Pro-cycling thread

I think there's a difference between individual teams having funding from horrible autocrats, and the entire organisation of the sport being controlled in some way by them.

If it is deployed well

This is the crux of it. Sure, the teams would love more cash and a more stable existence, but does it make the sport better?

Honestly look at how the whole Liv Golf thing went, they will use the same model. Absolute bulldoze everything else, they might make another ASO, throw insane money at riders to ride.

First thought here is do they pump up existing classics/Strade Bianche etc, or create new races in countries that typically don't host races and splash the cash on invitations and winnings? It's going the be the latter really isn't it

Which would be a real shame, being how important the history/romance of those races is to the sports appeal to many

Completely agree.

yes the game will change and we will all watch because we can’t help ourselves; includes willmelling

If we'd accepted Hammer Series we wouldn't be here

Ha, didn't know about the Hammer Series! Just shoes how hard it is to rock the status quo, as @jeff80 rightly says the history and misty-eyed factor means the classics stay the classics. And rightly so given the exciting parcours (looking at you, Roubaix) and prestige of winning one, I don't think that can be artificially created no matter the money.

F1 is probably a good/bad example of that, where fans give less of a shit about the modern circuits compared to Monaco/Silverstone et al.

Nairoman back to Movistar apparently

How do you get your news, by Pony Express?

Messi gets a million every time he mentions Saudi Arabia on social media. They can throw so much money at cycling if they want to and the teams will follow

To be completely fair, liv golf hasn't been a massive success apart from to divide professional golf and leave fans worse off. I would expect an intervention in cycling be more successful as golf is far more US-centric and they are a lot less used to foreign investment in sports and sportswashing in general.

Honestly just wish the Saudis would stop inserting themselves in the things I like. Their idea of what makes sport great is completely at odds with what fans want.

Does he get a deduction if he mentions Khashoggi … ?

No, he just gets invited to a meeting at the consulate.

This evening Jeffrey Hoogland is attacking the 1km world record in Aguascalientes (20:00 UK time). Current record holder François Pervis says he'll probably beat it by seconds. Gears used: 69 x 15. (He's even considering fitting a 70t chainwheel 🤪)

Nairo back to Movistar apparently!

They gonna stream it? Been ages since I've seen a sprinter have a pop at a record.

Quintana going back to Movistar? Has anyone heard similar rumours?

yes Dutch newspaper AD is going to stream it, you may need VPN

https://www.ad.nl/wielrennen/bekijk-de-wereldrecordpoging-van-jeffrey-hoogland-vanavond-exclusief-via-onze-site~acfaf934/

you may need VPN

Like I'm ever not using a VPN. :)

I might be out though so hopefully it goes up on YT or something.

Thanks for that!

Keep it on the DL but I'm hearing Nairo Alexánder Quintana Rojas is moving back to Movistar

Nah

Star of the Masked Singer making a return to Caisse D'Epargne?

there's a clip on this page here