2012 Pro-cycling season thread

easy peasy...

Why were most of the guys not using TT bikes today? Hills and wind?

question + answer :-)

sadly all Rabobank men rode a bad tt, all but LL dropped out of the GC's top 10 whereas they did very well before today

^^ I think Thomas may have missed the TDF team, even if he wasn't focused on the Olympics. Great to see Wiggins taking on every stage race he enters. Success breeds success.

easy peasy...

Why were most of the guys not using TT bikes today? Hills and wind?

Surely not wind?? I don't remember the details but TT bikes are designed to give aerodynamic benefits across a range of yaw angles. I didn't see it and maybe it was windy in the extreme but I'm pretty sure aero kit (of one guise or another) trumps road kit in almost all wind conditions.

If you are all aeroed out and there are heavy cross winds for alot of the course then surely aero will have a dubious advantage. There was a big thing last season (?) when Wiggo switched from those long aero TT helmets to his current ones for this very reason...
#notanexpert
#probablybullshit

I know next to nothing about aerodynamics, but I thought the benefits only kicked on above a certain speed. Would you be reaching those in a mountain time trial?

Iljo Keisse... what a legend! Ghent would've be going nuts.

Bloody Wiggo.. stage and the overall. Greenedge doing nothing. I'm gonna lose this aren't I?

Greenedge's chainrings are too round. Their chains stays on, but they're still too slow.

They're too green, and on edge.

Britain's former drugs cheats can compete at London 2012 after a court overturned the British Olympic Association's policy of handing out lifetime bans, BBC Sport has learned.
The BOA has lost its battle with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
It means the likes of sprinter Dwain Chambers, 34, and cyclist David Millar, 35, can try to qualify for Team GB.
Cas is expected to formally announce its decision at 1500 BST on Monday.
Athletes will still have to reach the Olympic qualifying standard to be considered for selection.

They're too green, and on edge.

Edges vs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOonBpgAE34
. This is getting ridiculous, Team Blob for 2013?

pretty classy by Sky: 3 stage wins, 2 riders in yellow, 3 in the top five, overall GC winner and even had the world champion lead the peleton on a big climb,which was surreal. Cav was there for the mileage I assume,ahead of the Giro? Get some mountains into his legs, because he was never going to win a stage.

Evans two minutes back, but I don't know what to read into that. Looking good for Sky so far

Older Schleckett to lead RSN at Giro: even after Johan witch doctor confirmed he isn't. Sad to see this after the good season Leopard Trek had.

The Schlecks have been even more anonymous this year than normal. Must be some serious out of competition preperation Bruyneel has organised for them prior to the TdF

Britain's former drugs cheats can compete at London 2012 after a court overturned the British Olympic Association's policy of handing out lifetime bans, BBC Sport has learned.
The BOA has lost its battle with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
It means the likes of sprinter Dwain Chambers, 34, and cyclist David Millar, 35, can try to qualify for Team GB.
Cas is expected to formally announce its decision at 1500 BST on Monday.
Athletes will still have to reach the Olympic qualifying standard to be considered for selection.

Really!?

chances of SKy lowering their fence for Millar? discussed with other cycling buffs at a client's. Points made:

• Millar is a great road captain, Sky need one
  
• Millar has a financial intrest in slipstream who own the UCI license for Garmin
  
• Millar stands to gain by staying with Vaughters and crafting the future of cycling, possibly away from UCI and ASO.
  
  
  

discuss.

No chance. Millar will end his career with Garmin.

Why do Sky need a road captain? They've got experienced riders like Flecha, Barry and Eisel who can take on this role.

Apparently Geraint Thomas was road captain for Paris-Nice.

And look how badly that turned out.

No chance. Millar will continue his career off the bike with Garmin.

ftfy

Roche has always been a bit of an ungracious curmudgeon about anyone who rode after he retired but this?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/stephen-roche-were-trying-to-upgrade-the-image-of-cycling

One of his three main concerns about cycling is riders unzipping their jerseys.

I agree with him...

"You should be getting back on as fast as possible and then realise your shoulder is broken. They aren’t getting back on straight away, they’re waiting because they know there's a car to tow them back on. Its not ethically right, it’s a form of cheating and it confuses the public."

the dirty cheating gull-winged bastards. medical attention? at the finish line you pansies.

Family squabble?

"Naughty boy!"

"Dad, you hypocrite!"

"Erm, what are you talking about. Quick - look over there..."

"See, I always zip up, son. Especially when it's yellow. Oh, you wouldn't know about that now, would you."

Grim reading from the tour of Korea.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/04/rider-diaries/lee-rodgers-diary-tour-of-korea-stage-5-marred-by-multiple-crashes-sketchy-support_215643?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150692672942816_21288850_10150695983327816#post-comments