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Post by deeside2 on Mar 9, 2023 7:18:53 GMT
I haven't seen another thread as yet so thought I'd kick one off. Great win by Tom Pidcock in a dry and sunny Strade Bianche. Pogacar and Vignegaard have both looked impressive in their earlier warm up races, albeit in smaller races. Good to see the early season one day races, and really looking forward to the Classics. I'm struggling to get my head round some of the new team names and kits, and still catching up with who has signed for who. I've been watching Tirreno-Adriatico (T-A) and Paris-Nice (P-N) on eurosport. Lots of flat stages and sprint finishes so far. Ganna blitzed everyone else in the TT at T-A. Pogacar destroyed Vignegaard at yesterday's first P-N mountain top finish, and it didn't look like Vignegaard was holding anything back. Pogacar already really looks ominous for the TDF. I see Ineos have said Dani Martinez is their leader further TDF with "no expectations" on Bernal who starts racing again end of March. His career really has stalled through injury hasn't it. Edit : Forgot to say, where's my mate Nairo ?  Back at home without a team ! |
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Post by deeside2 on Mar 26, 2023 6:42:49 GMT
I've been watching the early season stage races and there have been some very impressive performances from the usual suspects.
Pogacar looked utterly dominant against Vignagaard and the rest in Paris-Nice, and everything else I've seen him in so far. Roglic looked very impressive in Tirreno-Adriatico, and is continuing his great form in Tour of Catalunya, beating Remco Evenepoel etc.
Early days yet but it looks like these two are set to dominate this season.
MVDP won Milan-San Remo relatively easily.
Looking forward to Paris-Roubaix and the other early season Classics coming up in the next few weeks.
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Post by stokeuk474 on Mar 27, 2023 8:27:22 GMT
Hi mate,
Nice to see this thread back. I haven't really followed much of the racing so far this season as there's just simply so much of it, and lots going on. I will probably get sucked in by the Giro, because I think it's a fantastic race.
I think Pogacar will most likely win the Tour. He looks very determined to get his crown back and has the support of Adam Yates too. It's probably too early this year, but I do think Bernal is the only one on his level who could knock him off that perch. Next year will be very interesting if he can stay fit.
How does G fit into Ineos' plans this year? Is he expecting to do the Giro and/or the cobbled classics? Can he stay upright?
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Post by deeside2 on Mar 27, 2023 9:16:01 GMT
I think Pogacar looks way ahead of everybody else for the Tour, and he destroyed Vignagaard at Paris-Nice. I don't think Bernal (even if fully fit) could beat Pogacar this year, but who knows in 2024 ?
Roglic currently looks nailed on for the Giro.
As for Ineos and G - I'm not too sure what their strategy is anymore - they started as a Grand Tour winning team, then seemed to attack the one day races and Classics, and currently don't seem to have the capability to consistently beat the top riders at the other teams. It'll be interesting to see how it develops.
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Post by Bod on Mar 27, 2023 9:30:49 GMT
Decent start to the season. MVDP is back to his road best, Jumbo are pretty much where they should be, although Gent-Wevelgem was a shocking race yesterday. Catalunya was decent, with Roglic and Evenepoel never more than 10 seconds apart overall and won four out of the seven stages. Interesting performance by captain shithouse Marc Soler, riding for himself, yet again. New team, same shit. Pogacar continues to be a phenomenon and the sight of him, WVA and MVDP mullering the Poggio was one for the ages. Ganna rode really well too. Slightly weird seeing Adam Yates riding as a domestique deluxe for UAE but a smart move for him financially at this stage of his career. INEOS, Pidcock and Ganna as the exceptions, look undercooked and I’m struggling to see where their GC challenge is going to come from as Bernal is crocked again, Thomas’ legs have gone for stage racing, Rodrigues broke his collarbone in Strade Bianche, so it leaves Martinez and Arensman?
Should be some top quality racing coming up in the next two weeks with the Flander warm-up and then Flanders, Basque Tour (probably my favourite one-week race) and then Roubaix.
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Post by salopstick on Mar 27, 2023 13:39:32 GMT
I’m in half decent form.
Another crack at mt ventoux in May before the TT season plus the epic sportives of June.
😂😂💪💪
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Post by deeside2 on Apr 2, 2023 15:00:32 GMT
Another impressive win today by Pogacar at the Tour Of Flanders, his 3rd monument and he's still not 25.
Chapeau !
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Post by Bod on Apr 9, 2023 14:53:34 GMT
Paris-Roubaix. I feel for Degenkolb but not for WVA. It was shithousery to sit on for all those km and then attack after the crash. Puncture was karma and I say that as someone who likes WVA. MVDP though, damn, if you don’t like him, you just don’t understand bike racing.
