[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[1066familyman]

Pro cycling at its most frustrating.

What's the point of FDJ, Giant, Lotto to a lesser extent BMC even entering the race.

All could have so this, but didn't want to work for it.

Yep, left it all to Sky/Katusha/Lotto.

No way this is coming back. Two team time trial with two guests takes it.

I hope Vanmarcke wins but could be a sprint between Boonen and Hofland.

 

[Stat Brother]

I must have missed Lottos input.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Wearing an Albion cap by any chance? I did spot one I think.

If you got gold, bloody well done. It was a very windy return leg...

I didn't get gold. Silver for me, but a time of 4:32 was only good enough for this if you are 50 plus. Fortunately (!) I am.

The Albion cap was [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION]. I was cycling with him and another friend until a woman behind me had a mechanical which caused her to crash into a hedge, having failed to de-cleat.

Obviously I stopped to help, putting her chain back on, making sure she was ok etc. I only stopped, with Kev, my other mate, for less than five minutes. Did Hamilton wait? Did he f***. He was off, on the attack, and we didn't see him for dust. He even by-passed the feed stop where we thought we'd see him.

What a cad.

He still only finished two minutes before me and Kev, though, and appears to have missed out on silver by six seconds.

 

[Stat Brother]

Textbook from Orlandi.

 

[Stat Brother]

I didn't get gold. Silver for me, but a time of 4:32 was only good enough for this if you are 50 plus. Fortunately (!) I am.

The Albion cap was [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION]. I was cycling with him and another friend until a woman behind me had a mechanical which caused her to crash into a hedge, having failed to de-cleat.

Obviously I stopped to help, putting her chain back on, making sure she was ok etc. I only stopped, with Kev, my other mate, for less than five minutes. Did Hamilton wait? Did he f***. He was off, on the attack, and we didn't see him for dust. He even by-passed the feed stop where we thought we'd see him.

What a cad.

He still only finished two minutes before me and Kev, though, and appears to have missed out on silver by six seconds.

I take it all back, well done [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION] that's some quality riding.
No prisoners, all's fair in Sportives.
Hopefully he paid the woman to take a tumble!!!.

 

[1066familyman]

I must have missed Lottos input.

They put in plenty with Sky before Katusha came up to help in the shape of Paolini.

We was right though - Kristoff won the sprinters sprint, leaving the Gorilla floundering and Demare no where to be seen.

Text book Boonen. Unlucky Hofland.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

I didn't get gold. Silver for me, but a time of 4:32 was only good enough for this if you are 50 plus. Fortunately (!) I am.

The Albion cap was [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION]. I was cycling with him and another friend until a woman behind me had a mechanical which caused her to crash into a hedge, having failed to de-cleat.

Obviously I stopped to help, putting her chain back on, making sure she was ok etc. I only stopped, with Kev, my other mate, for less than five minutes. Did Hamilton wait? Did he f***. He was off, on the attack, and we didn't see him for dust. He even by-passed the feed stop where we thought we'd see him.

What a cad.

He still only finished two minutes before me and Kev, though, and appears to have missed out on silver by six seconds.

You're a gent... I may have pretended I didn't see her!!

Glad you made it round well after that though. It really was a tough ride home with that wind getting stronger and stronger.
I managed a 04:02:23. Decent improvement on last year, so I'm happy with the progress.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

You're a gent... I may have pretended I didn't see her!!

Glad you made it round well after that though. It really was a tough ride home with that wind getting stronger and stronger.
I managed a 04:02:23. Decent improvement on last year, so I'm happy with the progress.

Great time! Did you stop at the feed stop? Could have cost you the gold...

It would appear that YOU won. Second for me, then.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Great time! Did you stop at the feed stop? Could have cost you the gold...

It would appear that YOU won. Second for me, then.

We stopped a tad too long really to regroup as a team of five. Gold would have been nice, but I was pleased with the form anyway.
Hadn't done anything near that distance yet this year, so it was a bit of an unknown on the endurance side of things.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

We stopped a tad too long really to regroup as a team of five. Gold would have been nice, but I was pleased with the form anyway.
Hadn't done anything near that distance yet this year, so it was a bit of an unknown on the endurance side of things.

Absolutely. And endurance is harder when the weather is as it is...and the way it's been hasn't allowed much in the way of training.

Having said that, and despite being 30 minutes slower than you, I was also pleased with my form.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Absolutely. And endurance is harder when the weather is as it is...and the way it's been hasn't allowed much in the way of training.

Having said that, and despite being 30 minutes slower than you, I was also pleased with my form.

