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The Pro Cycling Thread (Part 2)
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swingaleg
26-07-2015
Chapeau to Griepel......I always thought he was a bit of a second tier sprinter. After all he was Cav's lead out for a while. But he's come good this year

It's a strange one in the sprinting game......you normally have one dominant sprinter in any era. In the time I've been watching we've had Zabel, Cippo, Petacchi, Cav

Seems to be a bit of a hiatus at the moment as Cav gets on a bit and no one is dominating. We're waiting for the next dominant sprinter to come along. Griepel, kristoff, Degenkolb all seem much of a muchness and it depends who's on form that week

Typically the French have 'the next big thing' every couple of years but they never seem to quite get there
d'@ve
26-07-2015
Pity that Cav couldn't make a better challenge but with Martin and Renshaw missing, it was always going to be an uphill task.

Well done Greip, and of course Froomy. Also Quintana for livening up the final two mountain stages!
Stunty
26-07-2015
Well done to Chris Froome, proud to hear the National Anthem over Paris today.

I need to gen up on the cycling, the timing has always been a bit of a mystery to me.

A baffling sport when a whole team supports the one rider and the rest of the team don't seem to be in with a chance of winning. It's a team sport, but only one man wins.

I wonder when Geraint Thomas will have his chance of leading the team ...... I think he wants it.
swingaleg
26-07-2015
Originally Posted by Stunty:
“I wonder when Geraint Thomas will have his chance of leading the team ...... I think he wants it.”

The normal thing that happens is that they move to another team where they will be the number one and where that team will be built around getting them to win big races

Froome could well win the TdF for the next 3 years so Geraint will have to make a decision if he thinks he can step up to the plate

At any one time there's normally only half a dozen men who are capable of winning a grand tour so there are plenty of teams who don't have a contender......he'd have no problem finding a team if he is a genuine contender.
Edward_Sloley
26-07-2015
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Chapeau to Griepel......I always thought he was a bit of a second tier sprinter. After all he was Cav's lead out for a while. But he's come good this year”

Even before Cav was forced off the top mantle by Kittel in 2013, Greipel was fairly close to his level. His career win tally may actually be marginally bigger than Cav's IIRC, but he has won fewer Grand Tour stages (he has won at least one stage in each of the past 5 Tours).

Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Seems to be a bit of a hiatus at the moment as Cav gets on a bit and no one is dominating. We're waiting for the next dominant sprinter to come along. Griepel, kristoff, Degenkolb all seem much of a muchness and it depends who's on form that week”

The latter two thrive in the classics, where bunch sprints are more selective. They've won three of this year's Monuments between themselves (Kristoff has won 18 races so far this season).

Kittel was that dominant sprinter in 2013/14, but has had a terrible season. I'd be interested to know what the pairing of Ewan (Orica) & Gaviria (Etixx) will have achieved 5 years from now.

Originally Posted by d'@ve:
“Pity that Cav couldn't make a better challenge but with Martin and Renshaw missing, it was always going to be an uphill task.”

He could have taken it with the form of 2008-11 (which is beyond him - his win in 2010 wasn't that dissimilar). Greipel had to surf wheels as well today, though the margin of victory was pretty small.
divingbboy
26-07-2015
I was just watching Geraint Thomas's live periscope broadcast of the Team Sky celebrations on the bus. They're all well into the booze now and Brailsford's language was surprisingly industrial!
swingaleg
26-07-2015
Originally Posted by Edward_Sloley:
“Kittel was that dominant sprinter in 2013/14, but has had a terrible season.”

I'd forgotten Kittel !

It did look like he was going to be the dominant sprinter but he's 'gone'.......whether he ever comes back or not we'll have to wait and see

I guess it's a bit like goalscorers in football........lots of them can have a good season but the great ones do it for 5 or 6 years at the top
Aftershow
26-07-2015
A shame the weather (literally) put a dampener on things, but still a good finish to what has been another good Tour. Well done to Chris Froome.

I was glad to hear ***** Devolder was alright after he went down on the Rue du Rivoli the last time round, it looked like a nasty one on first glance.

Cavendish was never in it today, but regardless, i'd be surprised if he's at Quick-Step next season anyway.

