Generic Pro Road Cycling Thread

[CrankAddictRich]

How is it even possible that two stage races both have TTs on the same day. You think the UCI would be like, these TTs are boring AF for the viewers so you both can’t donit
On the same day.

Anyways, Cav dies again on his head, dudeman just can’t stay upright.

hahaha.. as someone that races TT's, I quite liked yesterday. i love to geek out on the equipment they use. There's always someone trying something new.. little tweaks, etc. They almost never mention this kind of stuff in the commentary. I go into the photos form the professional photographers and pay close attention to what people are using.

Looks like Cav went down pretty hard... he was beat up and apparently missed the time cut, so he can't race. DD said he had a broken rib but would have raced today if the organizers hadn't decided to boot him for time cut.

 

[trener1]

In all honesty I don't think the UCI has much say in the matter, each race organizer does what they want as far as scheduling stages goes.

 

[CrankAddictRich]

In all honesty I don't think the UCI has much say in the matter, each race organizer does what they want as far as scheduling stages goes.

Yea... I think this is right. Although, I suppose that the UCI could downgrade a race if they didn't like the way it was being run. I actually like TT days because they establish definitive time cuts between riders. I'd rather see a race with a TT mixed in than multiple meaningless sprint days... I mean, some sprint days are good. There are the ones that have the uphill finish and I even like the ones where the sprint trains can battle, but its the in between ones, where nothing really important happens that bore me. I'm also a big fan of the 100km days with lots of mountains... short, but hard stages always seem to be entertaining because the guys aren't afraid to attack.

 

[stb222]

Yea... I think this is right. Although, I suppose that the UCI could downgrade a race if they didn't like the way it was being run. I actually like TT days because they establish definitive time cuts between riders. I'd rather see a race with a TT mixed in than multiple meaningless sprint days... I mean, some sprint days are good. There are the ones that have the uphill finish and I even like the ones where the sprint trains can battle, but its the in between ones, where nothing really important happens that bore me. I'm also a big fan of the 100km days with lots of mountains... short, but hard stages always seem to be entertaining because the guys aren't afraid to attack.

I agree, but I would rather not see 3 more TT's on transfer stages. TT's just stink from a live perspective, but I can see the point of the gear afterwards.

 

[Juggernaut]

I agree, but I would rather not see 3 more TT's on transfer stages. TT's just stink from a live perspective, but I can see the point of the gear afterwards.

Meh! I hate’z the TT! It IS the race of truth. But ya know what? I don’t care. I say we combine a TT with a short (transfer type) stage into one HARD f-ing day on the bike.

start at 5:00 am local, Race to the TT venue, everyone takes a mandatory piss test. Eat rest for 2 hours warm up then off you go to the start house. Start order is the finishing order of that mornings uphill sprint stage finish.

I want the riders suffering and the race promoters dying as much is I am suffering watching this dreck.

 

[stb222]

Tirreno had a good ending:

Spoiler: Don't Click this if You Didn't Watch today's Stage

Kittel finally gets the fake news monkey off his back. It has been kinda fun watching him not win a single middle eastern race this year. But we all know his target is July anyways.

Man, Sagan very close, he was basically glued to Kittel's wheel the last km. Lots of bumping going on to get that wheel but Sagan won that battle.

This button ROCKS @Norm thanks for @MissJR!

Spoiler: MissJR Only

F Yeah, International Women's Day!

 

[CrankAddictRich]

I thought the Paris-Nice stage finish was pretty exciting too... always cool when the break survives.

Jerome Cousin form Direct Energy sure gave Nils Politt of Katusha a proper working over... that's experience working on the younger Politt like that. He'll never make that mistake again.

 

[CrankAddictRich]

I agree, but I would rather not see 3 more TT's on transfer stages. TT's just stink from a live perspective, but I can see the point of the gear afterwards.

Yes, I agree that I wouldn't want to see 3 more TT's on transfer stages... I'm just saying they could mix up the transfer stages more. I actually like watching the TT's from a spectator standpoint, although it really depends on the starting order. preferably, there are so strong TT riders that have dropped time on an earlier stage race and one can set a fast time. I think it is suspenseful to see the later TT contenders and strong GC guys coming in one after the other to see if they can knock the person out of the hot seat... but if not one sets a really strong time in the beginning, it can get boring. Likewise, its also boring if someone just sets a time early that is clearly way out of the ballpark of the GC guys. Lately, I feel like race organizers are picking TT's with some climbing though, so that plays more to the GC guys, as opposed to just the TT specialists and it allows the GC guys to be competitive. Last year's WC course and even the TDF TT had strong climbs that kept it exciting.

 

[Juggernaut]

Today’s truncated coverage on YouTube is from the “Cycling Live” channel. I still can’t get over how much better the images coming over from Europe are this year.
Really enjoyable. Oooh, race leader went down HARD... but he popped back up. Only partially done with TA stage 3 but for whatever reason it so far it doesn’t have the commentary overlay track. It’s better IMO. I don’t think anyone actually cares what the announcer(s) say most of the time anyway. Oh well, back to work... I’ll pick it up later.

Link in case you’re interested.

 

[stb222]

Today’s truncated coverage on YouTube is from the “Cycling Live” channel. I still can’t get over how much better the images coming over from Europe are this year.
Really enjoyable. Oooh, race leader went down HARD... but he popped back up. Only partially done with TA stage 3 but for whatever reason it so far it doesn’t have the commentary overlay track. It’s better IMO. I don’t think anyone actually cares what the announcer(s) say most of the time anyway. Oh well, back to work... I’ll pick it up later.