You should be.
In the run up to my debut Etape last year I went round the Puncheur in 4:28, so you're well on track.

Just make sure it's hills, hills, hills once the clocks change...

 

[Pogue Mahone]

You should be.
In the run up to my debut Etape last year I went round the Puncheur in 4:28, so you're well on track.

Just make sure it's hills, hills, hills once the clocks change...

Yep. I've already started Elm Grove repeats. Ten of them and I've done the Tourmalet!

 

[Motogull]

Absolutely. And endurance is harder when the weather is as it is...and the way it's been hasn't allowed much in the way of training.

Having said that, and despite being 30 minutes slower than you, I was also pleased with my form.

Solid and I'm well jealous. In comparison, I have a lot to do to run with you lot on the full REMF ride this year. Good to see [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION] 'in the zone' but equally good to see such chivalry. I still feel a bit rough, so not even a MTB scrath about today. Bet I feel okay for work tomorrow. Good news is synae coming back fully serviced. Will swap tyres round to see if that helps.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I take it all back, well done [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION] that's some quality riding.
No prisoners, all's fair in Sportives.
Hopefully he paid the woman to take a tumble!!!.

 

[Stat Brother]

You should be.
In the run up to my debut Etape last year I went round the Puncheur in 4:28, so you're well on track.

Just make sure it's hills, hills, hills once the clocks change...

Where are the long climbs in lesser Sussex.
I can think of plenty of tough ones, but they seem to be short and sweet, sorry I mean hellish.

 

[Stat Brother]

They put in plenty with Sky before Katusha came up to help in the shape of Paolini.

We was right though - Kristoff won the sprinters sprint, leaving the Gorilla floundering and Demare no where to be seen.

Text book Boonen. Unlucky Hofland.

It looked like Griepel had a technical at the finish.

Jnr asked:-

'Why are they bothering to sprint'?

A question I always struggle to answer.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Where are the long climbs in lesser Sussex.
I can think of plenty of tough ones, but they seem to be short and sweet, sorry I mean hellish.

Nothing particularly long, so you just have to repeat them lots. Wilson Avenue, Falmer Road, Elm Grove in Brighton, then Exceat, Tich Hill (the better side of Steyning Bostal), then lots around Staplefield, Handcross, Warninglid etc.

Do you know, we sometimes venture into West Sussex? Not often, though. East Sussex is nicer.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Where are the long climbs in lesser Sussex.
I can think of plenty of tough ones, but they seem to be short and sweet, sorry I mean hellish.

That's the problem locally I guess. Even Truleigh hill (Mill Hill on Strava) seems long in comparison at over 4km.
I often do up and over the Bostal and carry on to the A27 and back, which has nice stretches of incline.

You got any hidden gems?

We were just discussing today another trip to Exmoor to help remedy this issue and take on Dunkery Beacon again.
I'm also up in Yorkshire for the Grand Départ so will hopefully have time for a hill or two.

 

[Stat Brother]

Nothing particularly long, so you just have to repeat them lots. Wilson Avenue, Falmer Road, Elm Grove in Brighton, then Exceat, Tich Hill (the better side of Steyning Bostal), then lots around Staplefield, Handcross, Warninglid etc.

Do you know, we sometimes venture into West Sussex? Not often, though. East Sussex is nicer.

There are 4 ascents to Whiteways, Arundel.
North, Bury Hill is the most brutal.
East, Houghton Hill is similar to my impression of East Sussex.
West, Slindon is the shallowest and not much of a challenge.
But from the South, Arundel hill is 2+ miles, steepest at the bottom then 6+% the rest of the way, save for 1 short rest bite.

I wouldn't be surprised if Harting Hill, NW corner of Sussex, from this side, is the longest climb in the county.
It's very 'Ditchling' going the other way.
That goes on for ever, and I'm not just saying that.
I'll check on some old route maps, later.

As you boys know, Goodwood ticks most boxes but probably not quite length of climb.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

There are 4 ascents to Whiteways, Arundel.
North, Bury Hill is the most brutal.
East, Houghton Hill is similar to my impression of East Sussex.
West, Slindon is the shallowest and not much of a challenge.
But from the South, Arundel hill is 2+ miles, steepest at the bottom then 6+% the rest of the way, save for 1 short rest bite.

I wouldn't be surprised if Harting Hill, NW corner of Sussex, from this side, is the longest climb in the county.
It's very 'Ditchling' going the other way.
That goes on for ever, and I'm not just saying that.
I'll check on some old route maps, later.

As you boys know, Goodwood ticks most boxes but probably not quite length of climb.

Cheers Stat. I'll check them out (but know, and hate, Bury Hill).