EDIT: apparently Devolder's first name is a censored word on this forum
Stunty
26-07-2015
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“The normal thing that happens is that they move to another team where they will be the number one and where that team will be built around getting them to win big races

Froome could well win the TdF for the next 3 years so Geraint will have to make a decision if he thinks he can step up to the plate

At any one time there's normally only half a dozen men who are capable of winning a grand tour so there are plenty of teams who don't have a contender......he'd have no problem finding a team if he is a genuine contender.”


Thanks for the info swingy.

Pardon the pun but it all seems to be 'wheels between wheels' as to who may or definitely may not win a TDF. I am getting into the protocol/politics of this tour cycling business, it all seems a bit alien compared to first past the post type of sport, which is all quite straightforward.
Stunty
26-07-2015
Originally Posted by divingbboy:
“I was just watching Geraint Thomas's live periscope broadcast of the Team Sky celebrations on the bus. They're all well into the booze now and Brailsford's language was surprisingly industrial!”



Do you have a link?



Edit: Found it.
Edward_Sloley
26-07-2015
Team Sky have won 3 of the last 6 Tours held since their creation - not bad for a team that was originally mocked for having the temerity to aim for a victory (originally by a British rider, then anyone) by their fifth year.

GB riders have also won a packet of WorldTour points. Froome's GC win nets them a staggering 200 points alone; they've also earned 68 points through top-5 stage positions and 16 points through Thomas' 15th position in GC, if my calculations are correct. Unfortunately, that doesn't include Cummings' stage win (which would have been worth 20 points) because MTN is a Pro Conti team.

As a result, he cannot earn WorldTour points (7 riders have made the ranking list this season, so 2 more are probably needed for a full strength road race squad at the 2015 WCh). A full strength RR/ITT squad in the 2016 Olympics remains a possibility, though - GB are up to second in the national WT rankings.
swingaleg
26-07-2015
Originally Posted by Stunty:
“Thanks for the info swingy.

Pardon the pun but it all seems to be 'wheels between wheels' as to who may or definitely may not win a TDF. I am getting into the protocol/politics of this tour cycling business, it all seems a bit alien compared to first past the post type of sport, which is all quite straightforward.”

It's not really a case of who may and who may not.......it's more a case that at any one time there's only half a dozen guys who have the requisite combination of talent and skills to win a grand tour........and the team is built around them to help them to win

Do you have Eurosport, Stunty ?

If you do and you're keen to get into the sport watch the Vuelta in September......it's basically the same as the Tour de France but in Spain !......

You can always ask any questions as they arise whilst your watching and we have enough 'experts' here to explain things....... (I'm counting myself, obviously !)
vosne
26-07-2015
I'm unsure now about Geraint having a serious tilt at GC. That loss the other day was pretty extreme - previous crash notwithstanding. That said, prior to that I was pretty positive.

He's got balls and determination, I'll give him that. His win in Glasgow in the monsoon was a thing of beauty.
walterwhite
27-07-2015
Anyone else hear Cav's swearing live on ITV4 while he was talking to Froome? 'For F*cks sake'!
batdude_uk1
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by vosne:
“I'm unsure now about Geraint having a serious tilt at GC. That loss the other day was pretty extreme - previous crash notwithstanding. That said, prior to that I was pretty positive.

He's got balls and determination, I'll give him that. His win in Glasgow in the monsoon was a thing of beauty.”

He is my favourite cyclist on the tour, he works his arse off, is a great team player, and is also great when it comes to interviews before and after races, there is no PR speak from him, he is just honest with how things have gone.

I wish him all the best for the future, whatever that might entail.
grassmarket
27-07-2015
So some more cycling this week if anyone is suffering withdrawal symptoms.

Wednesday on Eurosport 2
13:30 Stage 5 of the Tour de Wallonie (just that one stage, seemingly)
18:15 British National Circuit Championships - ie British Criterium Champs from Barnsley

Saturday on Eurosport 1
14:30 San Sebastian Classic
18:00 Ride London Women's GP - another Crit race

Sunday Eurosport 1
14:30 Ride London-Surrey Classic
19:00 Delayed coverage of the Stage 1 of the Tour of Poland....
batdude_uk1
27-07-2015
Looks like Sky could be making some sort of transfer that could "kill" the business, according to this article.

https://twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/...853865472?s=09
swingaleg
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by batdude_uk1:
“Looks like Sky could be making some sort of transfer that could "kill" the business, according to this article.

https://twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/...853865472?s=09”

All he's saying is that Sky are the Man Utd or Chelsea of the peloton.................they spend lots of money on riders and backroom and that gives them the edge

That's top level sport, isn't it ?

