The professional cycling thread

[Dr Imran T]

^^ I'm sure he was, will check again though. I'm sure he'll find his legs maybe later in the tour. Still early days I guess.

Edit to add - was indeed his brother. I didn't watch much of it and only heard the name Quintana. Didn't think to check which one!

Cheers

Edited by Dr Imran T on Friday 29th August 16:18

[okgo]

It is a w/kg thing but why did he lose 11 seconds the other day up a steep final section?

All grand tours are a w/kg competition. They have been since god knows how long ago. Froome has better w/kg than just about everyone. Hence he wins mountain stages. Quintana is either bluffing or fked, and it about to get worse when we get a proper length climb if it is indeed that he was fked.

[Dr Imran T]

I think there is much more to winning a grand tour than looking at someone's W/kg.

Bike handling skills for example, a good rider can make up time on decent or adverse conditions. Nibali is a class bike handler and put a lot of time in over his rivals on stage 5 of the TdF.

[johnxjsc1985]

Power to weight ratio IS everything in cycling. You can gain far more time on an accent than a decent.

[Kermit power]

johnxjsc1985 said:

You can gain far more time on an accent than a decent.

That'll be those pesky, fast-talking Scousers, won't it?

[Grandfondo]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Power to weight ratio IS everything in cycling. You can gain far more time on an accent than a decent.

Not if your lying on the ground in a blood stained heap!

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Kermit power said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

You can gain far more time on an accent than a decent.

That'll be those pesky, fast-talking Scousers, won't it?

[johnxjsc1985]

Grandfondo said:

Not if your lying on the ground in a blood stained heap!

I didn't realise people crashed on accents?

[johnxjsc1985]

Kermit power said:

That'll be those pesky, fast-talking Scousers, won't it?

sorry you have got me on that one

[Grandfondo]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Grandfondo said:

Not if your lying on the ground in a blood stained heap!

I didn't realise people crashed on accents?

Depends how broad it is!

[okgo]

Dr Imran T said:

I think there is much more to winning a grand tour than looking at someone's W/kg.

Bike handling skills for example, a good rider can make up time on decent or adverse conditions. Nibali is a class bike handler and put a lot of time in over his rivals on stage 5 of the TdF.

It's a combo of the both yes. But Spain in the height of summer at least provides fairly decent weather unlike those TDF stages. But I think that was either a great bluff or was Quintana showing he's not in he big leagues yet (yeh yeh, won the giro, but no Froome or Bertie).

[Grandfondo]

okgo said:

Dr Imran T said:

I think there is much more to winning a grand tour than looking at someone's W/kg.

Bike handling skills for example, a good rider can make up time on decent or adverse conditions. Nibali is a class bike handler and put a lot of time in over his rivals on stage 5 of the TdF.

It's a combo of the both yes. But Spain in the height of summer at least provides fairly decent weather unlike those TDF stages. But I think that was either a great bluff or was Quintana showing he's not in he big leagues yet (yeh yeh, won the giro, but no Froome or Bertie).

Or Nibali.

[okgo]

And though not a popular opinion I do to think Nibali is capable of living with Bert or Froome when it comes to long mountains. Only a year to wait and we will find out again I guess!

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Quintana looks undercooked to me. And on a climb that ought to have suited him. That said, 3 weeks is a long time and many kn yet to go under the wheels. For me Froome now looks a pretty hot favourite at the moment.

[Kermit power]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Kermit power said:

That'll be those pesky, fast-talking Scousers, won't it?

sorry you have got me on that one

You speak with an accent. When you go uphill on a bike, that's an ascent.

Similarly, if you're a nice chap, you're decent. If you're going downhill on a bike, that would be a descent.

[Dr Imran T]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Quintana looks undercooked to me. And on a climb that ought to have suited him. That said, 3 weeks is a long time and many kn yet to go under the wheels. For me Froome now looks a pretty hot favourite at the moment.

He looks pretty strong. You know he fell.off again yesterday?

Anyone watch the itv4 highlights? Those comments about Froome and his stem made me laugh.

He might have a super w/kg but his bike riding skills needs to be addressed.

[okgo]

A fair few others fell off yesterday too, and same goes for the tour, just that Froome was the only household name...

I doubt he's a st bike handler, after all he has crashed a handful of times in a lot of racing days, I think he just gets a lot of stick as he is a big name.

[Dr Imran T]

okgo said:

A fair few others fell off yesterday too, and same goes for the tour, just that Froome was the only household name...

I doubt he's a st bike handler, after all he has crashed a handful of times in a lot of racing days, I think he just gets a lot of stick as he is a big name.

Haha, yes you raise a fair point. He does look at his stem when he rides though. We need someone to post that clip of him and his stem again!

[okgo]

Yeh. Roger Hammond reckoned that was one reason he may crash so much. Might not be able to help it though.

[Grandfondo]

Could that looking at the stem come from practicing that unnaturally high cadence on a static trainer?