Pro-cycling thread

Pidcock on that final climb could be fun

MVDP reckons the gravel is more tech when it's dry

1966?

I'm not sure he'll make it. And I'm happy to be wrong here.
The first time Wout got to it in his first race, yes yes I know they're different rider sizes and types, but he got beaten on it.

He looks like he weighs about 40kg.

It will be tough for Pidcock to hang on when the bigger riders lay down 500w on the flat, but should go well on the climb if he is still in contention.

I think Alaphillipe is the lightest rider to have ever won the race. (62kg)

I think he'll get in the selection. After that, well, let's see.

I don't doubt his ability or his capacity to dish it out and take it over a long race.

You can’t have an NDA against something that is illegal.

[citation needed]

Wikipedia says slender man-child Tom Pidcock is both 3 inches shorter and 5kg heavier than actual hobbit Domenico Pozzovivo so I think he could weigh anything

Is there case law that could actually make NDA’s interesting...?

Antonio Tiberi (19 years of age ... paging Oliver) is back on social media, seemingly ok.

Yeah good to see he is seemingly OK and working on his recovery given how nasty the crash was.

I follow him on Instagram partly to improve my Italian, but would recommend as he's from a farming family and there's lots of Antonio driving tractors content when he's having a break from training.

Fucking Eurosport Player using a pic of the winner on the On-Demand service. Thanks, I didn't really want the suspense anyway.

They have form for doing this, maddening.

I can't watch live on Saturday and already nervous for the chance of this happening. Gonna enlist a pal to do a check I think

Might not be as straight forward - sometimes they put the arms-in-the-air photo of the previous year's winner to make it even more confusing..!

As said by just about everyone above there are some real big hitters that look by all accounts the hot favourites, but who are everyone's cheeky/unlikely side bets? There's a track record of riders springing up unexpectedly good performances to a podium finish or even a win (Benoot for example) and I always enjoy seeing lesser tipped riders in mix.

Siv.

Bettiol again.

Docker would be hilarious.

+1 for Benoot

Almeida as an outsider??

Does Simon Yates count?

Otherwise Clement Venturini

Are you just randomly throwing cross riders into the mix?

171 VALVERDE Alejandro

But since the Canyon recall he’ll be riding a 2020 bike! Everyone knows you go fast on last year’s tech. Come on.

I think he's made it his mission to prove that yesterday can still be hot today. I recon he'll cherish that.

Don't know why I keep looking at the Kung/Madouas pair for FDJ and think they could do something interesting, if only go for a mad attack and burn out in a blaze of glory before the pointy end asserts itself once and for all

Yeah Simon probably has some NWCCA history ;-)

mad attack and burn out in a blaze of glory

French team speciality innit

I like Matt Stephens. There, I’ve said it.

https://youtu.be/481pY9wsADg