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Post by deeside2 on Apr 9, 2023 16:41:51 GMT
Shame it was effectively sorted out by a crash and a puncture so late in the race - no matter who the winner would have been.
MVDP fully deserved the win. Nice to see Jumbo-Visma not win as well.
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Post by Bod on Apr 9, 2023 17:59:35 GMT
Shame it was effectively sorted out by a crash and a puncture so late in the race - no matter who the winner would have been. MVDP fully deserved the win. Nice to see Jumbo-Visma not win as well. Jumbo at least provide a level of excitement in one day-races that Sky/INEOS would love to replicate, but I did enjoy seeing them get turned over. Well, in as much as finishing third, tenth and fourteenth constitutes being turned over! Soudal had another absolute shocker. If Remco doesn’t deliver in the Giro then questions will be asked I would think. Flanders, Roubaix, Gent-Wevelgem are the early season benchmarks for a team with that history and a seventh place finish in Flanders has been as good as it got in the big one day races. I think I enjoy watching MVDP more than any rider I can remember and I’m going back 40 years. He is dynamite. Pantani was mercurial, Kelly was special, Contador mercurial, but MVDP is pure excitement. Power, bike-handling, lack of fear, races rather than rides, animates, etc. Van Aert let himself down today for me by sitting in for so long. In other circumstances I would have thought Philipsen shouldn’t have contested the sprint for second but WVA sat in earlier, so he can have no complaints that Philipsen did the same. |
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Post by deeside2 on Apr 9, 2023 19:29:32 GMT
Degenkolb hardly ever has much/any luck, it nearly always seems to be wrong place, wrong time. My head said it was always going to be MVDP or WVA, but my heart was hoping for a second win for Degenkolb, or Ganna (being an Ineos fan). I've just looked at the historical winners list and it's interesting to see how much the winning times have decreased over the years. bikeraceinfo.com/classics/paris-roubaix/paris-roubaix-index.html |
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Post by Bod on Apr 9, 2023 21:25:30 GMT
Degenkolb hardly ever has much/any luck, it nearly always seems to be wrong place, wrong time. My head said it was always going to be MVDP or WVA, but my heart was hoping for a second win for Degenkolb, or Ganna (being an Ineos fan). I've just looked at the historical winners list and it's interesting to see how much the winning times have decreased over the years. bikeraceinfo.com/classics/paris-roubaix/paris-roubaix-index.htmlIt’s interesting with Ganna as his raw power (wattage) is crazy but on those cobbled sectors as the race got really moving and he was swinging. He is immensely talented but just leaves me cold as a rider. If you take MVDP and WVA out of the equation I would have loved for Kung to have won. His evolution from slightly overweight (by cycling standards) TT specialist to genuine one-day racer is seriously impressive. |
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Post by salopstick on Apr 10, 2023 8:37:46 GMT
I rode to Blackpool yesterday from home. Only 105 miles so quite routine for me but for the first time ever I had a 10mile+ tail wind for about 90 miles. It was ace
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Post by Bod on Apr 16, 2023 19:26:51 GMT
‘Behold, we are witnessing greatness.’
Pogacar romps to another win, taking Amstel solo after riding Pidcock off his wheel. He didn’t attack, he just rode so quickly that Pidcock couldn’t hold on. That’s pretty rare for a pro. Healy rode like a man possessed again and has had a brilliant week, with second place in Brabantse Pijl and today. Pidcock’s legs gave out on him and he was fortunate to hold onto third as he was pedalling squares in the last 400m. Hopefully he is just lacking racing miles because it’s another race at the longer end where his form has deserted him at the end.
This could have been a very different race (but probably not the outcome) if a number of teams hadn’t refused to work to pull back the break when Pogacar et al went. The gap hovered at 30s for a good while, but Bahrain had to do all the chasing and just blew themselves out. Some weird decision making by a number of the DS’ there.
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Post by Bod on Apr 17, 2023 13:36:23 GMT
Day 1 of the Tour of the Alps. The Giro tune-up for riders who aren’t doing Romandie and want to get in contention for Italy. INEOS make the pace on the penultimate climb, get turned over, have to bury themselves chasing down Haig and Cepeda, which set up the perfect opportunity for a counter-attack by Carthy. However, TGH looked smooth, didn’t panic and took the win. Gall in second is riding really comfortably. Decent result for Carthy in third, but I am in pain when he climbs. I don’t think he’d be a great poker player.
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Post by Bod on Apr 20, 2023 21:11:00 GMT
Pogacar wins Fleche, night follows day.
