New Cycling season

[William18]

Why not? Staying on your bike is surely part of cycling? I thought that was terrific racing and far more exciting than your usual flat stage. I also don't think Froome's crash had anything to do with the cobbles but a lot more to do with the poor weather.

From your post you seem to be insinuating that the organisers of the tour knew 9 months in advance there would be rain yesterday.

 

[Rich Taff]

I wasn't just referring to Froome's accident. The tDF is three weeks long, so there's no reason to put in the 'Hell of the North', as the tour is attritional enough, and Paris-Roubaix should remain a special, one-day race course.

 

[Tony Manx]

The tDF is three weeks long, so there's no reason to put in the 'Hell of the North', as the tour is attritional enough, and Paris-Roubaix should remain a special, one-day race course.

I( would agree with that and also point out that Froome did not actually ride on any cobbles as he retired before they were reached!

I would also agree with your comment about Contador but the Tour has lost a lot of interest now.......much as I dislike him it would be better if people like Wiggins (or even Quintana and \Kennaugh who are in the concurrent Tour of Austria) were in this year's Tour to provide some sort of focal point alongside Nibali, Sagan and Kittell now!

Did not realise that the Schlek brothers started the race so anonymous have they been......only heard when one of them retired!!

 

[William18]

The Tour is more interesting IMO. After watching Nibali get done by everyone in the Dauphine you cannot say it is even close to being over. I think everyone thought going into the cobbles that you cannot win the race there but you can definitely lose it. 2 minutes and 37 seconds is a lot of time and is difficult to make up but far from impossible. Nibali is going to come under a lot of attacks and we have not even reached the mountains yet. I certainly wouldn't write Contador out and there are other contenders such as Porte, Talansky and Valverde to make it interesting.

I feel that those who are good at riding on cobbles should have something for themselves. They all had to struggle through Alpe d'huez last year so I think it is only right that they get their chance. I stayed up until 4am to watch last night's stage. I won't be doing that for the Kittel procession tonight.

 

[Rich Taff]

Really hope something is done about the green jersey next year. Sagan's ability to climb means that he doesn't even have to be a great sprinter anymore to win it. Would like to see more finishing sprints, and less 'intermediate', where Sagan is the only one who can actually get points.

(Not so say I don't think Sagan isn't an extremely talented rider, but I'd prefer a real sprinter like Kittel to have a chance of winning it after winning 2 of the first 5 stages).

 

[William18]

Isn't the problem that no one even challenges Sagan? Kittel could at least challenge for it but he doesn't even bother contesting the intermediates. I think rather than having less intermediate sprints there should be more of a win bonus for actually winning a stage.

 

[Rich Taff]

Yeah, that would be another option.

Edit: Just heard that todays stage was the first time Sagan has finished outside the top five. That's crazy consistency, but the green jersey should be based on winners, not 'always thereabouts'.
He's been annoyed that he hasn't won a stage yet, but is already a pretty insurmountable number of points ahead, that he could basically not bother with any of the mountain stages, and win it.

 

[Tony Manx]

So Peter Kennaugh wins the Tour of Austria................why is he not on the TdF?!

 

[Tony Manx]

Great stage from Gallipan yesterday and wtaching today's highlights..............after a great day at Hoylake..........find it very funny that Israel is sponsoring Eurosports coverage looking for tourists whilst bombing the c*** out of their neighbours (rightly or wrongly to be PC!!!)

 

[Rich Taff]

So Peter Kennaugh wins the Tour of Austria................why is he not on the TdF?!

I think Kennaugh was 50/50 when the teams were announced, and was using the Tour of Austria to test fitness etc. Looks like he passed.

With Froome and Contador out, and Quintara choosing the Giro, there's no elite climbers left, so this is just going to be a progression for Nibali.

 

[Tony Manx]

Edit............seriously, is the Israeli Tourist Board really sponsoring cycling on Eurosport (or anything else for that matter) at the moment?!!!

Sorry been distracted by the Open (and little or no wifi!) but am tonight watching highlights of my favourite stage...Tourmalet!!

Not sure what all the fuss is about as have been up (and down) it many times..........in a car!!

Beautiful "slope" in a beautiful part of the world!!

Nibaldi has had this in the bag for a long time but the podium fight has been interesting enough.....

