The professional cycling thread
Discussion
Dr Imran T said:
Nobody watching the Giro then?
It's been a slow burner this one for sure, there hasn't really been much in the way of huge battles for the overall GC.
I thought Valverde looked like he was the main contender but he is way down now. I'm surprised he is as far back as he is. Some good work by Nibali though even though he is struggling.
Biggest issue I have with the Giro is that it's a total no show for the big GC contenders like Froome etc. Seems to be that everyone wants to do the tdF and skip the Giro.
I understand that the Italian press were annoyed at Team Sky for fielding a weak team. Their gripe is that this shows a lack of respect for the Giro - make of that what you will.
Trouble is the TdF is and always has been the biggest race of the year, that three weeks gets something like 65% of all cycling media coverage across the year.It's been a slow burner this one for sure, there hasn't really been much in the way of huge battles for the overall GC.
I thought Valverde looked like he was the main contender but he is way down now. I'm surprised he is as far back as he is. Some good work by Nibali though even though he is struggling.
Biggest issue I have with the Giro is that it's a total no show for the big GC contenders like Froome etc. Seems to be that everyone wants to do the tdF and skip the Giro.
I understand that the Italian press were annoyed at Team Sky for fielding a weak team. Their gripe is that this shows a lack of respect for the Giro - make of that what you will.
Teams, sponsors and fans all want to see the biggest and best riders at the Tour so that's what happens.
Nowadays it seems riders aren't able (or they / teams just don't want them to) to compete at multiple Grand Tours in a season, so the choices are made and target races / stages laid out well in advance with the teams working towards that. Fielding the strongest team at the Giro doesn't work for Sky when they will be targetting the Tour again.
Matt_N said:
Trouble is the TdF is and always has been the biggest race of the year, that three weeks gets something like 65% of all cycling media coverage across the year.
Teams, sponsors and fans all want to see the biggest and best riders at the Tour so that's what happens.
Nowadays it seems riders aren't able (or they / teams just don't want them to) to compete at multiple Grand Tours in a season, so the choices are made and target races / stages laid out well in advance with the teams working towards that. Fielding the strongest team at the Giro doesn't work for Sky when they will be targetting the Tour again.
Well at least some of us are tuning in to catch the highlights Teams, sponsors and fans all want to see the biggest and best riders at the Tour so that's what happens.
Nowadays it seems riders aren't able (or they / teams just don't want them to) to compete at multiple Grand Tours in a season, so the choices are made and target races / stages laid out well in advance with the teams working towards that. Fielding the strongest team at the Giro doesn't work for Sky when they will be targetting the Tour again.
I've checked in on this thread from time to time but it's been very very quiet of late. Fair point re. tour de France. I believe cancellara was saying the main difference between the Giro and the Tour de France was the size of the media!
It's unlikely to change anytime soon with how the cycling season is structured. There is a rider Adam Hansen or something?? that has done 9/10 grand tours on the go.. it can be done. Agreed he's not fighting for GC on each occasion though.
I have to add that the Vuleta has been superb recently, some great battles between the big guys but unfortunately for the Giro its timing isn't great when all the big names focus on the tour not long after.
I'm enjoying watching the Giro, nice that the pink jersey is changing hands regularly.
The coverage I've settled on is the daily 25 min highlights package from SBS, the Aussie broadcaster. The only voices you hear are not Australian Ned Boulting and Dan Lloyd. I caught on to this through cyclingtorrents nl, but have found I can download the video myself from the SBS site via clipconverter, which is the same way incidentally I watch GCN's videos (including Dan Lloyd's video recently on how they do the commentating). Getting them in this way lets me put them on my tablet so I can watch them on the train offline without needing excessive data or associated interruption.
It becomes available sometime overnight so I'm a day behind, but that doesn't bother me too much.
The coverage I've settled on is the daily 25 min highlights package from SBS, the Aussie broadcaster. The only voices you hear are not Australian Ned Boulting and Dan Lloyd. I caught on to this through cyclingtorrents nl, but have found I can download the video myself from the SBS site via clipconverter, which is the same way incidentally I watch GCN's videos (including Dan Lloyd's video recently on how they do the commentating). Getting them in this way lets me put them on my tablet so I can watch them on the train offline without needing excessive data or associated interruption.
It becomes available sometime overnight so I'm a day behind, but that doesn't bother me too much.
Rocksteadyeddie said:
So an unheard of Ruskie smokes the field on an uphill time trial. Sounds legit.
yeah, I don't usually like to speculate but the recent revelations about how widespread (previously legal) use of melodinium was in Russia and the state sponsored use of PED's in athletics leading to an Olympic suspension, it's really hard to not be suspicious of any Russian success. Quhet said:
ALawson said:
I see the normal FB explosion of doubt has surfaced on all the main cycling press coverage of the result.
It's hardly surprising - Nibali has looked transformed over the past couple of stages. It's got a bit of a whiff about it...
I'd say the same regardless of who it was. He was close to dying on his arse halfway into the final week. Then he does a "Landis" and storms back to win. How can you defend that? An acupuncturist ffs? The man and the team have zero credibility.
You keep burying your head in the sand.
You keep burying your head in the sand.
Who's burying their heads here?
Oh that's right he was a young British rider! 
(Yates)
pablo said:
Granfondo said:
Very strange how so many "asthmatics" get to the top of pro cycling with this dibilatating respiratory problem!
It's not that strange, pro cycling places huge strain on the respiratory system so minor complaints can be exaggerated. They are not asthmatics when they start but the symptoms develop the longer they ride. Throwing yourself up steep climbs in hot weather can't help the lungs... (Yates) Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff