Pro-cycling thread

I'm sure it's all down to Argon 18. But I think it makes them look daft by riding to a succession of less-than-top-drawer results on ostentatious customised bikes.

porte says some teams did not want him to win? can someone please explain this to me?

I understood this to be in reference to Sky's go for broke tactics, which he believes cost both him the race and Froome the podium.

Dammed for being boring and dammed for trying it on . You can not win . How nice it would be if on the final weekend sky had to throw everything at a last minute gamble and it paid off to win the tour.

Strange statement from Porte... Echoes of Dumoulin at the Giro except he managed to hold out for the win. Other teams aren't going to give the leader a guard of honour in any race if there's even the slightest chance of taking GC... Not unless there's a Vinokourov style incentive maybe.

Other than the TDF, quite a few of the tours have been won last minute, makes for an entertaining final week!

Tao riding impressively again at Tour De Suisse. Is he the designated Sky leader?

edit: just looked at Sky press releases, and the answer if Nieve is leader and Tao is riding in support. I hope to see him in the front bunch on mountain stages and hope he doesn't have to sacrifice his chances of riding for GC.

I wanna know what J.F is on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The clinic is that way >

Was anyone else left feeling a little short-changed at the last highlights show ending so suddenly without any post-stage/race analysis from Imlac/Millar and what it means for the Tour?

I think it was in the penultimate highlights that they reported from a Contador press conference where he says he's deliberately saving himself for the Tour. Seems like a sensible move to head-off any stories saying he's definitely past it now, but pretty disrespectful of the Dauphine.

Larry '110%' Warbasse, what a win!

Warbasse, what is he good for? Absolutely something.
Tao in 13th, second best Sky rider behind Nieve. He is doing well.

Delighted for Warbasse. The videos Aquablue are putting up on facebook are cute

Hein Verbruggen has died overnight, aged 75.

Kimmage can write what he wants now.

Cavendish to return to racing at the Tour of Slovenia, starting tomorrow.

Would love for him to grab a stage at the tdf. Is that wildly unrealistic?

Who knows? But he's a racer and if you put him in a race, he's gonna try and win.

I can't belive he's so back, I had it as a kid as was pretty much house bound for months. Perhaps mine was worse.

Somehow I don't think he'll make it to the end of the tour.

Like all viral illnesses, it affects people differently. Some can get over it in a few months, others can suffer from it for years. Look at Beñat Inauxsti at Sky, he's barely ridden the past two years because of it.

I forgot about him!

Amusingly, in 2016 after 2 months out, he tried to return to racing at Tour of Slovenia.

Poor guy, can you imagine starting with a new team, being keen to impress, then struggle with illness for the duration of your contract? I hope Sky are generous with him, but would understand completely if they don't keep him on for next year.

Yeah, not nice. It's such a debilitating thing to get as an athlete.

Do teams have insurance for that kind of thing or do they just suck it up?

some numbers here, wow.

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