The professional cycling thread
Discussion
JuniorD said:
Tomorrow night, 9pm on RTE is Rough Rider, the documentary following Paul Kimmage over the last two years including the Tour.
I chipped in a tenner to his fund when the old UCI were trying to sue him (and we'll never see that again until that 
Aaron Brown is found dead! But I digress)Kimmage was right about Armstrong, he was one of the few journos prepared to stand up and it cost him a fair bit along the line. Kudos to him
But these days he's become just a gobs
te. The original salem witch trials. Throwing accusations all over the place like a machine gun. I had to unfollow him from Twitter he was annoying me so much with his latent accusations.Essentially if you've ever won anything. You're cheating
Ever met a doper at an event. You're cheating
Ever got the hump with journos constantly asking if you're cheating? You're cheating
Ever refused an interview with him? You're cheating.
Were you once a friend and now working for Sunday Times? You're part of the Omerta
Did you once say that if you were elected you'd sort this out? You aren't doing enough fast enough. Therefore you won't ever do anything and you're the enemy
It's ludicrous! Do I think no one in the TDF was doping this year? Of course not. Is Astana a tainted team because of it's management and history. Quite probably. Do I think that Nibali was clean though. Yes I do, he's been good for years so it's plausible he could do a GT a year and do well. (I don't think he would have won had others been there, but to finish first...)
He needs to do something a damn sight more tangiable to regain some dignity. Why is he not going after dopers with evidence, go through their bins, follow them around Spain and Italy. Shouting on Twitter is as much good as shouting at the moon.
okgo said:
Yes, I think he was in fantastic shape.
In the Dauphine only contador could live with him, and he only just could live with him. The first mountain stage of dauphine Froome was a totally different league to anyone, Contador not too far behind. Obviously Froome crashed again, Bertie beat Nibali by nearly 2 minutes over 8 stages...
I don't think Nibali will get a look in when the others are back.
Disagree - I think he will. Pre tour form is just that 'pre tour'. It is the actual performance during the tour that counts. In the Dauphine only contador could live with him, and he only just could live with him. The first mountain stage of dauphine Froome was a totally different league to anyone, Contador not too far behind. Obviously Froome crashed again, Bertie beat Nibali by nearly 2 minutes over 8 stages...
I don't think Nibali will get a look in when the others are back.
Nibali came 'on form' when it mattered. The rest is history. He showed in stage 2 his intentions by getting away and getting the yellow jersey.
In adverse conditions, he showed superior bike control by err keeping it upright!! This was reiterated up by Lemond comments - first you have to keep the bike upright!
Froome crashed quite a few times and Contador once/twice iirc.
Also on stage 5 which was arguably the toughest/most dangerous stage Nibali put in a super performance and put what over 2 mins on Contador.
It was a tall order then for Contador to make up as he had a lot to do that would force him to attack.
I personally think Nibali was up there with the very best.
He's has shown all round adaptability and can excel in any condition, these are the essentials of what make a GC contender.
Horner gave him a shoeing for christ sake, and everyone now thinks this guy is the best GC rider in the world, less than a year later despite being beaten by Horner and since then in every race he did but the one where the best two riders fell off, and the other best climber didn't enter? Nah, not for me.
I don't disagree that he did well to keep it upright and all that, but cobbled rainy stages are not going to be common in GT's.
I don't disagree that he did well to keep it upright and all that, but cobbled rainy stages are not going to be common in GT's.
okgo said:
Horner gave him a shoeing for christ sake, and everyone now thinks this guy is the best GC rider in the world, less than a year later despite being beaten by Horner and since then in every race he did but the one where the best two riders fell off, and the other best climber didn't enter? Nah, not for me.
I don't disagree that he did well to keep it upright and all that, but cobbled rainy stages are not going to be common in GT's.
I hate it when the winners achievements are belittled by excuses by the "what if" brigade.I don't disagree that he did well to keep it upright and all that, but cobbled rainy stages are not going to be common in GT's.
Froome and Contador were already getting a "Shoeing" before their inability to stay upright and that is part of racing as much as climbing and TTing.
Vincenzo Nibali is at the moment the top GC rider!
Grandfondo said:
I hate it when the winners achievements are belittled by excuses by the "what if" brigade.
