2014 Pro-cycling season thread

What a perfect attack. Happy to see the little chap win after a grim time earlier this season. Wonder if he'll ever get much higher in a GT than his Vuelta placing this year? Can't see it myself (though would like to)

I think there's a feeling that he'd have to change a few things.

Fairly sure I read that he doesn't train with power. Everything is done by feel. If I could remember where the article was where I'd read it, I'd post it.

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/beautiful-giro-suits-dan-martin

Great writing from Inrng as per usual...

'If Martin was a fisherman or a hunter he’d be a specimen hunter, travelling far and wide to catch the biggest beasts. Not for him a brace of salmon nor a freezer full of wild game, he collects trophies and only the biggest: one win this year but it’s a Monument and he can add the trophy to his Liège-Bastogne-Liège silverware. He gave Valverde the kind of stuffing normally reserved for taxidermists.'

He gave Valverde the kind of stuffing normally reserved for taxidermists.

You just wish they'd think their sentences through a little more carefully ... here they're implying that it's the taxidermists who get stuffed ...

To misquote Mark Twain, analysing humour is like dissecting a frog, no-one enjoys it much and the frog dies of it.

Good race, great win, just so emphatically taken. Clearly no-one was marking him and he came from right at the back by the time he was seen he was at full speed: I doubt anyone could have caught him with so little to go. Last time he'll get such an easy chance to catch them with their pants down.

Contador says he not riding Beijing so Valverde pulls out too.
WAFC

And not enough chevrons for Astana

Mr Nibbles needs to get the fuck out of there

I'm hoping Contador is trolling Valverde and will appear on the start line wearing a wig.

To misquote Mark Twain, analysing humour is like dissecting a frog, no-one enjoys it much and the frog dies of it.

Good job I wasn't analysing the humour at all, then. :)

Tinkov is a piece of work

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tinkov-offers-a-eur1-million-to-contador-and-his-grand-tour-rivals

At least he has a team, unlike Alonso.

Finally some motivation for the riders and to feel appreciated - u just can't make good pesto without salt.

He's like Barnum. I do like Tinkov, although his Twitter trolling of EBH was just wrong

Giro route revealed

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/10/tough-but-balanced-giro-ditalia-route-unveiled-seven-uphill-finishes-plus-long-time-trial-to-shape-race/

Supposedly this this was the million Bert would have got from his contract if he'd been world number 1 instead of Valverde so Uncle Oleg has some spare budget to throw around

It would actually be awesome to see all the best GC riders duke it out in each of the three grand tours.

Would love to see Wiggins change his plans and parade the ITT champs bands in Italy. Not a bad route for him, but it'll never happen.

Wiggo is like the wind: he changes direction in a second. However I reckon the 2013 Giro was a very chastening experience, and it rains a lot, so even with a favourable parcours I don't see him fancying it. Although there is a gravel stage: perhaps the cobbled classics specialist in him might have a hankering after that.

He won't bother.

http://youtu.be/AVi4PUx8bXk

Shitty for Phil Gaimon getting dumped off Garmin due to the Cannondale merger. His book of how he finally got out of the US domestic scene is a good read.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/10/news/road/phil-gaimon-journal-tis-scratch_348716

And Andy S. might be retiring on Thursday

^ The Finestre . What a climb!