Pro-cycling thread

Sagan was not going to win when everyone marks him. He seems to make the point of trolling the riders that mark him instead of the other contenders

But why should Alaphillipe and Valverde pull Sagan to the finish? They’ve had enough wins and have bigger targets down the line. The best way to win today was attacking the small group - Valgren was the strongest rider today.

Why should xxxx do yyyy for zzzz? Etc

How did you like the 1X setup Ed?

Sagan was not going to win when everyone marks him.

Instead, he lets two riders escape and therefor also doesn't win. Which of course is better. (???)

He seems to make the point of trolling the riders that mark him instead of the other contenders

Which accomplishes absolutely nothing. Do you think next race everybody will now work together with for Sagan, only to be outsprinted by him just before the finish line, because he 'trolled' them today?

They might chase themselves more often and quicker

Valgren was the only one with a teammate in there so hats off to Astana. If Bora or QS had two men in that final group, we might well have had another winner.

It was tactically similar to his win at Omloop.

Alternating between 65 and 120 rpm for six hours will break a man.

Interestingly Adam Blythe had a ‘mechanical’ at the commonwealth games RR. I might be reading too much into it but comments under the tweet hinted he might be fucked off with his bike.

Fuck me it's my day to be wrong or something? This is not just my opinion. It is a clear technique from multiple races - lose without wasting energy, and spite those who won't stop marking him.

This is not just my opinion. It is a clear technique from multiple races - lose without wasting energy, and spite those who won't stop marking him.

That looks remarkably like your opinion to me.

Anyway, it's not often you're cheering for an Astana rider as a break of three contest a finish.

I think he was just there on a holiday.

He was definitely racing. Presumably he could have ridden whatever bike he wanted as the Great Britain team were on those weird unbranded frames at London 2012.

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Yeah I know he races. I meant more he wasn’t really training but there just for holiday. And the old ‘got a mechanical’. But I was playing. It’s a good race for him to win.

True - it doesn’t exactly stand out on Geraint Thomas’ palmares.

I never said it wasn't my opinion, but that it was not just mine. You misinterpret that - I say I am not alone in holding this opinion, not that my opinion is anything other than what it is and claims to be.

If you are to respond in asking who else opines, then in interviews you'll find evidence - from the rider himself.

I never said it wasn't my opinion, but that it was not just mine. [...] I say I am not alone in holding this opinion, not that my opinion is anything other than what it is and claims to be.

Well, that's just your opinion, then. :)

Noticed Dunbar in the break was out of the saddle every time the road pitched up a bit. 1x is wank.

He always rides like that.

Great ride from Valgren, who's starting to make a name for himself by being strong enough to get in these moves, and then tactically astute enough to put in the killer blow...

Though the assertions that he was the strongest in that group are just plain wrong, he just about held on through the climbs and then sat on whilst others were attacking/pulling. Valverde and Alaphilippe were strongest going uphill and Sagan on the flat, hence no-one wanting to pull for him.

For all of Kirby's blabbering and bullshit, I think he made a good point, that he somewhat let Valgren and Kreuziger go - both are ex-teammates at Tinkoff. When a mountain goat like Kreuziger goes off the front to chase, it really wouldn't have taken much for Sagan to get on his wheel to close the gap.

It could’ve taken enough out of him to mean he lost the race.

Tour of the Alps caught me by surprise. Uphill finish live now on ES. Superb reason to put off starting any work for an hour.

Shame senile Kirby is ‘pon the mic.

"And Lopez comes home in second!"

No Carlton, that would be Luis Leon Sanchez... the 6'1" rider, as opposed to the 5'6" rider

@andyp that's the only logical reason why I can think he gets looked at so much, wear him down so they've got a chance in the sprint; but at this point, he's just not bothering, so they're shooting themselves in the foot.

service announcement: tro bro full race now up on tiz