New Cycling season

[die_mole]

women's tour is turning into a great one. Yesterday they were on the gravel and today there was another big crash.

 

[die_mole]

last day of the women's tour. I'd suggest giving it a watch.
Movistar's Van Vleuten has a 3 minute advantage but the stage finishes at Belles Filles similar to stage 7 of the men's tour.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Van Vleuten really is a class act. Once she got over her illness there was only one winner.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Evenepoel showing what all the hype is about in the Vuelta. Let's see how he lasts the 3 weeks but right now looks like everyone else is competing for second.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Evenepoel showing what all the hype is about in the Vuelta. Let's see how he lasts the 3 weeks but right now looks like everyone else is competing for second.

Yeah, its probably over bar the shouting for 1st. Still a decent race, so much relatively new blood and nice to see some young Spaniards coming through without the old cloud of suspicion hanging over them.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Game on again with Remco showing weakness. Great stage today and the race is turning into a good one due to the depth and evenness of the top 10 or so riders.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yep. In the end Remco actually did pretty well to limit his losses. But others will be scenting blood.

Remains to be seen if it was just a bad day or something more fundamental.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Yep. In the end Remco actually did pretty well to limit his losses. But others will be scenting blood.

Remains to be seen if it was just a bad day or something more fundamental.

When a guy loses time on lower slopes and strengthens later on in a climb (when it is higher up and cooler) I always suspect they don't like heat. Pogacar and Simon Yates can be examples of this. If I'm right, we will see a repeat from Remco today as the steepest sections are on lower slopes.

I know personally from hiking I can be a lifeless zombie in the heat at the start of a climb then a mountain goat by 700m altitude. It can be a massive variable.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Sprint stages are soooo boring.

Blimey……

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Roglic out.

Unsurprising, but a shame. Just as it was getting interesting.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A cracking wee race. I don't think Roglic would have won (as Remco seemed to just have the one off day) it but it's a shame we never got to see. Overall pretty happy with the sort of performances I was seeing too (not that it's easy to judge).

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Van Vleuten absolutely extraordinary in the women's road race. World champion with a fractured elbow…..

Zoe Backstedt annihilated her age group in both TT and road race. Quite a talent. Let's see how she gets on the senior ranks.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

How I helped bring down dope cheat Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong said he'd apologise to the man he sued for reporting on his doping

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The Pog back to form in Il Lombardia, the season's final monument.

And a truly extraordinary new hour record from Ganna - over a kilometre better than Bigham's previous mark. That's what he'd been aiming for all year and he's put it out of sight for anyone else at the moment. Also smashed Chris Boardman's 'best human effort' set in the now banned Superman position. Average of over 35 mph is just eye watering.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

‘Absurd’: British Cycling faces backlash after announcing partnership with Shell

British Cycling is facing a backlash from environmental groups and its members after announcing a major new partnership with the oil giant Shell

www.theguardian.com

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Fantastic win for Tom Pidcock in Strade Bianche yesterday. He's a great sight when he attacks, although the chasing group could probably have got to him if they'd worked together.

 

[die_mole]

Fantastic win for Tom Pidcock in Strade Bianche yesterday. He's a great sight when he attacks, although the chasing group could probably have got to him if they'd worked together.

I couldn't tell what was going on. Every time someone looked like going they just stood up and went to the back. JV didn't organize a chase which left me stunned. Happy for pidcock as his wins don't look so effortless.

 

[die_mole]

classics season really got me going. van Der Poel is such a specimen and Milan-Sanremo was incredible. TJV answered back Friday and today. Excited for Tour of Flandres and Paris-Roubaix.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Mark Cavendish to retire at the end of season.

Probably the greatest ever sprinter with an unbelievable record that people will only really recognise in hindsight. 53 grand tour stage wins, world champion on the road and track. Still found time to add a monument and several classics

Favourite memory possibly winning the final stage of the 2012 TdF in full missile mode wearing the world champion's rainbow jersey been led out by Wiggins in the yellow jersey. Seminal moment for British cycling.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Could you do?