sticking your neck out there a bit ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
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sticking your neck out there a bit ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
If he sticks it out any further he'll lose his balance and fall off the fence ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
It's almost impossible to predict this race, as it's such a lottery.
For those not familiar with cycling, it's a one-day, 183 miles, linear race between Milan (sort of) and Sanremo. It's likely to be won in a time of around 6hrs 30mins, although weather and wind speed and direction will have a big effect on the time.
Looking back over the last 15 years, it's been won by a top time-triallist (Fabian Cancellara), two pure sprinters (Cav and Demare), a climber (Nibali), an opportunistic break specialist (Alaphilippe) and a hard-man all rounder (Van Aert). Basically, any type of rider can win this race, although it's always won by either a good, or a great, rider.
Much as I'd like to see Pidcock win, I think it could come down to a successful solo attack on the Poggio - just like the old days. On current form, I think there's only one person good enough, and brave enough, to do this - and that's Pogačar.
I can't see past Pogacar TBH but my heart says Pidcock after a great Stradi Bianchi and a disappointing Tirreno Adriatico. You can never discount WvA - he has it all so why not?Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
If Pidcock's around, the descent could be more important than the ascent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Looking forward to it.
Might not watch live though - maybe full replay Monday morning.
Just become a grandad for the 5th time :)
Pidcock out. Suffering with concussion presumably as a result of his coming together with Wout in TA.
Good MIlan - San Remo today.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Meanwhile my cycling comic tells me that the fishing reel company is dumping Tiagra, Sora and Claris for one new range called Cue. Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 will remain.
Ok, I got the winner wrong - but I was correct in my prediction of the winning tactics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Haven't seen any footage yet, but sounds like it lived up to expectations.
This 'news' has been floating around since the end of February. It's an announcement rather than a hard fact, presumably to test the waterQuote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
For those of us that worship the creator of STI, SPD, cassettes, and a whole lot more, this is a make or break thing. I don't particularly want electronically shifted gears, or 12 sprockets on my cassette, and I certainly don't want the expense of buying an electronic gear-shifting set up.
If they do merge the ranges, and end up with re-inforced sprockets, chainrings and chains to be e-bike friendly (that is how it has been reported by some sources), then I will turn to the dark side - SRAM. (Forgive me Father Graham for thinking such a thought :))
Shimano are a massive company and they know that bike companies could easily source their components from SRAM and it could finish them. I suspect this 'news' is to test what the opposition is like to such a move, more than anything else.
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/shimano-cues
It most certainly did. An audacious attack on the Poggio and then a fine descent to hold a stellar chase group at bay to emulate his grandfather's achievement from 60 years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Btw I noticed that WvA was running a (SRAM) single chain ring today.
Anyone seen this?
https://nypost.com/2023/03/23/transg...c-womens-race/
I support her stance, but wish she and others had boycotted the races. Mass boycott is the way to really deal with this - leaving the two dudes to race it out for the women's race.
The madness wouldn't survive for long.
A great race today at the Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
Highlights on Eurosport if you missed it.
I have long harboured a desire to take the Bike and campervan over to Belgium and do a tour of my own up all these iconic climbs. However, the reality of cobbles, 20% gradient and wet slippery mud maybe more than I will enjoy and probably is not that aspirational to many.!
My son is doing the Liege-Bastogne-Liege sportive in a few weeks and I will be there in support - as fathers do.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
But I am in Amsterdam immediately before (Vermeer exhibition) and, alas, it would obviously be just too complicated for me to take my bike over on the plane and then on the train so I could lead him over the cobbles. Well obviously. :D
Probably the most anticipated race on the UCI calendar (well at least in our house) is next Sunday. The hell of the north, Paris-Roubaix returns - 250km of which 20% is raced over 29 secteurs of the iconic cobbles. I just need to find a way to watch it as we will be on a campervan holiday in Wales
Well, don't take the plane, then. Just put the bike (and yourself) on the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Funny to see that Pogacar's upload of the Ronde to Strava has been flagged. Presumably someone found his obliteration of the Oude Kwaremont KOM by 11 seconds somewhat unbelievable...MVP perhaps?
I got the GCN+ app for my motorhome.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Could watch the live action as on eurosport but ad free. I also had a TV with a firestick, so could add the app to the firestick and watch it.
Must have 4G - I used phone as wifi hotspot.
I think it was £35 annually. Still have it - watched Flanders extended highlights on there as was moving home last weekend.
Thankfully had 4G at the campsite last night so managed to watch the highlights of Paris Roubaix. An audacious attack 100km out split the peleton to pieces and then some proper full on bike racing whittled what was left down to a select group. As with most edition of the race, luck played it's part but a more than worthy winner in the end.
I do wonder why teams persist with tubeless on the cobbles though. Surely some of the punctures and complete loss of tyres would be prevented?
The funniest moment was the discussion prompted by Adam about tyre widths and doing the race on 23mmm until his chum said "I think we've just lost our audience!"Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Got to feel for Degenkolb.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
After today's Spring classic, it seems most of the peleton will be racing for the lower podium places....
A fine performance by Pidcock to hang for 3rd after the recent injury layoff.
