2013 Pro-cycling season thread

On the positive side, Offredo is a great advert for the robustness of Shimano wheels :)

this.

Incidentally I did 30kph into a car with a set of fulcrums, snapping my frame in three places. Didn't even need to true them.

Offredo wins the stupid crash contest by a country mile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G1j5kPFpy8

That's not the first time he's been confused about his whereabouts.

One wonders if this is a precursor for the GTs. Contador out in front with a wall of sky riders chasing him down

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2013/03/WATSON_00003271-016-659x440.jpg

Looks like hippy has been coaching one of the elite women's teams.
https://twitter.com/adrievisser/status/320603578467246081/photo/1

She's just a beginner so we had her try one of the smaller canals first.

One wonders if this is a precursor for the GTs. Contador out in front with a wall of sky riders chasing him down

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2013/03/WATSON_00003271-016-659x440.jpg

Almost.. except Sky will be in front and Contador trying to chase them down.

Offredo wins the stupid crash contest by a country mile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G1j5kPFpy8

Only just catching up with this thread after TLC, a marshal waving a flag at that position is what's missing surely?

The marshal might lessen the impact but I'd be worried where the stick of the flag might end up.

Thor Hushovd: "Hard time out there today"

Didn't realise Thor had stacked it. On the subject of crashes; will Geraint Thomas finish a one day race without one this season? What's going on with him... just bad luck?

Just realised ^ that ain't from a crash, is it!

http://d4nuk0dd6nrma.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CORVOS_00021050-094.jpg

Ouch! Enjoyed the race, but a little bit disappointed by the result, merely because of the predictability of it, although Cancellara did ride a spectacular race. Real shame the two Quickstep riders got nobbled, they may have had some influence on the outcome, although Canc would have probably still won.

Stybar for all his wheel sucking showed exactly how you ride against Canc, Vanmarcke took too many turns at the front in the final 10k, did him far too many favours. Think we missed Sagan in this race.

Sky need to go back to school too. Riding cobbles isn't just about numbers, they may have been better off riding for Hayman rather than sticking him in the break (although they did try to get Thomas and EBH out early) as he looks their best cobbles rider. Maybe Stannard might have showed better without an early crash and puncture, but the team needs to improve in the Ardennes.

VanMarcke (sp?) should've stopped doing any work at the 8k mark. I can't believe how he was still riding in front so close to the finish line. I'd have been acting the shit out of those last kays, hoping to outsprint Fab.

The result might have been 'known' but there was no way that was a certainty and it's still great to see how it actually unfolds.

Not sure why the Belgian crowds were taking out their own riders.. or maybe they were Swiss plants, holding cameras, rather than spare wheels..

Do Sky actually give a crap about Classics? Surely their money is primarily aimed at GTs, particularly TdF where the TV coverage is immense.

8k certainly, if not before, but evey time Canc invited him forward he went, even within the last k, crazy racing, kept on asking my disinterested housemate why he was doing that. Weirdly she didn't give a shit.

And apparently Sky do care about the classics, they made a lot of fuss over the preperation for the classics team, on paper they looked strong but the reality is they haven't really threatened. Really wanted a good ride from Stannard yesterday, without the puncture then crash maybe he might have made a fist of it.

As least the classics riders look clean...

My gf was telling me to shutup I was yelling and swearing at VanM so much. I really thought he could've taken Fab down if he didn't ride like a 4th Cat with Pro legs.

Yeah, I really don't know what Fabs said to him to get him on the front. Didn't make any sense.

Wonderful set of picture from PR by Kristof Ramon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoframon/sets/72157633190474669/show/

Effort level? Nosebleed

http://d4nuk0dd6nrma.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CORVOS_00021050-092.jpg

Really feel for Van Marcke, his face on the podium at the end was gutting - even for a neutral.
On the flip side - being beaten in a sprint by Cancellara.. you are doing it wrong.

Yeah, I really don't know what Fabs said to him to get him on the front. Didn't make any sense.

I will give you half of the money if you do some work

Really feel for Van Marcke, his face on the podium at the end was gutting - even for a neutral.
On the flip side - being beaten in a sprint by Cancellara.. you are doing it wrong.

I think day in day out he would have beaten Cancellara easy.. But at the end of 265km of Paris Roubaix it's a different thing.

Think it showed who has been at the sharp end of races like this more. Cancellara got him to do half of the work in the last 10k, then outfoxed him on the velodrome himself. I think VM showed too much respect and deference to Canc and allowed him an easier win than it should have been. If the QS guys had survived maybe it would have been different.

VM looked terrified in the Velodrome. Almost like he was waiting for Fab to come round before doing anything.

Credit to him though - he buried himself to stay with Cancellara and looked almost as strong as him.

Must be incredibly frustrating racing against Cancellara - even when he's suffering like a dog, he looks like he's just riding to the tanning salon.

Sky seem to forget Classics aren't in keeping with the 'ride just under threshold for 200k' policy.

Must be incredibly frustrating racing against Cancellara - even when he's suffering like a dog, he looks like he's just riding to the tanning salon.

Mrs Brave and I were watching the highlights last night and both commenting on the lead break who must have been well happy that they had got away without Canc.. Only to turn around to see that he'd bridged.

How fucked off were they when they saw that.