Pro-cycling thread

With Lefrevre talking about legal action - however pie in the sky that might be - lawyers might well have advised him, or the team, not to say anything that looks like an admission of liability. There's no reason to think Groenewegen doesn't feel awful about it. And I'm not sure I remember any other sprinter apologising after they got disqualified. It's not fair to judge just on the outcome.

It could be interpreted as a non-apology - 'I'm sorry you're hurt' rather than 'I'm sorry what I did hurt you'. But equally it could be a well-intentioned expression of genuine remorse worded rather badly. I've no idea. If it was a politician - 'I'm sorry you feel offended' - then I'd assume the worst. But given that it's a pro cyclist currently in hospital having had his collarbone plated, I'll reserve judgment.

Tao looked very good up that last climb in Tour de L'Ain

Roglic is an absolute hard man tho

It would be quite something if he went to the Tour and Froome didn't.

Impressive finish in Poland. Not sure it was intentional, but the way they showed it on the live broadcast, without having the finish line in view, added a lot of suspense!

Has a Forum-er been to the TDF before? Huge LFGSS representation

I have a feeling that wiggo is among y'all

Doctors confirm: Jakobsen is awake, can move his limbs, is breathing independently and can communicate

Jumbo Visma/Groenewegen statement is here:

https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/news/news/statement-team-jumbo-visma-crash-tour-of-poland/

Quickstep have said Jacobsen is out of the induced coma

Doctors confirm: Jakobsen is awake, can move his limbs, is breathing independently and can communicate

Good news. Hopefully more to follow.

Jumbo Visma/Groenewegen statement is here:

https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/news/news­/statement-team-jumbo-visma-crash-tour-o­f-poland/

Seems like a pretty fulsome apology. Not sure they could really say any more. The 'unintentional' bit is solely about the consequences, and it seems reasonable to assume that Groenewegen wouldn't have intended to cause significant injuries, even if the move itself probably was intentional.

What’s everyone’s pick for MSR?

A 5 hour nap followed by an unpickable super domestique on good form

Well I’m going Gaviria.

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Maybe it'll be a bit better this year with the changed route. But full disclosure as I have young kids it's never been the race to cash in my Dad Wants to Watch the Cycling All Afternoon brownie points

https://nos.nl/artikel/2343250-geemotioneerde-groenewegen-ik-heb-spijt-en-hoop-het-beste-voor-fabio.html

You don't have to speak the language to understand how he is feeling.

I’m going Gilbert for the history.

There's so many unknowns and so many people who could win.

I'm going with Kwiatkowski.

Caleb Ewan or Arnoud Demare.

How is this situation best moved forward? Harsher outcomes for drifting off your line wont stop these incidents from occurring. Seems the physical infrastructure and course planning must be held to a higher standard. Downhill sprints seem an unnecessary inclusion.

EDIT: Ban sprints all together, winner is decided by bike throw instead.

Also going with WVA for MSR.

Bettiol because he looked on fire last week and six man teams mean the stronger teams won't be able to hide behind their domestiques for most of the race.

I think pushing someone into a barrier is always going to end badly, it didn't help in this case that they seemed to come unlinked and flew in to the rest of the riders but even if it was a solid wall the rider being pushed could easily cause a pile up after impact.

So yes some of the set up could have been better but the only thing that would have stopped this situation being as bad as it was is if they sprinted in a straight line.

Sure if the barrier is solid. I’ve never had the sense that they are designed in anyway to improve crash outcomes above simple separation from the crowd. Indeed the feet to these barriers often cause crashes. Seems fairly negligent.

MVDP for MSR.

WvA or Alaphilippe. Would love Sags to get it but just not sure he can.

Bernal is the only Ineos rider that can hang on to the Jumbo train well more specifically the Bennett freight train.