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Post by Bod on May 25, 2023 22:56:43 GMT
Stage 17. If ever a stage was played out exactly on the road as it looked on paper, it was this one. A breakaway went away very early and on this pancake flat/descending course there was only ever going to be one outcome. The final rider from the break was away for 192km of the 197km stage and at no point was there even the vaguest bit of intrigue as to whether it would be anything other than a bunch sprint. It was 4 hours 26 minutes of nothing and then 39 seconds of action at the end. If it was a film, it would have been Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The break was never given a lead of over 2 mins 25 which is a cruel, cruel way to spend the day for them. Like a cat pawing at a mouse, with one eye open as it does so, before becoming bored and then removing its throat, that was the stage today. It was so futile that even the ghost of Private Frazer refused to label it as doomed. The sprint was actually a really good one though. Matthews opened it up very early and was in a great position coming out of the final corner as was Dainese. It looked like Matthews would just hold on but he faded very slightly and Milan, looming from a long way back again finished the quickest. Alas, not quite quickly enough though as Dainese, who has had a real kicking in the race so far on a lot of stages nipped on the barrier side and took it by a tyre from Milan, with Matthews in third. DSM did a great job of piloting Dainese to 700m or so, so it was just reward for them. Cav was well placed until around 1200m and then just lost his place and sat up. I think you missed your vocation. Lovely turn of phrase. Or perhaps you didn't, and you are in fact a cycling journo. As for me, I did a slightly longer ride this evening. Still painful, but perhaps slightly less so than the other day. And a drink at the end. However, the real "win" was that I was called a cnut by some nincompoop boy racer - BMW I think. For making a right turn on a narrow road - the shame! Simply for raising the poor wretch's BP, I feel I have arrived. Great work. More miles just builds the engine and then it becomes easier, but as we’ve said it then becomes harder as you want to get quicker. Hope you’re enjoying it mate. There is a liberation about hours on a bike, especially in good weather, that should be bottled.
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Post by salopstick on May 26, 2023 14:23:01 GMT
Cheers pal. I hate climbing I’m shit at it. But I enjoy suffering. Couple of days left to get a few more ascents in before three massive sportives in June July and august are just ride and enjoy it months I doubt that you are Pantani or Contador but you most definitely aren’t a shit climber. You’re eating up miles and vertical metres like a boss. Maximum respect. Kind words. A sub 2hr (1:57) Malaucene climb today. Quite happy
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Post by Bod on May 27, 2023 12:41:16 GMT
Frustratingly (for me, but not for anyone else 😂) it seems that the review I posted of yesterday didn’t actually post and I can’t be arsed to write it all out again. Suffice to say, the stage was OK, nothing spectacular but a bit of switching around on the GC and I actually got one correct (rarity) as Buitrago not only got in the break but took the stage.
Today is effectively a TT from hell and I shall actually watch it as it looks so brutal. Early indications are that it is bloody horrible which was predicted. A gap of 26 seconds from G to Roglic means it could be a close run thing and maybe, just maybe Almeida pulls out a ride of all rides.
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Post by tuum on May 27, 2023 16:02:02 GMT
Game over for Thomas.
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Post by Bod on May 27, 2023 20:50:42 GMT
Fuck. Me.
Write-up later.
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Post by Bod on May 27, 2023 23:04:05 GMT
Stage 20.
Time trial. Bit lumpy…
‘The hardest mountain time trial in any GT ever’ said Albert Contador. Now, he knows a thing or two about both climbing and contaminated beef, so he’s a good guy in my book.
This was brutal, with a capital B-R-U-T-A-L. If ever there was a stage of two halves this was it. It even had a designated bike change zone to switch from TT to conventional for when the gradients kicked in and they really did kick in. All the talk was of tactics and fast bike changes but to put it bluntly I think today was less about wattage and more about who could go into the pain cave and absorb that pain.
Course is 11km flat and fast on tarmac smoother than Yul Bryner’s noggin and then 7.8km uphill at gradients touching 22% I think, but averaging 11% or so. You can wrap that up however you like but it’s simply grim. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t watch a time trial as life is too short, but with a profile like this and given the nature of the GC I pulled on my big boy pants and made the sacrifice. Seeing the early riders was fun as they were having a ball, enjoying the crowd support (massive and largely Slovenian due to proximity to the Slovenian border,) popping wheelies, high-fiving the spectators. Cool shit.
In terms of the race, some solid times by Kuss, McNulty, Caruso and somehow, Pinot, but all of that was marking time until the top three set off. Roglic was on a single front ring and a 44 block on the back! Forty bloody four! .You could see it from space. At the bike change point, G changed to road helmet from aero too and was three seconds behind Roglic. No panic, all is good. Roglic though, surrounded by walls of batshit crazy Slovenians starts to come into his own on the climb and gains around 8s on Thomas, then 10s, then 15s and then, well and then Roglic shipped his chain, had to get a spare bike from the team motorbike behind (bikes being carried over shoulders by pillion passengers as no team cars allowed) and so his advantage seemed to be gone. Fortunately for Roglic, the bike change was quick and he was near a Slovenian fan who gave him a mega push to get him moving again on the 15% slope. Coincidentally, that fan was an ex ski-jumping team mate of Roglic!
