2013 Pro-cycling season thread

Now it seems like quite an interesting game of hare and hounds.

The race is on again!

Can someone tell eurosport now please....

yep. must be frustrating sitting there for 7 min!

Big Magnus makes a good point: lots of rain jackets out there in the pro-peloton looking like nodders specials, baggy and filling with air. They should have got Rapha too

Oh and I have to call utter bullshit on rule no. 9. The Velominati are Aussies aren't they? Let them ride a European winter and see if they grin when they see grey skies, rain and low temperatures in March.

Looks horrible riding there, going to be a hard man that wins it. Bloody glad they didn't cancel.

Watching the volume of spray going up in the pack is incredible... even if it stops raining now it will be raining from the ground up for the rest of the race.

Matt Goss is out

Mett-u-eh Goss-eh ritirato.

Cav won't be very happy now Terpstra Boonen and Vandenbergh decided to stay in the bus

He knows their main season goals are in the next couple of weeks, it would be stupid to compromise those today.

Goss to win today IMO.

is there literally any point in those ass savers???

does like effin grim out mind

Tom Boonen blaming the organisers for his retirement.

Lynchman can definitely tell him to HTFU ;)

No they're crap.
Goss in in the bus. After an earlier crash.

Stupid race.

He knows their main season goals are in the next couple of weeks, it would be stupid to compromise those today.

I know, but in what way would those goals be compromised? they'll be warm again within an hour after the race.

Well Boonen is still not fully fit after various infections etc, so I'd imagine he wouldn't want to fuck around with his immune system?

(wow, "Modial-isation", thats a special portmanteau)

is there literally any point in those ass savers???

does like effin grim out mind

I used one on Liege Bastogne Liege last year, not very useful in those conditions

I know, but in what way would those goals be compromised? they'll be warm again within an hour after the race.

Boonen's had all sorts of health problems, he won't want to jeopardise it again.

And these roads are lethal in the wet so the chances of crashing increase.

Looks like Kwiatkowski gone as well. Cavendish will have a lot to do without a team.

Nibali is rapping his hands against his bars to try and get the blood pumping.

Magnus making a big point about the disadvantage a lot of riders are facing this year due to haivng spent all winter training in warmer climates.

Might be nicer to train it, but won't help you race in it.

Cav back in shorts! Bit of kidology?

Also, Cav has shown he can sprint without a leadout - if he gets over the final climb, might be to his advantage as less people will looking for him?

nevermind wrong info thnx to DS Erik Dekker

andyp yes I know but I don't buy it sorry. wet roads, occupational hazard

^^ He'll have plenty of energy left

So will this be the one in which Cavendish becomes legendary for winning without a team?

Interesting point about being able to shift electronic with numb fingers.
I remember I couldn't leave the big ring or shift properly on the back on a ride as I wasn't able to shift back into it, because my fingers were so numb i couldn't push it.