It will be the first time this century that three competitors have made the podium in 2 GTs within a season.
The Pro Cycling Thread (Part 2)
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I am not too despondent at Quintana winning the Vuelta as it is good for the sport in general.
I think Froome is the only GC contender who is good at time trials and that, inadvertently, gives him a natural advantage. I think the only way he can lose grand tours nowadays is to have a bad day. Which takes some of the fun out of it.
I would like to see time trails with no more than a minute to be gained out of them as I think the length of them really does favour the TT specialist and makes for an uneven contest.
One to think about maybe.
I think Froome is the only GC contender who is good at time trials and that, inadvertently, gives him a natural advantage. I think the only way he can lose grand tours nowadays is to have a bad day. Which takes some of the fun out of it.
I would like to see time trails with no more than a minute to be gained out of them as I think the length of them really does favour the TT specialist and makes for an uneven contest.
One to think about maybe.
The whole idea of a grand tour is to test all aspects, team time trials favour certain teams, so do we nulify them too?
After Wiggins won the tour de france they put less time trials in it the following year, so they already tweak things to disadvantage foreign riders, or is that just being cynical
After Wiggins won the tour de france they put less time trials in it the following year, so they already tweak things to disadvantage foreign riders, or is that just being cynical
You could say that mountain top finishes suit climbers so should we take them out too ?
I don't think every grand tour has to be 'fair' between riders with different specialisms as long as all get a crack every now and then within the historic norms of the courses
Sprinters will never win a grand tour and everyone just accepts that.......there's no campaign to have a grand tour of perfectly flat stages with huge time bonuses at the stage finishes !
I don't think every grand tour has to be 'fair' between riders with different specialisms as long as all get a crack every now and then within the historic norms of the courses
Sprinters will never win a grand tour and everyone just accepts that.......there's no campaign to have a grand tour of perfectly flat stages with huge time bonuses at the stage finishes !
I understand your points but I hanker for a Grand Tour where the result is still up for grabs on the last day. We only got that this time as Froome had a bad day and that gave the time trial a bit of extra interest.
Wasn't Sean Kelly primarily a sprinter and he won a Grand Tour. A bit before my time but I think that was the case. The only one like that who could reasonably challenge for a Grand Tour could be Peter Sagan. He would still lose out to Froome on the TT even if he could stay with him in the mountains.
Wasn't Sean Kelly primarily a sprinter and he won a Grand Tour. A bit before my time but I think that was the case. The only one like that who could reasonably challenge for a Grand Tour could be Peter Sagan. He would still lose out to Froome on the TT even if he could stay with him in the mountains.
Great video from the team car documenting how OBE stole third position on the podium by a narrow margin. Yates role was to disrupt the chase rather than drop Talansky on the final climb: https://youtu.be/uOQ2Dc9wIds?t=4m55s
Originally Posted by jcafcw:
“Wasn't Sean Kelly primarily a sprinter and he won a Grand Tour. A bit before my time but I think that was the case. The only one like that who could reasonably challenge for a Grand Tour could be Peter Sagan. He would still lose out to Froome on the TT even if he could stay with him in the mountains.”
“Wasn't Sean Kelly primarily a sprinter and he won a Grand Tour. A bit before my time but I think that was the case. The only one like that who could reasonably challenge for a Grand Tour could be Peter Sagan. He would still lose out to Froome on the TT even if he could stay with him in the mountains.”
I don't think Sean was a pure sprinter as he won loads of 'Classics' and Paris-Nice 7 times
I expect he'd be more of a Sagan than a Cav !
But maybe a better climber than Sagan ?
Just looking up I see that he's been leading the previous year's Vuelta until forced to quit near the end with injury so he was an OK grand tour rider.
Also note that the year he won it there were 4 time trials in all.......
Originally Posted by cmq2:
“Great video from the team car documenting how OBE stole third position on the podium by a narrow margin. Yates role was to disrupt the chase rather than drop Talansky on the final climb: https://youtu.be/uOQ2Dc9wIds?t=4m55s”
“Great video from the team car documenting how OBE stole third position on the podium by a narrow margin. Yates role was to disrupt the chase rather than drop Talansky on the final climb: https://youtu.be/uOQ2Dc9wIds?t=4m55s”
Great video. And great to see Chavas's permagrin. He's like an enthusiastic kid.
