Armitstead, Emma Pooley, Hannah Barnes
dtcdtcdtc
27-07-2014
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Well it's almost always a flat stage into Paris so the opportunity for challenging isn't really there as the leaders team would chase down any attacks........much the same as happens on any flat stage if people near the top of the leader board try to get away

Plus........it's seen as something of a triumphant parade into Paris for the blokes who have survived the race..........so you get things like teams going to the front to take the applause and the jersey wearers riding together across the road, and there's always the photo opportunity of riders with a glass of champagne......

Once they hit the laps of the Champs Elysee the race takes off but the terrain isn't difficult enough to force gaps

At least once in recent history they have made the final stage a time trial where of course it's every man for himself and in that case everyone was challenging........”

Cheers Swing
The Net
27-07-2014
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“There's the inaugural 'La Course' race today.......a 90K race around the Champs Eylsee circuit for women which takes place before the Tour arrives

It's live on Eurosport at 12.45

Good idea !........the crowds and the cameras are already there waiting for the Tour to come in, gives everybody something to do !

Despite most of our top girls being at the Commonwealth games there are still some Brits taking part - Lizzie Armitstead, Emma Pooley, Hannah Barnes”

Isn't that our top three road girls anyway?

I'm in Paris and looking forward to catching it this afternoon. As you say a great introduction and will be a permanent race.

As for Nibali he did a top ten ITT at the Dauphine so he has some form in the discipline anyway. His charges up two of the stages did have me gasping with astonishment though. His change of form since the Dauphine has been remarkable.
divingbboy
27-07-2014
Right, Jens Voigt has got to be up for something today, right? One last time, Jensie!
swingaleg
27-07-2014
Originally Posted by The Net:
“Isn't that our top three road girls anyway?
”

we have a very strong roster of women road racers !

Those three are certainly up there but you look at the recent British Championships then Laura Trott and Dani King finished 1st and 2nd......they're in Glasgow as are other top ten finishers in Katie Archibald, Sarah Storey, Elinor Barker......so that's 5 of our top girls that are not in Paris
swingaleg
27-07-2014
I'd like to see Jens come out of the peloton in the first lap of the Champs Elysee and ride solo for a lap or two

He's got no chance of winning the stage !..........

Both Kittel and Griepel have made it through the mountains.......I guess Kittel is overwhelming favourite for today's stage but you never know how much the race has taken out of the sprinters

Cav used to be able to save something for Paris. Other top sprinters like Cipo never got to Paris.......

Kittel looks like a tough cookie.........more of a Cav than a Cipo
aggs
27-07-2014
Cav was more of an Abdu in Harrogate

I'd like to see Griepal win - I always think that the winner of one of the 3 jerseys should have a stage win to go with it

I think the peloton will let Jens go on to the Champs first - they're a very sentimental bunch on the whole.
Electra
27-07-2014
Originally Posted by aggs:
“Cav was more of an Abdu in Harrogate

I'd like to see Griepal win - I always think that the winner of one of the 3 jerseys should have a stage win to go with it

I think the peloton will let Jens go on to the Champs first - they're a very sentimental bunch on the whole.”

Greipel? Have I missed something? I thought Sagan was in green
Marti S
27-07-2014
Originally Posted by divingbboy:
“Right, Jens Voigt has got to be up for something today, right? One last time, Jensie!”

I wouldnt be surprised if he leads them into the circuit, didnt that happen last year to another rider who was retiring?
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