2014 Pro-cycling season thread

http://inrng.com/2014/11/velon/

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/11/astana-continental-team-suspended-indefinitely-by-vinokourov-after-fedosseyevs-positive-test/

It never seems to occur to multi-millionaire, national-hero Vinokourov that 'do as I say, not as I did' isn't what young athletes need in a team leader. He can't even be said to be reformed since he has never admitted cheating, or expressed regret or shame, in the first place.
Oh, that's right, he's not in charge of the Continental team, he just has the power to suspend it, not to make sure it's run properly.

tl:dr lobby group for moar cash

To lobby for new rules and share sponsorship might be more accurate? I don't think the UCI will give them cash.

The UCI don't have much cash. ASO are the only organisation in cycling who earn decent revenue each year, and so far they've shown no inclination to share that with anyone.

Sporza's excellent review of the season is available on youtube;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpxR_ECH_jA&feature=youtu.be

yes, thoroughly enjoyable. just too bad they didn't show the sprint of the year instead in the Giro bit, so I'll just paste it here (from 3:30):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E01xEW_Qv8

Does anyone remember the two up sprint at the end of a road race last season where the guy in second showed an epic pain face then used some road signage and a central reservation to hide his attack for the win?
Trying to remember which race it was but failing so far.

Stage 5 of the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ea5fWA23Dc

The lanterne rouge himself. Thanks @andyp

That was sly!

shows what a bastard comedian you have to be to be a winning road racer ;-)

Replayed that clip 4/5 times. He absolutely bossed that

Inner ring saying that the UCI have banned all in race radios for next season.

:)

Hadn't seen that before.

#toplad

It'll be interesting to see if there's much of an impact (if it remains). I can think of one particular stage of the 2012 tour which sans radio may have resulted in a very different race.

TdF stage 13 of 2013 as well. and what about the situation in the snow on the Stelvio in this year's Giro...

Ah, and Bauer's break away this year. Would be interesting to know how that ended in the alternative universe that didn't have race radio.

Vaughters on Twitter saying it'll never happen.

Which I'd assume means there'll be a big protest if they try it.

A Manual For Speed greatest hits

^ This is a fave. Clearly a failed leg-over-bar skid.

John Degenkolb: "Bis Paris Roubaix kein Alkohol."

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