2013 Pro-cycling season thread

Mark Cavendish: ‏
Shame that negative thinkers can't see the good atmosphere at dinner with @opqscyclingteam. Criticism & praise work equally for success.

..

He's been a bit of a twat everytime he opens his mouth recently. He's been banging on how much he loves OPQS, how much more relaxed it is, how he's been able to enjoy his cycling again after Sky were so mean to him for a season, paying him a couple of million, then:

The reason he's been the dominant sprinter in the sport for the past 5 years is because he sets himself very high standards and expects those around him to do the same. OPQS didn't hire him to come fifth, so the team management will understand that they need to iron out the kinks in the lead out train now, when the stakes are relatively low, so that come the major races the chances of winning are improved.

I don't see what he said is in any way controversial, just a statement of what happened. (As I watched the final kilometres I thought he looked too far back to be in contention for the win).

Good interview with Dario Cioni here about Sky and Wiggins;

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/03/analysis/cioni-qa-skys-transparency-wiggins-and-winning-tours_277210

The reason he's been the dominant sprinter in the sport for the past 5 years is because he sets himself very high standards and expects those around him to do the same. OPQS didn't hire him to come fifth, so the team management will understand that they need to iron out the kinks in the lead out train now, when the stakes are relatively low, so that come the major races the chances of winning are improved.

I don't see what he said is in any way controversial, just a statement of what happened. (As I watched the final kilometres I thought he looked too far back to be in contention for the win).

It was more the whinging about Sky I was alluding to, of which he has done a fair bit. Fair enough if he doesn't think the train was good enough, but as I said, the grass isn't always greener....

"Brad has always been Brad, so that is part of Brad"

Lotto Belisol have the robo hats on today in TA

^ library picture not TA

Good Paris-Nice today..

Indeed, well done by Porte, loved Talansky's style as well

very disappointed in former Dutch climbing stages/GC hope Gesink, finishing at 4 minutes behind :-(

*please note I did not spoil the days stage for everyone this time

Really good Tirreno Adriatico today!

Cavendish's mood is not going improve. Looked a little like Frankenstein's monster Peter Sagan squeezed him out of the sprint.

^ spoiler alert

What's the rule in here? Should there be a time limit after which discussion is okay, but before is not? So, post evening highlights?

I forgot to avoid twitter, not sure what i'm going to do about that. So know the score but havent seen it.

Shame.

I think the rule should be

'don't check this thread if you don't want to know who won what today'

Agreed

I think the rule should be

'don't check this thread if you don't want to know who won what today'

This... This thread (or previous season threads) have often provided great commentary for people who want to follow the race semi-live.

Fine by me.
Just wanted to see what the majority was.

Sagan is a monster.

You now have to think for a bit about things he definitely couldn't win. And I'm struggling.

Cav was blocked by the finishing funnel and was clearly moving faster as they crossed the line but dayum.

porte showed a level head today - letting the team do their jobs like pros, then watching talansky get carried away and exhaust himself before boom! really classy bit of strong riding i thought.

Peg it back a bit Richie eh?

You now have to think for a bit about things he definitely couldn't win. And I'm struggling.

His longer time trialling needs work, but that's about the only weakness he's shown so far. Keeping his hunger may be his biggest challenge as many young riders who've had success in the early part of their career have faded away.

Paris - Nice 2013 - Stage 5 - Final kilometers
Paris - Nice 2013 - Stage 5 - Final kilometers - YouTube

You now have to think for a bit about things he definitely couldn't win. And I'm struggling.

Cav was blocked by the finishing funnel and was clearly moving faster as they crossed the line but dayum.

He's frighteningly good, so much more than a puncheur, he seems to an out and out phenom, able to win on a variety of parcours. Can he be turned into a GC rider?