Giro 2011

Just reading about Tiralongo in the cycling press this morning. This was his first pro win in 12 years! I mean, fucking hell! How do you keep motivated, helping others win without any glory for yourself, for 12 years? I've nothing but respect for the bloke. What a great feeling it must be, winning a stage at the Giro, and getting a lead out from the pink jersey!

didn't know that. delighted for him.

It is something of a Spanish code, in grand tours. Keep the overall, gift wins. I think of Contador as a drug cheat, but as a sportsman, his behaviour today was exemplary. It was a classic gift for past service. It's something I love about cycling. I know others might not agree, but it's my opinion.

absolutely, a bit of loyalty to your former domestique when no longer on the same team, nice to see.

Just reading about Tiralongo in the cycling press this morning. This was his first pro win in 12 years! I mean, fucking hell! How do you keep motivated, helping others win without any glory for yourself, for 12 years? I've nothing but respect for the bloke. What a great feeling it must be, winning a stage at the Giro, and getting a lead out from the pink jersey!

Dont forget, they get paid to ride bikes. Dont know if he has one, but feeding family would probably be his motivation.

It is something of a Spanish code, in grand tours. Keep the overall, gift wins. I think of Contador as a drug cheat, but as a sportsman, his behaviour today was exemplary. It was a classic gift for past service. It's something I love about cycling. I know others might not agree, but it's my opinion.
i like the sportsmanship offered by contrador, but question whether this is trying to say.. look i'm a decent guy, surely you can't suspect me of any wrong-doing. oh and by the way, if i'd known schlek had a mechanical last year, i'd have offered him one of my DS or given him one of the (my) stage wins too..

#beingfartoocynicalthesedaystoappreciatekindnessamongtehprocyclingworld

^ on kindness: just yesterday I saw the report of the stage of the TdF in 1980 again, when Johan van de Velde caused the yellow jersey wearing Joop Zoetemelk to fall. See what happened: the rest of the bunch stood on their pedals and rode away like crazy. No one complained, Joop bit his teeth and rode (climbed!) back to the group

YouTube - ‪Tour de France 1980.Pra-Loup‬‏

and all this talk of doping; who really thinks Contador would risk it, in this Giro, TdF or any other tour, after the clenbuterol 'zero zero zero zero zero' etc. circus?

i like the sportsmanship offered by contrador, but question whether this is trying to say.. look i'm a decent guy, surely you can't suspect me of any wrong-doing. oh and by the way, if i'd known schlek had a mechanical last year, i'd have offered him one of my DS or given him one of the (my) stage wins too..

#beingfartoocynicalthesedaystoappreciatekindnessamongtehprocyclingworld

But he did do exactly that on the Tourmalet?

absolutely, a bit of loyalty to your former domestique when no longer on the same team, nice to see.

It warms my cold dead heart it does

]

That's a great picture to send in to Viz's 'Up The Arse' Corner, a selection of amusing images where the people involved look like they are indulging in a spot of bumming.

Loving the flagrant cheating on the part of the AG2R rider on the course at the moment (Montaguti??). Sat right on the tail of the Liquigas rider for a few kms, backed off a bit after a bollocking from the commissaire but next shot he's right back on there!

Dont forget, they get paid to ride bikes. Dont know if he has one, but feeding family would probably be his motivation.

Pro cyclists are feeding their families, true, but they also have dreams. He'll have spent twelve years dreaming of a win. He didn't start out as a pro with the aim of flogging his guts out on the lower slopes of a mountain so that others can win. He will have started out hoping for a win in the Tour or the Giro.

That dream came true thanks to a little help from Berty. It might have been the high point of the Giro for me, that and the Cavendish wins.

It's the traditions and etiquette of the sport that really make it for me, and actually eclipse the drug taking. Tiralongo will be riding for Berty next season (If he's not banned) and he will crucify himself all the more on the mountains.

Yeah, that was *special**

*Graham and the Colonel

probably the wrong spot for this, but not sure it deserves a whole thread of its own.

anyone know the rider line ups for the Tour of Switzerland, that starts 11th june, righht now all I can find out is that it's got three mountaintop finishes and Franck Schleck will probably competing.

Anyone else know anything else..

Check this out - http://www.tds.ch/tourdesuisse/fr/

As it's still two weeks away the startlist is very vague, but any Tour contender who isn't riding the Dauphiné will likely be riding the Tour of Switzerland.

just went through the list of teams and riders in the dauphiné and the only names I recognise are Evans, Vinkourov, Farrar, Voeckler, Wiggins and Basso,

which leaves what Contador, the Schleck brothers, Cancellara, though he'll probably just be in it for the TT, Millar (tour contender?) and thats as far as my knowledge will stretch..

As with Corny I'm unsure whether this is the appropriate thread but I'm driving from Pisa to Spoleto through Tuscany/Umbria. Was wondering whether there are any giro-centric pretty areas I should aim for enroute?

I heard an interview with Cancellara just after he got beaten by Wiggins at Byern Rundfahrt, he said he was excited about racing the TT in switzerland so he's in (guess it's a bit predictable since it's his home tour)