Primoz is undeterred and goes into full ‘This shit isn’t happening to me again/2020 TDF PTSD’ mode and goes balls out and Thomas starts to lose time until they are level on GC, then Roglic takes a second, then another and in the end, Roglic wins the stage (averaging 25km/h if you want an idea of the difficulty) and Thomas takes second, but loses pink by 14 seconds. A dramatic end and writing it does not do it justice. From the moment when Roglic dropped his chain, it was gripping TV.
It is nigh on impossible to dislike Thomas as he is so inoffensive and magnanimous and today was no exception. I am a Roglic fan though. He is a bit of a bean counter but not everyone can be an entertainer. He’s hardly Selby levels of dull and is pretty nails, so congratulations to him.
Almeida finished third on stage and on GC for his first GT podium. Bloody hell, cycling.
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Post by salopstick on May 28, 2023 5:50:55 GMT
Stage 20. Time trial. Bit lumpy… ‘The hardest mountain time trial in any GT ever’ said Albert Contador. Now, he knows a thing or two about both climbing and contaminated beef, so he’s a good guy in my book. This was brutal, with a capital B-R-U-T-A-L. If ever there was a stage of two halves this was it. It even had a designated bike change zone to switch from TT to conventional for when the gradients kicked in and they really did kick in. All the talk was of tactics and fast bike changes but to put it bluntly I think today was less about wattage and more about who could go into the pain cave and absorb that pain. Course is 11km flat and fast on tarmac smoother than Yul Bryner’s noggin and then 7.8km uphill at gradients touching 22% I think, but averaging 11% or so. You can wrap that up however you like but it’s simply grim. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t watch a time trial as life is too short, but with a profile like this and given the nature of the GC I pulled on my big boy pants and made the sacrifice. Seeing the early riders was fun as they were having a ball, enjoying the crowd support (massive and largely Slovenian due to proximity to the Slovenian border,) popping wheelies, high-fiving the spectators. Cool shit. In terms of the race, some solid times by Kuss, McNulty, Caruso and somehow, Pinot, but all of that was marking time until the top three set off. Roglic was on a single front ring and a 44 block on the back! Forty bloody four! .You could see it from space. At the bike change point, G changed to road helmet from aero too and was three seconds behind Roglic. No panic, all is good. Roglic though, surrounded by walls of batshit crazy Slovenians starts to come into his own on the climb and gains around 8s on Thomas, then 10s, then 15s and then, well and then Roglic shipped his chain, had to get a spare bike from the team motorbike behind (bikes being carried over shoulders by pillion passengers as no team cars allowed) and so his advantage seemed to be gone. Fortunately for Roglic, the bike change was quick and he was near a Slovenian fan who gave him a mega push to get him moving again on the 15% slope. Coincidentally, that fan was an ex ski-jumping team mate of Roglic! Primoz is undeterred and goes into full ‘This shit isn’t happening to me again/2020 TDF PTSD’ mode and goes balls out and Thomas starts to lose time until they are level on GC, then Roglic takes a second, then another and in the end, Roglic wins the stage (averaging 25km/h if you want an idea of the difficulty) and Thomas takes second, but loses pink by 14 seconds. A dramatic end and writing it does not do it justice. From the moment when Roglic dropped his chain, it was gripping TV. It is nigh on impossible to dislike Thomas as he is so inoffensive and magnanimous and today was no exception. I am a Roglic fan though. He is a bit of a bean counter but not everyone can be an entertainer. He’s hardly Selby levels of dull and is pretty nails, so congratulations to him. Almeida finished third on stage and on GC for his first GT podium. Bloody hell, cycling. Love it mate.
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Post by str8outtahampton on May 28, 2023 8:48:28 GMT
Stage 20. Time trial. Bit lumpy… ‘The hardest mountain time trial in any GT ever’ said Albert Contador. Now, he knows a thing or two about both climbing and contaminated beef, so he’s a good guy in my book. This was brutal, with a capital B-R-U-T-A-L. If ever there was a stage of two halves this was it. It even had a designated bike change zone to switch from TT to conventional for when the gradients kicked in and they really did kick in. All the talk was of tactics and fast bike changes but to put it bluntly I think today was less about wattage and more about who could go into the pain cave and absorb that pain. Course is 11km flat and fast on tarmac smoother than Yul Bryner’s noggin and then 7.8km uphill at gradients touching 22% I think, but averaging 11% or so. You can wrap that up however you like but it’s simply grim. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t watch a time trial as life is too short, but with a profile like this and given the nature of the GC I pulled on my big boy pants and made the sacrifice. Seeing the early riders was fun as they were having a ball, enjoying the crowd support (massive and largely Slovenian due to proximity to the Slovenian border,) popping wheelies, high-fiving the spectators. Cool shit. In terms of the race, some solid times by Kuss, McNulty, Caruso and somehow, Pinot, but all of that was marking time until the top three set off. Roglic was on a single front ring and a 44 block on the back! Forty bloody four! .You could see it from space. At the bike change point, G changed to road helmet from aero too and was three seconds behind Roglic. No panic, all is good. Roglic though, surrounded by walls of batshit crazy Slovenians starts to come into his own on the climb and gains around 8s on Thomas, then 10s, then 15s and then, well and then Roglic shipped his chain, had to get a spare bike from the team motorbike behind (bikes being carried over shoulders by pillion passengers as no team cars allowed) and so his advantage seemed to be gone. Fortunately for Roglic, the bike change was quick and he was near a Slovenian fan who gave him a mega push to get him moving again on the 15% slope. Coincidentally, that fan was an ex ski-jumping team mate of Roglic! Primoz is undeterred and goes into full ‘This shit isn’t happening to me again/2020 TDF PTSD’ mode and goes balls out and Thomas starts to lose time until they are level on GC, then Roglic takes a second, then another and in the end, Roglic wins the stage (averaging 25km/h if you want an idea of the difficulty) and Thomas takes second, but loses pink by 14 seconds. A dramatic end and writing it does not do it justice. From the moment when Roglic dropped his chain, it was gripping TV. It is nigh on impossible to dislike Thomas as he is so inoffensive and magnanimous and today was no exception. I am a Roglic fan though. He is a bit of a bean counter but not everyone can be an entertainer. He’s hardly Selby levels of dull and is pretty nails, so congratulations to him. Almeida finished third on stage and on GC for his first GT podium. Bloody hell, cycling. I am less of an armchair cycling fan. More a chaise-longue fan. Who dabbles with the highlights (we've only got Council telly). And whose interest is largely confined to a dream about being draped on the C-L. While being fed un-peeled grapes. By the woman who presents in the ITV4 studio. However - it does do it justice. Excellent work.
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Post by Bod on May 28, 2023 19:31:05 GMT
Blimey, I was a bit choked up at the end. Class is permanent and all that.
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Post by Bod on May 28, 2023 21:42:53 GMT
Stage 21.
The finale.
A circuit around Rome featuring some of the finest backdrops of everything that Rome has to offer. The GC is settled, the podium is settled, the points jersey is settled so it’s a matter of which of the sprinters still has any gas left. The circuit was sneakily tough with a little climb on each lap that certainly drained a few people. There was only one attack which went away and stuck for a while, but an aside from that it was pretty frantic and the pace was hardly processional. Movistar are working hard for Gaviria, Bahrain don’t have a team to lead out Milan but he doesn’t need it, Ackerman has come into form for UAE and the old English guy has made it to Rome in his last Giro. This old guy is never much out of the top 10 in the final kms, but he’s done this before this Giro and then gone rapidly backwards. Astana start to work for him, with Luis Leon Sanchez (and he is one of my long-time favourites) piloting Cav until IT happened. With around 2km to go, Geraint Thomas appears through the peloton, going like a fucking train, tells Sanchez to get on his wheel, which Sanchez does immediately and they string the bunch out. Thomas, Cav’s old friend is giving him the mother of all lead outs. Unreal stuff. I had goosebumps thinking ‘Is this actually happening?’ It was like fantasy cycling. Thomas pulled for around a km, then it was Sanchez and Cavendish doesn’t miss a beat. He looked like 2011 Cav. He’s following Gaviria, Gaviria goes early, Cav gives zero fucks and trusts his legs. Milan looks like he’s going through treacle, Cavendish passes Gaviria and has teeth gritted and wins the stage by six bike lengths. I am shouting at the TV like a lunatic. Cavendish gets congratulated afterwards by seemingly every rider in the race. I’m out of superlatives.
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Post by salopstick on May 28, 2023 21:47:26 GMT
Stage 21. The finale. A circuit around Rome featuring some of the finest backdrops of everything that Rome has to offer. The GC is settled, the podium is settled, the points jersey is settled so it’s a matter of which of the sprinters still has any gas left. The circuit was sneakily tough with a little climb on each lap that certainly drained a few people. There was only one attack which went away and stuck for a while, but an aside from that it was pretty frantic and the pace was hardly processional. Movistar are working hard for Gaviria, Bahrain don’t have a team to lead out Milan but he doesn’t need it, Ackerman has come into form for UAE and the old English guy has made it to Rome in his last Giro. This old guy is never much out of the top 10 in the final kms, but he’s done this before this Giro and then gone rapidly backwards. Astana start to work for him, with Luis Leon Sanchez (and he is one of my long-time favourites) piloting Cav until IT happened. With around 2km to go, Geraint Thomas appears through the peloton, going like a fucking train, tells Sanchez to get on his wheel, which Sanchez does immediately and they string the bunch out. Thomas, Cav’s old friend is giving him the mother of all lead outs. Unreal stuff. I had goosebumps thinking ‘Is this actually happening?’ It was like fantasy cycling. Thomas pulled for around a km, then it was Sanchez and Cavendish doesn’t miss a beat. He looked like 2011 Cav. He’s following Gaviria, Gaviria goes early, Cav gives zero fucks and trusts his legs. Milan looks like he’s going through treacle, Cavendish passes Gaviria and has teeth gritted and wins the stage by six bike lengths. I am shouting at the TV like a lunatic. Cavendish gets congratulated afterwards by seemingly every rider in the race. I’m out of superlatives. Three Giro Legends. Cav, G and Bod’s daily reviews. Roll on the Tour Btw France was ace. 6 ascents plus drove to Gap for the Col Du Noyer. Alpe next year. And I’ve signed up for an Everest
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Post by Bod on May 29, 2023 12:28:28 GMT
Stage 21. The finale. A circuit around Rome featuring some of the finest backdrops of everything that Rome has to offer. The GC is settled, the podium is settled, the points jersey is settled so it’s a matter of which of the sprinters still has any gas left. The circuit was sneakily tough with a little climb on each lap that certainly drained a few people. There was only one attack which went away and stuck for a while, but an aside from that it was pretty frantic and the pace was hardly processional. Movistar are working hard for Gaviria, Bahrain don’t have a team to lead out Milan but he doesn’t need it, Ackerman has come into form for UAE and the old English guy has made it to Rome in his last Giro. This old guy is never much out of the top 10 in the final kms, but he’s done this before this Giro and then gone rapidly backwards. Astana start to work for him, with Luis Leon Sanchez (and he is one of my long-time favourites) piloting Cav until IT happened. With around 2km to go, Geraint Thomas appears through the peloton, going like a fucking train, tells Sanchez to get on his wheel, which Sanchez does immediately and they string the bunch out. Thomas, Cav’s old friend is giving him the mother of all lead outs. Unreal stuff. I had goosebumps thinking ‘Is this actually happening?’ It was like fantasy cycling. Thomas pulled for around a km, then it was Sanchez and Cavendish doesn’t miss a beat. He looked like 2011 Cav. He’s following Gaviria, Gaviria goes early, Cav gives zero fucks and trusts his legs. Milan looks like he’s going through treacle, Cavendish passes Gaviria and has teeth gritted and wins the stage by six bike lengths. I am shouting at the TV like a lunatic. Cavendish gets congratulated afterwards by seemingly every rider in the race. I’m out of superlatives. Three Giro Legends. Cav, G and Bod’s daily reviews. Roll on the Tour Btw France was ace. 6 ascents plus drove to Gap for the Col Du Noyer. Alpe next year. And I’ve signed up for an Everest Very kind of you, thanks 👍 Bit of breathing space before the TdF and then we may as well do it all again? The Giro is the warm-up for the main event when I can vent my spleen about Enric Mas, indulge my man crush on Louis Meintjes and just spout shite for three weeks. I did a fair bit of riding and racing before switching to running, but you’re next level mate. I look at your mileage and vertical metres and just nod in approval. Total respect.
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Post by salopstick on May 29, 2023 12:34:48 GMT
Three Giro Legends. Cav, G and Bod’s daily reviews. Roll on the Tour Btw France was ace. 6 ascents plus drove to Gap for the Col Du Noyer. Alpe next year. And I’ve signed up for an Everest Very kind of you, thanks 👍 Bit of breathing space before the TdF and then we may as well do it all again? The Giro is the warm-up for the main event when I can vent my spleen about Enric Mas, indulge my man crush on Louis Meintjes and just spout shite for three weeks. I did a fair bit of riding and racing before switching to running, but you’re next level mate. I look at your mileage and vertical metres and just nod in approval. Total respect. I love cycling but I’m too old (48) and not good enough to race so I do stupid adventures to make up for it I love suffering and love achieving stupid shit. But I really hate climbing.
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Post by str8outtahampton on May 29, 2023 13:27:33 GMT
Stage 21. The finale. A circuit around Rome featuring some of the finest backdrops of everything that Rome has to offer. The GC is settled, the podium is settled, the points jersey is settled so it’s a matter of which of the sprinters still has any gas left. The circuit was sneakily tough with a little climb on each lap that certainly drained a few people. There was only one attack which went away and stuck for a while, but an aside from that it was pretty frantic and the pace was hardly processional. Movistar are working hard for Gaviria, Bahrain don’t have a team to lead out Milan but he doesn’t need it, Ackerman has come into form for UAE and the old English guy has made it to Rome in his last Giro. This old guy is never much out of the top 10 in the final kms, but he’s done this before this Giro and then gone rapidly backwards. Astana start to work for him, with Luis Leon Sanchez (and he is one of my long-time favourites) piloting Cav until IT happened. With around 2km to go, Geraint Thomas appears through the peloton, going like a fucking train, tells Sanchez to get on his wheel, which Sanchez does immediately and they string the bunch out. Thomas, Cav’s old friend is giving him the mother of all lead outs. Unreal stuff. I had goosebumps thinking ‘Is this actually happening?’ It was like fantasy cycling. Thomas pulled for around a km, then it was Sanchez and Cavendish doesn’t miss a beat. He looked like 2011 Cav. He’s following Gaviria, Gaviria goes early, Cav gives zero fucks and trusts his legs. Milan looks like he’s going through treacle, Cavendish passes Gaviria and has teeth gritted and wins the stage by six bike lengths. I am shouting at the TV like a lunatic. Cavendish gets congratulated afterwards by seemingly every rider in the race. I’m out of superlatives. Three Giro Legends. Cav, G and Bod’s daily reviews. Roll on the Tour Btw France was ace. 6 ascents plus drove to Gap for the Col Du Noyer. Alpe next year. And I’ve signed up for an Everest Seconded. At the risk of damning him with faint praise, Bod is one of the most elegant wordsmiths on here. The Francesco Petrarch of the Oatcake. Just back from my third (longer) ride with the local club. Still painful, but perhaps getting a wee bit fitter. More abuse from boy racers anxious to save 10 seconds on their journey. On the plus side, they almost certainly have small penises. Off to SW France for a week in a couple of days. May rent a bike for a morning and try some ascending. Madness.
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Post by Bod on May 29, 2023 17:32:23 GMT
Very kind of you, thanks 👍 Bit of breathing space before the TdF and then we may as well do it all again? The Giro is the warm-up for the main event when I can vent my spleen about Enric Mas, indulge my man crush on Louis Meintjes and just spout shite for three weeks. I did a fair bit of riding and racing before switching to running, but you’re next level mate. I look at your mileage and vertical metres and just nod in approval. Total respect. I love cycling but I’m too old (48) and not good enough to race so I do stupid adventures to make up for it I love suffering and love achieving stupid shit. But I really hate climbing. Ah we are the same age, with the same outlook on stupid shit then, excellent. Imagine how good you’d be if you liked climbing! I guess it’s a sliding scale though as the suffering required for hour after hour in the saddle is nothing in comparison to watching us play week after week 😂
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Post by Bod on May 29, 2023 17:47:37 GMT
Three Giro Legends. Cav, G and Bod’s daily reviews. Roll on the Tour Btw France was ace. 6 ascents plus drove to Gap for the Col Du Noyer. Alpe next year. And I’ve signed up for an Everest Seconded. At the risk of damning him with faint praise, Bod is one of the most elegant wordsmiths on here. The Francesco Petrarch of the Oatcake. Just back from my third (longer) ride with the local club. Still painful, but perhaps getting a wee bit fitter. More abuse from boy racers anxious to save 10 seconds on their journey. On the plus side, they almost certainly have small penises. Off to SW France for a week in a couple of days. May rent a bike for a morning and try some ascending. Madness. Very good of you to say. Cycling is the outlet for all the weirdness that inhabits my brain. When we get to the TdF then we can dial things up a bit, have a bit of fun and laugh at how shit Movistar are. Mind you, they are threatening to be not be quite so chaotic of late, which could mess up my equilibrium. You seem to be really enjoying the cycling, which is top drawer. Drivers (or rather, arsehole drivers) are sadly an occupational hazard. I just don’t engage as it’s not worth the potential grief. If you’re hiring a bike in France, make sure to take your own shoes (on the assumption that you ride clipless.) You’ll have a brilliant time and climbing is one of the best mental challenges you’ll ever undertake. First time I rode in France I was in the Massif Central, rode up some unnamed but hellish climb and was seeing stars at the summit. There was a little shop and I went into the fridge and pulled out some pop and the woman who owned it smacked me across the back of my hands repeatedly. Only she was allowed to go in the fridge was what I ascertained in my rudimentary French. Undeterred, I descended, feeling like a boss, going at a decent pace until I pulled the brakes around a hairpin and felt a little judder. I thought I’d locked the back wheel up and so I backed off the pace a bit but the juddering got worse and worse so I ended up freewheeling very gingerly down the final 2km or so. Rode another few km back to the campsite and then checked the bike over but couldn’t see anything. I then noticed that the head tube had cracked (it was an old bike and this was in 1997) and each time I braked it was rocking backwards and forwards like I had front suspension. On reflection, probably lucky I wasn’t killed.
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Post by str8outtahampton on May 29, 2023 18:13:12 GMT
Seconded. At the risk of damning him with faint praise, Bod is one of the most elegant wordsmiths on here. The Francesco Petrarch of the Oatcake. Just back from my third (longer) ride with the local club. Still painful, but perhaps getting a wee bit fitter. More abuse from boy racers anxious to save 10 seconds on their journey. On the plus side, they almost certainly have small penises. Off to SW France for a week in a couple of days. May rent a bike for a morning and try some ascending. Madness. Very good of you to say. Cycling is the outlet for all the weirdness that inhabits my brain. When we get to the TdF then we can dial things up a bit, have a bit of fun and laugh at how shit Movistar are. Mind you, they are threatening to be not be quite so chaotic of late, which could mess up my equilibrium. You seem to be really enjoying the cycling, which is top drawer. Drivers (or rather, arsehole drivers) are sadly an occupational hazard. I just don’t engage as it’s not worth the potential grief. If you’re hiring a bike in France, make sure to take your own shoes (on the assumption that you ride clipless.) You’ll have a brilliant time and climbing is one of the best mental challenges you’ll ever undertake. First time I rode in France I was in the Massif Central, rode up some unnamed but hellish climb and was seeing stars at the summit. There was a little shop and I went into the fridge and pulled out some pop and the woman who owned it smacked me across the back of my hands repeatedly. Only she was allowed to go in the fridge was what I ascertained in my rudimentary French. Undeterred, I descended, feeling like a boss, going at a decent pace until I pulled the brakes around a hairpin and felt a little judder. I thought I’d locked the back wheel up and so I backed off the pace a bit but the juddering got worse and worse so I ended up freewheeling very gingerly down the final 2km or so. Rode another few km back to the campsite and then checked the bike over but couldn’t see anything. I then noticed that the head tube had cracked (it was an old bike and this was in 1997) and each time I braked it was rocking backwards and forwards like I had front suspension. On reflection, probably lucky I wasn’t killed. LOL out extremely loud. I wonder if that was the almost mythical Magasin de la Limonade Interdite? Enjoying would be an overstatement. It is painful. But the feeling at the end (of what for most people would consider to be a gentle pootle) is one of mild elation. Must be the endorphins!
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Post by salopstick on May 29, 2023 20:39:17 GMT
I love cycling but I’m too old (48) and not good enough to race so I do stupid adventures to make up for it I love suffering and love achieving stupid shit. But I really hate climbing. Ah we are the same age, with the same outlook on stupid shit then, excellent. Imagine how good you’d be if you liked climbing! I guess it’s a sliding scale though as the suffering required for hour after hour in the saddle is nothing in comparison to watching us play week after week 😂 I only started 8 years ago. I was 105kg. It changed my life. I’ve done so much. Took me three years to get Down to 85kg it’s where I stay now. If I went extreme on the diet and got to 75-80 the climbing would be easier but you have to live. I mainly do local rides and sportives. Oh and I TT on a road bike summer Wednesdays. Around 25 mins for 10 miles Dragon 187 Fred Whitton Yorkshire Beast Plus loads others. I’m one of about 75 people (63rd) to have completed Simon Warren’s 100 greatest climbs of the UK Cingles (2018) Bicingles (2022) Galerien (2023) of the Cingles Ventoux club Everesting peaslows next Sunday. My current challenge is to complete 100 100 mile rides before I’m 50. I’m on 69 Cycling is fucking ace
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Post by salopstick on Jun 5, 2023 7:11:37 GMT
Bod failed an Everest attempt yesterday. 49 reps of 67 up peaslows. 80 miles 22000 feet and jacked it toughest thing I’ve ever done
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Post by Bod on Jun 5, 2023 20:32:27 GMT
Bod failed an Everest attempt yesterday. 49 reps of 67 up peaslows. 80 miles 22000 feet and jacked it toughest thing I’ve ever done Of all the things I’d class as failure, this is a long way removed from any of them. Mental strength to do that many reps is something I’m massively on board with as I love that kind of challenge. For me, you’ve nearly succeeded rather than failed. That sounds like some type of motivational horseshit but it’s accurate. Day 2 of the Dauphine today and another one that was just lumpy enough again to get rid of the pure sprinters. Laporte took stage 1 and Alaphilippe came out on top today. Pleased for him as he’s got a bit lost over the last couple of years due to crashes and bad luck (crashed in LBL last year and suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs, came back at the Vuelta and crashed again and dislocated his shoulder.) He was THE one day rider too and seems that as MVDP and WVA have become what they are, he has become a bit forgotten.