The squad sizes in pro cycling are limited so Sky can get the best.................if they pick the right riders. But they can't corner the market in good riders because their squad size is limited

His beef about Contador was very strange. It might be true that Contador hadn't fully recovered from the Giro, but he didn't have to ride it ! That was the team choice

Many of the top riders ride 2 out of the 3 grand tours each season................it was their choice to ride the Giro and Tour. if they don't think Alberto can mange two consecutive grand tours then they shouldn't ride him in them.................his argument appears to be that all the other top riders should ride them as well

That's up to their team strategies

It's like the manager of West Brom saying that it's not fair that Man Utd won the League because Rooney didn't play in all the League Cup and European Qualifying Round games.....................
grassmarket
27-07-2015
It's definitely an advantage for Sky to be a British team as well, since the TdF is the only race they are ever judged on, so they can build their entire year around it. Unlike most of the Old European teams, who have whole schedules of historic local races in March or June that they are obliged to go all-in for.

And of course nobody else wants to be co-sponsor of a team whose star riders are regularly subject to drunken beratings on Twitter if they don't peak in time for the Tour of Ruritania or the Grand Duchy of Fenwick Classic.
divingbboy
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by batdude_uk1:
“Looks like Sky could be making some sort of transfer that could "kill" the business, according to this article.

https://twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/...853865472?s=09”

I'm assuming that's referring to Oleg Tinkov's comments. There's a very strong rumour (of the "this is going to happen, but we can't confirm it yet because of the transfer rules" type) that Michał Kwiatkowsk is going to Sky. It's a strong signing, but not something that would be too devastating to other teams. I can't imagine to what else he's referring.
walterwhite
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by vosne:
“I'm unsure now about Geraint having a serious tilt at GC. That loss the other day was pretty extreme - previous crash notwithstanding. That said, prior to that I was pretty positive.

He's got balls and determination, I'll give him that. His win in Glasgow in the monsoon was a thing of beauty.”

It would be completely different if he was a team leader though. He would have spent 3 weeks being towed round by his team rather than the other way round.
bspace
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by batdude_uk1:
“Looks like Sky could be making some sort of transfer that could "kill" the business, according to this article.

https://twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/...853865472?s=09”

Other point he (Tinkov) makes is that sky alone can have a 5 or even 10 year plan because of funding commitment, every other team is operating year to year. Well it seems to me that every other team is doing it wrong then. Most businesses don't operate without short and long term plans even if future funding isn't in place, without that long term strategy then they are going to be at a disadvantage.
Stunty
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“It's not really a case of who may and who may not.......it's more a case that at any one time there's only half a dozen guys who have the requisite combination of talent and skills to win a grand tour........and the team is built around them to help them to win

Do you have Eurosport, Stunty ?

If you do and you're keen to get into the sport watch the Vuelta in September......it's basically the same as the Tour de France but in Spain !......

You can always ask any questions as they arise whilst your watching and we have enough 'experts' here to explain things....... (I'm counting myself, obviously !)”

Thanks for that Swingy. Shall try and keep up with the cycling post TDF!
vosne
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by walterwhite:
“It would be completely different if he was a team leader though. He would have spent 3 weeks being towed round by his team rather than the other way round.”

No, I know that. I'm still not convinced though. I guess Sky could run him in the Vuelta or whatever and see what happens there.
swingaleg
27-07-2015
Originally Posted by vosne:
“No, I know that. I'm still not convinced though. I guess Sky could run him in the Vuelta or whatever and see what happens there.”

Be interesting to see who Sky have as team leader for the Vuelta

Last year it was Froome but of course he'd crashed out of the Tour de France early so his season was readjusted to take in the Vuelta

I don't suppose for a minute he'll ride it this year
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