The professional cycling thread

The professional cycling thread

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Discussion

Chicken Chaser

7,744 posts

223 months

Sunday 1st May 2016
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No, that was just a light aircraft in the vicinity. Racing was great today, some real testing conditions with a brutal headwind from the south (i had to pedal on descents to prevent me from slowing down!). Cracking finish too.

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Sunday 1st May 2016
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the wind looked brutal and I can't believe Roche didn't concentrate in the final 1km.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 2nd May 2016
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Granfondo said:
Very strange how so many "asthmatics" get to the top of pro cycling with this dibilatating respiratory problem! wink
It's not that strange, pro cycling places huge strain on the respiratory system so minor complaints can be exaggerated. They are not asthmatics when they start but the symptoms develop the longer they ride. Throwing yourself up steep climbs in hot weather can't help the lungs...

Granfondo

12,241 posts

205 months

Monday 2nd May 2016
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pablo said:
Granfondo said:
Very strange how so many "asthmatics" get to the top of pro cycling with this dibilatating respiratory problem! wink
It's not that strange, pro cycling places huge strain on the respiratory system so minor complaints can be exaggerated. They are not asthmatics when they start but the symptoms develop the longer they ride. Throwing yourself up steep climbs in hot weather can't help the lungs...
They also have to watch what steak they are eating!

mcelliott

8,626 posts

180 months

Friday 6th May 2016
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Best GT of the year starts today.

idiotgap

2,112 posts

132 months

Friday 6th May 2016
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How best to watch the giro though?

Ideal for me would be daily highlights on ITV4, but they aren't showing it. I've tried to follow the Dakar rally on Eurosport player before but it's been rather tedious due to their eratic schedule following. Any alternatives?

cyclingtorrents.nl?

TheFungle

4,069 posts

205 months

Friday 6th May 2016
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idiotgap said:
How best to watch the giro though?

Ideal for me would be daily highlights on ITV4, but they aren't showing it. I've tried to follow the Dakar rally on Eurosport player before but it's been rather tedious due to their eratic schedule following. Any alternatives?

cyclingtorrents.nl?
I tend to 'tape' the entire race on Eurosport then watch the last 40k, seems to work as well as a dedicated highlights programme.

Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

198 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Nobody watching the Giro then?

It's been a slow burner this one for sure, there hasn't really been much in the way of huge battles for the overall GC.

I thought Valverde looked like he was the main contender but he is way down now. I'm surprised he is as far back as he is. Some good work by Nibali though even though he is struggling.

Biggest issue I have with the Giro is that it's a total no show for the big GC contenders like Froome etc. Seems to be that everyone wants to do the tdF and skip the Giro.

I understand that the Italian press were annoyed at Team Sky for fielding a weak team. Their gripe is that this shows a lack of respect for the Giro - make of that what you will.


anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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I'm watching it but I was hoping Majka and Landa would put up a good fight yet it would appear they dont have much so its Chaves vs Nibbles.

Some Gump

12,671 posts

185 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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I've not watched it, but solely bcause Eurosport haven't series linked the programme. I keep missing stages and it#'s bloody annoying!

Matt_N

8,900 posts

201 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Caught most of the highlights, been checking in here to see if there's been any discussion but tumbleweed

Highlight stage for me so far has been stage 8, with the Strada Bianche climb that Brambilla won, really enjoyed that.

Stage 15 ITT profile was brutal!



It'll be interesting to see how the riders fair tomorrow after a rest day, more Dolomites action:


Matt_N

8,900 posts

201 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Dr Imran T said:
Nobody watching the Giro then?

It's been a slow burner this one for sure, there hasn't really been much in the way of huge battles for the overall GC.

I thought Valverde looked like he was the main contender but he is way down now. I'm surprised he is as far back as he is. Some good work by Nibali though even though he is struggling.

Biggest issue I have with the Giro is that it's a total no show for the big GC contenders like Froome etc. Seems to be that everyone wants to do the tdF and skip the Giro.

I understand that the Italian press were annoyed at Team Sky for fielding a weak team. Their gripe is that this shows a lack of respect for the Giro - make of that what you will.
Trouble is the TdF is and always has been the biggest race of the year, that three weeks gets something like 65% of all cycling media coverage across the year.

Teams, sponsors and fans all want to see the biggest and best riders at the Tour so that's what happens.

Nowadays it seems riders aren't able (or they / teams just don't want them to) to compete at multiple Grand Tours in a season, so the choices are made and target races / stages laid out well in advance with the teams working towards that. Fielding the strongest team at the Giro doesn't work for Sky when they will be targetting the Tour again.

Bedford Rascal

29,469 posts

243 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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I'm watching. I've enjoyed it. Not a bad field and some exciting racing. For me it comes third after the Tour and Vuelta though.

Main reason I wanted to post though - if anyone is umming and ahhing about getting Eurosport player, do. It works extremely well in my limited experience and being able to watch full length replays at a convenient time is really handy.

Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

198 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Matt_N said:
Trouble is the TdF is and always has been the biggest race of the year, that three weeks gets something like 65% of all cycling media coverage across the year.

Teams, sponsors and fans all want to see the biggest and best riders at the Tour so that's what happens.

Nowadays it seems riders aren't able (or they / teams just don't want them to) to compete at multiple Grand Tours in a season, so the choices are made and target races / stages laid out well in advance with the teams working towards that. Fielding the strongest team at the Giro doesn't work for Sky when they will be targetting the Tour again.
Well at least some of us are tuning in to catch the highlights smile I've checked in on this thread from time to time but it's been very very quiet of late.

Fair point re. tour de France. I believe cancellara was saying the main difference between the Giro and the Tour de France was the size of the media!

It's unlikely to change anytime soon with how the cycling season is structured. There is a rider Adam Hansen or something?? that has done 9/10 grand tours on the go.. it can be done. Agreed he's not fighting for GC on each occasion though.

I have to add that the Vuleta has been superb recently, some great battles between the big guys but unfortunately for the Giro its timing isn't great when all the big names focus on the tour not long after.


idiotgap

2,112 posts

132 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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I'm enjoying watching the Giro, nice that the pink jersey is changing hands regularly.

The coverage I've settled on is the daily 25 min highlights package from SBS, the Aussie broadcaster. The only voices you hear are not Australian Ned Boulting and Dan Lloyd. I caught on to this through cyclingtorrents nl, but have found I can download the video myself from the SBS site via clipconverter, which is the same way incidentally I watch GCN's videos (including Dan Lloyd's video recently on how they do the commentating). Getting them in this way lets me put them on my tablet so I can watch them on the train offline without needing excessive data or associated interruption.

It becomes available sometime overnight so I'm a day behind, but that doesn't bother me too much.

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

226 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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So an unheard of Ruskie smokes the field on an uphill time trial. Sounds legit.

JustinF

6,795 posts

202 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Rocksteadyeddie said:
So an unheard of Ruskie smokes the field on an uphill time trial. Sounds legit.
yeah, I don't usually like to speculate but the recent revelations about how widespread (previously legal) use of melodinium was in Russia and the state sponsored use of PED's in athletics leading to an Olympic suspension, it's really hard to not be suspicious of any Russian success.

Don1

15,936 posts

207 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Rocksteadyeddie said:
So an unheard of Ruskie smokes the field on an uphill time trial. Sounds legit.
I will admit an eyebrow was raised.

Bedford Rascal

29,469 posts

243 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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Wow. What a day. That was the best GT stage in a while.

Granfondo

12,241 posts

205 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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The Giro never fails! smile