Not too bad for a local lad but there was a low level TV shot from the right side where Pogacar just smoothly wound it up and left Pidcock going backwards that said it all.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Just listened to G and Luke Rowe discussing tubeless on the 'Watts occurring' podcast. Seem to be of the opinion that all teams at Paris Roubaix were tubeless this year compared to about 50% last time around and the majority of the crashes (particularly the pile up in the Trouée d'Arenberg) were caused because of a total tyre failure rather than a more gradual puncture. What you possibly gain in speed (though I'm sceptical over mixed terrain) you lose in reliability and on ruthless cobbles, I think it's just a step too far as yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Unfortunately I was out running and didn't get back until late so had to put up with the Eurosport 'highlights'. One of those where some trainee editor takes 5 minutes to basically chop up the live coverage into nice chunks to fit between the ad breaks with no thought to the content. So, Pog and Pidcock were working together well before the one break and when we return, we are 10k further down the road and Pog has a 20 second lead.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Regardless of that, I agree Pog looks to be in a class of his own this year. Amazing what effect losing the tour looks to have had.
I don't think that losing the tour had anything to do with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Back in 2021 he was in a class of his own, winning by 5:20 - a huge margin for recent times. He didn't have a particuarly strong team, either.
In 2022 he was in a class of two, finishing 4:39 ahead of third. The problem for him was that the other member of the 'elite', Vingegaard, had van Aert and a much stronger team; I'm not sure that he was second best at all, I think if the teams had been equal that he'd have won it (but not by 5:20)
The stage in the Alps were Pogacar was joking to the camera bike and soon after was dropped. HIs team had been setting the pace. It sticks in my mind and I wondered if there'd been a tad over-confidence from Pogacar in the Tour last year especially once Roglic had crashed.
I certainly thought it had killed thee race once Roglic was effectively out.
Tomorrow sees the 107th edition of La Doyenne, Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Hopefully another great day of racing but hard to see past you know who for the win. Hopefully the Yorkshire lad can recover his form but otherwise I guess the names to look out for are Ben Healy, Remco Evenepoel and Tiesj Benoot.
Just been to the team presentations. Got my freebie Cofidis hat, bidon and buff, an AG buff and other stuff. A team is staying in my hotel so as long as YKW wins I'll be a happy bunny (oh and my son is content with his L-B-L sportive performance.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Well of course, I presumed YKW would at least stay on his bike. Not seen the crash but broken wrist and surgery so won't be on a bike for a while but he is superhuman so who knows.
I think the Yorkshire lad did good but Remco was in a league of his own. Just a shame we didn't see him and Pog trading punches on those last couple of climbs. Anyway a fine win and this season looks like it may be another great one given what we have seen so far.
Poor YKW. Ah well.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
I went to the start and my son and I gave Tom a cheer during the second presentation of the teams. Him being from Leeds an' all. Which the announcer mentioned to an obviously predominant (and possibly bemused) Belgian crowd.
That cheer probably kept Tom going for second place after Remco left him for dead;) I watched it live and there was never any doubt who would win, and with style, after YKW had his little problem. A display of real class.
My point was really that I think Pog felt invincible prior to that race but to a rider of his calibre, Vingegaarde basically poked a bear with a stick.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
It was real class and I'm sure Tom would have called it a day on La Redoute without the sound of an English accent ringing in his ear!Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Tom has a little way to go yet. But second isn't too bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
As you know at team presentations the "stars" are invited to say a few words. Obviously this was in French and when Tom was invited to speak he just gave a dumb "Uh! I'm from Leeds and I ride for an English team" look and the interviewer quickly moved on. Pogacar trotted out the usual cliches - but in English and was so relaxed he commented on the bigger crowd compared to the similar team presentation on the previous day which had included the women riders (who start from Bastogne and so only do half the distance).
These things can go on and on so in the middle to break it up Dan Martin - who won in 2013 - came on to talk about his victory.
He spoke for a couple of minutes but of course in French - albeit with a Birmingham accent:)
Got to love Dan - you can take the rider out of Birmingham...Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
A broken wrist that requires surgery is a career-threatening injury for a pro cyclist.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
The last time I can recall it happening to a really top pro was in 1977, when Belgian super star Freddy Maertens, resplendent in world champions jersey and just having won the Vuelta a Vuelta a España, (so more like Evenepoel than Pogačar), crashed. He'd already won the Tour of Sardinia, Semaine-Catalane and Paris-Nice stage races, plus the Omloop Het Volk classic. And then he won a record 13 (yes, thirteen) stages of the Vuelta a España* plus the points and overall. (* The race started in April back then.)
Four days after the Vuelta a España finished the Giro started, and Maertens won 7 of the first 11 stages. Then disaster struck on stage 12 when he tangled with Rik Van Lindon, the resulting crash led to 3 hours on the operating table. Maertens made a return to Pro cycling, but he was never the same again and struggled with his wrist for the rest of his career
Sadly, I can't see Pogačar returning to his early April form in time for the Tour de France. The wrist takes a hammering in cycling, so there has to be a question mark over whether we will see the Pogačar we know and love again. I'm hoping for the sport that we do, but it's far from guaranteed.
I would hope that there have been advances in orthopaedic surgery since 1977. Having said that, I can see that having a strong, supple and pain free wrist is pretty important for a top cyclist, and sometimes even the best treatment cannot fully reverse the effects of trauma.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
A friend of mine is a retired orthopaedic surgeon and operated privately on a super bike rider after an accident at Donnington.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
This rider went on to recover fully and win more than he had prior to the accident.
A rival came to my friend and asked him to the same operation, as he was convinced it had made the difference.
Thanks Marco. Such an Oracle on all cycling matters! Though one would hope given advances in modern medicine and Pogacar's youth, his recovery should be relatively speedy but no doubt will affect preparation for the tour.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Oh no Pete. You've used the O word!Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Time to break out the stake and lots of garlic in case the beast awakes. Be afraid - be very afraid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy