Cycling - Tours, Giros & UCI events

Superb by G & immense by Froome to switch from leader to domestique.

CF’s humility is awe inspiring.

 

Great outcome to the Tour and a very popular (a few sad French fans aside) winner. What really emerged was that G was genuinely the strongest rider in the race. All the other riders seem to have acknowledged this.

Froome can leave with his pride in tact and the consolation that losing has made him more popular.

I watched most of the last Pyrenees stage and it was fabulous viewing.

 

I don't get this last stage thing, what happens if Thomas decides to treat the last stage like a Sunday afternoon ride in the park does everyone still have to stay behind him?

They might as well not have the final stage if it is not going to be competitive IMO.

 

I really hope G is spared that Lineker/Balding circus.

 

Bike racing nuts may enjoy this film from Round 2 of the National Trophy Cyclocross series in apparently beautiful Irvine.

 

It’s amazing how short the proper pro cycling season is.

It seems like just 5 mins ago that we were watching tedious footage of the Tour of Oman or some such pipe opener.

Sky’s achievement last year was phenomenal.

3 different winners of the GTs surely won’t be repeated in our lifetimes.

Moose, I’m sensing it’s just us here.

 

Pleasant surprise that G won SPotY.

Odd that he had to compete with some lame pop band whilst showing off his trophy.

I don't recall Henry Cooper being presented with his award on TotP or Mary Peters being featured on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

 

Just heard yesterday that Sky are pulling out of cycling after 2019.

Not good news for UK cycling & obviously the result of Sky's takeover by the US Comcast.

Shouldn't the govt being blocking takeovers in the national interest?

 

TBH I think that it's a good thing. Everything had become sooo predictable. Personalities have been erased for 'marginal gains'. Wiggins the only remotely interesting character, Geraint Thomas not really a P in SPOTY. Bring back drugs, I say, give us characters like Abdoujaparov, Riis, Bolts, Pantani, Jacky Durand launching a breakaway from the start and being caught on the line after 200km, Richard Virenque, Laurent Jalabert, David Duffield musing on cheese and beaujolais, happy days.

 

Fair point.

The drugs amnesty would usher in Armstrong's comeback (at age 101, but he never gives up).

Team Sky has been possibly the most successful team in pro sport over the last decade. They may have the biggest budget but for a British cycling team to be so successful is almost beyond comprehension. Like a US team winning the Prem most seasons.

A great shame if it is all broken up.

 

Football season over so get into the Giro!

Race hotting up & excellent coverage from Eurosport.

Orla Chennaoui is outstanding as the anchor. Brian Smith calmly intelligent. Wiggo is Wiggo. Wears odd clothes but ledge.

Shows up the tawdry punditry tokenism of motd.

 

Froome in intensive care after his high speed crash yesterday. At his age a long way back, but that's going to be secondary to getting well. It is a brutal sport at times.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ur-de-france-crash-criterium-hospital-injured

 

Sorry didn't see that - a good race and a good summary of the coverage. Wiggo, down with the kids or s he believes. Socks are for losers.

 

May well be the end of his TdF career.

At least, Sky/Ineos know who their leader is now.

 

Assuming 100% physical recovery, it must be almost impossible to get back to trusting a bike at that speed again. Not his first crash and he's no spring chicken.

 

Thomas & maybe Bernal will overtake in the pecking order.

Also, Froome’s extraordinary teamplayer ethos may count against him. He readily accepted super domestique status last year.

Would he leave Sky for a lesser team at 35?

 

Exciting start to a very open TDF today,

Spoiler: Spoiler

Both Fulgsang and Thomas hitting the deck as outsider Theunisson wins

In WFC related matters, our very own bike mad Ben Foster features in this.

 

Excellent that the TdF is once more upon us.

Weird for Sky not to be there.

Appalling that Cav was not selected. Slightly sentimental but sentiment looms large in the Tour.

 

Bernal 5 secs ahead of G.

Might be a surprisingly difficult 5 secs for G to make up.

 

Ineos/Sky have a relentless quality. If Froome hadn't had his prang, unlikely that Bernal would be riding in the TdF.

Now he's third.

Let's see after the Pyrenees but it does seem that G is the main man in the team.

Btw, I wonder if Ratcliffe is passing his sliderule over WFC.

 

What a fantastic tour so far. Alaphilippe really setting it alight, but a massive test for him today, especially after that TT yesterday.

 

Nothing about the way Alaphilippe is riding to suggest he can’t win it.

The only thing is that the third week of a Grand Tour is when some riders suddenly bottom out. Sky/Ineos have been masters at managing the third week. We’ve seen Froome in trouble during week two and go on to win.

Great stage though. What a contest.

 

I doubt Alaphilippe will it now.

He didn’t exude confidence in his post match interview.

Pinot, Ineos & the under the radar Kruijswijk in the mix.

Bernal?

 

Geraint Thomas says he had the legs to bridge the gap to Pinot in the last 2km but he knew he would drag Alaphillipe with him hanging on to his wheel.

Was more beneficial in his eyes to let Bernal and Pinot eat into the gap and for him to put time into Alaphillipe in the final Kilometre.

Whether he really had the legs remains to be believed given he struggled the previous day. But today being a rest day, he may have pushed himself beyond his limits I guess.

 

Rest day comes at a vital time for Alaphilippe. However, even by the Tour’s brutal standards this is going to be a killer week. Successive summit finishes and 38 degree heat lower down the slopes.

We will see spectacular implosions like Mas’s 30 minute loss. Let’s hope we don’t see riders getting ill.

I predict the sprinter’s teams won’t even have the legs to bring it back today. 20 minute breakaway.

 

The weirdest day I can recall in the world’s weirdest sporting event.

Huge kudos to young Bernal.

A very composed & respectful young man.

Assuming he wins, where does this leave Froome?

Ineos are brutal & I believe the baton has now been passed. Ineos have been far less in control than Sky but they still outgun all others. Bernal could win quite a few grand tours, maybe more than Froome’s seven.

 

Correct.