Pro-cycling thread

It's a race on closed roads as far as the riders are concerned. Clearly they need to keep their wits about them, but they should be free to move about as much as they like. The motorcyclist needs to ride with that in mind, I.e. over taking should only happen when it's obviously safe to do so.

Yes, true.
It does seem completely safe to over take at that point. But the lotto rider moves out right quite a way, while looking left. No way to predict that. It seems strange though as motos pretty much always come past with horns blazing, so you'd know they're coming.

This case just seems like shit accident to me. But there have been cut and dry stupid mistakes by motos.

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Still can't see why the moto couldn't have just braked when the rider started moving out. It doesn't look like the moto took any avoiding action at all.

And his mirror came clean off, that's quite an impact

Looking forward to this Saturday almost as much as to the Ronde & P-R

https://youtu.be/1erk0EY3ERU

I fear Valverde will be among the last men standing in the final kms toward Siena. It's Cancellara's first race on Euro soil. Always a joy to see Stybar race. Sadly, no team from Giant-Alpecin. No Lars Boom either with Nibali's Astana, would've thought this race would suit him.

Would loved to have seen how eddy boss and the DiData boys would've done, sub 200km and the finish is almost perfect for him...

Gerrans is also not on the provisional and would be in with a great shout

Sagan, Jungels, Jungels and Benoot should be there too. Wonder if Sagan has it in the legs to stay with the lead group this year. I reckon it could be his.

Valverde to win. Sagan Second

Just catching up on KBK. Stuyven the magnificent!

Thing I liked about OHN was the co-ordination of Sky and BMC getting two riders each on the front at the bottom of the Boonenberg and blocking the peloton in the gutter as LR and GVA rode off.
You can see Benoot trying to pass on the cobbelsh two or three times before he gets away.

I don't know why teams don't do that more often in general

Imagine thinking a team's got things going on the front and you just have to follow the wheels, then they all sit up as one 10 metres up the road goes off

Agreed, often thought about this on sprints / climbs etc. Are there penalties for blocking riders/ getting in the way?

Normally other teams don't let that happen - see trains fighting it out to get their riders at the front of a crucial pave sector or decisive cobbled berg.

Yes, in order of severity:

1. 'Your Mum' jokes
   
2. Inappropriate fondling of bottoms
   
3. Elbows into ribs
   

Strade Bianche TV coverage looks to be limited to 45 mins starting at 16:45 on Eurosport on Saturday - not sure if it's live either.

Can't see any betting on it yet too.

What? That's weak. I feel like it had 2 hours+ the last couple of years

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Looks like it's been squeezed by the track world champs, and a load of flipping skiing. Big shame as it has been one of the consistently best one day races of recent years.

Edit - if those^ schedules are correct then online could be okay

Edit again - they're all geo restricted, and the times for English Eurosport are wrong

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http://video.eurosport.co.uk/cycling/le-samyn/2016/niki-terpstra-solos-to-le-samyn-win_vid564407/video.shtml

Terpstra won Le Samyn yesterday, apparently the weather was quite a factor. Looks like 90% DN even F!

And Scott Thwaites chased him all the way home, finishing about 16 secs down, a further 15ish ahead of a small chasing group. He's 26, so that's a great audition for a World Tour team place.

Great pics of the women's Omloop...

http://www.yarak.cc/omloop

What races has Froome been in this year other than that Murdoch sponsored one? I thought he may make an appearance at Paris-Nice, but nope. Is he purposefully not riding competitive races to not peak too early?

S. Thwaites is in real form.
Be good to see him top 10 a monument.

Is he going for tirreno adriatico?

Volta Catalunya will be a right old ding dong from the looks of it

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-aru-froome-and-quintana-to-clash-in-star-studded-volta-a-catalunya/