Pro-cycling thread

just google 'Tony Martin Grip Tape Saddle' and you'll see... : /

I think he's mentally strong enough to cope, should he lose the Dauphine.

I'd doubt it. He's won the tour 3 times, he knows he's good.

But you're right about winning the daupine before each tour he's won.

http://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/Christopher_Froome

Porte is having a great year so far, his form seems to be consistent, which he's lacked before.

I really would love to see him challenge at the tour.

Any chance Froome has sacrificed some of his TT ability to be even stronger in the mountains? More explosiveness?

He's looked to Dumoulin for explosiveness in the mountains #tiredjoke

It's what he did in 2015.

he's just not raced much this year compared to previous ones i think.

sad to see Viviani's not too happy in the news today, he's definitely be better at another more sprint-oriented team tho

Valverde in 3rd on the TT?

Stage 4 Results
1 PORTE, Richie (BMC) 28:07
2 MARTIN, Tony (KAT) + 12
3 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOV) + 24
4 CLEMENT, Stef (TLJ) + 28
5 HAGA, Chad (SUN) + 32
6 SÜTTERLIN, Jasha (MOV)
7 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TFS) + 35
8 FROOME, Christopher (SKY) + 37
9 DE GENDT, Thomas (LTS) + 42
10 BOOKWALTER, Brent (BMC) + 45
11 HERRADA LOPEZ, Jesus (MOV) + 48
12 OOMEN, Sam (SUN) + 50
13 IMPEY, Daryl (ORS) + 55
14 LATOUR, Pierre Roger (ALM) + 59
15 POLITT, Nils (KAT) + 1:00
16 TALANSKY, Andrew (CDT)
17 ULISSI, Diego (UAD) + 1:01
18 GALLOPIN, Tony (LTS) + 1:03
19 YATES, Simon (ORS)
20 ROCHE, Nicholas (BMC) + 1:04
21 HOWSON, Damien (ORS) + 1:09
22 BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald (DDD) + 1:10
23 SICARD, Romain (DEN) + 1:12
24 BUCHMANN, Emanuel (BOH)
25 HAIG, Jack (ORS) + 1:14
26 MARTIN, Daniel (QST) + 1:18
27 ARU, Fabio (AST)
28 FUGLSANG, Jakob (AST) + 1:19
29 VERMEULEN, Alexey (TLJ) + 1:21
30 BENOOT, Tiesj (LTS) + 1:23

Impressive ride from Haga. Enjoying some post Giro form.

de gent did well to keep his losses down... be nice for him to hold out for the overall but don't see it happening.

I also had to go and look Jascha Sutterlin up...

Nice to see young pro and hometown boy Sam Oomen steady in the top 10, curious as to how he will do in the mountains amongst the top contenders. Bring on Friday and Mont du Chat! It's a gruesome thing, rode there in 2011, 4 of the last 5 kms before the summit are well above 10% - ouch

How does bumpy skinsuit work vs UCI rules?

Would hazard a guess that other teams have caught up with Sky's approach to aero testing which will have closed that gap somewhat.

Still reckon Froome's sandbagging so he's seen as less of a threat in the tour though. It's like BC, don't bother for the track world but pull everything out of the bag for the Olympics.

Having to watch the ITV highlights, which aren't bad in themselves, even with Millar, but fuck me, the advert breaks are incessant.
If Froome is off form then Porte would be a great winner of the Tour.

Switched over to ITV4 for the highlights and caught the end of the motorbikes. Sobering stuff, three of them nutters died doing their sport. Those guys should get F1 pay.

IOM TT highlights I presume.
It's tragic.

But I love motorbike road racing.

Froome rumoured to be going to BMC.

Fuck knows why, awful team.

For real? Link?

Maybe he misses his mate.

It's in L'Equipe.

William Fotheringham on twitter, quoting a story from today's l'Equipe.

they've given up on teejay so soon ?

That would be interesting. Hope it's true.