Pro Cycling Discussion 2020

[Roady]

And like that pinot breaks all our hearts.

Haha I'm not a huge fan but it was pretty tough to see him crack so soon. Also not quite sure why the team had instructions to all ride in with him, could have been good to see some of them going for the stage win. Gaudu, Kung, Reichenbach, all are riding well.

Interesting day, pogacjar showing he's the real deal, and probably rhe most dangerous man in the race if he can back it up tomorrow.

Proving it time and again! Really good to see, lets just hope he's still there the 3rd week.

Bardet is going well as the now unexpected challenger from France.

Good to see him finding his legs, just as Ala and Pinot pop!

@GSVBagpuss - Hirschi is solid. He won U23 worlds at Innsbruck with a superb attack on the descent!

Good call, was trying to recall where I remembered him from! Gutted for him as what a ride. Shame he didn't ease sooner for them to catch and he might have had more in that sprint.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Lots of people are blatantly using sticky bottles! I know over a 100m ride or so it doesn't make much difference, but I'm amazed so many people do it so obviously.

He did get fined and lost 20” on GC but I would take a chance at a stage win over that!

 

[SoliD]

HAHA Prudhomme has been found CV positive in the tests carried out yesterday.

 

[Bear]

HAHA Prudhomme has been found CV positive in the tests carried out yesterday.

And he might have given it to the French Prime Minister when riding in the same car following the race

 

[One More Solo]

Stuck £10 on Bernal on Friday, just feel like Ineos are growing into the race and JV missed the opportunity to put him in trouble when they could. My only concern is the lack of proper climbing might hinder him, but I back him over 3 weeks more than Roglic.

 

[SoliD]

Definitely seems like that he seemed strong on Sunday and just closed when he needed. Think Sunday should be a good day for him.

Had £2 EW on Sagan today so got a few quid out of that. Felt sorry for Muhlberger today he must have bee really ill to be wearing a jack when its as warm as it is still.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Not any more! Right to DQ I think given the heavy elbows again and lucky that it was a heavy rider who could take it. But also compare the gap he went that was closed on him versus Stage 1 in TA When Jakobson finds the gap and shoots through to win

Sprinters are crazy

 

[SoliD]

I got paid

As you say was the right decision, sagan looked quick again though considering the route he took and coming off the gas 2 or 3 times. Jakobsen = ackerman I presume you meant. That was a hell of a sprint.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Oops, yes Ackerman! I hope Jakobsen is doing better; I haven’t heard much recently

Spoiler: Stage 12

Very happy that Hirschi won today, he toyed with everyone then rode away. He looks so smooth and aero when he’s solo!

 

[SoliD]

Tactical masterclass with a real deal winning today. Hirschi is definitely one for the next few years.

Listening to the itv podcast earlier in the week and the discussion about who ineos woild want to sign out of a number of guys, Hirschi, pidcock, remco, pogacjar etc and how they were all lusting over all of them. This is truly a great generation we shall be seeing over the coming years. Hopefully knocking 7 bells out of each other in the big gts and one day's.

 

[SoliD]

So something I forgot to post the other day that some of you geeks may be interested in, can't remember where I heard or read it.

You may have noticed that Jumbo are using black or celeste bikes on different days, the black one being used for the hilly days and celeste for flatter days like yesterday. The reason for this is that the Oltre XR4 is quite an old bike now and is quite heavy so in an effort to get it down to minimum weight the black paint has been applied which saves something like 30 or 40 grams for the frame.

in Dauphine and the one dayers precluding the TDF I did wonder why they some were on the black bikes and some on the celeste, so there you have it. I suspect black bikes all round today.

Think it'll be a bit of a phoney war today with no one wanting to go too deep with the rest of the weekend to come. G Martin today for me with a late burst.

 

[SoliD]

Wonder if we'll get some people missing the time cut off today based on the first part of this race. Absolutely brutal so far.

 

[Berger]

Bardet out with a concussion. Couldn’t even stand up and fell over when he did after his crash. Yet his team had him ride the rest of the stage

 

[SoliD]

I think today was one of the best finishes to a stage I've ever seen. Absolutely fantastic from 15km out and no idea who had it until that last 1k.

 

[One More Solo]

Agreed, great stage today. Watched most of it off and on and some intriguing subplots from start to finish. Bora must be getting pretty peeved at working their arses off for Sagan only for him to flop in the sprints. Green will be more interesting than yellow this year!

 

[Bear]

Bardet out with a concussion. Couldn’t even stand up and fell over when he did after his crash. Yet his team had him ride the rest of the stage

Apparently he had bleeding on the brain as well. Amazed he even finished the stage.

 

[SPG]

Haha haha poor Ineos.

Love it.

 

[SoliD]

Dull old stage in the end. good finish from Pogacar to get some bonus seconds back, going to be an interesting final week with those two so evenly matched it seems. great from Porte today but shame to see Bernal dropped, obviously not recovered from his back issues, will no doubt be put in support during the giro or Vuelta now.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Very dull stage I agree. I’m very happy to be on Pogacar at 16-1 to win the thing though!

I hope Kwiato gets released now to chase stages

 

[SPG]

Dull in terms of action, in terms of how to destroy the field it was a masterclass.