Pro-cycling thread

I think Tao is doing great , in the top three two days running and today was really hard racing … all the riders looked quite cooked
He got blocked but racing incident really when they’re all flat out like that
I wonder if it’s just building for the Giro or if they are thinking the Tour .. he’s looking better than all the other Ineos lot - Pids excepted…

He's down to ride the Giro, but as third choice leader behind Thomas and Arensman.

I remeber reading Tao saying he had a perfect winter training, where as Thomas has had a couple of infections. Tao seems likely to be in better shape.

Almeida, however, was pleased to move up one rung on the virtual final podium. "I was feeling pretty the whole day.

I think we all think you're pretty, João

I think he's making a strong case to be at least the second leader, especially if you compare his results to Thomas and Arensman.

Being second leader to Thomas worked out well last time. Either way it's great to see him being able to race with the best again.

Absolutely. It annoyed me that some people were writing him off as a one-hit wonder, but he's had so much bad luck with crashes and illness since his 2020 season that you knew if he could stay fit and healthy then he'd be right back up there with the best.

It makes it amazing that somone like Froome can go so many years without injury or illness. His run really was phenomenal.

Also good to see Gaudu riding well. A summer of 'waiting for Gaudu' puns lies ahead.

Oh God. You just know Kirby is going to try shoehorning that one in at least twice a day in the mountains this TdF.

Kirby will think Samuel Beckett rides for Bora-Hansgrohe.

How long will Bardet be visible / winnable at the tour/ a big race?
And how much are tv fees for your music?

Asking for Sl2 and xl records.

Hehehe. He's definitely more prick than kick, that's for sure.

if he could stay fit and healthy then he'd be right back up there with the best

Bloody Covid again according to this:
https://www.rouleur.cc/blogs/the-rouleur-journal/the-tao-of-tao-from-117-body

He got it at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, it wasn't too bad but then he got hit hard by subsequent infections.

Yeah, I know and it really impacted his season. He had a concussion from a seemingly innocuous crash at Paris-Nice the year before which basically wrote off his 2021 season as he struggled to shake it off.

That same issue of Rouleur had a good piece with Lizzy Banks talking about her concussion. Was a real eye opener for me on how bad the effects can be

Pogacar hasn't even trained at altitude yet

Watching Ronde van Drethe today - José Been’s stream of consciousness is incredible. She’s amazing

Corrected

It's José Been.

Which reminds me, where is the Ronde 105 documentary?

How many more points does Pog need to cat up?

I don't think they've done one. They've definitely not done an English language version. Rob Hatch recently made a throw away comment in the Cycling Podcast about how Flanders Classics used to produce a behind the scenes program.

https://sporza.be/nl/2022/03/24/gezien-in-de-ronde-105-docu-dat-vergeet-iedereen-maar-dat-doet-echt-zeer~1648123833985/

Powless went straight to Nice Maccy-D from the finish line

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Lotte Kopecky's brother Seppe died yesterday at age 29. May he rest in peace. 🖤