Pro-cycling thread

matera looks stunning

probably the only top pure sprinter in the giro, as evidenced by how far ahead he was

was meant to go as part of a southern italy tour in may. fml

Big fat zero for me in fantasy league today. Viviani is really letting me down on flat stages. Not helped by the fact that the Cofidis train almost took an exit off the motorway on the run in.

Not taking Demare to the TDF ROFLCOPTER

Viviani is really letting me down on flat stages

Today wasn't a flat stage.

Sorry for off topic - Matera is amazing - not big on "luxury" hotels myself but we did two nights here one easter and the rooms/caves are just fantastic;
https://www.sextantio.it/en/legrottedellacivita/matera/

Really well done, and even at winter temps outside, very cozy. Outside of tourist season, town's a bit dead, but some good hill walking and you can explore the abandoned caves, of which there are many...top fun with a 6 year old. Oh, there's an Indiana Jones style "rope" bridge across the gorge too...terrifying. Would be an excellent base for a cycle tour too, but no experience...

So any thoughts on what Ineos are going to do now? Still with a full team...they've gone quiet after G's abandon....Is Teo the new leader? Or are they "going for stages" Normally when they lose a leader, they are pretty quick with annoucing the change in strategy. Obviously there wasn't going to be a big GC battle on stage 5 when Ganna went off alone. After Pogacar beating all the old guard in the tdf...does Tao have the numbers for the 3rd week? Have to think after the emergence of younger riders in the tdf, that the old guard of Nibali/Fuglsang/Kruijsiwijk might be ecilpsed... Ganna as a last man to launch Tao has to be a plan at some point, right??

I hope he proves me wrong, but I don't think Tao is at the same level yet as those who contest the podium places in GTs. He showed in the Vuelta last year though that he is capable of a stage win at this level so I imagine that is his objective.

think a top 10 would be an amazing achievement for tao this year. stage win also a possibility

at 3:18 - so still there or thereabouts. I know they were partially soft pedalling but iirc he finished with the contenders yesterday. top 10 may be a big ask but would be some achievement

He’s 25. I think we’d have seen more from him by now if he was going to emerge as a GC contender in the hardest stage races.

He was excellent at tour of the Alps last year.

I don’t know how strong the field was at that race. EDIT: lots of pro Conti teams.

I’d put Knox ahead of him as a stage racing prospect. Seventh at Tirenno this year in a stacked field. Eleventh at last year’s Giro.

looking forward to roubaix lads

cancelled?

edit: fuck
https://www.uci.org/inside-uci/press-releases/cancellation-of-2020-paris-roubaix-and-2020-paris-roubaix-femmes

fuck. shiter

Oh.

this is cancel culture gone too far

Hardly surprising I guess. Vuelta next to get cancelled?

I need to lay down

Wonder if there's been hotspots where the tour was and they're nervous about more racing in France.

Shit!

These echelons are a long way from the end, but quite a few of the favourites have been dropped.

given it is very flat and not that long (by giro standards), the dropped riders could lose quite a bit of time

fucked it

Riders not in peloton :
YATES Simon
MAJKA Rafał
FUGLSANG Jakob
BILBAO Pello
VANHOUCKE Harm
POZZOVIVO Domenico