Catch all Professional Cycling Chat (Possible Spoilers)
07-30-18, 11:57 AM
#1876
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,569
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1851 Post(s)
Liked 678 Times
in
429 Posts
I liked the tour this year although I thought there was too much climbing and not enough ITT. Although the three best time trialists were on the podium.
Excluding the sprint stages, it seemed to lack any explosiveness on the climbs. Maybe this is an indication of less or zero doping. The teams seemed to play more defense especially Sky. Movi Star tried to make some things happen but it seemed weak.
Excluding the sprint stages, it seemed to lack any explosiveness on the climbs. Maybe this is an indication of less or zero doping. The teams seemed to play more defense especially Sky. Movi Star tried to make some things happen but it seemed weak.
Maybe if Landa, Quintana or Valverde worked together in the earlier stages, they could have put the hammer down on Sky and forced a better competition later. But those three guys were mostly operating solo, with Movistar's plan to being to support whomever was doing best. Problem with that is not one of them did well enough early to really stand out as a threat.
07-30-18, 12:43 PM
#1877
Version 7.0
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 13,118
Bikes: Too Many
Mentioned: 297 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1338 Post(s)
Liked 2,473 Times
in
1,448 Posts
Movistar didn't really try anything until they were so far down on the GC as to be almost non competitive. Valverde made one attempt early in the tour, but that was about it.
Maybe if Landa, Quintana or Valverde worked together in the earlier stages, they could have put the hammer down on Sky and forced a better competition later. But those three guys were mostly operating solo, with Movistar's plan to being to support whomever was doing best. Problem with that is not one of them did well enough early to really stand out as a threat.
Maybe if Landa, Quintana or Valverde worked together in the earlier stages, they could have put the hammer down on Sky and forced a better competition later. But those three guys were mostly operating solo, with Movistar's plan to being to support whomever was doing best. Problem with that is not one of them did well enough early to really stand out as a threat.
07-30-18, 02:21 PM
#1878
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,840
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
With the caveat that I'm a Froome fan, I don't see it as greedy. I see it as pushing yourself to the limit and seeing what your made of. Everyone was complaining after Lance set up the one race a year matters cadence and Froome has blown that wide open by taking chances with his "legacy."
I liked the tour this year although I thought there was too much climbing and not enough ITT. Although the three best time trialists were on the podium.
Excluding the sprint stages, it seemed to lack any explosiveness on the climbs. Maybe this is an indication of less or zero doping. The teams seemed to play more defense especially Sky. Movi Star tried to make some things happen but it seemed weak.
IMO, Dumoulin and Roglic need to up their equipment game on the time trials. Dumoulin was lucky that Froome was playing with his radio and seemed to have some other issues as he squirmed in his saddle and reached around his back with one arm. Each minor position change cost him a few thousands of a second. Dumoulin should have trounced Froome.
What was with Roglic's TT helmet? No glasses or visor? I find it hard to believe that is the fastest setup. I think both guys need better equipment sponsors and testing and then take the results and do a lot of strength and adaptation.
Also, Roglic was very lucky in stage 19 with the motor staying too close and providing Roglic with less wind resistance. I ride behind the motor a lot at the track and even with the motor several bike lengths ahead, it make it easier to faster with less power. Froome and Dumoulin were both trying to catch Roglic by pedaling hard and could not on the downhill. Froome was pedaling by sitting on the top tube. I think Roglic reduced his time due to the motor.
Alaphillipe is the real deal in the mountains both climbing and descending. He has fabulous, power skills and talent. Plus he is a bit of a showman which should make it more interesting for fans and liked by sponsors.
Excluding the sprint stages, it seemed to lack any explosiveness on the climbs. Maybe this is an indication of less or zero doping. The teams seemed to play more defense especially Sky. Movi Star tried to make some things happen but it seemed weak.
IMO, Dumoulin and Roglic need to up their equipment game on the time trials. Dumoulin was lucky that Froome was playing with his radio and seemed to have some other issues as he squirmed in his saddle and reached around his back with one arm. Each minor position change cost him a few thousands of a second. Dumoulin should have trounced Froome.
What was with Roglic's TT helmet? No glasses or visor? I find it hard to believe that is the fastest setup. I think both guys need better equipment sponsors and testing and then take the results and do a lot of strength and adaptation.
Also, Roglic was very lucky in stage 19 with the motor staying too close and providing Roglic with less wind resistance. I ride behind the motor a lot at the track and even with the motor several bike lengths ahead, it make it easier to faster with less power. Froome and Dumoulin were both trying to catch Roglic by pedaling hard and could not on the downhill. Froome was pedaling by sitting on the top tube. I think Roglic reduced his time due to the motor.
Alaphillipe is the real deal in the mountains both climbing and descending. He has fabulous, power skills and talent. Plus he is a bit of a showman which should make it more interesting for fans and liked by sponsors.