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Post by cvillestokie on Jun 16, 2023 11:15:24 GMT
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Post by salopstick on Jun 16, 2023 11:24:54 GMT
terrible, thankfully quite rare. He had a decent career ahead of him RIP Gino
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Post by Bod on Jun 16, 2023 16:29:27 GMT
When I saw there had been a post in here I was desperately hoping it would be one about Salopstick’s mountain exploits, as I guessed what the alternative would be. In a weird type of denial I hadn’t looked at any cycling news or social media or anything today as I feared the worst fro Gino after yesterday. It’s probably an age thing and/or having a family, etc but whereas years ago I used to watch descents and marvel at the skill, lack of fear and sheer speed, I wince now at many of them. Yesterday saw Ayuso clocked at 105km on the descent where the accident happened and he was railing it to the point where I said to my daughter that he was right on the ragged edge. This is not being wise after the event either, it’s sheer coincidence that I thought it yesterday, but it is such awful news. We can be very thankful that fatalities are such a rarity in a sport that is beset with danger, but that still doesn’t soften the blow.
RIP Gino.
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Post by salopstick on Jun 16, 2023 19:32:13 GMT
When I saw there had been a post in here I was desperately hoping it would be one about Salopstick’s mountain exploits, as I guessed what the alternative would be. In a weird type of denial I hadn’t looked at any cycling news or social media or anything today as I feared the worst fro Gino after yesterday. It’s probably an age thing and/or having a family, etc but whereas years ago I used to watch descents and marvel at the skill, lack of fear and sheer speed, I wince now at many of them. Yesterday saw Ayuso clocked at 105km on the descent where the accident happened and he was railing it to the point where I said to my daughter that he was right on the ragged edge. This is not being wise after the event either, it’s sheer coincidence that I thought it yesterday, but it is such awful news. We can be very thankful that fatalities are such a rarity in a sport that is beset with danger, but that still doesn’t soften the blow. RIP Gino. Terrible accident. I had massive wheel wobble coming down buttertubs two years ago since then I’ve been ultra careful descending. It shit me right up. I’ve got two big events left. Tomorrow I’m doing a flat 170 with only 3000 feet of climbing. Hoping to improve on my 20.1 average from last year. That’s just a warm up for the Yorkshire Beast next week 200 miles across the dales and moors with 18000 feet elevation. That’s a toughy but completed it last year
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Post by salopstick on Jun 25, 2023 1:04:43 GMT
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Post by Bod on Jun 26, 2023 13:33:13 GMT
You may be my hero. Legend of the game!
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Post by Bod on Jun 26, 2023 13:33:24 GMT
TdF begins next weekend and its national championships weekend as the last tune-up. Some of the selected time trial and road race winners are Ganna and Velasco (Italy) WVA and Evenepoel (Belgium) Cavagna and Madouas (France) Castroviejo and Lazkano (Spain) Asgreen and Skeljmose (Denmark) Politt and Buchmann Germany) Almeida and Ivo Oliveira (Portugal) Tarling and Wright (GB) Van Emden and Van Baarle (Netherlands) Pogacar and Pogacar (Slovenia)
I watched the Spanish and French road race champs yesterday and the contrast was stark in terms of how the race is viewed within the respective countries. In Spain, there were very few spectators and it just seemed low key and a bit village. In France, the crowds on the circuit were massive and they were, as they always are, a very vocal crowd. Parochial crowd but that’s the point in a national champ race, so pastis all round!
Froome hasn’t been selected by IPT and says his poor form is down to equipment failures. Groupama have put all their oeufs in the Gaudu basket and have ditched Demare which is a risky strategy for me. Gaudu could get a top five if absolutely everything goes perfectly for him, but Demare always has a very good chance of a stage win. I believe, as the kids would say, that Demare has been done dirty. Watching the French nationals though and Gaudu does not look in form at all, nor did he in Romandie… In terms of being in shape, Van der Poel won the Tour of Belgium and treated it like a training race. He attacked regularly at 80/90km to go just to see where he his numbers were at and was then still able to act as a lead-out deluxe for Philpsen. MVDP finished 6,2,4,1,10 on the five stages, winning the points jersey too. In terms of form, he is ticking. The most exciting racer of his generation and one of the most explosive in my years of following the sport.
INEOS are the proverbial ship without a rudder as The Lemonheads once sang. Bernal has shown some promise but making it to the second rest day would be considered a major success for him in my opinion. My opinion is worth shit though, so he’ll probably finish on the podium now.* *No, no he won’t. They have gone from being THE team for the GC to a bit of a non-entity, with a reliance on Ganna to take a time trial and one of the rouleurs to pick up a stage. May seem a little harsh on Pidcock and Martinez, but I highly doubt that Vingegaard and Pogacar are having sleepless nights about them. The GC should be a straight shootout between Pogacar and Vingegaard, but Pogacar has been off the bike and lacks road miles and no-one really knows how his wrist will hold up. Winning both his national titles does indicate that he is seemingly OK though 😂 Mind you, he could win those and not be in top form and it’s hardly the equivalent of three weeks on the bike in the Tour. At least he will be at the start though which didn’t always seem likely after the crash. Getting caught up in one of the inevitable early stage crashes would not have a happy outcome for Pogacar or the race.
