Vuelta 2015

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/09/an-open-letter-to-oleg-tinkov/

This is brilliant stuff. Something needs to be done about muzzling that horrible twat. It was ironic that he mocked Froome for not fighting until the end like Contador, then threatening to withdraw his team after the moto incident (not condoning the moto incident, just recognising the contradiction). Cycling News let him write a blog: going to email them voicing my objection to it, not that I expect anything given the website is such a platform for despicable trolls.

Froome out apparently, claiming he was knocked sideways into the barrier.

Froome has a fractured foot, won't be starting today.

Damn, such a shame for the race. And a shame for Froome; was the plan to take Vuelta form into the Worlds?

Not really a course for Froome.

He rode most of yesterday's stage with a broken foot. Hard bastard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/34136338

I didn't have Froome down as the sort of person who'd employ the use of emoticons.

Long history of it.. Check his Instagram.. And his cat.. Which now has its own Instagram/twitter.

So it isn't - for some reason I thought it was a hillier course than that.

Shaping up to be quite interesting with all the favourites out(ish).

Granted Valverde and Nairo are still in, though if you imagine the 'race starts now' there's an interesting field and effective time handicap on all the entrants.

He was more worried he'd blunted his elbows.

So Landa didn't have permission to go for the win yesterday. Suspect he'll be like glue to Aru for the rest of the race.

Didn't he? Ha, that's awesome. What's the betting Sky support him for the rest of the race?

Ah wow, I like that he's taken so many pictures of the Tour lions he won -

https://instagram.com/p/40-R-FGxub/?taken-by=chrisfroome

https://instagram.com/p/4-DR5FGxg3/?taken-by=chrisfroome

https://instagram.com/p/5nI2b0Gxlo/?taken-by=chrisfroome

No idea where to put this, so I'll put it here: http://www.thepelotonbrief.com/ new cycling site by Laura Fletcher (some of you know her), with features on the prolife, and other cool cycling shit. Cheeck it out.

Worth it for the beard quiz alone. Great site. Would read again. Etc..

Giant-Alpecin team starts releasing numbers, maybe others will follow

Nothing about hair growth though. Would have expected more from Alpecin.

Tom of the Mill.

I notice Ned's perfectly comfortable with saying Giant-Al-puh-SEEN but we still hear Movistar.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-footage-shows-paulinhos-moto-incident-at-the-vuelta-a-espana/

Video showing Paulinho's crash. Not sure who's to blame, moto is ahead on the road coming around a corner when Paulinho takes the same turn hot and collides with the moto.

I saw that on the highlights show last night. Moto is ahead but slows down, and Paulinho does mess up the corner a bit (doesn't lean!) and skids wide.

Six of one and half a dozen of the other? Or does the fact that one is racing and one getting in the way mean that it's more 7:5?

"Or does the fact that one is racing and one getting in the way mean that it's more 7:5?"

Yes, as does the fact that one has an engine that enables it to accelerate faster. Besides, the angle doesn't necessarily reveal the true racing line - Paulinho might have felt that it was beneficial to take the turn as wide as he did to better serve his exit.

I thought it did look a bit like he fluffed it.

Yes, the moto should have been further forward and clear of the corner BUT extenuating circumstances must be that the moto is ahead of the rider, so mainly focused on what is in front of him, and using his mirrors to see what is behind, and Paulinho had just attacked out of the pack, so was coming extra fast. If the moto had positioned himself far enough ahead anticipating the peloton's speed but hadn't anticipated attacking riders coming much faster you can see why he gets caught out.

Just not blatant irresponsible driving, more a slight error in positioning, rather than dangerously trying to squeeze past riders.