The professional cycling thread

[johnxjsc1985]

Ponk said:

Flanders had an air of inevitability about it but i was still willing Terpstra on. I thought Paris Roubaix was fantastic but most of the excitement was very close to the line.

Valverde is looking very strong. Certainly stronger at the moment than any of the grand tour favourites.

maybe a bit too strong for end of April. lets see how Froome does in Romandie

[Matt_N]

Tour of Yorkshire got some good airtime on BBC1 news this morning.

[Vocal Minority]

It will all be on ITV 4 as well.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gallery-wiggins-tr...

The Team Wiggins kit looks the business.

[benny.c]

Well done Alex Dowsett. New hour record

[Johnny]

Yep, great ride!

[Matt_N]

Great finish on yesterday's TdY, real edge of the seat stuff.

Chapeau to Dowsett too, great ride and a good improvement on the record.

[johnxjsc1985]

benny.c said:

Well done Alex Dowsett. New hour record

when you put your name into the same bracket as some of the truly greatest ever cyclists then you know you have had a good day.The hour record is still the ultimate test of a rider. I was there to see Chris Boardman in Manchester and let me tell you the noise we made at the end when he needed help was every bit as special as you would hear at Anfield or Old trafford.

[anonymous-user]

Wiggo fancies a crack at Dowsett's 10 mile record this summer too apparently, feel bad for Alex, Wiggo will be after Mrs Dowsett next!

Any one going to bet against Porte in the Giro?

[johnxjsc1985]

pablo said:

Wiggo fancies a crack at Dowsett's 10 mile record this summer too apparently, feel bad for Alex, Wiggo will be after Mrs Dowsett next!

Any one going to bet against Porte in the Giro?

I feel like a crack addict waiting for the Giro I love the big tours. 3 weeks of intrigue,underhanded deals
and lunatic solo rides. Can't wait summer has finally arrived. If Porte goes for the Giro I wonder if he will ride the tour for Froome.

[anonymous-user]

I suspect Roche and Thomas will ride for Froome. It should be a good race, just enough summit finishes to keep it interesting to also throw up some surprises.

[Dr Imran T]

pablo said:

Wiggo fancies a crack at Dowsett's 10 mile record this summer too apparently, feel bad for Alex, Wiggo will be after Mrs Dowsett next!

Any one going to bet against Porte in the Giro?

Porte - you think he's going to win it?

I've not had the chance to check the other main rivals yet.

[ewenm]

Dr Imran T said:

Porte - you think he's going to win it?

I've not had the chance to check the other main rivals yet.

Pick 3 from Porte, Contador, Uran, Aru

[johnxjsc1985]

pablo said:

I suspect Roche and Thomas will ride for Froome. It should be a good race, just enough summit finishes to keep it interesting to also throw up some surprises.

Big season for Froome he edged out Brad and so far to me that wasn't the smartest decision.

[anonymous-user]

Porte certianly seems to be the man in form and has followed the same build up that Froome and Wiggo used prior to le Tour victories having won stage races like Paris-Nice, Trentino and Catalunya already this year but he will be under attack from the likes of Contador, Uran and Aru even though I trust Aru as far as I could throw him. Porte has a great team behind him too...

[ewenm]

Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo looking the strongest teams early in the Giro. Impressively high numbers of riders in the front group today, compared to Sky's 3 survivors.

Nasty crash for Pozzovivo (sp?) - lost the front wheel at speed and hit the deck hard. Hope he's ok - reports from hospital suggest it is not life-threatening.

Cracking victory in the reduced stint for the Maglia Rosa though!

[johnxjsc1985]

Tour of California now on Eurosprt.

[Dr Imran T]

ewenm said:

Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo looking the strongest teams early in the Giro. Impressively high numbers of riders in the front group today, compared to Sky's 3 survivors.

Nasty crash for Pozzovivo (sp?) - lost the front wheel at speed and hit the deck hard. Hope he's ok - reports from hospital suggest it is not life-threatening.

Cracking victory in the reduced stint for the Maglia Rosa though!

indeed was a nasty crash. I noted the Chris Froome tweeted that he wasn't happy with the intrusive coverage of DP accident. Classy guy Chris Froome

agree the saxo tinkoff look strong, will most likely see AC ride into better form later in the race. I don't think AC is as strong this year as he was last. Seems to have go off to a slow start AC. However, he knows how to ride the grand tours..

I'm looking forward to the big mountain stages where the real battles begin.

[Johnny]

Great Giro stage today. Missed the last 12km as I had to go out but will catch up later.

[mcelliott]

Bonkers stage today - the Giro really does deliver on aggressive racing, unlike the TDF. Too early to call out the difference in the big favourites - Contador looks good, so does Porte, but Aru looks awesome.. To say that he was laid up in bed with a "virus" for a week or so! Tomorrow's stage promises to be epic.

[ewenm]

Astana are spending a lot of energy though. Are Tinkoff-Saxo and Sky struggling or just covering Astana I wonder...?

I can't wait for decent highlights shows on ITV4 for the Tour. Eurosport show the action but I want a little post-stage analysis too!