The professional cycling thread

[z4RRSchris]

there are 3 very hard stages to go, so the smart move would be to let a break go and put the team on the front to roll it to the finish.

but its pog, and in his mind thats 3 more stage wins.

[DeejRC]

Alas I’m starting to side with those who view these things through more cynical eyes
I hate to believe about sportsmen cheating and usually like to be one of the last to rescind the benefit of the doubt, but Pog is really starting to be too good to be true with some of these performances

[z4RRSchris]

on the longer stuff Lance and Pantani were doing higher wkg

[Talksteer]

z4RRSchris said:

on the longer stuff Lance and Pantani were doing higher wkg

The advantages of EPO weren't as massive as many assume. Particularly once there was a test for it.

The advantage was that you could perform at a higher level day after day on a long tour simply because your were exerting yourself less.

It's not really possible to compare performances because races pan out differently. Modern stages are likely to have a bunch survive much longer and modern riders are much more aero and are paced by power much more effectively.

That said this is a very dominant performance, even in his best Froome was only taking a minute or so with his most punishing attacks. To a degree Pog might be being flattered by the competition Thomas is after all relatively old for a GT contender.

Fingers of suspicion can be pointed but first a plausible means of cheating would need to be postulated. Back in the EPO days were all knew what they were taking. In the early 2010's hidden motors were the suggest means.

Edited by Talksteer on Monday 20th May 23:50

[ukbabz]

It looks like Jonas is back on the bike and training in Mallorca - https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling/jonas-vingegaa... - whether he'll be race fit who knows!

[mooseracer]

Some issues with the weather not playing ball today!

[lauda]

Watching Alaphilippe on the descent is making me feel very nervous. I'd need a new set of pads and discs (and possibly a new pair of shorts) going through those hairpins in the wet at half his speed.

[Tim Cognito]

DeejRC said:

Alas I’m starting to side with those who view these things through more cynical eyes
I hate to believe about sportsmen cheating and usually like to be one of the last to rescind the benefit of the doubt, but Pog is really starting to be too good to be true with some of these performances

Didn't G say in the stage 15 post race interview that they basically sat up and left pog to it? Same thing happened with his strade bianci attack.

Don't get me wrong he's still phenomenal but I do agree he's being flattered by the competition in terms of ability but also psychologically, once he attacks everyone just sits up and starts thinking about 2nd place.

I believe he is clean, with mutant genetics.

[lauda]

Tim Cognito said:

DeejRC said:

Alas I’m starting to side with those who view these things through more cynical eyes
I hate to believe about sportsmen cheating and usually like to be one of the last to rescind the benefit of the doubt, but Pog is really starting to be too good to be true with some of these performances

Didn't G say in the stage 15 post race interview that they basically sat up and left pog to it? Same thing happened with his strade bianci attack.

Don't get me wrong he's still phenomenal but I do agree he's being flattered by the competition in terms of ability but also psychologically, once he attacks everyone just sits up and starts thinking about 2nd place.

I believe he is clean, with mutant genetics.

I'm inclined to agree. Although he has made an awful mistake today.

Leg warmers and short sleeves? Seriously?

[oddball1313]

DeejRC said:

Alas I’m starting to side with those who view these things through more cynical eyes
I hate to believe about sportsmen cheating and usually like to be one of the last to rescind the benefit of the doubt, but Pog is really starting to be too good to be true with some of these performances

I’ve felt the same for a couple of months now, just now watching him spinning away uphill like he’s going shopping - everyone else teeth gritted and you can see the resistance in their bodies - they’re literally fighting to get up there, he’s in his shortest chain line whizzing past them like it’s the easiest thing in the world. I really hope i’m wrong but i’m increasingly starting to feel there’s something off about the whole thing.

[craigthecoupe]

Tim Cognito said:

DeejRC said:

Alas I’m starting to side with those who view these things through more cynical eyes
I hate to believe about sportsmen cheating and usually like to be one of the last to rescind the benefit of the doubt, but Pog is really starting to be too good to be true with some of these performances

Didn't G say in the stage 15 post race interview that they basically sat up and left pog to it? Same thing happened with his strade bianci attack.

Don't get me wrong he's still phenomenal but I do agree he's being flattered by the competition in terms of ability but also psychologically, once he attacks everyone just sits up and starts thinking about 2nd place.

I believe he is clean, with mutant genetics.

To be fair, G is well into the twilight of his career, i would expect Pogacar to beat him, and quite convincingly. What i find odd is that none of the other 145 riders seem to be able to get anywhere near him. If you're 2nd/3rdin GC and you know you cant compete then it makes no sense to go off after him and blow up, but nobody, nobody, can challenge him when he decides to go. hill, mountains, solo TT, sprints. I find that strange.

[lauda]

craigthecoupe said:

Tim Cognito said:

DeejRC said:

Alas I’m starting to side with those who view these things through more cynical eyes
I hate to believe about sportsmen cheating and usually like to be one of the last to rescind the benefit of the doubt, but Pog is really starting to be too good to be true with some of these performances

Didn't G say in the stage 15 post race interview that they basically sat up and left pog to it? Same thing happened with his strade bianci attack.

