[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Bold Seagull]

Those Orica Greenedge boys are crazy geezers...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fAl1-mBhFpU

I'm now officially an Orica fan! That is brilliant, great fun, great sense of humour, loved the hand salute as they went across the golden gate bridge.

 

[Stat Brother]

Great stuff.

 

[teaboy]

Right, my transfers are done - I've decided I'm not good in the mountains so need to pick up some points in the next few days.

 

[Pantani]

Right, my transfers are done - I've decided I'm not good in the mountains so need to pick up some points in the next few days.

I've had a few bad days in the mountains too, and missed transfers on two days. Hoping to get back on track from today. My team:

Froome, Greipel, Kittel, D Van Poppel, Dumoulin, Lobato, Le Mevel, Hoogerland and Navarro.

It is the winning tactic of having two Cofidis riders, they have been so visible after all

 

[Stat Brother]

I was quite happy with Team Stat, using the rest day transfer bonus, I ended up with:-

Froome, Cav, Kittel, Albasini (not in the break), Lagutin (wrong VCD rider), Billy Bonnet, Favilli, Leezer & Ollo


Martin for Cav tomorrow then back again and I well set till Sunday.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Morocco, the country that travels within you.



Repeated ad on Eurosport. But what does this mean? You take your experience with you, the country with you, what?? I can't get my head round what they are trying to do with this strap line...

 

[Pantani]

I had six transfers for today, used four. Will probably use three tomorrow then three more to put my team back the day after. Pretty happy with the next few days.

 

[Pantani]

Morocco, the country that travels within you.



Repeated ad on Eurosport. But what does this mean? You take your experience with you, the country with you, what?? I can't get my head round what they are trying to do with this strap line...

I love the Eurosport ads, they are so bizarre. Particular favourites are the Malaysia truly Asia ad and this one from last year



'Not to be told. To be seen. So see you.' What? Really? Someone got paid to come up with that.

 

[Stat Brother]

The new Skoda advert is back on form.

 

[Stat Brother]

 

[teaboy]

How the hell did only 1 rider go down?!?! Will you lose points when Cav gets relegated for that one? For once Kittel comes good for me!

 

[Stat Brother]

2 words

BILLY & BONNET

 

[Pantani]

How the hell did only 1 rider go down?!?! Will you lose points when Cav gets relegated for that one? For once Kittel comes good for me!

I won't I didn't pick him

Can't see Cav getting relegated though, it was Veeler's fault though, you should not start looking round at that point going that fast.

1,2,7 and 9 for me.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Veeler's barely moves though despite looking round, then Cav just appears to career into him

Why did Cav let Stegman go?

He'd have been out of trouble had he kept Steedman's wheel. Seems he didn't get that split second decision right.

 

[Stat Brother]

I was going through homework hell, so not too sure of the ins and outs.

But I can tell you why Cav wasn't on Stegmans wheels:-

It's cos he was going like a fookin steam train.

 

[Bold Seagull]

From the front slow mo, I think Cav is in trouble....

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Cav does appear to lean in on him. Other guy hardly moves at all.

 

[teaboy]

Cav does appear to lean in on him. Other guy hardly moves at all.

Before suddenly moving quite a lot! From the overhead it looked like Cav just rode through him aiming for Kittel's wheel. Funny how it's usually Cav complaining about other people's bike-handling/line in sprint crashes, despite being 'involved' in more than his fair share of them...

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Etape review if anyone's interested...
I'll try and keep it brief, but it might just be the best thing i've ever done, so i have a tendency to waffle about it.

Firstly Annecy is a beautiful, stunning location. Our campsite was also perfectly positioned at the foot of the final climb, so a recce climb was on the agenda on day one. A ride round the lake on day 2 and another half climb of Semnoz before relaxing in front of le tour and putting our feet up all day on the Saturday.

Come race day I decided to start from the very last pen to ride with my brother despite being assigned an earlier pen (the starting times seemed very random as we all put the same information as to our abilities). This decision did not cost me though as the pens were let out with 7 minute intervals and congestion was no more than expected. However, the first climb was four abreast at best and often worse, but you could find a line and keep passing people.

Already the heat was evident and this was to be a massive factor later when on the 16km climb of Mont Revard, which was very exposed. I felt really good up that whole climb though and continued to pass the majority.

