2011 Pro-cycling season thread

I think the date change is a good thing for Lombardy, as it should see a higher quality field at the start line given it's proximity to the World Championships, but it may have an adverse effect on some of the lesser Italian one day races like Emilia.

I'm unsure about the date change. I like the idea of the Vuelta/Worlds/Lombardy combo, however those Italian races and maybe even Paris-Tours are going to die a death in favour of Fat Pat's Beijing money making excercise

Updated list of Sky riders who might be leaving.

Arvesen (retiring)
Gerrans (Green Edge)
Augustyn (an Italian-Polish team)
Barry (stays for another year)
Carlstrom
Cioni**
Cummings** (BMC)
Downing (has no contract for next season)
Froome (although his Vuelta performance may have saved him - it did)
Henderson (Lotto)
Knees (stays for two more years)
Lofkvist
Pauwels (Lotto)
Rogers

Giro di Lombardia today!
The P. Gilbert show again...?

So, Giro Di Lombardia predictions?

Outside bets/local interest, I think Cummings could suit this, as could Dan Martin, if he can snap the elastic at the right time.

Dan Martin crush nowhere near over yet then?

No.

I still fancy him and his lovely knee-like face.

I should have had a little bet on my man!

2nd is an excellent result!

Pah. What an anti-climatic end to the season. Monuments should be won by the big names in the sport, not some domestique whose never won a race before, especially one aged 30 whose never shown world beating form before.

Saunier Duval, Gerolsteiner, Liquigas, Leopard-Trek.

Quite a career path. squinty face

I didn't watch, but it sounds like pretty poor tactics from Gilbert?

He was gapped on the last climb, so nothing wrong with his tactics, just his legs.

Excellent stuff; BMC nearly sent sent a pre contract offer to the wrong Steve Cummings

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/10099/Russell-Downing-Interview-Skys-end-and-looking-for-a-new-team.aspx

Geox has just walked out on a signed 5 year sponsorship deal

Whilst I think it's bad that a sponsor can walk away from it's commitments, I do find it very amusing that the it's Mauro Gianetti who's been stiffed by it. What goes around, comes around.

I bet Guiseppe Saronni is pissing himself tonight.

Win a grand tour and then walk away? Because they never got World Tour last year or because they know something we don't?

Anyone see this?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/drugsinsport/8835036/Clenbuterol-positives-due-to-meat-contamination-gives-fresh-hope-to-Callum-Priestley-and-Alberto-Contador.html

Clenbuterol is widely used in the beef industry in the Americas. It is banned for use in cattle in the EU. The onus is on Contador to prove contamination, which so far he has singularly failed to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Z9rKTwrP1t8#t=723s

Oh, Frank and Andy.

Clenbuterol is widely used in the beef industry in the Americas. It is banned for use in cattle in the EU. The onus is on Contador to prove contamination, which so far he has singularly failed to do.

Agreed. I'm hoping it wont affect the ruling on Contador but I can see it being used as a way to delay the case...

I assume the case against Callum Priestley could now be contested as well.

Clenbuterol is widely used in the beef industry in the Americas. It is banned for use in cattle in the EU. The onus is on Contador to prove contamination, which so far he has singularly failed to do.

It's also soccerballers who've tested positive, and as we know there's no doping in Football.

That's true. Football is skill based and superior fitness or performance has no effect on the outcome of games.

I wonder if there's so much money behind Cav now (Sky, Specialized, Nike, Oakley etc), that like Armstrong and Soccerballers, he can't now test posititve*

*Don't actually believe he dopes of course, just in theory if he wanted to.

Why would he want to when he doesn't need to?

Strange question

It's a question about the position of Cav in the wide world of sports. Has he reached the untouchable level of Armstrong and Soccerballers ?

Sorry, was going to go off on a different tangent there.

http://cyclismas.com/2011/11/team-7-eleven-the-wonder-years-part-1-of-a-series/

nice read