Pro-cycling thread

Huge props to Sagan, such a worthy World Champ. Disappointed for Cav of course, moving up he seemed to have a gap in front of him but he seemed to continue to bear left and was baulked by Matthews, one of the riders who latched on to Thwaites wheel to move up. Cav told him to make that move but it looked like a mistake retrospectively.

I loled a little at the Belgium: rode the race perfectly from beginning to end, dominated it really but only managed third. But hey at least they denied ze Germans. I'm guessing Degenkolb is going to get a slap on the wrists.

Still haven't worked out why the Belgians didn't light it up more towards the end. They had options, the last of which was a sprinter who was at least third favourite behind Cav and Sagan and possibly behind Matthews too.

I guess after 260k in those conditions they probably didn't have the strength. That front group had to ride hard for 180k too to hold off the chasing group and the trifecta of German sprinters. Lefevre has said he's never seen Boonen so disappointed but maybe he should have been more pragmatic. With the likes of Sagan and Cav in their group Boonen in a bunch sprint was always like to finish where he did or worse.

I didn't watch the echelons bit live but from the BBC gushing over Belgium all day afterwards I'd presumed they'd been the ones driving it on, but when I watched it back this morning it seemed to be 100% GB at the crucial points including the sprint to the corner. Belgium benefitted massively from GB sacrificing everybody to make it happen.

Hmm, the GB team was active, but it was the Belgians who ensured the split stuck.

I think BBC were right in their gushing; GB being on the front up to and at the turn was all irrelevant, that was just to maintain position for when it did come, it was the Belgians that drove the pace in the crosswinds and forced the split. GB got what they wanted and saw coming as they had men there.

Live unveiling of 2017 Tour route: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-2017-live-route-presentation-video-290427

Stannard pulled for a long time before the split and when the first proper echelon formed GB were right on the front of it for a good few km's before letting the Belgians take over.

Niki Terpstra's strava data show consistent over 55kph speeds after the turning point and ecehelon formation, whoa

This. They showed their traditional mastery of the crosswinds, massing at the front at just the right time, forcing them maintaining the split. It was great to watch, but I thought GB rode really well, and if Luke Rowe had managed to stay upfront they would have decent firepower too.

Be interested to see which riders opt for Giro rather than Tour. The Giro is having its 100th edition which should hopefully give it some additional pull vis-a-vis the Tour and Giro. There's more time trialing so Dumoulin and Jungels are obvious calls and definitely see this as the best opportunity for the second string challengers such as Chaves and Kruijswijk but be interested to see whether Contador and Nibali give it a go as I personally don't see them winning the Tour unless a major incident happens and takes out Froome and Quintana. This is particularly the case as they're both joining new teams which may lead to some teething problems (although may on the other hand get Vino and Tinkov off their backs).

have you guys met Scarponi's training mate yet?

He looks pretty flighty-a solid signing from Astana to help the team at altitude?

I bet he's got good (ma)CORE strength!!

I bed he FEATHERS the brakes into the hairpins on descents!!1

I bet he uses an Alpina WING seatpost!!!1111!1!

Q: Why did Michele Scarponi's training mate speak some words?
A: BEAK-cause he's a parrot!!!11!1!11!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/37711194

"My legs felt good - I'm saying I'm happy with silver, but people are really only happy with gold."

Isn't she fantastic!

Purito not retiring, joining team Bahrein

The value of WT points writ large.

Waow. Just rode across.

Mad

In less than 2 kms, that's how you bridge across to the front echelon!

beastly. if it would have taken any longer I don't think anyone let alone Sagan could have sustained the effort.

a lot of orange in the wrong echelon as well!

About all of 1 people could do that.
Boss.

Absolutely. You've got to get across fast. But to jump across a 50-100 metre gap when the echelon ahead are doing 70 km/h? Woah.

I believe nicky terpstra did the same thing at the wc. used to wind in "de kop van noord holland" innit.

ç'est ça!

1 Attachment