Pro-cycling thread

Something tells me he's still going to get very familiar with the taste of piss.

I really hope not. Take the piss by all means, but don’t throw it.

To be fair, French winemakers have caught up a lot with new world producers in the last ten years.

Nobody likes to see it, but it happened before he'd raised an AAF so it's quite likely to happen now.

Ha! What a blow to all the haters.
Also, really, really bad timing from ASO with that notification yesterday (or whenever), puts them in a horrible PR light IMO. Not that anyone involved has seen a very positive PR light in this case...

And the UCI have just confirmed Froome has been cleared of any wrongdoing, keeps his Vuelta and Giro wins and is free to ride the Tour.

I'd love to see the expression on Bernard Hinault's face when he gets that bit of news.

Actual real lol.

ASO can only reject an application to race when they have received it, which is why they claim to not have been able to block Frome earlier.

Ahh, so Froome found at last week then?

Just had a look at L'Equipe's take on this.

Safe to say the comments were universally scathing of the UCI and derisory of Froome.

I think the decision is pretty fair given the doubts over testing, even if it's unfair on others who were banned and didn't benefit from the same and will rightly be fucked off, but how this needs to take so long to resolve I don't know-it's really not helpful.

Also, really, really bad timing from ASO with that notification yesterday (or whenever), puts them in a horrible PR light IMO.

Strikes me as win/win for ASO. They get to wave their "look at us and our impeccable anti-doping morals" flag, and drum up some publicity for their race. Now Froome has been cleared to race by the UCI, they can welcome him back into the fold, no problem.

According to the report in the Grauniad, the UCI were made aware of WADA's position on the 28th. I'd be amazed if ASO hadn't got wind of this before they put out their statement.

The timing of the ASO announcement looks petty, particularly if you believe they knew the outcome already. If not, the UCI probably did things right.

If the UCI managed to keep the process confidential this time and gave the decision to Froome and his team without notifying the press and race organisers, they've done their job.

In normal situations, the UCI wouldn't even put out a press release on a AAF case, so don't see why they should let ASO know.

How come no one ever questions Hinault about his doping infraction when he pontificates on the subject?

If you can't tell the difference between amphetamine, steroid and oxygen vector doping you should hush your mouth?

Because the French press give Hinault free reign to pontificate on issues he clearly doesn't understand without challenging him either on his own past or on his understanding of the issues.

Apologies to @andyp et al.

Egan is in the tour team! Mad.

Incredible recovery from Luke Rowe. Guess they need his cobble experience.

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Rowe is a good road captain too, and can do the grunt work on the flat.

So impressive to be back to top level after the broken leg so quick.

3T Strada Due announced. Absolute fucking lols.

#1xisdead

Recommendations of where to station ourselves to watch stage 9 (arras - Roubaix). Will be with wife and toddler so somewhere not too mad, but ideally cobbly and close-ish to arras where we are staying.

You have a car? Mons-en-Pévèle not too far from Arras and on the sportive earlier this year was a very good sector between main roads.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44694122

All the Froomehound data for the Giro. Haz linkz to full docs.

his highest heart rate rate up the Finestre was 159bpm!

And his resting heart rate is 32...
Heart the size of a blue whale!

I thought it would be lower and it probably is after a few days rest rather than 19 stages of a tour but its still ridiculously low.

Loosing weight while racing sounds mental as well.