Pro-cycling thread

Still can't quite believe that both Ellen Van Dijk and Christine Majerus finished after their crash. Both went down so hard.

Too much breezy chat on gcn currently.

Breezy chat while the broadcasters missed Deignan getting away, presumably hence the whole joining with 50km ish to go which made the TV viewing distinctly processional.

What should have been a great race to watch made a bit meh by the non-threat of Vos being the most exciting thing we saw happen.

Women's racing continues to be exciting, the coverage continues to be sub par.

Oh there was also the bit where the GCN commentator talked over her post race interview 🤦

I’m pretty sure all the live pictures for the race started with 50k to go and Eurosport had one of their own camera teams on the first sector of pavé to capture that moment.

Why a tv station has to take matters in their own hands and the organisers can’t see the value of capturing the first female racer hitting the first sector of pavé in the inaugural race is further proof, if we needed it, that women’s racing is an afterthought for them.

Good, now let's hope they'll make the women's race a lot longer next year.

#halftheroad

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/324363/

I thought it was an interesting race and I'm not sure at what point the experts decided Vos was a non-threat, possibly just after she'd halved the gap? It would have been more interesting still if Deignan hadn't escaped so early, perhaps, but knowing they were all racing it for the first time made it feel fresher and even less predictable than the men's race.

She obviously called it right, but (not having watched any of the race) I'd say it seems to me that the way she was able to win it showed that it was too short. This may be bollocks, of course.

Vos and Deignan's stories match pretty well. When Deignan went the others thought that Trek were putting her up the road to weaken the favourites and that one of the other Treks was supposed to win. That's why Vos let her go.

The reason that Deignan's escape wasn't filmed was a technical fault. When the coverage started it was superb. The commentary from Iris Slappendel on the motorbike was a great extra. The tension of Deignan's amazing pace and her slides on the cobbles and wondering if she could sustain it and the chase by Vos...it was edge of the seat stuff and I'm gobsmacked at some of the lukewarm opinions about it upthread.

One of the Drops-Le Col riders’ Ribble after a crash.

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The Trek Segafredo team car’s tyre didn’t fare much better.

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Sorry wasn't your post I was trying to reply to

This will do it

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I presume that will be a 6 month wait for a ribble replacement putting her out of contention for the ale run ?

Not pictured: step ladder in boot required to take bikes off roof.

Looks grim.

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I’m not sure the shit conditions will lead to a better race but it will be quite a spectacle. I think I’d rather everyone stayed safe if I’m honest.

I would ask for 38c tyres and try to get into the early break. The battle for position is going to be brutal, given the only good place to ride is the crown of the cobbles.

Amazing stat from Movistar:

https://twitter.com/movistar_team/status/1444312344872505347?s=21

I’m torn. The race is built on the ridiculous. There will be some waking up relishing the awfulness.

Surely they’ll change the route. Junior men’s race is being run in the worst of the conditions this morning.

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Looks like a gravel sportive for failed roadies. Not a fan of a wet Roubaix but I can’t wait for this.

Mons-en-Pévèle

Same for trek, 2 riders on podium, they should get rid of simmons and pump his salary into womens team

They are on disc brakes now so mechanic has plenty of time to get new bikes from roof compared to changing a wheel 😂

More evidence that tubeless is over rated.