 

[Rich Taff]

Great to see Ritchie try to get a jump on everyone with a late attack, and what the hell was Eisel doing in that final sprint on the Champs?
Soon as Froome and Contador went out, the GC was pretty much decided, but still an excellent job by Astana protecting Nibali, and it shows how good a climber the guy is (if he doesn't have uber-climbers like Froome to contend with).
On the bright side, the Vuelta is looking like it's going to be one hell of a race.

 

[Rich Taff]

Vuelta looking like a crazy race this year. So many TOP contenders. What do you think, Tony?
Movistar incredibly strong team, but if Froome has recovered, he's shown he can keep up with and decimate Quintara.

 

[Tony Manx]

Vuelta looking like a crazy race this year. So many TOP contenders. What do you think, Tony?
Movistar incredibly strong team, but if Froome has recovered, he's shown he can keep up with and decimate Quintara.

Heard Froome was knocked off his bike yesterday (or Thursday) in Jerez de Frontera but it could be a better race than the TdF with the topy guys all there bar Cav?

Don't have Eurosport (Sky do not include it in the sports package but the films which are all c*rap) now so will have to rely on ITV4 for coverage but they only seem to be doing the highlights.......

 

[Rich Taff]

Heard Froome was knocked off his bike yesterday (or Thursday) in Jerez de Frontera but it could be a better race than the TdF with the topy guys all there bar Cav?

Don't have Eurosport (Sky do not include it in the sports package but the films which are all c*rap) now so will have to rely on ITV4 for coverage but they only seem to be doing the highlights.......

Try the Eurosport player, they usually stream it for free from their site (If I remember correctly). http://www.eurosportplayer.co.uk/

Not read anything about Froome being injured again, I get updates from SKy, so would expect to have heard something.

Shame Cav isn't there, but it's not really a sprinters tour (from past observation), and I imagine there's a lot more stress placed on the sprinters bodies than the GC contenders, so I guess he'll be working on peaking for next season, and writing this one off.

 

[William18]

Vuelta looking like a crazy race this year. So many TOP contenders. What do you think, Tony?
Movistar incredibly strong team, but if Froome has recovered, he's shown he can keep up with and decimate Quintara.

I don't think Quintana will be decimated. Froome may win by getting enough time in the ITT and staying with him in the mountain. It will be interesting to see what Contador can do.

 

[Tony Manx]

Try the Eurosport player, they usually stream it for free from their site (If I remember correctly). http://www.eurosportplayer.co.uk/

Not read anything about Froome being injured again, I get updates from SKy, so would expect to have heard something.

Shame Cav isn't there, but it's not really a sprinters tour (from past observation), and I imagine there's a lot more stress placed on the sprinters bodies than the GC contenders, so I guess he'll be working on peaking for next season, and writing this one off.

Thanks fella....will check it out tomorrow!

The Froome fall came from BBC Teletext?

Cav will not be too upset at missing this but we still have Peter Kennaugh in the Sky team representing Mona's Isle!!!

By the way, contrary to some commentators, that is "Kenn-yuck" not "Kenn-och" which is strange because Ballaugh (a small town in the IOM) is "Ball-augh" not "Ball-yuck"!!!

 

[Rich Taff]

I don't think Quintana will be decimated. Froome may win by getting enough time in the ITT and staying with him in the mountain. It will be interesting to see what Contador can do.

Oh, I agree completely. I'm just looking at the TDF race last year, where Quintana went with Froome, then he suddenly put the pedal down and Quintana's face said 'WTF?!!!' as he disappeared away from him. Was the most incredible 'You're good, but I'm better' scene I've ever seen in the 'non doping' TdF.

 

[Tony Manx]

Watched ITV4 for about 45 minutes before lost reception (one of the problems of staying down here) but managed to find them on the Internet to watch the end.......Looking forward to the big boys starting to reduce the time difference.....

Not sure from the highlights why Kennaugh lost so much time but the good news is that Cav won a stage in the Tour Internatinal Poitou-Charente and the leader's jersey yesterday.

 

[Tony Manx]

Thank goodness Phil Liggat is back! The other guy was doing my head in with his monotone repetition!

And Cav is still ahead after two days in the Charente!!