Great teamwork. Damien Howson committing everything, with nothing left at the end. (The TV coverage of him was even better).
As said, an excellent backstage pass.
Another noteworthy stat - according to Cycling News, it will be the first time in 20 years that no Spaniard has earned a place on the Vuelta GC podium. (Apparently the 1996 podium was an all-Swiss affair!)
Originally Posted by jcafcw:
“I am not too despondent at Quintana winning the Vuelta as it is good for the sport in general.
I think Froome is the only GC contender who is good at time trials and that, inadvertently, gives him a natural advantage. I think the only way he can lose grand tours nowadays is to have a bad day. Which takes some of the fun out of it.
I would like to see time trails with no more than a minute to be gained out of them as I think the length of them really does favour the TT specialist and makes for an uneven contest.
One to think about maybe.”
“I am not too despondent at Quintana winning the Vuelta as it is good for the sport in general.
I think Froome is the only GC contender who is good at time trials and that, inadvertently, gives him a natural advantage. I think the only way he can lose grand tours nowadays is to have a bad day. Which takes some of the fun out of it.
I would like to see time trails with no more than a minute to be gained out of them as I think the length of them really does favour the TT specialist and makes for an uneven contest.
One to think about maybe.”
I think (kinda hope) that over the next few years an in form and confident Quintana will be able to take a similar amount from Froome over the mountains as Froome can typically take in the ITT, setting up some epic and close battles for GC.
Originally Posted by Edward_Sloley:
“(Apparently the 1996 podium was an all-Swiss affair!)”
“(Apparently the 1996 podium was an all-Swiss affair!)”
That was the first year I started watching the cycling.......so without looking it up I'd guess at Tony Rominger and Alex Zulle
Can't think who the 3rd one might have been
Zulle was good.......I remember that he wore glasses and his eyesight must have been pretty poor as he had a reputation for crashing into things and falling off......
Flicking between the Madrid race and London......but I do find these city circuits a bit boring.......I've put the football on.....
It's a red letter day for British cyclists as well.
Stephen Cummings finished in the bunch to secure overall victory in the ToB and the track para-cyclists won more medals in Rio.
Whatsmore, downhill bikers Rachel Atherton and Danny Hart both won rainbow jerseys! The former has enjoyed the perfect season and the latter had an excellent one despite narrowly missing out on the World Cup title earlier.
Oh, and Laurie Greenland (last year's world junior downhill champion) took silver behind Hart as well!
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Jolien D'Hoore won the Madrid Challenge ahead of teammate Chloe Hosking and Caleb Ewan won the final stage of the ToB. Megan Guarnier is officially confirmed as the winner of the inaugural UCI Women's WorldTour, so it's three in a row (including the former World Cup) for Boels.
Stephen Cummings finished in the bunch to secure overall victory in the ToB and the track para-cyclists won more medals in Rio.
Whatsmore, downhill bikers Rachel Atherton and Danny Hart both won rainbow jerseys! The former has enjoyed the perfect season and the latter had an excellent one despite narrowly missing out on the World Cup title earlier.
Oh, and Laurie Greenland (last year's world junior downhill champion) took silver behind Hart as well!
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Jolien D'Hoore won the Madrid Challenge ahead of teammate Chloe Hosking and Caleb Ewan won the final stage of the ToB. Megan Guarnier is officially confirmed as the winner of the inaugural UCI Women's WorldTour, so it's three in a row (including the former World Cup) for Boels.
But wait there's more...Montreal Grand Prix live on Eurosport now, with Matt Stevens, who did the Women's Race in Madrid this afternoon, and Brian Smith, who did the ToB. Anthony McCrossan, Rochelle Gilmour and Simon Brotherton are in Rio, so there's obviously a bit of a national cycling commentator shortage. Can Sagan do the French Canadian double after his amazing win in Quebec on Friday?
Originally Posted by grassmarket:
“Can Sagan do the French Canadian double after his amazing win in Quebec on Friday?”
