[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[1066familyman]

Albo does it again.

Impressive - 3 wins from 5 stages.

I like it when he wins from these small breakaways like today. Very good sprinting as well this week though.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

A good point. Not being at Sky as the step up to a WT team means they should fly under the radar a bit of the mainstream media at least.
I'm piling on the pressure already however I've had my hopes raised and expecting big things to come for these two

They said when they signed that sky wouldn't have given them any freedom, just miles on the front riding for someone else. They'd both have been at Romandie and been used up by 20 to go with sky.

 

[1066familyman]

They said when they signed that sky wouldn't have given them any freedom, just miles on the front riding for someone else. They'd both have been at Romandie and been used up by 20 to go with sky.

And what a waste of good talent that would have been! They seem happy at OGE and looks like they wanted to be taken on as a pair. I checked the other day to see how long a contract OGE gave them. Procyclingstats only have them down as this year. At this rate they'll have no trouble securing longer contracts.

As an aside, nice to see our old fantasy mate Tomasz Marczynski back in the peloton after Vacansoleil folded. I'd been keeping an eye out for him and noted that he was one of the last ones from there to get another contract secured.

 

[Stat Brother]

They made an interesting point re Sky on the Cycling Podcast.

Their dominance of stage races as a step up to Le Tour doesn't leave them much room for anything else.
Their Ardennes was embarrassing, other than Stannard the rest of Spring was at best, 'best of the rest'.
The Giro team looks embarrassing.
They don't have riders who can keep the wins ticking over in lesser races like Turkey.


Talking of the Giro.
I take on board the fact that Martin can't TT, but neither can anybody else.
This won't be a race decided by the clock, in that sense, if the weather allows it'll be sorted out going up hill.
As with Liege odds-on and 5-2 have no place in cycling betting.
But if they mean a decent contender like DM can be 33/1, then bring it on.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Yates looks like Will Buckley.

 

[1066familyman]

They made an interesting point re Sky on the Cycling Podcast.

Their dominance of stage races as a step up to Le Tour doesn't leave them much room for anything else.
Their Ardennes was embarrassing, other than Stannard the rest of Spring was at best, 'best of the rest'.
The Giro team looks embarrassing.
They don't have riders who can keep the wins ticking over in lesser races like Turkey.


Talking of the Giro.
I take on board the fact that Martin can't TT, but neither can anybody else.
This won't be a race decided by the clock, in that sense, if the weather allows it'll be sorted out going up hill.
As with Liege odds-on and 5-2 have no place in cycling betting.
But if they mean a decent contender like DM can be 33/1, then bring it on.

Yep, things don't look too good for Sky in the grand scheme of things.

If G could stay on a bike then he really could bring results in the spring classics.
Looks like all the Giro eggs went into the Porte basket, and they seem to have broken.
At least Froome looks like he's on course for good form come the TdF. But then again so are his main rivals. Could be a great battle in this TdF, which beats Sky dominance any day of the week.

This Giro field looks weak, so Martin should have as good a chance as any to Top Ten it, but his TTing is so weak, that he'll need to gain big time going uphill AND elsewhere, and I can;t see that happening. At least Pozzovivo can turn it something respectable on the TT's that they have as they're hilly. Majka should easily Top Ten too and could be a good outside bet to sneak onto the podium. 50/1 on PP, 40/1 on WH.
Talking of TT's in the Giro. As if it wasn't Quintana's to lose anyway, he'll be clear from day one of his main rivals probably as Movistar have one of the best TT teams there too. Can't wait to see what OGE odds will be for that one They're win it with their eyes closed!

 

[Stat Brother]

Yep, things don't look too good for Sky in the grand scheme of things.

If G could stay on a bike then he really could bring results in the spring classics.
Looks like all the Giro eggs went into the Porte basket, and they seem to have broken.
At least Froome looks like he's on course for good form come the TdF. But then again so are his main rivals. Could be a great battle in this TdF, which beats Sky dominance any day of the week.

This Giro field looks weak, so Martin should have as good a chance as any to Top Ten it, but his TTing is so weak, that he'll need to gain big time going uphill AND elsewhere, and I can;t see that happening. At least Pozzovivo can turn it something respectable on the TT's that they have as they're hilly. Majka should easily Top Ten too and could be a good outside bet to sneak onto the podium. 50/1 on PP, 40/1 on WH.
Talking of TT's in the Giro. As if it wasn't Quintana's to lose anyway, he'll be clear from day one of his main rivals probably as Movistar have one of the best TT teams there too. Can't wait to see what OGE odds will be for that one They're win it with their eyes closed!

The only flat TT miles is the stage 1, 20km TTT, nobody is winning or losing the Giro in that.
Stage 12 is just up and down two hills.
Stage 19 is straight up.
That's probably why no climbing TT'ers are targeting the Giro.

But Quintana is proper poor at TT as well.
This race is all about the weather, stage 16 & the Zoncolan.

 

[1066familyman]

The only flat TT miles is the stage 1, 20km TTT, nobody is winning or losing the Giro in that.
Stage 12 is just up and down two hills.
Stage 19 is straight up.
That's probably why no climbing TT'ers are targeting the Giro.

But Quintana is proper poor at TT as well.
This race is all about the weather, stage 16 & the Zoncolan.

