Bike Racing

[Graham Breeze]

On the stage Graham enjoyed I think Kamna came 2nd. A few kms out he broke away on a descent and come off on a corner.
It cost him around 15-20 secs and he got back to the group and lost in the sprint.

The point being that if the 3 riders from LJ decided to hell with it, let's rip it up on Stage 20, which is like a typical classic stage, they might lose a couple of them and end up with just one on the podium.

It's very much a team sport as has previously been set out and the need for team strength in a Grand Tour is clear to see, whether it's for overall, or sprint trains.

I'm chuffed for Kuss. I think he's a worthy winner. He's carried Roglic and Vingegaard to multiple grand tour wins because that was his job.
He could never push on from the front on a major climb unless it was a team tactical decision, because he had to stay with the team leader to protect them, or he had to soften up the opposition for his leader.
This is his payback - hopefully.

I've heard even the dogs belonging to Roglic and Vingegaard want Kuss to win.

[Travs]

On the stage Graham enjoyed I think Kamna came 2nd. A few kms out he broke away on a descent and come off on a corner.
It cost him around 15-20 secs and he got back to the group and lost in the sprint.

The point being that if the 3 riders from LJ decided to hell with it, let's rip it up on Stage 20, which is like a typical classic stage, they might lose a couple of them and end up with just one on the podium.

It's very much a team sport as has previously been set out and the need for team strength in a Grand Tour is clear to see, whether it's for overall, or sprint trains.

I'm chuffed for Kuss. I think he's a worthy winner. He's carried Roglic and Vingegaard to multiple grand tour wins because that was his job.
He could never push on from the front on a major climb unless it was a team tactical decision, because he had to stay with the team leader to protect them, or he had to soften up the opposition for his leader.
This is his payback - hopefully.

All quite worthy points.

And as i mentioned, i'm coming from it with a point of view from a non-cycling, non-technical background.

But the team have clearly done their job well, and (whether deliberately or not) got three riders in podium positions.... so let them off the leash and race it out.

I'm sure everything you say about Kuss is absolutely correct about him being a worthy winner... but by the same token, what about Roglic.... he's been "set up" to win the Vuelta.... and now the team have changed their mind.

In my (clearly un-knowledgeable) opinion, team politics should never trump outright racing.

[molehill]

For myself, I can't wait for 20mph speed limits in the villages around here. With 30mph limits, it's hopeless trying to get the vehicle-activated signs to tell me to slow down as I cycle into a village, but with a 20mph limit and a tailwind, I've got a chance.

I nailed one this morning and felt very naughty - as an V70 I see each one as a challenge now 👍

[PeteS]

I trip a 30 on my morning commute sometimes. Admittedly a slight downhill but it's a must do anytime I take that route

[Graham Breeze]

I trip a 30 on my morning commute sometimes. Admittedly a slight downhill but it's a must do anytime I take that route

It would be difficult for me not to in Addingham (20 mph) or descending from the Cow & Calf (30 mph) so my defence, your honour, is that, as a public spirited citizen, I am testing the equipment to ensure it can catch those wicked speeding motorists.

[mr brightside]

I enjoy watching the racing but i'm not fully conversant with all the tactics.

After the start some guys will go off in front because they are after points, the main GC teams will blockade the road once so many have broken away. The points will mainly come from intermediate sprints, but some riders are just aggressive and like to cause trouble. Any riders that are GC contenders are unlikely to get into breaks, other GC riders will go with them thus 'covering the move'. Now ensues the task of keeping the breakaway close enough to catch up in the last 20km, the big teams have cannon fodder who sacrifice themselves to accomplish this- domestiques. If the break is still off the front with 15/20km to go the main GC teams now start to squabble over who knocks a notch on and reels in the break, if they piss about for too long a break rider will win. If the break contains over 6 riders they can rotate and hold the peloton off for quite a while. Assuming someone decides to do some work and reels in the break the main GC teams now line up and shelter their top lads to keep them fresh. Interlopers who can string a sprint together now try and tag along to the leadout trains and get a free ride. They sprint for the win.

It's far from what you might expect, it's organised and often very predictable. Mountain stages are very different.

[Llani Boy]

And then they all go for a pint in the Craven Arms

[Witton Park]

VELOGAMES STANDINGS at the end of week 1.

voiture balai
Pierre Moliere (PeteS)
2003 points

Kompany`s Clarets
Richard Taylor
1911 points

Asthma Aids Ascenders
Haven`t a Clue (Llani)
1568 points

Llani is suffering from the loss of Dunbar and Jay Vine.

Pete has scored well having gone for both Vingegaard and Roglic. Theuns has also turned out to be a cracking pick for him.

A lot will come down to who gets to the end and picks up the big points for overall standings in the main jerseys.

In summary none of us are doing great
PeteS is our best atm and is only overall Rank: 15207 of 18885 so we are doing much worse so far than at the TdF.

Just to give an idea the leader at the moment has 3947 points from Groves, Evanpoel, Kuss, Soler, Ayuso, Landa.
They even have Barrenetxea who I've never heard of from Casa Royale with 209 pts.

Good luck for week 2 guys.

Congratulations PeteS

Final Scores
voiture balai
Pierre Moliere (PeteS)
7267 points

Kompany`s Clarets
Richard Taylor
5515 points

Asthma Aids Ascenders
Haven`t a Clue (Llani)
4212 points

PeteS only lost one of his 9 riders and pairing Roglic and Vingegaard was inspired. Poels and Theuns also picked up significant points for him.

I also had Vingeegard and gained good points from Groves. Losing Zana and Vine hit me hard as well as the underperformance of Ineos in GC terms.

Llani had Groves with Vlasov and Almeida getting in to 4 figures although they underperformed to expectations. Like me, Llani had Vine but also lost Dunbat and Scotson.

The final points for finishing can add quite a boost and it's not possible to lose 2-3 riders and be competitive.

Just to give an idea of how other Vuelta players on Velogames faired.

12835 points won. Kuss, Roglic, Evanpoel, Landa, Groves, Ganna, Poels all clocked big points. We all have work to do next time, when hopefully we will have more forumites involved.

Probably the Giro, but let's see if anything of interest pops up between now and then.

[Llani Boy]

Thanks for taking the time to organise WP.

Looking forward to the next one, when hopefully one or two of the Forums cycling experts will join in , and I'll make sure that my thinking cap is on the right way around!

[Marco]

I'm waiting for the dope testers to find what is currently ruining the sport, and get a test for it to stamp it out.

I stopped watching the Vuelta, my favourite race, before the end as I was so sickened by what I was seeing; I haven't felt this bad about the 'sport' since watching the 1999 Tour de France ...