Pro-cycling thread

If something seems too good to be true...

If it makes the Rapha livery SuperSix Evos drop in price I'm all for their relegation. Not sure Carapaz would be too happy tho

Serious drugs

Lafevere at his best questioning WVA injury - even more like Bennett 2021

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-questions-van-aerts-knee-injury/

Great finish in French champs too, some very panache racing https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OlPQYFR-uyg

Well yeah but one would assume anyone racing at that level has and is tested.

It's quite the rise though. I can't think of many other people to make such a step at that age.

Cc @Sumo

So someone 2nd or third is allegedly on the juice ? Any evidence or facts.

No none. And I wasn't saying that. Im just curious about such a rise.

His name is alexander richardson if you want to look him up. I remember racing with him, he was a nice guy but a bit rogue on a bike due to lack of experience. This was 6 or so years ago now.

Only if they're winning things. Otherwise it's just domestic level racing, dude could be deep in PEDs as long as its not in his blood on race day. Guy decides to quit working in banking and throws money at becoming a pro cyclist with no history of racing. Some short months later he's beating people who have been doing it since they were 12. Nah.

He was a good junior tennis player which hints at some athletic ability before funding himself going full time and buying an oxygen tent etc.

It’s not beyond the realms of possibility to do what he’s done with the obvious caveat that we’re all entitled to be suspicious.

This bases itself on a possibly false, and sadly unprovable assumption- the theory that years trained as a child outweigh years trained as an adult.
Whilst there is obviously no good science, there is significant anecdotal evidence that this is a fallacy.
Add to this the amount he trains- have a look at his Strava, it is bonkers- and the guy is clearly dedicated.
No amount of money makes up for those hours in the saddle, and the fact that he can, and probably has self-funded this far is not something to discredit him by.

I'm not going to dive into the doping question. I think the complexity of professional sport is too great, and frankly a suspension of disbelief makes the whole thing enjoyable to watch again. [Any sport]

Soler in the UAE team selection for the Tour. Chaos mode engaged.

He’s ridden for One Pro, Canyon and Alpecin Fenix. So probably tested a few times, and clearly has an engine.

A previous career as a stockbroker doesn’t do his trustworthiness any favours, neither does his financial ability to throw money at the cycling problem. But don’t think that being disliked makes you more likely to be doping?

The guy is clearly a wanker

Which obviously doesn't mean he is a doper.

What is interesting is that he has had a meteoric rise but only does well when left to his own devices, he never lasts long in teams. Now that could be due to his personality!

What those guys just stop training when they hit 18? You know what PEDs are really good for? Recovery, letting you train a lot more than you'd otherwise be able to. Dude went from full time stock broker, not exactly a job known for it's short hours, to pro conti level in a year. I don't buy it. Also he's got all the stuff about being dropped from One Pro Cycling removed from Google. We've been through this before https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/167432/?offset=7525#14233775

If only we could separate the man from the game he's playing

Back to racing.... does anyone know the story of the Eritrean champs? Looks like Tesfazion gifted it to Kudus for some reason even though they are on different teams?

We've been through this before https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/1674­32/?offset=7525#14233775

What happened to Arlen? Is the circle now complete and he's a stockbroker?

Haha, wondered if RPR might get a mention.

I doubt AR is/was doping, I knew a few people who rode with him when he was a Cat1/Elite prior to contract and he just rode crazy volume by amateur standards (25-30 hour weeks, every ride 100km+).

Clearly he's got work ethic and half decent genes, and has gone all in for Nats, particularly as he's out of contract.

Funnily enough he seemed to give up racing the year after eyebrows were raised.

Judging by this
https://www.instagram.com/p/CekcaSyp2md/
I'd say he's gone to the other side of the world to find another park to ride laps of

Het Nieuwsblad reporting that Alaphillipe won’t be in the Quick Step Tour team. The full team line up will be announced later today.

Cav!!!

The same Het Nieuwsblad article says no place for Cavendish either.

Leferve is not going to take two sprinters to the Tour.

Why