2014 Pro-cycling season thread

Really pleased that Kennaugh finally won the Nationals, after coming so close so many times before.

Loved Kennaugh's win, though Swift would take the sprint but he seemed to sit down and pause about 300m from the line and Kennaugh just came round him. I wonder if those attacks Kennaugh had put in on the climbs just took the sting out of Swift's legs. Very clever racing.

Made the short trip out from Bristol to watch the race today.... had such a good time!
Got a great spot right on the finish line to watch the 10 laps of the finish circuit. Took my megaphone with me, much to the amusement of Hugh Porter!

Geraints solo attack to try and bridge the gap to the breakaway was impressive... The whole crowd was going nuts for him everytime he went past and brought he gap down a few seconds, then he faded back into the chasers.... As far as i know he then pulled out with a mechanical?

Great sprint from Stinky Pete... His Dad was SO happy when he won, it was great!

Geraint attacking:
IMG_5696
by spagettihoops, on Flickr

Final sprint:
IMG_5772
by spagettihoops, on Flickr

Why did so many riders not finish? Am I missing something obvious here?
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/Nat_Mens_Road_Race.pdf

any riders over 8 minutes behind the leaders (pretty much everybody), were pulled, otherwise they would have been lapped on the final circuit, and made proceedings very confusing.

I think Kristian House was the last finisher.

It was a great race indeed. Made me want to watch another great race, British cycling's finest hour?

Mark Cavendish Wins : 2011 UCI Road World Championships - YouTube

any riders over 8 minutes behind the leaders (pretty much everybody), were pulled, otherwise they would have been lapped on the final circuit, and made proceedings very confusing.

I think Kristian House was the last finisher.

There was a pack of about 20+ riders who had been herded to the side of the road by a race official with 4 laps to go.

Probably a lack of cameras available but would have been nice to see anything at all that was happening outside that first group+ Gee. 2 hr live broadcast and UK domestic sponsors get zilch screentime.

Why was there a Team Sky training ride on TV yesterday?

Wiggle Honda motorpacing too.

Could have been worse

Swift outsprinted by Kennaugh? If you say so boys.

"It was draggy and Kennaugh had been constantly attacking him" it said on the script.

Dowsett misses out on the Movistar squad for the Tour. He's going to be gutted about that.

Swift did appear to go too early.

He lead for most of the last lap, went too early, appeared to sit up/pause and then went again, Kennaugh attacked when he sat up.

Dowsett misses out on the Movistar squad for the Tour. He's going to be gutted about that.

breathing problems or something.. hm.

"I’m really disappointed. With this team you continually have to prove yourself. I had good form at the Tour of Switzerland, won the Coppi e Bartali race earlier on, but I had a rough patch after the Ardennes Classics and their reasoning is that I’m not consistent enough. I disagree.”

Kennaugh not happy about being omitted from the TdF squad

Shame for Dowsett but in all likelihood, he'd have been dead weight apart from stages 5 and 20. Easy to forget he's only 25. Plenty of time.

Kennaugh not happy about being omitted from the TdF squad

The Sky team selection is very odd. Pate and Zandio were nowhere near selection for the TDF team in recent years. I have no idea what David Lopez brings. There is something funny going on with that selection, whether it is personality clashes or something else.

The Sky team selection is very odd. Pate and Zandio were nowhere near selection for the TDF team in recent years. I have no idea what David Lopez brings. There is something funny going on with that selection, whether it is personality clashes or something else.

Not foreign enough.

The Sky team selection is very odd. Pate and Zandio were nowhere near selection for the TDF team in recent years. I have no idea what David Lopez brings. There is something funny going on with that selection, whether it is personality clashes or something else.

Pate rode in 2012, no?

I think it's a well balanced team, Froome has some good guys for the mountains in Nieve, Porte, Lopez, some good guys for the flat in Eisel, Pate and Zandio, and a couple of all rounders, Thomas and Kiriyenka, to help out where they can.

I think it's a shame Pete Kennaugh isn't riding, given how well he rode last year, but I can see the logic in the team selection.

2012 team was Wiggins, Froome, Porte, Rogers, Knees, Boasson-Hagen, Eisel, Cavendish, Siutsou

2011 team was Wiggins, Thomas, Uran, Gerrans, Zandio, Boasson-Hagen, Flecha, Swift, Knees

2010 team was Wiggins, Barry, Cummings, Flecha, Gerrans, Boasson Hagen, Löfkvist, Pauwels,Thomas

I'd be interested to know how the 37 year old Zandio has improved sufficiently to make the team for the first time in 3 years, whilst Swift and Kennaugh have lost ground.

You lot will have to start supporting Orica soon. There'll be more Brits on it than in Sky. Go Rupe!

This. I think both Kennaugh and Swift could have made the team, and Wiggins is a weapon there are daft leaving it home. That 2011 World Champs reminded me of just what he can do: he held the entire peloton at bay for an entire lap of more, absolutely drilled it.

Ah well, missed opportunity.

DB translation service here.

You've got to think about Richie Porte as well.

Richie has taken a lot of selfies with Chris and is one of the handful of people not to set Michelle off

You know, the consistent Richie Porte