Don't get me wrong he's still phenomenal but I do agree he's being flattered by the competition in terms of ability but also psychologically, once he attacks everyone just sits up and starts thinking about 2nd place.

I believe he is clean, with mutant genetics.

To be fair, G is well into the twilight of his career, i would expect Pogacar to beat him, and quite convincingly. What i find odd is that none of the other 145 riders seem to be able to get anywhere near him. If you're 2nd/3rdin GC and you know you cant compete then it makes no sense to go off after him and blow up, but nobody, nobody, can challenge him when he decides to go. hill, mountains, solo TT, sprints. I find that strange.

I don't think that's quite true. Pogacar hasn't won the last two Tours, he couldn't drop VdP at Milan San Remo and he lost out in the sprint on stage 1 of the Giro, as well as on the flatter TT. He's definitely beatable in the right circumstances. Having said that, he doesn't seem to have any obvious weaknesses and that counts hugely in his favour, particularly over a three week grand tour. People had doubts about his abilities in the high mountains but he seems to have put those questions to bed now too.

I definitely think he's psychologically beaten everyone at the Giro but I don't think it's a particularly strong field. I've got a feeling he'll win the Tour but I think Roglic will run him much closer than anyone has at the Giro. And had it not been for Vingegaard's accident, he would likely be going as favourite to win.

I'm of the opinion that Pogacar is the best all-round rider we've seen in decades but he's not better at any one discipline than others.

[craigthecoupe]

Wasn't yesterdays win such a great thing to watch? Road cycling as a professional sport can be pretty sanitary at times, but the joy on that mans face was the reason i go for a ride. Chapeau.

[mcelliott]

Wow Pog well and truly taking the piss, the co commentator said he's definitely clean because he doesn't party during a GT coupled with the advances in nutrition and bike technology, phew that's allayed all my fears then!

[JuniorD]

mcelliott said:

Wow Pog well and truly taking the piss, the co commentator said he's definitely clean because he doesn't party during a GT coupled with the advances in nutrition and bike technology, phew that's allayed all my fears then!

Had a chuckle when I heard him say this. We've seen it all before, and history repeats itself. But if it's not yet on the banned list, it's technically not cheating.

[thegreenhell]

Interesting video from GCN youtube channel today about 'mechanical doping'. Obviously they were very careful not to name any names, but the inference could be there if you wanted it to be. Basically they said that modern motors are small enough to be easily concealed inside a normal hub, with even a 50W boost from a tiny motor being enough to make a huge difference at this level. Also UCI checks for this are seemingly minimal or non existent at most events.

[mooseracer]

Yesterday's stage win although impressive once again was less of a one man show than previously as the team were mighty before he went.

I'm in the believe camp with Pogi and I hope I'm never proven wrong

When a certain American was doing similar it was a completely unkept secret with talk in the media, lawsuits, threats and all sorts widely reported and known about at the time.

In the commentary piece mentioned above, they also referenced the relative lack of competition in this Giro and to wait and see what the Tour brings (assuming the other big contenders can come back well enough in time)

I really hope for my own sanity Pogacar is just a freak, he's certainly not invincible though as has been shown.

Edited by mooseracer on Sunday 26th May 10:42

Edited by mooseracer on Sunday 26th May 10:43

[LM240]

What a stunning display from Pog during this tour. Once again looked a completely different class yesterday. Barring perhaps the full sprint finish days, probably could have taken a couple more wins if they’d really wanted to.

I hope and want to believe it’s completely clean. In the absence of anything suggesting otherwise, I shall go down the lines of freak of nature, superb athlete, different world of preparation. He has to be one of the most tested riders by virtue of the fact he’s winning. The team are also deploying their assets slightly differently also to suit the Pog style.

I get the suspicion when someone makes other absolutely incredible cyclists look average.

If I were UAE I’d had over Pogs bike straight after a dominant stage and get it ripped apart to quash things like motor doping. Or maybe race organisers should do that anyway, with teams signed up to the fact there will be loses.

Pog has to be favourite for TdF win. Other contenders will be on back foot coming back from injury. I look forward to it.

[thegreenhell]

His performance has also been flattered by the relatively weak competition this year, without the likes of Roglic and Vingegaard. There would be fewer questions asked if one of the other aliens was going wheel to wheel with him.

Meanwhile, Geraint is 38 years old now, and while it's mightily impressive that he can still grind out another podium performance, he just doesn't have the explosive power of this younger generation.

[ArnageWRC]

Away from the Giro, it was another round of the MTB XC World Cup, this time in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czechia.

And a good weekend for Ineos with both XCO World Champions, PFP & Tom Pidcock winning the XCO races yesterday. And with Charlie Aldridge first Elite podium in 4th, it looks like we may see two British men in the Olympic MTB race.