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The professional cycling thread

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Grandfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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.

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!

anonymous-user

55 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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!...

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... wink

Grandfondo

12,241 posts

207 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
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!...

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... wink
3 GTs in 4 years actually! wink and how many has Froome and Contador won in the same time?

It's like the silent P in swimming! wink

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

228 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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I guess we'll find out next year. For my money he'll be lucky to be on the podium.

mcelliott

8,675 posts

182 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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.

okgo

38,072 posts

199 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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 riding

Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

200 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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 frown

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.


Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

228 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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 frown

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.
Contador has hinted that he's too fked to be riding the Vuelta

Dr Imran T

2,301 posts

200 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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^^ ah ok - cheers.

Some Gump

12,701 posts

187 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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mcelliott 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...

Joey Ramone

2,151 posts

126 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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Dr Imran T said:
AC not riding the Vuelta then? was looking forward to that grudge match frown

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.
Depends how his team goes.

Gizmoish

18,150 posts

210 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
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.

Joey Ramone

2,151 posts

126 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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Gizmoish said:
Horner* as far as I'm concerned.
Aye. Renowned for it back in the US domestic scene. Some frankly ludicrous performances. Extra terrestrial, almost.

BMWBen

4,899 posts

202 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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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 frown

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.
Contador has hinted that he's too fked to be riding the Vuelta
What was it? Fractured leg? No way for him to be training and staying in shape regardless of his asthma meds if that's the case!

Gizmoish

18,150 posts

210 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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This is just awesome.


Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

228 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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BMWBen 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 frown

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.
Contador has hinted that he's too fked to be riding the Vuelta
What was it? Fractured leg? No way for him to be training and staying in shape regardless of his asthma meds if that's the case!
yes

Alex Langheck

835 posts

130 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Some Gump said:
If that is true, doesn't it just massively skew the race towards the climbers? We already have La Vuelta for that...
And the Giro....
Shouldn't a GT be to find the best 'all round' rider? Rather than best climber? Why not have a mountain TT that includes a descent....

okgo

38,072 posts

199 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Alex Langheck said:
And the Giro....
Shouldn't a GT be to find the best 'all round' rider? Rather than best climber? Why not have a mountain TT that includes a descent....
They are though, they have rolling stages that suit rouleurs, time trials to suit testers, flat stages to suit sprinters. But I think the addition of that cobbled stage was purely for the fans, yet it backfired IMO and made the race dull. There were a lot of riders that came out and said it didn't feel safe and was a strange addition.

Anyway, you could have two mountain stages in 3 weeks and the race winner would still be a climber because the amount of time a climber takes from a non climber up a HC climb is huge.

ewenm

28,506 posts

246 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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mcelliott said:
Congrats to Niballs and Yorkshire for about the only two highlights for a mind numbingly boring race - comatose levels equal to 2012. Good to see a possible future hope for the French in Pinot and Romain Bardet although they will have their work cut out to top the podium. Roll on the Vuelta, always a way more exciting race. Horner will kill everyone just to prove this sport is as ridiculous as ever.
I found this year pretty good. The loss of two top contenders early on at least meant we got to see some of the action from others not normally in the spotlight. The racing behind Nibali was good with the podium and top 10 undecided until after stage 20 and event then some tension with punctures and bike changes. Nibali won the race on the cobbles and much as I'd have enjoyed watching Froome and Contador working to regain lost time, I still enjoyed this year's race.

Matt_N

8,903 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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How do people feel about Sagan taking the green jersey despite no stage wins?

I know thems the rules but it feels a bit hollow to me.