“Can Sagan do the French Canadian double after his amazing win in Quebec on Friday?”
Spoiler
Quiet week in prospect now. Literally the only thing I can see is the Grand Prix de Wallonie one day race on Wednesday afternoon on Eurosport 1. Nothing at the weekend. There won't be any live coverage of the Paralympics road races either.
Here are the latest men's World Rankings for individuals and nations.
Cold hard stats and road cycling don't necessarily mix, though it is rather fitting that the top four in the individual rankings (as of yesterday) are champions of the WCh RR / Tour / Vuelta / Olympic RR.
France, Belgium and Spain boast quintuple-digit figures in the nations rankings and it looks like Colombia,* GB* and Italy will follow in due course. Sagan almost single-handedly keeps Slovakia* in tenth place or thereabouts.
[* Impressive when you consider these nations have relatively few WT riders to call upon.]
Cold hard stats and road cycling don't necessarily mix, though it is rather fitting that the top four in the individual rankings (as of yesterday) are champions of the WCh RR / Tour / Vuelta / Olympic RR.
France, Belgium and Spain boast quintuple-digit figures in the nations rankings and it looks like Colombia,* GB* and Italy will follow in due course. Sagan almost single-handedly keeps Slovakia* in tenth place or thereabouts.
[* Impressive when you consider these nations have relatively few WT riders to call upon.]
The Indoor Season kicks off on Saturday, with Round 1 of the Revolution Series from Manchester.
http://www.cyclingrevolution.com/new...on-series.html
At this stage they are starting with mainly domestic teams, but still quite a lot of Olympic and World Champion medal winners in action.
http://www.cyclingrevolution.com/the-series.html
It broadens out in November with international competitions which also bring UCI points to qualify for the major World-level events. Doesn't seem to be any TV coverage yet.
http://www.cyclingrevolution.com/new...on-series.html
At this stage they are starting with mainly domestic teams, but still quite a lot of Olympic and World Champion medal winners in action.
http://www.cyclingrevolution.com/the-series.html
It broadens out in November with international competitions which also bring UCI points to qualify for the major World-level events. Doesn't seem to be any TV coverage yet.
Eurosport have coverage of the Eneco tour commencing Monday at 2pm, I think the last world tour event before the worlds.
Il Lombardia is the last WT race this year (1 October).
Here's the (currently provisional) Eneco Tour startlist. Many of the contenders for rainbow jerseys are expected to participate, including Cav (who hasn't done the Eneco Tour since 2007).
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HSBC will apparently replace Sky as the headline sponsor of British Cycling from next year.
Here's the (currently provisional) Eneco Tour startlist. Many of the contenders for rainbow jerseys are expected to participate, including Cav (who hasn't done the Eneco Tour since 2007).
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HSBC will apparently replace Sky as the headline sponsor of British Cycling from next year.
Originally Posted by Edward_Sloley:
“Il Lombardia is the last WT race this year (1 October).
Here's the (currently provisional) Eneco Tour startlist. Many of the contenders for rainbow jerseys are expected to participate, including Cav (who hasn't done the Eneco Tour since 2007).
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HSBC will apparently replace Sky as the headline sponsor of British Cycling from next year.”
“Il Lombardia is the last WT race this year (1 October).
Here's the (currently provisional) Eneco Tour startlist. Many of the contenders for rainbow jerseys are expected to participate, including Cav (who hasn't done the Eneco Tour since 2007).
-----
HSBC will apparently replace Sky as the headline sponsor of British Cycling from next year.”
China take over something more!
Wiggins asked to explain inconsistency between his autobiog and hacked TUE record:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...abs-leaks.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...abs-leaks.html
Originally Posted by cmq2:
“Wiggins asked about inconsistency between his autobiog and hacked TUE record:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...abs-leaks.html”
“Wiggins asked about inconsistency between his autobiog and hacked TUE record:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...abs-leaks.html”
I expect all top athletes across all sports operate at the very boundaries of what is legal and are pushing at the edges permanently
if there are 'loopholes' why wouldn't you take advantage?........your assumption would be that everyone else is
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