The Cycling Thread

[Fighter]

It's always been that way, especially on the big climbs.

No, I've been in Giro and Tour stages before and I've been following cycling since forever, the incidents occurring nowadays are more and more frequent. Smoke bombs in stages?!? Never seen those before two years ago I think: what the f***!!!

 

[Jack Straw]

No, I've been in Giro and Tour stages before and I've been following cycling since forever, the incidents occurring nowadays are more and more frequent. Smoke bombs in stages?!? Never seen those before two years ago I think: what the ****!!!

The sport has grown in popularity and there is more coverage. Maybe it's worse now but it's been a problem for a long time, especially in the TDF. Merckx was punched by a fan in 1975.



I remember riders complaining about the fans on the road back during the Lemond years.

 

[The Imp]

Places like the Alpe have been a gong show as long as I can remember. Ventoux was the same way, when they had to shorten it due to winds, a few years ago.

Tragicomic thing is, Nibali was brought down within METERS of the barrier. I began right after he crashed.

 

[Jack Straw]

Froome in obvious trouble. Thomas looking great.

 

[davemess]

Geraint Thomas it is then

 

[Fighter]

Team Sky strikes again. Props to Thomas, at least it's not Froome. But you gotta give the latter credit for being loyal to his teammate and keeping a smile despite the abuse he took while riding.

 

[Jack Straw]

I was in the "anybody but Froome" camp but I did gain some respect for him for the way he handled things. Thomas was a very deserving winner.

 

[The Imp]

So I know the Tour is ages away. And the 2021 Tour is even further away. Having said that, today it was announced that the 2021 Grand Départ will be in... Copenhagen, Denmark.

MY HOME TOWN!!

 

[Elvis P]

U.S. Olympic cyclist Catlin found dead at age 23

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Mads Pedersen is the new world champion, in a tremendous effort. Super deserved.
The organisation of the event by the UK has been brutal. One would expect them not to have another event like this in decades... but no, in 4 years they are the hosts again. Sigh the UCI.

 

[Filppula]

Mads Pedersen is the new world champion, in a tremendous effort. Super deserved.
The organisation of the event by the UK has been brutal. One would expect them not to have another event like this in decades... but no, in 4 years they are the hosts again. Sigh the UCI.

Congrats to Pedersen, huge effort, but the weather kind of killed the race for me. Brutal stuff. Such a letdown.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

UCI condemns behaviour of Dylan Groenewegen after horror crash leaves Fabio Jakobsen in coma

 

[Fighter]

Groenewegen at it again it seems, granted that those fences weren't supposed to "open up" that way.

Yesterday Alaphilippe and Van Aert put up a show on the Poggio in the Milano-Sanremo, the latter confirms to be the best in-shape rider out there.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

UCI condemns behaviour of Dylan Groenewegen after horror crash leaves Fabio Jakobsen in coma

Seems Jakobsen is "recovering" and will get better. Dylan would not ride again this season if it was up to me.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Groenewegen at it again it seems, granted that those fences weren't supposed to "open up" that way.

Yesterday Alaphilippe and Van Aert put up a show on the Poggio in the Milano-Sanremo, the latter confirms to be the best in-shape rider out there.

Remco Evenepoel

Wout and Julian were on another level yesterday, I was expecting Van der Poel to be there but I just realized that his goals are in 2 months time. I fully expect him to roll over anybody then.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Remco Evenepoel just fell off a bridge while descending the Sormano climb.

I pray so that he's ok

 

[mexicohockey]

It is weird how many bad crashes we have seen this season. The Groenewegen incident, Remco and Schachmann at Lombardia, Buchmann, Mühlberger, Roglic and Kruiswijk at Dauphine, to name just a few. I’m starting to think that it has something to do with a lack of practice. From my own experience I know that you always need two or three races to fine tune your movement within the bunch and bike handling at the start of every season. Usually there’ll be lower level events to get adjusted, which coincides with your physical shape. So usually you aren’t going to test the limits anyway.
After the COVID-break most riders showed up in mid-season shape, entering highly competitive events, without time to adjust but with a desire to win.

 

[Maverick41]

While some of the crashes may have been a result of the riders not being used to the race situations after the long break, I don't think that's the main reason.
Most of it is on the organizers of these races in my opinion. After the Jakobsen crash many riders complained (not for the first time) about that downhill sprint finish.
It's a bit similar to alpine skiing. It's all about the spectacle, the health and safety of the athletes be damned.

If I recall correctly some of the crashes at Dauphine were due to bad road conditions on the downhill parts.
And how it was possible for some old lady to drive on the course and then collide with Schachmann is something that the organizers at Lombardia should have to answer for.
Schachmann had no chance to avoid the collision and the poor woman seemed completely surprised that a race was going on there.

 

[Jack Straw]

The Tour is underway.

 

[Jack Straw]

Carnage on the roads today. Pretty wild first day of the Tour.

 

[Havre]

So now cycling is only for when it doesn't rain. A bit of a joke. Especially since they are free to use tires that work in those conditions no problem.

 

[Havre]

Not a bad week for Norwegian cycling. 2x U23 champions and now this.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Kristoff was always going to win with a day like this. Nobody better in such conditions.

Lots of crashes today, Sivakov looked injured, not good for Bernal.

 

[MAHJ71]

Wild but certainly entertaining.

Stage 2 should be even more interesting.

 

[Havre]

It's true that Kristoff likes the rain, but he also likes tough races and sprints that aren't this "simple". When the race got more or less neutralized before the last hill I thought Krostoff's chances were gone.

His step dad who is a medical doctor and his trainer said they had changed his training over the last 12 months to make him more resilient to the "start and stop" nature of bunch sprints. Historically he has won power sprint where you go hard once. This time you can see how he has enough power to move between the wheels of Sagan, Bos etc. Very different from the Kristoff of old. Quite astonishing for a 33 year old really.

Dont think he will rack up sprints in the TdF, but if he stays healthy he will be deadly in Paris. When everyone are tired Kristoff has this strange way of winning even if he isnt the fastest.