All the way we were cheered on by hundreds of villagers and i ticked off some of my tour experience wish-list, such as accordion players, a huge mountain horn, cow bells and an old frenchman pouring water down my back, Merci monsieur. The only one i lacked was someone in fancy dress running alongside me for a few metres. Maybe next time!

In the final town before the last climb I forged off on my own ready to face the big one. The support in Quintal as we rode through went up another few notches and was quite overwhelming.
On the final climb up Semnoz (12km @ 8.6%) it was a monumental test of mind over matter. I had one bottle full to drink from and another to regularly pour down my jersey. It was exceptionally hot and a constant struggle to keep my heart rate where I wanted it under 160bpm. The mountain was completely full with people hauling themselves up it, some walkers and some slumped in the kerb. I felt like I could have joined them at any point but I never walk so i followed the wheel of a man I now know only as Brendan and we were passed by only 2 people (whilst overtaking possibly a thousand) as we ascended in 1 hour and three minutes.
As the advertising hoardings and crowds approached at the top I managed to get out the saddle and wheel over to sprint (of sorts) alongside the barrier and over the line. An incredible feeling!

I finished in the top 36%, which I am very happy with for a first effort considering I had not even been to a proper mountain before let alone ridden one.
I will definitely be back and intend to climb many a Col in the coming years

and finally the stats:

Distance: 128km
Climbing: 3500 metres

Starting Riders: 11,475

My total time: 6h 36m (Rank: 4102)
Categorised climbing time: 3h 51m (Rank: 3115)
Water stops: 5

told you it would end up being a long post.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Etape review if anyone's interested...
I'll try and keep it brief, but it might just be the best thing i've ever done, so i have a tendency to waffle about it.

Firstly Annecy is a beautiful, stunning location. Our campsite was also perfectly positioned at the foot of the final climb, so a recce climb was on the agenda on day one. A ride round the lake on day 2 and another half climb of Semnoz before relaxing in front of le tour and putting our feet up all day on the Saturday.

Come race day I decided to start from the very last pen to ride with my brother despite being assigned an earlier pen (the starting times seemed very random as we all put the same information as to our abilities). This decision did not cost me though as the pens were let out with 7 minute intervals and congestion was no more than expected. However, the first climb was four abreast at best and often worse, but you could find a line and keep passing people.

Already the heat was evident and this was to be a massive factor later when on the 16km climb of Mont Revard, which was very exposed. I felt really good up that whole climb though and continued to pass the majority.

All the way we were cheered on by hundreds of villagers and i ticked off some of my tour experience wish-list, such as accordion players, a huge mountain horn, cow bells and an old frenchman pouring water down my back, Merci monsieur. The only one i lacked was someone in fancy dress running alongside me for a few metres. Maybe next time!

In the final town before the last climb I forged off on my own ready to face the big one. The support in Quintal as we rode through went up another few notches and was quite overwhelming.
On the final climb up Semnoz (12km @ 8.6%) it was a monumental test of mind over matter. I had one bottle full to drink from and another to regularly pour down my jersey. It was exceptionally hot and a constant struggle to keep my heart rate where I wanted it under 160bpm. The mountain was completely full with people hauling themselves up it, some walkers and some slumped in the kerb. I felt like I could have joined them at any point but I never walk so i followed the wheel of a man I now know only as Brendan and we were passed by only 2 people (whilst overtaking possibly a thousand) as we ascended in 1 hour and three minutes.
As the advertising hoardings and crowds approached at the top I managed to get out the saddle and wheel over to sprint (of sorts) alongside the barrier and over the line. An incredible feeling!

I finished in the top 36%, which I am very happy with for a first effort considering I had not even been to a proper mountain before let alone ridden one.
I will definitely be back and intend to climb many a Col in the coming years

and finally the stats:

Distance: 128km
Climbing: 3500 metres

Starting Riders: 11,475

My total time: 6h 36m (Rank: 4102)
Categorised climbing time: 3h 51m (Rank: 3115)
Water stops: 5

told you it would end up being a long post.

Brilliant stuff - well done man! Sounds like an awesome experience, and your training appears to have paid off well.

I would love to do this. I am highly jealous. My job means that it's just not possible, though.