Pro-cycling thread

Can someone explain why, say, 180km wouldn't be enough?

Finally Tommy V has won a world champs. Every time I see JA it makes me think that he’s had some sort of Tommy takeover these days.

Also echoing this. It's not as if the first 50-60km are smashy and therefor decisive, just cut that 'warming up' bit out. 200km would be okay.

Very pleased for JA but absolutely mad 4 Hirschi atm

Because.

Send Paris Roubaix straight to the cobbles.

Cut the first 240km of Milan San Rémo so it’s two climbs and a sprint.

That’s just making it too easy for Van Aert. Imagine how he would be if was actually fresh...

The length of the world champs and classics often find the strongest cyclist, not necessarily the best climber or the best sprinter.
Which is why one day racers are a special category, those who seem to excel when the days are cold and hard, and always at the pointy end of these races.

Couldn’t agree more. A proper hard man like Kristoff wouldn’t have two monuments without long races.

Can someone explain why, say, 180km wouldn't be enough?

It’s to the benefit of variety in the calendar that it’s different to regular day races, national championships etc, with different winners.

It seems appropriate the biggest title is also amongst the hardest of races.

Kwiatkowski, not far off, capable of doing the same kind of attacks as Alan Philips

Probably not really. I think maybe only GVA (a couple of years ago) or classic Gilbert ... or maybe a pinging Roglic come close to replicating Mr Phillip’s moves.

Agreed. He's hardly an elegant rider but that final attack was damned punchy. Much as I would've liked to have seen WvA win it, Alan Phillip deserved it with that ride.

Would have loved to see MVDP in today's race. Looking forward to the autumn classics!

and what a ride from Bernal

Apparently alan Philip big ringed it up up that 15% bit on the final climb.

Ahem Valverde/Voldermort

The autumn spring classics!

Can’t wait.

Vintage Valverde?

I’m not referring to an era of his racing. I think we should just call him that.

(forum's most hated rider)

I've been no fan of his strops and silly moves over the last three months but he rode yesterday wonderfully and really deserved the win - I'd not have wanted to be facing up against Van Aert and the belgian team.
1 day alan phillip >>>>> gt alaphillipe

Send Paris Roubaix straight to the cobbles.

Cut the first 240km of Milan San Rémo so it’s two climbs and a sprint.

This is the future liberals want

It really isn’t. The Worlds and the five monuments are very rarely won by anyone other than the best riders of the era. That’s because only the very best riders are able to make race winning moves when the distant reaches 250 kms.

Milan-San Remo is a great case on point; it’s often said it is the easiest monument to finish but the hardest to win. If you look at the list of winners there are very, very few lucky winners, it’s mainly the best riders of each era.

i guess the exception to the rule is Errrrrnaud Démarre ? :)

The Worlds and the five monuments are very rarely won by anyone other than the best riders of the era. That’s because only the very best riders are able to make race winning moves when the distant reaches 250 kms.

This, this and once more, this.

Look at how many hitters were getting shelled on that last lap. It's all well and good having a phenomenal FTP or whatever but when it all kicks off after 6 hard hours, only a tiny amount of riders can go. Which makes WVA's ride even more impressive IMO. Normally takes a good few years to build that resilience

Take all your talk of shorter races to the Track thread you bunch of blouses.

I couldn't believe there wasn't a decisive break with 20 to go. Was there no stupid big climb repeated 27 times to get rid of the fodder?

That was a ridic launch from Alan Phillip. Good effort.

Van Der Poel bonked hard with about 30km to go in 2019.
Wout is a couple of years ahead in classics resilience I think, just much more grand tour/classics racing in his legs.

I think of you can finish first, third and sixth in Milan-San Remo you are worthy of respect.