Froome and Contador were already getting a "Shoeing" before their inability to stay upright and that is part of racing as much as climbing and TTing.
Vincenzo Nibali is at the moment the top GC rider!
No he isnt although its close!...Froome and Contador were already getting a "Shoeing" before their inability to stay upright and that is part of racing as much as climbing and TTing.
Vincenzo Nibali is at the moment the top GC rider!
Nibbles rode well, he beat the other people in the race and you cant ask for any more than that but 3 GTs in 5 years doesnt make him the top GC rider in the peloton today.
And there is only one "d" in granfondo...
pablo said:
Grandfondo said:
I hate it when the winners achievements are belittled by excuses by the "what if" brigade.
Froome and Contador were already getting a "Shoeing" before their inability to stay upright and that is part of racing as much as climbing and TTing.
Vincenzo Nibali is at the moment the top GC rider!
No he isnt although its close!...Froome and Contador were already getting a "Shoeing" before their inability to stay upright and that is part of racing as much as climbing and TTing.
Vincenzo Nibali is at the moment the top GC rider!
Nibbles rode well, he beat the other people in the race and you cant ask for any more than that but 3 GTs in 5 years doesnt make him the top GC rider in the peloton today.
And there is only one "d" in granfondo...
and how many has Froome and Contador won in the same time?It's like the silent P in swimming!
Rocksteadyeddie said:
I guess we'll find out next year. For my money he'll be lucky to be on the podium.
Yes. I can't see him beating Froome Bertie and Quintana assuming they make it to the mountains. Hopefully Froome gets some tough competition at the vuelta now it sounds like Bertie isn't ridingokgo said:
Yes. I can't see him beating Froome Bertie and Quintana assuming they make it to the mountains. Hopefully Froome gets some tough competition at the vuelta now it sounds like Bertie isn't riding
AC not riding the Vuelta then? was looking forward to that grudge match 
Is Quintana taking part? - my money is on this guy to dominate the GT's over the next few years. He will be the man to beat.
Dr Imran T said:
okgo said:
Yes. I can't see him beating Froome Bertie and Quintana assuming they make it to the mountains. Hopefully Froome gets some tough competition at the vuelta now it sounds like Bertie isn't riding
AC not riding the Vuelta then? was looking forward to that grudge match Is Quintana taking part? - my money is on this guy to dominate the GT's over the next few years. He will be the man to beat.
ked to be riding the Vueltamcelliott said:
I was in the Alpe d'Huez area last week and there is a strong rumour that the Tour organisers are going to put in a mountain time trial starting from Bourg d'Oisans to the top of Alpe d'Huez. If that's true, should be pretty epic.
If that is true, doesn't it just massively skew the race towards the climbers? We already have La Vuelta for that...okgo said:
Horner gave him a shoeing for christ sake, and everyone now thinks this guy is the best GC rider in the world, less than a year later despite being beaten by Horner and since then in every race he did but the one where the best two riders fell off, and the other best climber didn't enter? Nah, not for me.
I don't disagree that he did well to keep it upright and all that, but cobbled rainy stages are not going to be common in GT's.
Horner* as far as I'm concerned. I don't disagree that he did well to keep it upright and all that, but cobbled rainy stages are not going to be common in GT's.
Rocksteadyeddie said:
Dr Imran T said:
okgo said:
Yes. I can't see him beating Froome Bertie and Quintana assuming they make it to the mountains. Hopefully Froome gets some tough competition at the vuelta now it sounds like Bertie isn't riding
AC not riding the Vuelta then? was looking forward to that grudge match Is Quintana taking part? - my money is on this guy to dominate the GT's over the next few years. He will be the man to beat.
ked to be riding the VueltaBMWBen said:
Rocksteadyeddie said:
Dr Imran T said:
okgo said:
Yes. I can't see him beating Froome Bertie and Quintana assuming they make it to the mountains. Hopefully Froome gets some tough competition at the vuelta now it sounds like Bertie isn't riding
AC not riding the Vuelta then? was looking forward to that grudge match Is Quintana taking part? - my money is on this guy to dominate the GT's over the next few years. He will be the man to beat.
ked to be riding the Vuelta
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