2014 Pro-cycling season thread

Has he said why he didn't? Didn't recognise the significance at the time, or too shagged after chasing down that front group?

I dont think anyone had it in the tank when Terpstra went. That was an elite group and they all basically said fuck it IIRC.

Yeah, I remember Boonen saying he didn't think he had the legs for the sprint so told Terpstra to go, if Boonen is fucked at the end, chances are the rest of them are too

I think Wiggins can win P-R but he'd be daft to pin too much hope on something that's such a lottery. Especially as we're surely due a wet one (fingers crossed).

Hour record is much more scientific and easy to build for.

And much less important...

If he spends his winter getting hench for track again he might be a completely different prospect to this year's P-R.

Bullshit. Just look who has held the hour record, with the exception of Hinault, it's a who's who of the greats of cycling; Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx et al.

Sosenka

Oh.

No I get that, just perhaps not as important in the peak of his career?

I'm fairly sure if you ask any of the pro peloton that have got neither, which they'd rather have paris-roubaix or the hour record, they'd all say paris-roubaix

there's not enough continuation or attempts at the hour record to make it as prestigous

Boonen was really swinging his dick around in this years race though - spent a lot of time attacking and/or on the front.

Did think he went too early with his attacks and spend far too much time on the front. Must have felt stronger than he actually was. Canc spent a long time at the front too IIRC.

The fact Wiggo even raced the P-R is a credit to him. Most GT winners don't even enter it these days. The Hour Record has his name on it.

He should've won it this year btw. Watch when Terpstra goes and Wiggins sees it and does nothing. If he'd covered the move...

Hm ... wasn't there a better camera perspective, too?

@dan true, that final group was 10(?) really strong riders though, the fact that terpstra rode away from them all including Wiggins, shows that it wasn't just Wiggins who failed to follow him if you get my drift?

@hippy true, not disputing that at all, i genuinely think he can do both hour and P-R too, would be good to see him to a proper classics campaign, do the hour record then a few prologues/week long tours in the rainbow stripes, then focus on track; it may be too much for one season though

Boonen was complaining about Terpstra not following his move that Geraint went with, I seem to remember Terpstra claiming he didn't see Boonen's gesticulation to him to attack with him, and so then it was too late. Boonen then burnt himself out chasing down the leaders in the wind while Terpstra just sat all back of the bus.

I also remember Geraint saying he thought Wiggins was fresher than him and could've followed Terpstra, but perhaps he thought the group would bring it back. Either a back decision or simply didn't have the legs, but a very good opportunity to win it lost.

If Wiggins was feeling mint he probably would have covered the move. I think its fair to assume he couldn't respond, so I don't see it as a lost opportunity.

I would prefer to see him win P-R than take the hour record, but setting a meaningful hour record that stood for a long time despite challenges might be a greater achievement.

I think you could say being in the selection with a few km to go as a lost opportunity to win, if I was being a pedant. So all of the 10 left missed their chance apart from Terpstra. I remember just hoping Wiggins would go with him, then didn't, and then group didn't even seem to chase properly. But yes, all were suitably battered at that point.

As a spectator I definitely would prefer to watch him win P-R, if you get win. Happy for him to do both quite frankly.

It was quite amazing to see such a large group and no one could follow Terpstra.

Though, Terpsta as mentioned as above did very little for the whole race in the way of attacking as opposed to Boonen and Cancellara, he just chugged along and had one big attack

You lot are far too generous. The break had 3 OPQS riders, 2 Giant and 2 Sky. It was inevitable that OPQS we're going to send riders up the road so Wiggins and Thomas should've been ready to cover the attacks. Once Terpstra got a gap everyone left Giant to chase as Degenkolb was the best sprinter.

It was a tactical error by Sky, especially Wiggins who, as Oliver showed, saw Terpstra make his move.

Damn straight.

If you don't have the legs, what can you do?

htfu

Eat a gel.