Yes, I remember fantasy players saying the same thing about Quintana just before he took 2nd place behind Tony Martin in last seasons Pais Vasco Paris Nice was no fluke either.

You're right though, the TTT is pretty much an irrelevance and the other two TT's are hilly, as I said, which plays right into the hands of Quintana, Pozzovivo & Majka. None of those three are great TT'ers but all will put decent time into Martin there. It will be won or lost in the mountains, but you still at least need to hold your own, relatively speaking on the TT's.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

OGE and SKY are BFF.

 

[Stat Brother]

Yes, I remember fantasy players saying the same thing about Quintana just before he took 2nd place behind Tony Martin in last seasons Pais Vasco Paris Nice was no fluke either.

You're right though, the TTT is pretty much an irrelevance and the other two TT's are hilly, as I said, which plays right into the hands of Quintana, Pozzovivo & Majka. None of those three are great TT'ers but all will put decent time into Martin there. It will be won or lost in the mountains, but you still at least need to hold your own, relatively speaking on the TT's.

Nah, I think the TT's will be pretty much irrelevant.
Nobody will be pulling out a 2 or 3 minute TT gap, anything less than that is overturnable (yes that is a word) in the final km of any of the last week climbs.


In fairness it's going to seem like chicken feed when we get to Le Tour.
Sky v Saxo alone should be worth the sofa hours.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Yes, I remember fantasy players saying the same thing about Quintana just before he took 2nd place behind Tony Martin in last seasons Pais Vasco Paris Nice was no fluke either.

You're right though, the TTT is pretty much an irrelevance and the other two TT's are hilly, as I said, which plays right into the hands of Quintana, Pozzovivo & Majka. None of those three are great TT'ers but all will put decent time into Martin there. It will be won or lost in the mountains, but you still at least need to hold your own, relatively speaking on the TT's.

I was just going to mention quintana pipping porte with that tt!

My least favourite gremlin must have been wishing this girl came a few years ago. I know he's just had a win but he's sure to blow big on the zoncolan.

 

[1066familyman]

I was just going to mention quintana pipping porte with that tt!

My least favourite gremlin must have been wishing this girl came a few years ago. I know he's just had a win but he's sure to blow big on the zoncolan.

Pipping, as in 23 seconds on a 24km TT, which was hardly a wall. That's 1 second every km........nearly

And I'm not even going to go there and talk about Pozzovivo at last years Vuelta either

 

[Motogull]

Well, at 6 this morning my legs were putting up a helluva fight to stay in bed. They lost. What a lovely morning.

Bloke pulled out in front of me in a vest with arm warmers. I stopped tutting when a couple of riders passed me. They were all doing a triathlon. We did a couple of miles before I turned off. Helped me up a slope as the competitive edge kicked in.

Glad I don't have cadence. Reckon it was down to about 10 at times. Legs getting their own back.

I'll do this in small text to save his blushes, but stone me [MENTION=23986]Glanders[/MENTION] does some funking mega average mph rides.

 

[Stat Brother]

Movistar looks like a Lance-style (in the good way) 'all or nothing', team:-

[tweet]463367821851119617[/tweet]

 

[Glanders]

Well, at 6 this morning my legs were putting up a helluva fight to stay in bed. They lost. What a lovely morning.

Bloke pulled out in front of me in a vest with arm warmers. I stopped tutting when a couple of riders passed me. They were all doing a triathlon. We did a couple of miles before I turned off. Helped me up a slope as the competitive edge kicked in.

Glad I don't have cadence. Reckon it was down to about 10 at times. Legs getting their own back.

I'll do this in small text to save his blushes, but stone me [MENTION=23986]Glanders[/MENTION] does some funking mega average mph rides.

Cheers Moto, but so would you with a TT bike! Makes an absolutely massive difference.

And, to be fair, I'm still shite.

 

[vegster]

Hoping to get to see highlights of The Women's Tour of Britain later if I can find it anywhere. Stage one Oundle to Northhampton which is about 30 miles. A nice little ride with a stop for a light lunch in Wellingborough, then returning to action for the sprint to the shoe shops of Northampton.
Not sure if the Panniers and Wicker front baskets are of a standardised size or are optional as some of the girls maybe just want to order their shoes and have them delivered rather than have to cram them in. Still, will be fun anyway.

 

[Stat Brother]

Hoping to get to see highlights of The Women's Tour of Britain later if I can find it anywhere. Stage one Oundle to Northhampton which is about 30 miles. A nice little ride with a stop for a light lunch in Wellingborough, then returning to action for the sprint to the shoe shops of Northampton.
Not sure if the Panniers and Wicker front baskets are of a standardised size or are optional as some of the girls maybe just want to order their shoes and have them delivered rather than have to cram them in. Still, will be fun anyway.

Your comedy aside, the racing is on ITV4 now.

 

[seagully]

Interesting WWII story with a cycling slant

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27333310

 

[Stat Brother]

It's Giro-o'clock.

OGE 8/11 but 2-1 the field.

Stranger things have happened, BMC and Movistar won't just roll over.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Is it on anything terrestrial? Can only see that its on UK Eurosport. Don't even seem to be any terrestrial highlights on other than some crummy UK women's event.