Pro-cycling thread

Reminds me that I had a dream last night that I was at Tao's house, wanting, for some reason, to dry a pair of jeans. I was there on my own, wondering how I would explain this if he came back.

Enough of the Hammer yammer; Critérium du Dauphiné starts Sunday

With operation Puerto rearing its head again whats the chance valverde will keep a low profile and sit on a wheel for a little bit longer.

Is it possible for him to spend more time on a wheel?

For those with time to spare this afternoon, it's being broadcast via Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hammerseries/vi­deos/435450043476978/

For anyone who is interested, this link doesn't appear to work... it's just a perpetual loop saying that the live feed will be starting soon.

It is working on the GCN Youtube channel here though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIruK8JkJ24

@taogeogheganhart off the front!

The livestream on the Hammer Series facebook page also works

I'm surprised to see Betancur taking it so seriously.

Maybe he wins his weight in chocolate or something.

Elite group!

Commentary is awful though

Ouch @taogeogheganhart down and out of the break.

Just saw that. Looked mightily pissed off with himself.

babestation looks a little off this afternoon

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He's actually quite gaunt at the moment so he wouldn't win much chocolate. If he's at Suisse he's worth a punt on a stage or two this being contract year for him.

Thankfully he looked OK, but he's going to have to finish if he wants to keep his points.

Could he be a surprise package at the Tour? Would be top lols if him, Quintana and Valverde were all scrapping it out for leadership.

A disciplined Betancur would win LBL or Lombardia in his career, in my opinion.

Not for the overall no way.

Why not? He's finished 5th in the Giro and is still young. If someone can give him the right environment he'd flourish.

Four years ago... Best finish since is 20th, with a DNF and 158th thrown in. If I was a DS I don't think I'd take a punt on him given his strange no-shows and starting every season twice the weight he was after the Vuelta, but that said, if he's going to do well anywhere it should be Movistar so fingers crossed he recaptures something of his younger self

He's got talent to burn, you just need to work with him so his head is right for 11 months of the year.

I'd take a punt if I was running a team.

Make Betancur Great Again

other riders don't come with that baggage tho, and most have a lot more professionalism and discipline if not the potential-if he goes tits up at Movistar you've got to wonder who else will take him in the hope that he'll buck a four year trend because the longer it goes on a 5th place at the Giro looks like it'll be the high water mark of his career.

...well and winning Paris-Nice a stone overweight but yeah, you're right.

He won Paris-Nice the year after, no?

Anyway, I understand the points you're making, I just think if a team could create an environment where he was focused he'd be one of the best riders in the world. I'm not sure Movistar is that team, but, equally, I don't know which team would be.