Outside of the big two, the podium contenders seem to be Hindley, Landa (if the ‘good’ Landa turns up,) Mas (please God no,) O’Connor (potential to have a really bad day) and maybe a resurgent, hero-to-French -housewives effort by Bardet.
Cav has been selected by Astana in a move that has shocked, well, no-one. Looking at some other team line-ups too and TJV and UAE both have filthy strong teams. From what I can tell, UAE are also the only team who have eight riders who are all from different nations. Yes, that’s how twitchy I get the week before it all starts. I find the most boring shit interesting. There will also be a number of new kits on display and I pray that none of them have a blank square on the back.
I would settle for anything other than a procession by the top two. The battle for third could be very tight and decided on the lumpy 20th stage.
Meanwhile, in the Tour of Columbia, ‘Superman’ Lopez (remember him? Climbed off his bike once in the Vuelta in a huff and left Movistar in the sticky stuff,) has been racing for a small Columbian team this year to take some pressure off I think. The race was ten stages in total. Lopez’s placings were 1,1,2,1,1,1,1,1,1,1. It’s a funny old world and he’s a talented rider who needs to be riding in Europe. He is a definite ‘Dogs Home’ contender for someone like Arkea. However, I think I could have finished in the top 10 in this race. Riding a 1980’s Raleigh Banana. Wearing oversized Crocs. And a blindfold. Salopstick could have won it but would have packed it in as it wasn’t hard enough and the vertical metres were no challenge. As his contemporaries head to the TdF, Lopez’s next race is the Tour of Qinghai Lake.
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Post by salopstick on Jun 26, 2023 14:33:17 GMT
i really hope Cav wins a stage
that record will never be beaten, the only guy out there who could is not allowed to
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Post by salopstick on Jun 26, 2023 14:36:48 GMT
You may be my hero. Legend of the game! second time doing it though last year it was the moors before the dales. seriously tough. 170 entered, 30 did not turn up and 40ish missed the various cut offs. i was in comfortably wit about 40 minutes to spare (0500-2200) I came in about 2115. a fucking hot day, im not a climber at 5ft 6 and 85kg. i said never again but im mentally preparing for a 3rd time
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Post by Bod on Jun 30, 2023 20:45:14 GMT
Like a child the night before Christmas, I sit at the foot of the bed, unable to sleep with excitement. ‘Daddy, is Father Christmas going to be here soon?’ ‘I’m sorry son, he doesn’t exist.’ However, Matthieu Van der Poel does and he has more magic than your fictional present-bringer.’ ‘What? Does that mean that Marc Soler is magic too?’ ‘No my boy, he’s just a prick. Now get to sleep or Matej Mohoric will come down the chimney and punch you in the face.’
Thus, tomorrow is the day it begins. Not the most overall exciting parcours ever, but the riders make the race.* *Other clichés are available.
A single 22km TT (bordering on being a mountain one,) four summit finishes, a decent mix of sprint/lumpy/rouleur stages and for the final time for now, the traditional Champs Elysees finish before the switch to Nice in 2024.
It appears that we have
Extraterrestrials
Pogacar Vingegaard
Lower calibre Spielberg movies
Hindley O’Connor Carapaz Landa^^
^^Mood permitting
Klingons
Meintjes Bilbao Gall
Who knows?
Bernal Pinot Gaudu
Wheelsucking shithouses Mas
Speedy Gonzales’
Philipsen Jakobsen Groenewegen Bauhaus Cavendish Ewan Welsford
Special category supermen
Pedersen Girmay Pidcock
Assorted but potentially interesting randoms
Skeljmose Bernal Bilbao Ciccone Martin Coquard Van Gils Tejada Jorgenson Twenty Frenchmen fighting over three mountain points on pointless stages
Deities
Van der Poel WVA
Stage 1 is 183km with a start and finish in Bilbao, so expect hardcore fans in vast numbers. Crashes aplenty seem inevitable but if you are a GC guy then you can’t just aim to get to 3km and finish in the pack as the finish could actually suit you and bring some time gaps. The stage gets interesting in parcours terms at 140km when there is a short 4th cat climb, followed by a 3rd cat a dozen km later, then at 10km to go a bastard of a lump - Côte de Pike - (2.1km at 9.4%, of which the second km is at 13%,) finally the finish is 1km at 5.4%. Really tricky to predict a winner here. The sprinters will have their legs ripped off on the Côte de Pike, if not before and will struggle to get back on on the descent and then the finish is another haul. I can see it exploding on the penultimate climb and if it does, Pogacar and Vingegaard will get involved which will cause ripples for everyone else in the GC hunt. It promises a lot for an opening stage and I hope it delivers. Heart says MVDP, head says WVA, no part of my body says Axel Zingle.
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