The professional cycling thread

[thegreenhell]

Kermit power said:

I'd be much happier if the riders weren't allowed radios, bike computers or any other form of external input whilst riding them

I agree with that, and feel the same about F1. They should be able to manage their own race, without being told what to do by a team of computer strategists.

[Labradorofperception]

Dixie said:

What makes you think that? I'm not doubting you i'm genuinely interested. Love all the tech stuff on the bikes.

Fair question. it's based on what I've read and where few of the local pros have commented.

I understand that when he left Movistar, Alex Dowsett was gutted to the lose the Canyon - as a specialist TT'er he thought it was the best TT bike in the pack. He previously used the Pinarello but felt the Speedmax was way ahead. Tony Martin has also said he thinks his Canyon is the best in the pack. These are a couple of seasons old, so it may be the case there's little difference in the two these days.

[snobetter]

Dumoulin a doubt for tour as well now.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/cycling/tour-de-france...

[snobetter]

Froome update:-

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-under...

His surgeon has also said further surgery may be required, understandable after reading the above.

[johnxjsc1985]

Good luck Chris Froome just get your health sorted firstly. These lads are so tough we see time and time again horrendous flesh eating crashes and the lads get back on their bikes and finish the race and turn up at the start the following day. I wouldn't count him out just yet.

[mcelliott]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Good luck Chris Froome just get your health sorted firstly. These lads are so tough we see time and time again horrendous flesh eating crashes and the lads get back on their bikes and finish the race and turn up at the start the following day. I wouldn't count him out just yet.

Surely not referring to the tour?

[ferrisbueller]

mcelliott said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

Good luck Chris Froome just get your health sorted firstly. These lads are so tough we see time and time again horrendous flesh eating crashes and the lads get back on their bikes and finish the race and turn up at the start the following day. I wouldn't count him out just yet.

Surely not referring to the tour?

I think that's in the context of the retirement comments.

[mcelliott]

ferrisbueller said:

I think that's in the context of the retirement comments.

Ok, see he's had an 8hr op, so a comeback of any sorts would be deemed a success.

[johnxjsc1985]

These are life changing injuries by all accounts lets just hope at this point he makes a good recovery. After that he can think about Cycling

[snobetter]

In better news for Froome, he's just "won" the 2011 Vuelta...

Cobo DQ'd for doping.

[RobinBanks]

snobetter said:

In better news for Froome, he's just "won" the 2011 Vuelta...

Cobo DQ'd for doping.

Are they retesting old samples or has he admitted it?

[snobetter]

RobinBanks said:

snobetter said:

In better news for Froome, he's just "won" the 2011 Vuelta...

Cobo DQ'd for doping.

Are they retesting old samples or has he admitted it?

Biological passport, as to why it's taken 8 years I haven't seen.

Also: -

Cillian Kelly@irishpeloton
Not sure yet about all the announcements that Froome has won the 2011 Vuelta. Cobo has a month to appeal. And the bio-passport has seemed on shakey legal footing ever since the Roman Kreuziger case.

and: -

La Flamme Rouge@laflammerouge16

More about it: if Vuelta 2011 will be assigned to Froome, Froome will become the first british rider to win a Grand Tour outstanding Bradley Wiggins that wins Tour de France 2012

Edited by snobetter on Thursday 13th June 15:53

[JuniorD]

snobetter said:

In better news for Froome, he's just "won" the 2011 Vuelta...

Cobo DQ'd for doping.

To say I am shocked would be an absolute lie!

Cobo was nowhere near GT winner material either before or after 2011. But as a Spanish rider, in a Spanish race...quite clearly it was a hold-holds-barred dope fest for him

[RobinBanks]

JuniorD said:

snobetter said:

In better news for Froome, he's just "won" the 2011 Vuelta...

Cobo DQ'd for doping.

To say I am shocked would be an absolute lie!

Cobo was nowhere near GT winner material either before or after 2011. But as a Spanish rider, in a Spanish race...quite clearly it was a hold-holds-barred dope fest for him

What about the American rocket fuel guy Horner who won it at 41!

[mcelliott]

RobinBanks said:

What about the American rocket fuel guy Horner who won it at 41!

Loved Horner, especially his albatross celebration when he won a stage, no worse than many of the top guys today.

[RobinBanks]

mcelliott said:

RobinBanks said:

What about the American rocket fuel guy Horner who won it at 41!

Loved Horner, especially his albatross celebration when he won a stage, no worse than many of the top guys today.

Keep the lid on that can of worms!

[Some Gump]

mcelliott said:

Loved Horner, especially his albatross celebration when he won a stage, no worse than many of the top guys today.

Wasn't he "rider number 7" , the guy that totally didn't dope or cheat at all whilst at USPS?

[RobinBanks]

Some Gump said:

mcelliott said:

Loved Horner, especially his albatross celebration when he won a stage, no worse than many of the top guys today.

Wasn't he "rider number 7" , the guy that totally didn't dope or cheat at all whilst at USPS?

[mcelliott]

RobinBanks said:

Who could forget their man for the classics/sprints George Hincapie winning the toughest mountain stage of the 2005 tour.

[Talksteer]

thegreenhell said:

Kermit power said:

I'd be much happier if the riders weren't allowed radios, bike computers or any other form of external input whilst riding them

I agree with that, and feel the same about F1. They should be able to manage their own race, without being told what to do by a team of computer strategists.

The thing is as a recreational cyclist I can buy all these things so it seems a bit odd that the pro's can't use them.

The issue is that the physiology cat is already out of the bag, you can't feasibly stop riders from training with power nor unlearn all the sports science insights.

The effect of these insights are that:

1: Rider performance is much more equalised across the peloton
2: All riders are much better at riding up to but not exceeding their maximum physiological capability
3: Riders can spot an unsustainable attack a mile off and countering at a steady speed is more efficient

This is why massive solo attacks don't happen very often and if you ban computers riders will just train to be able to ride this way on feel.

Trying to limit progress just makes it more expensive to gain an advantage by those means which actually play into the hands of largest teams. Even if you ban power measurement in races I can still infer power from analysis of the TV coverage, though this will be more expensive than just letting everyone have power meters.

I think if you want to look at equalising teams the best route will be a negative feedback method.

1: Come up with a good method of actually ranking teams (Team Sky is not the "best" team)
2: Institute a draft system whereby new riders to the world tour enter on the same day every year
3: Have an inverse draft pick system like in American football, worst team picks first
4: Riders stay 2-3 years with first team and are then free agents