There were a few very, very fleeting moments on the Mur (2nd ascent) where he looked a little uncomfortable on first viewing. I clearly need my eyes testing as he was in complete control when I watched it back. Flèche is an odd race though, 193km which then culminates in a glorified hill climb, but I still enjoy it. Hindley and Cosnefroy can go fuck themselves for withdrawing and costing me fantasy points 😂
In the Tour of the Alps, INEOS are riding the perfect race. A couple of stage wins and in total control. Final day tomorrow and TGH is looking as smooth as he has for a couple of years.
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Post by Bod on Apr 22, 2023 22:47:03 GMT
TGH took an assured win in the Tour of the Alps and Simon Carr took a deserved win on the final stage given his recent form.
Liege tomorrow and maybe Remco being added to the start list will bring an extra dimension. Logic dictates that Remco/Alaphilippe have to work in tandem to wear down UAE, but Remco hasn’t raced for a month and Alaphilippe has pretty poor form. I’m sure plans are being hatched but when you are faced with someone who swats opponents away with ease then you can plan all you want.
Outside bet for a top five could either be Jai Hindley if he’s actually there to race that is, or David Gaudu.
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Post by Bod on Apr 23, 2023 12:08:40 GMT
Pogacar crashes out of Liege. Seems that tarmac is the only thing that can defeat him. Hopefully it’s not too serious (wrist injury) and doesn’t jeopardise his training for the TdF. On the flip side, today’s race could be very interesting now as there are going to be a lot of riders who can contend.
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Post by Bod on Apr 23, 2023 22:31:12 GMT
Remco romps it. Pidcock takes second after being unable to hold Remco’s wheel, just as with Pogacar in Amstel. It’s becoming something of an issue for him in the longer races. Race was pretty dull but the weirdest moment was probably Kron crashing through a hedge and the only thing visible were the soles of his shoes, just popping out over the top.
Romandie starts on Tuesday but not exactly the most spectacular of fields. Decent, but not amazing. Ayuso is back after injury, A Yates is going to lead UAE and my main man, the invisible Meintjes, will be present, hoping for an anonymous creep into the top 10. A prologue and a lumpy time trial in a six day race always seems like overkill, but, hey, what do I know? I’m the man who though Gaudu and Hindley were outside bets for a top 5 at L-B-L and Hindley was 83rd and Gaudu DNF 😂
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Post by salopstick on May 2, 2023 20:18:19 GMT
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Post by stokeuk474 on May 3, 2023 8:25:38 GMT
Only a few days now until the Giro. Can't wait.
Italy really is a stunning place to ride a bike.
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Post by Bod on May 7, 2023 17:55:38 GMT
Two stages into the Giro and Remco battered everyone into oblivion in the opening time trial to a laughable extent. Roglic is already 43 seconds down, Almeida at 29 seconds and Thomas at 55 seconds. Factoring in the G crash allowance for later in the race, he is the equivalent of 90 seconds down….TGH had a decent ride relatively speaking and ‘only’ lost 40 seconds. In terms of a GC battle, it doesn’t really bode well given that Remco’s closest rival is a fairly conservative rider and give the amount of TT km in the race it is going to require someone to really take the race to Evenepoel. That said, the Giro is a brutal race and nothing is a given.
Onto stage two and the highlight was a crash at just outside 3km to go which saw riders wiping out a couple of spectators in spectacular fashion akin to ten-pin bowling. TGH was caught up in it and lost 19 seconds, as did Vine, Buitrago and Carthy out of the GC guys. Cav hit the deck too, but not sure what shape he’s in regardless. Milan won the stage and as always with him it’s the sprinting equivalent of watching a wardrobe slide along a road at 60km/h after it has fallen off the roof rack of a Volvo estate.
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Post by zommbee on May 7, 2023 23:01:12 GMT
Two stages into the Giro and Remco battered everyone into oblivion in the opening time trial to a laughable extent. Roglic is already 43 seconds down, Almeida at 29 seconds and Thomas at 55 seconds. Factoring in the G crash allowance for later in the race, he is the equivalent of 90 seconds down….TGH had a decent ride relatively speaking and ‘only’ lost 40 seconds. In terms of a GC battle, it doesn’t really bode well given that Remco’s closest rival is a fairly conservative rider and give the amount of TT km in the race it is going to require someone to really take the race to Evenepoel. That said, the Giro is a brutal race and nothing is a given. Onto stage two and the highlight was a crash at just outside 3km to go which saw riders wiping out a couple of spectators in spectacular fashion akin to ten-pin bowling. TGH was caught up in it and lost 19 seconds, as did Vine, Buitrago and Carthy out of the GC guys. Cav hit the deck too, but not sure what shape he’s in regardless. Milan won the stage and as always with him it’s the sprinting equivalent of watching a wardrobe slide along a road at 60km/h after it has fallen off the roof rack of a Volvo estate.  Milan looks like a decathlete riding a BMX, like the Giro itself, unpredictable and unbalanced. |
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Post by Bod on May 8, 2023 21:26:36 GMT
Two stages into the Giro and Remco battered everyone into oblivion in the opening time trial to a laughable extent. Roglic is already 43 seconds down, Almeida at 29 seconds and Thomas at 55 seconds. Factoring in the G crash allowance for later in the race, he is the equivalent of 90 seconds down….TGH had a decent ride relatively speaking and ‘only’ lost 40 seconds. In terms of a GC battle, it doesn’t really bode well given that Remco’s closest rival is a fairly conservative rider and give the amount of TT km in the race it is going to require someone to really take the race to Evenepoel. That said, the Giro is a brutal race and nothing is a given. Onto stage two and the highlight was a crash at just outside 3km to go which saw riders wiping out a couple of spectators in spectacular fashion akin to ten-pin bowling. TGH was caught up in it and lost 19 seconds, as did Vine, Buitrago and Carthy out of the GC guys. Cav hit the deck too, but not sure what shape he’s in regardless. Milan won the stage and as always with him it’s the sprinting equivalent of watching a wardrobe slide along a road at 60km/h after it has fallen off the roof rack of a Volvo estate. Milan looks like a decathlete riding a BMX, like the Giro itself, unpredictable and unbalanced. Almost poetic, cap is doffed 👍 |
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Post by Bod on May 8, 2023 21:33:05 GMT
Stage 3 and after 175km of what could be objectively described as the drizzling shits, the final 35/40km salvaged the stage to be more of a firm stool. The climbs at the end were ridden at full gas and sprinters were spat out everywhere. Matthews won the stage and Jayco worked their arses off so it was a worthy win. Pedersen continues his fantastic season by taking second after getting shelled and then somehow getting back into the front group. Very impressive by him and likewise by Groves who looked pretty comfortable going over the climbs.
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Post by Bod on May 9, 2023 20:23:26 GMT
Stage 4.
Remco lets the jersey go and Leknessund takes it, just to keep it warm for a few days. A tough stage too. I was off work today and sprinters were getting dropped after 5/10km as it went uphill from the gun. Add in the abysmal weather too and I think the GC guys will be happy that this day is done. It took forever for a break to actually get away and when it did, they worked really well, especially with a few of them potentially with a chance of pink. Good win for Paret-Peintre, but less so for me as I binned him off my fantasy team the day before the race started! INEOS made the pace up the final climb for a reason which never materialised, unless it was purely to keep out of trouble and just control potential chaos? On the subject of teams, Soudal are a really, really weak GC team. I know that Evenepoel just marches to his own tune anyway, but in a GT, you have to have some firepower and Van Wilder’s (not the Ryan Reynolds version) legs looked shot today.
I believe that the biggest news is that the UCI are examining Remco’s birth certificate as there are concerns that he may not be Belgian due to him wearing leg warmers today for much of the stage.
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Post by salopstick on May 10, 2023 13:08:26 GMT
I believe that the biggest news is that the UCI are examining Remco’s birth certificate as there are concerns that he may not be Belgian due to him wearing leg warmers today for much of the stage.  |
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Post by Bod on May 10, 2023 17:09:16 GMT
Stage 5 and Keystone Cops style racing in the final 10km due to another day of horrendous weather. Remco crashed twice, but he was wearing a suit of armour (long-sleeved rain jacket, full tights and full winter gloves! Kelly used to do 280km with no gloves and just his pants on) so he was fine. His last spill was within the 3km zone, so he lost no time and took his time to get back on, which was smart. He also took off his massive gloves as he knew cameras would be on him… Groves takes the stage, Cavendish took fifth via sliding across the line on his arse after coming down in the final few metres. If you want to see epic bike-handling/sheer good fortune, watch Fiorelli in the final 50m! Cav was out of control after being hit himself, ran into Fiorelli who was pinned against the barriers and somehow managed to stay upright. Quite the sight.
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Post by str8outtahampton on May 11, 2023 5:31:15 GMT
When it comes to cycling I am the equivalent of a Man U fan that lives in Trowbridge or Cirencester - zero knowledge and has never actually seen them play. But I do love the TDF and will also watch the Giro and Vuelta. How shallow is that? And a year or so ago I sort of inherited a road bike, my main issues being (a) lazy; and (b) no-one to cycle with.
However (and I nearly posted this on the "pet hates" thread) what punishment do people think is acceptable for those numpties (generally stripped to the waist and showing their flab) at the end of mountain stages who run alongside the riders, get right in their faces, and in some cases seem almost to block their path?
Personally I would have them go toe to toe with said rider.
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Post by salopstick on May 11, 2023 5:57:47 GMT
Your daily reviews are spot on Bod |
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Back at home without a team !
Milan looks like a decathlete riding a BMX, like the Giro itself, unpredictable and unbalanced. 
