Pro-cycling thread

Geoffrey Soupe to take a stage. solo break

Ineos' Leonardo Basso positive for Covid-19, despite being asymptomatic. Moscon, Puccio and Ganna all have to quarantine for 14 days;

https://www.teamineos.com/article/team-ineos-withdraw-riders-from-italian-national-championships

Did that mean if another tests positive then they are out?

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/21/tour-de-france-teams-will-be-expelled-if-two-members-test-positive-for-covid-cycling?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&__twitter_impression=true

I don't think so, but it's not clear to me how this all works. As I understand it, the teams identify a Tour team 'bubble' and the people in that shouldn't have any physical contact with other riders on the team outside that bubble. As Basso, Moscon, Ganna and Puccio aren't in the Ineos Tour bubble they shouldn't have been in contact with those who are.

However, Carapaz, who is now in the Tour team but wasn't until less than a week ago, raced with some of them last Saturday at Lombardy, so it isn't clear what his situation is.

Surprise: Annemiek van Vleuten did not finish 1st, Anna van der Breggen won the Dutch Nationals. All eyes will be on MVDP for the men's title this afternoon.

That was Van Der Breggen’s first National title I believe? She now has the full set; National, European, World and Olympic.

Feel for Herrada today.

French RR on... good so far.

German Cross Champion Marcel Meisen outsprints Pascal Ackermann in mass sprint for national champion win.

Great last 5-10km in the French race.

Anyone got a good link to a recap or last 40km of the Dutch mens race?

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7vqjyv

True. And anyone who is living an entirely 100% carbon neutral non-fossil fuel dependent lifestyle is entirely free to castigate them for that. God knows I don't qualify for a ride on that particular high horse though.

Absolutely. Ineos is a company that responds to consumer demand (see making hand sanitiser since the pandemic) and if people in Britain didn't love driving around on their overweight arses so much we wouldn't need so much petrol. But they have fingers in just about every pie.

My friend was working for them until recently - designing wind turbine blades.

I would be more concerned about their poor environmental and safety record for their production plants than the fracking thing (although I am against it).

If you’re interested in protesting fracking then the social engagement, sponsorship etc by fracking companies is an obvious and logical target.

Anybody know when the British RR champs are taking place? The BC website is still saying 20th of June.

The BC site in a PR in April says they were provisionally planning for 23rd August (in-line with UCI and other federations), however they also say that they will continue to follow government advice which looks like was a 'No'. No notice that they were formally cancelled.
It appears GB are sending a team to the European championships in France this week so there is some racing to watch whilst waiting for the tour :) There are U23 and Elite categories for men and women in road and TT. I assume they will have to isolate if they live in the UK on their return?

Thanks. Not a very exciting watch. Looks like any cross race where MVDP is on the start line

Not enough eyes on MVDP, he still got away to win. Interesting that Jumbo-Visma’s strength is based mainly on non-Dutch riders.

All eyes, no brains or legs ;-)

Thanks. That sounds like BC alright.

yeah, but any race with Jan Wilhelm Van Schipp in worth a watch. Totally my latest man crush.

Here's a brilliant dutch race to make up for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaR0I0n5Czw

396w over 180km

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Anyone live in Italy? I presume that Rai will show the Giro this year but do you need to sign up to an account to watch it or is viewable without one? (I know it's usually geo restrricted so planning on using a VPN to get around that bit).

That normalised is ludicrous...

So is the FTP number. If the TSS is correct, his FTP is 457 watts.

If one assumes that NP=average power, which it won't be. Still must be a massive number though.