Pro-cycling thread

After the season they’ve had, anyone who thinks Sunweb are an underperforming team needs to think again.

I was quite vocal in my criticism of their Tour team selection, which was completely unfounded as they clearly knew what they were doing.

I’m not sure anyone thinks they are underperforming quite the opposite, just that video paints a sorry tale.

there is a complete communication breakdown in this thread.

@andyp and I agree on most things except Valverde, Horner and Movistar.
Will 'i hate to be tagged' melling and @youramericanlover are saying the same thing
@fizzy.bleach has just painted inside of his airing cupboard with Geoff Soup fan art

What else are we missing?

I'm not. When will Tao again be the sole protected rider in a team as strong as Ineos were at the Giro with such relatively weak opponents? He might win a grand tour again but I doubt the chance to do so will ever be as good as it was this year. And there's nothing wrong with that, Evans and Wiggins and Sastre and others only won one grand tour but they all deserved it, they took the chance when everything fell in to place.

since i've been tagged, probably a good time to say that i was supporting hindley on sunday because he's got the same surname as me and represents our best chance to bring in the managed decline of 'myra' jokes.

thought the forum approved nickname was "jaira hindley"

I don't think what you're saying is unreasonable.

And I think it underlines even more what an achievement it was when you consider some of the other riders from the Sky ranks who left to pursue GTs but didn't quite make it - Porte, and probably Landa and Poels as well.

If Geoghegan Hart stays at Ineos, although he has probably earned the right to be team leader at a GT again, he will be lucky to find himself in the context where his rivals are as weakened (although that "luck" may already have started with Bernal's sciatica).

I don’t think there’s any doubt that TGH is staying at Ineos. From what I’ve heard his agent has already agreed a contract extension, and Ineos will announce it in due course. (They do have a tendency to announce extensions after the racing has finished, but ahead of their next season get together usually held at the end of October).

I think you make very good points! But to answer your question with a question is it realm of possibility for INEO to sandbag in the Giro with a weaker team and take a protected Tao to the Vuelta? I think so.

i wouldn't trust LFGSS to approve anything.

this is a forum marked by:

a) the complete inability to make the tiniest decision without first asking for advice
b) demonstrably poor judgment in most matters of adult behaviour

i include myself in that, but i'm trying to take a leadership role and as such i need to prioritise execution over perfection

a city - 'my' city – still bears the scars of hindley and brady. first day of school, 1997, the local bully sidles up to me on the bus and makes a myra hindley quip. smiles wear thin.

as such, no dice.

Oops. Edit.

Today is my first dose of Carlton Kirby all year.

An hour or so in and I'm thoroughly sick of him.

It's the most Partridge-esque I've ever heard him, he seems to be revelling in the fact that he doesn't know or care about the local areas and is complaining about the fact that not much is happening. Which is fair enough, but he doesn't seem to know much about the teams or riders either.

I think I took Rob Hatch for granted a bit during the Giro - overly accurate pronunciation aside, he's actually really good.

I've developed quite a like for carlton kirby recently. I think it's because I've been watching racing on the turbo and his little quips and partridgeesque comments take my mind off what I'm doing for the moment. So I advise trying him on the turbo - at least you can imagine stamping on him when you're pushing down the pedals.

Rob Hatch is as dull as ditch water, it's just by comparison with Kirby that he seems tolerable. And I'm not sure that Jowowowow Almeida is overly accurate. I've been using the Vuelta to listen to the German commentary and pick up the language. So far I've got good enough to recognise when Jens Voight is speaking.

Ich wusste nicht das es möglich war, die Sprache des Kommentars zu wechseln. Tschüssi Carlton! Tag Jensi!

I just learned a new German word:

Speedbamps

Not watched any cycling today but I’ve seen Lefevre has kicked off on twitter. Could be something, could be nothing.

Bennett has been relegated to last place for some aggressive defense of his position in the leadout

And Dylan Groenewegen should be in jail.

I’ve got the last 5km on now. I’m a bit grand toured out tbh.

was he relegated for the shouldering/tussling at 00:49-00:51 here which disturbs the trek rider?
https://twitter.com/Eurosport_UK/status/1321850137254264832

On first watch, nothing at all wrong with Bennett’s sprint.

Seen a replay and still seems fine.

Ahhh - that’s a bit naughty Sam.

Yes.