Link in case you’re interested.

I have noticed a bunch of ambient noise feeds this year. The announcers do help with identifying people (when they do it correctly).

Is it just me or are there a crap ton of new names this year?

 

[stb222]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kittel-coy-on-milan-san-remo-despite-tirreno-two-step/

Alright, yeah yeah, Kittel doesn’t win in the Middle East and now two wins at Tirreno-Adriatico and he king again. Fake news.

Even if he did start MSR, there is almost no way he survives the Cipressa and the Poggio especially with Sagan appearing to be on form and he will do anything he can to make sure Kittel isn’t there with him. However with Kwaito obviously on form and will be riding high if he comes away with the Tirreno-Adriatico win tomorrow.

Oh yeah, GVA. He will be looking to erase the last two weeks after poor performances in the rain, especially Strade Bianca.

 

[Juggernaut]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kittel-coy-on-milan-san-remo-despite-tirreno-two-step/

Alright, yeah yeah, Kittel doesn’t win in the Middle East and now two wins at Tirreno-Adriatico and he king again. Fake news.

Even if he did start MSR, there is almost no way he survives the Cipressa and the Poggio especially with Sagan appearing to be on form and he will do anything he can to make sure Kittel isn’t there with him. However with Kwaito obviously on form and will be riding high if he comes away with the Tirreno-Adriatico win tomorrow.

Oh yeah, GVA. He will be looking to erase the last two weeks after poor performances in the rain, especially Strade Bianca.

No pileup and rear wheel snafu and the sprint finish 1-2 results would have been reversed me thinks.... there is no friggen way Kittel is doing MSR for anything other than the experience.

 

[CrankAddictRich]

Sagan is just such a beast. I was cracking up when he actually put a hand on the butt of the Katusha rider and pushed him forward. I bet he was like, "No, you're gonna do some work." Clearly the guy had instructions to NOT help Sagan get back to the bunch... and then Sagan just rode around him and dropped him.

I can't see Kittel doing well at MSR either... I just think he has no ability to put himself in the hurt locker on those climbs they way he would need to, to be there at the end.

I thought today's TT was great. Fast time put up by Dennis and then the suspense of sooooo many contenders coming through the time split, up on him, but not ultimately beating him. He must've had a really strong finishing split. He looks so darn god on that bike too.

 

[stb222]

Wow, what a finish to MSR. Always a pleasure to watch this descending skills and sooo close at the end.

 

[Jmann]

Nibili did basically the same move that Sagan did in the '15 worlds. At least that's what I got from watching the update ticker and not watching it live.

 

[CrankAddictRich]

Agreed.. great finish. I think that's how everyone dreams of wining a bike race... dropping everyone on the last climb, descending like a bat out of hell and then riding it into the line, alone, arms raised as the field races in behind you. He pulled that move off perfectly. I don't know if I'd say it was a repeat of Sagan at the Richmond worlds, as that finish has a pretty steady climb into the line. It was essentially the same move, though, that Sagan, Kwiato and Alaphillipe pulled last year. I think Nibali attacked earlier on the climb than they did last year.

 

[choop]

Nibali set this attack up way better with 2 or 3 team mates on the front blocking. That stopped anyone that saw the move from chasing, and then got caught staring at each other. Great win by Niabli.

 

[stb222]

So who ready for some Tour of Flanders?

Wait, is the Muur Van Geraardsbergen in it this year, I know it was in other races but I have seen conflicting info on Flanders.

Disputably some of the most iconic images in cycling happen on these roads and Tour of Flanders is the holiest of days in Belgium. Being that it happens on Easter and those Euro's are nuts about the man jesus, makes it an extra special addition.

Can the 9 headed dragon, Quick Step, continue their absolute domination of the classics season so far, winning almost every Belgian race this year. Can Sagan overcome the pressure. Can GVA actual do SOMETHING other than do horrible in the rain and cold weather Europe has been having. Can SVP do something also, Krstof? What about that guy, Van Aert? Will there be a dark horse? A bunch of people seem to be on form. It will come down to the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg and you know damn well Oss and Sagan will be looking to upset the Qucik Step cart.

Personally, this is my favorite one day race of the year. While Paris Roubaix is the Queen, Flanders is no question the King of the Classics.

 

[StayHydrated]

What about that guy, Van Aert?

As long as he doesn't hit any course marshals at ramming speed this Sunday, we good.

https://video.eurosport.com/cycling...-dwars-door-vlaanderen_vid1077907/video.shtml

Homie had The Door slammed in his face. Get it? Get it?

Also, apparently QuickStep is referring to themselves at the #TheWolfpack now? Is this new?

 

[stb222]

As long as he doesn't hit any course marshals at ramming speed this Sunday, we good.

https://video.eurosport.com/cycling...-dwars-door-vlaanderen_vid1077907/video.shtml

Homie had The Door slammed in his face. Get it? Get it?

Also, apparently QuickStep is referring to themselves at the #TheWolfpack now? Is this new?

Yeah, saw that Van Aert crash, pretty crazy. I’m not sure he has what it takes to upset the big classic stars just yet. Maybe him and Nibali will attack? Lol.

The wolf pack thing is a new tag for them this year. Idk if it is tied to a sponser.