I was disappointed Roglic couldn't hold the podium in the final TT, his win the day prior was to me the most exciting moment of the TdF. He attacked over the aubisque and moto or no moto, he straight up owned everyone else on the descent.
Alaphillipe is an exciting rider, but I don't see him as a GT contender, he is great for climbing with the break but hasn't shown the ability to climb with the group of contenders, and was 3:42 off the pace in saturdays TT (one cherrypicked sample and not knowing if he went full tilt or not but still, that's a lot of time)
08-01-18, 11:08 AM
#1880
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 10,978
Bikes: aggressive agreement is what I ride.
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 967 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
I think this is a transitional year for the Tour. Froome, Thomas, Nibali, Cav, and Greipel are all going to start their decline while Bernal, Alaphilippe, Groenewegen, and Gavira are all on the rise. Not going to say that's going to happen next year but the status quo has changed.
Being 1 generation removed from Wales, I'm pretty excited. The Welsh haven't had this big a win since we won the Cat 4 San Bruno Hill Climb a few years back.
Being 1 generation removed from Wales, I'm pretty excited. The Welsh haven't had this big a win since we won the Cat 4 San Bruno Hill Climb a few years back.
08-01-18, 11:59 AM
#1881
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,840
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
03-22-19, 10:12 PM
#1887
**** that
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 15,402
Mentioned: 151 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1099 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times
in
30 Posts
Tried jumping through a bunch of hoops to watch Eurosport - got VPN, but then realized they want a billing address in the UK.. so much for that. Take my $$$!! For some reason it's challenging to pay for HD full races in the U.S.
Purchased "FloBikes" streaming package instead to watch spring classics, it has a bunch of races that NBC Sports streaming doesn't have.
Stage 4 of Tirreno Adriatico was off the hook - dude attacked with like 40k to go, crashed twice, got caught in the last 1k, still ****ing won.
(go to about 45 secs in)
Best finish in a bike race I've seen maybe ever.
Purchased "FloBikes" streaming package instead to watch spring classics, it has a bunch of races that NBC Sports streaming doesn't have.
Stage 4 of Tirreno Adriatico was off the hook - dude attacked with like 40k to go, crashed twice, got caught in the last 1k, still ****ing won.
(go to about 45 secs in)
Best finish in a bike race I've seen maybe ever.
Last edited by mattm; 03-22-19 at 10:17 PM.
04-21-19, 10:03 AM
#1889
Not actually Tmonk
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 14,081
Bikes: road, track, mtb
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2601 Post(s)
Liked 3,105 Times
in
1,641 Posts
What I like most is he does it all: CX, MTB, road... He's a once in a generation talent IMO.
He pretty much single-handedly pulled the group of favorite to the front from 2 km out then took the sprint from the front. Wow.
He pretty much single-handedly pulled the group of favorite to the front from 2 km out then took the sprint from the front. Wow.
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
04-21-19, 06:24 PM
#1892
Cat 2
WTF was that race. From god knows how far back at 4k to go, pulling in a headwind uphill, leading out the sprint and winning. I was already a fan. Now even more so.
I had the result spoiled and I still didn't think it was going to happen.
I had the result spoiled and I still didn't think it was going to happen.
04-21-19, 06:32 PM
#1893
Senior Member
as good as mvdp is ... you have to admit JF and JA kinda blew it freewheeling as much as they did at the end.
04-21-19, 06:47 PM
#1894
Cat 2
Pretty sure Fuglsang played the game right. He is the weaker finisher. IMO the headwind uphill is the section that lost them the race.
04-22-19, 12:58 PM
#1895
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Houston
Posts: 606
Bikes: Trek Madone, Blue Triad SL, Dixie Flyer BTB
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 160 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Would Fuglsang have been able to hold off the chasing group on his own? Maybe, maybe not. I think yes, considering they had what, 40 secs at that point? All out 2K solo effort by Fuglsang instead of cat and mouse games, I think MVdP would have been a little too late.
04-22-19, 05:15 PM
#1896
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 10,978
Bikes: aggressive agreement is what I ride.
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 967 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
Fuglsang says they did it wrong on bad information.
“I’m not disappointed that I didn’t win, but I’m disappointed in the way I did,” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “At two kilometres from the finish, the director of the race told us that we had a 35-second lead. That means those other riders raced 15 seconds per kilometre faster than we did. I think that’s impossible.”
04-25-19, 04:28 PM
#1897
**** that
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 15,402
Mentioned: 151 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1099 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times
in
30 Posts
Don't get me wrong, I like him too but... when someone does super-human **** you have to wonder a little.
04-25-19, 06:27 PM
#1899
Not actually Tmonk
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 14,081
Bikes: road, track, mtb
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2601 Post(s)
Liked 3,105 Times
in
1,641 Posts
dope or no dope he's a talent. if you watch any of his CX and XC MTB stuff you'll see he also has next-level bike handling skills, can't dope for those
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
