The professional cycling thread

The professional cycling thread

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anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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mcelliott said:
So when did you enjoy watching professional cycling? The sport has been rotten to the core for years. If there ever was a clean era I must have blinked.
What makes it worse now is that some teams are genuinely trying to do it clean, the continued presence of known cheats like Contador and Astana make a complete farce out of the sport.

Matt_N

8,903 posts

203 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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Disappointing, as the way I read the rule that has been enforced, a lot of things could be captured under it if they so wished - sticky bottles and spanners, hell even drafting a rider from another team if you drop off due to an accident or mechanical.

Seems a bit of a selective enforcing of the rule, but not much can be done about it now.

He just needs to hang in there now and not lose anymore time in the next few days and hope for a good TT and smash next week.

Aru isn't the best TT'er out there and Contador seems to be talking up his injury for the TT, but I can't see him losing too much time if any to Porte.

Contador has never lost the leader's jersey once it's on his back iirc.

Matt_N

8,903 posts

203 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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Cataldo could be in pink come the end of the ITT too.

Hackney

6,850 posts

209 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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Very disappointing for RP, makes you think what other incidents could have been punished under the same rules.

What if Contador had slowed the peleton so Porte could catch up. Because it's not mechanical it's still helping someone from another team.

In Giro Extra (or whatever it's called) they seemed to be talking about the convoy being stopped when Porte was trying to make his way back. Something that can be done, but often isn't.

Because it was Juan Antonio Flecha I kinda lost the point of what he was saying but it seems as though the convoy was stopped, so when Porte was trying to get back on the peloton he couldn't draft the cars.... not that that's allowed but of course, it happens.


Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

200 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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ewenm said:
And now given an extra 2min penalty by the commissaires for receiving illegal assistance...
That's ludicrous, can he appeal the decision?

ewenm

28,506 posts

246 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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Dr Imran T said:
ewenm said:
And now given an extra 2min penalty by the commissaires for receiving illegal assistance...
That's ludicrous, can he appeal the decision?
To be fair, it's pretty black and white in the rules. The lack of consistency from the race jury frustrates me. Apparently Contador took his helmet off during stage 7 - that's a disqualification according to the rules but it wasn't applied. Also, apparently Meersman took a wheel from TeamSky earlier in the race and wasn't penalised.

I don't mind the rules being applied, if they are applied consistently across the board.

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

165 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
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Dr Imran T said:
That's ludicrous, can he appeal the decision?
you seem to get less punishment for sharing a needle dare I say.when the sport is given an opportunity to promote good decent values like sportsmanship they shoot themselves in the foot.
Its hardly a surprise though

jesusbuiltmycar

4,537 posts

255 months

Wednesday 20th May 2015
quotequote all
johnxjsc1985 said:
Dr Imran T said:
That's ludicrous, can he appeal the decision?
you seem to get less punishment for sharing a needle dare I say.when the sport is given an opportunity to promote good decent values like sportsmanship they shoot themselves in the foot.
Its hardly a surprise though
Well thats the Giro ruined IMHO. I doubt I will watch any more stages



johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

165 months

Thursday 21st May 2015
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jesusbuiltmycar said:
Well thats the Giro ruined IMHO. I doubt I will watch any more stages
Same here I dont even want to know what happend yesterday.

ewenm

28,506 posts

246 months

Friday 22nd May 2015
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Good stage yesterday - some properly sketchy descending in the wet (ideal for CXers!) and Gilbert picking up a win. Was surprised to see neither Porte or Aru could hold Contador's wheel on the dash for the line so both lost a few seconds.

mcelliott

8,674 posts

182 months

Friday 22nd May 2015
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johnxjsc1985 said:
jesusbuiltmycar said:
Well thats the Giro ruined IMHO. I doubt I will watch any more stages
Same here I dont even want to know what happend yesterday.
Lame

Matt_N

8,903 posts

203 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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All change again yesterday!

That crash was so nearly inside 3 km to go but as it happens Contador and especially Porte lose a lot of time to Aru, who now wears the Maglia Rosa by 19 seconds over Contador heading into today's 59km ITT.

Gargamel

14,996 posts

262 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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Well worth a read to see the politics and battles inside cycling are nothing new.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1162429...

Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

200 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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Gargamel said:
Well worth a read to see the politics and battles inside cycling are nothing new.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1162429...
Astonishing lady!

anonymous-user

55 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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Porte quits, possibly citing the 2 min penalty as the reason though to be fair he has had a rough two weeks and been unlucky on other occasions. To me though, it says that if you put a few minutes on Porte before the final week he wont be a threat, not sure I can ever see him as a GC contender personally though I am often spectacularly wrong...

ewenm

28,506 posts

246 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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pablo said:
Porte quits, possibly citing the 2 min penalty as the reason though to be fair he has had a rough two weeks and been unlucky on other occasions. To me though, it says that if you put a few minutes on Porte before the final week he wont be a threat, not sure I can ever see him as a GC contender personally though I am often spectacularly wrong...
I thought he cited a knee injury as the issue.

Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

200 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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^^I'm not convinced by Porte and didn't rate his chances in the Giro even before the 2 min penalty. he's a good rider and a genuinely nice chap but I just can't seem him as a GC winner.

It's just a shame that there is no real challenge to AC this time. The line up this time was pretty poor.

Gruffy

7,212 posts

260 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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Dr Imran T said:
The line up this time was pretty poor.
Hopefully that makes for a great Tour, though it's hard to see anybody challenging Contador if he can stay out of trouble.

anonymous-user

55 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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So it will be Froome, Quintana, Nibali and Contador all in le tour

Just 42kms of TT in le tour, split over two stages too, so it shouldnt be about who can TT well, could be a real cracker... anti-clockwise races are always better.

mcelliott

8,674 posts

182 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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Too bad about Porte's injury woes and, well, apparent lack of form. Never saw him making the top 3 anyway, now or ever in a GT. Mentally he's way too fragile. Anyway, Bertie seems to be bossing this one, definitely a giro tour double is on the cards. Throw in Froome, Quintana and Nibali - that makes a fantastic lineup for the Tour de France.