Pro-cycling thread

Nobody remembers who won what in Australia yesterday. Aussie TV pitching it as "4 stages, 4 winners - the sprinters really care and are competitive". Nah mate, everyone just cares equally little, even Ewan can't clear up as he's doing Le Tour.

With all the great climbs around Adelaide, why they spend so much time doing shitty sprints is beyond me. Maybe they know that the world's climbing talent cares even less than the world's sprinting talent. Make this race in August/September instead.

No-one would schlep half way around the world to ride a shitty little race in August or September. The only reason the TDU gets such a good field is because the weather is good and the stages are short and not too hilly. If they made it harder, fewer big names would bother.

It's a WT event - people are obliged to schlep around. It's hardly as if the big guns come out as it is.

If they moved it, the teams would protest. They come now because there is no other racing on, they can bring riders over for a month and train in good weather and the course is manageable on early season fitness.

A spot on the post-Tour calendar would kill it.

Who the fuck is Herbie Sykes?

Indeed. It’s basically a holiday for them. They don’t give a hoot about the racing. It’s an all expenses holiday in the sun. I bet with plenty of fun.

the weather is good

ehm... some riders differ (and voice their opinion toward Adam Hansen as CPA delegate)

Well they are fucking idiots then. What did they expect the weather to be like at the height of the Australian summer?

to be fair, it is a bit hotter than 'usual' and 15-20 deg C hotter than advertised by the Ozzy tourist board

http://www.australia.com/en/facts-and-planning/weather-in-australia/weather-in-adelaide.html

Using a tourist board to plan your trip is like believing what real estate agents say about houses...

You know there are actual weather forecasts available.

Someone capable of writing valiantly distasteful drivel like that and yet blocks you on twitter for-shock-implying he might be sexist.

To be fair, he certainly admired the mute and 'stoic' wife who went to prison for her doping rake of a husband. She's a good woman. Not like that horrid 'unemployed' not good enough Jess Varnish-she was only good enough to be national and Eu champion, Commonwealth medalist for god's sake.

WAFC.

The counter is that he is one of the more interesting cycling journalists who actually puts lots of research into his articles and books. His book ‘Race Against the Stasi’ is well worth a read.

He strikes me as someone ( who as a journalist) has become too entrenched with BC/Sky and lost any objectivity

Really? He doesn’t live in the U.K., so I think he’s fairly unique amongst British cycling journos in not being close to Sky.

Yup. He can't seem (at least in that article) to get past Jess Varnish = Bad or Wiggins = Russian set up without considering the nuances.

I don't suppose you can ever get an impartial journalist though. I quite like Will Fotheringham but recognise he's going to be heavily biased when Jess Varnish is involved as he's a member of Halesowen CC, Varnish's old club

Team KGF are having a blinder at the Minsk World Cup - qualified fastest for the Team Pursuit with a 3:57 ride, and then Charlie Tanfield has won the individual pursuit with a 4:12 ride (which I think is the fastest ever 4 k pursuit by a British rider, faster than Boardman, Wiggins and Thomas, and he's just 21).

I'm wrong, Boardman did a 4:11, using the 'Superman' position.

That’s fantastic for them all.

Nuts isn't it. Charlie is incredible. BC can't ignore him now. Wonder where he can go from here, will be fun to watch. I hope he goes onto some great things.

I’m not sure BC are ignoring him, there’s lots of talk he’ll be at the Worlds with them.

To do a time like that at 21 is amazing though, shows he has a strong engine.

Probs the wrong thread but:
Eurosport player subscription. Is it renew for cheap time or have I missed it?

Also cost of that per month Vs Amazon prime Eurosport per month?

I meant more about bringing him onto the development program, though perhaps they are working together already (which I understand they are to some degree).

A huge engine.

I think the Eurosport player is £29.99 this year rather than £20.

https://youtu.be/njbY4FjoGyA

Not sure if anyone is interested in this. Pretty cool perspective

I think BC have to be careful how they handle Team KGF. If they cherry pick the best riders, they'll get criticised, but if they don't pick any of them they'll get criticised.

Not sure what the best way forward is, but if they encourage and support them then it helps the national team by having a larger pool of talented riders to select the team pursuit squad from.