Cav!
Did some cnut in the crowd cause that crash?
Did some cnut in the crowd cause that crash?
Pro Cycling 2023
- Thread starter Suedesi
- Start date
Thomas blew it yesterday but him leading Cav out today was absolutely magic. Two legends.
Vingegaard taking the stage and the yellow jersey in the Dauphine today without even really trying. Just defended himself from Carapaz and dropped him by keeping the same pace. They haven't even reached the real mountains yet, so the GC looks locked up for him barring a crash or something.
Looking interesting for the Tour. Seems like Jumbo-Visma have timed the form well.
Looking interesting for the Tour. Seems like Jumbo-Visma have timed the form well.
Any one watch the Netflix documentary on Tour De France, thought it was real good. I think its most dangerous sport in world, In saying all this I only ever watch the TDF
Yeah, watched it all in a few days. It’s pretty good. With a limited number of episodes and teams involved there are so many stories of the Tour that get ignores, but that’s unavoidable.
The stuff that annoyed me was the constant dubbing of everything, and how they built some weird narratives to fit the drama.
fecking hell man, Gino Mäder has died after his crash yesterday. So so sad, am actually quite devastated with yet another death in cycling, completely unnecessary and easily avoided as well.
I hope the organization gets rightfully scrutinized for their decision to have a finish after such a dangerous descent. This needs to stop man.
RIP Gino
I hope the organization gets rightfully scrutinized for their decision to have a finish after such a dangerous descent. This needs to stop man.
RIP Gino
From what I’ve read in Swiss media so far, it sounds like the police and public prosecutor’s office are getting involved and looking for footage/testimonies.fecking hell man, Gino Mäder has died after his crash yesterday. So so sad, am actually quite devastated with yet another death in cycling, completely unnecessary and easily avoided as well.
I hope the organization gets rightfully scrutinized for their decision to have a finish after such a dangerous descent. This needs to stop man.
RIP Gino
fecking hell man, Gino Mäder has died after his crash yesterday. So so sad, am actually quite devastated with yet another death in cycling, completely unnecessary and easily avoided as well.
I hope the organization gets rightfully scrutinized for their decision to have a finish after such a dangerous descent. This needs to stop man.
RIP Gino
Damn, that’s so fecking sad. A stark reminder that cycling is among the most dangerous sports out there.
Seems like the organizers should take part of the blame for how the stage was planned. Not sure what can be done though, other than learn from it.
The speed and difficulty of the descents in last years have been already insane, that's devastating but seeing what an insane speed they race down the hill sometimes is calling it to have such outcome.
It’s one thing to let them take calculated risks at their own peril in an environment you created that’s as safe as possible. But if you let them finish after a dangerous descent when the finish could’ve just as easily be on top of the mountain, you’re creating the problem and are at least partially to blame. UCI should be much stricter in those situations as well.
Perhaps we should categorize descents based on a few objective factors and neutralize the most dangerous ones (or avoid them altogether). There’s definitely a lot more that can be done but is currently still being sacrifized as a result of “spectacular scenes”, and unfortunately it needlessly cost another life yesterday. Everyone loves a Pidcock descent like last year but it is just not worth it. At all.
Mark Renshaw coming back for a final hurrah with Mark Cavendish during the TDF this year.
Finally Cav might have a leadout. Wonder what Renshaw can bring to the table because that Astana leadout has been woeful.
Finally Cav might have a leadout. Wonder what Renshaw can bring to the table because that Astana leadout has been woeful.
Grand Départ tomorrow and it starts with a banger: a steep wall of 2.2 km at an average gradient of 9.9% just 10 km from the finish. I'm going to assume it's too early for Pogacar to try anything here, so on paper a good Alaphilippe would be the favourite. We don't really know where he stands, though. Maybe Pidcock or Mohoric considering most of those final 10 km are downhill. The final km is slightly uphill again, so if Van Aert or Van der Poel are still there, they'll be hard to beat.
Anyway, exciting opening stage and I think it'll be a big name taking the first yellow jersey.
Anyway, exciting opening stage and I think it'll be a big name taking the first yellow jersey.
I think it's too heavy for VDP tomorrow, he even admitted himself yesterday that it might be, but of course that could be poker as well. I think it's also too difficult for WVA to be honest. It's more like a Mur de Huy type of climb than a Koppenberg/Paterberg one, 2.2km is quite long... Would've been a Valverde/Gilbert finish 10 years ago.
If Pogacar has the legs for it I don't see why he wouldn't try it, not sure if there's bonifications but if he's good he goes for it most of the times, easy enough to lose the yellow afterwards if UAE doesn't want it that early.
If Pogacar has the legs for it I don't see why he wouldn't try it, not sure if there's bonifications but if he's good he goes for it most of the times, easy enough to lose the yellow afterwards if UAE doesn't want it that early.
If it finished at the top, I could've seen Pog try, but is he really going to attack with the idea of going solo for 10 km in the first stage of a 21 day Tour, with the less than ideal preparation he's had? I think it would be a mistake.
Later stages favor Vingegaard so he really should try to pick up as many bonus seconds early on as he can. Also there isn't much to lose trying to nuke it on Pike, it's not like he might crack and lose time because of it. No benefit of just sitting on so might as well try to reduce the group as much as possible.
Prime Alaphilippe would win this but he's been a bit off these last two years, if MVDP stays within reach over the top he's the favorite otherwise it probably will be Pogacar, last km is an 5,5% uphill drag which should suit him as well over someone like WVA.
Isle of Man TT
FFS, I thought the bolded bit was the case for some reason
Never mind me then, yeah a solo won't happen.Two Yates bothers first and second, didn't expect that. Pogacar with a great sprint for third and bonus seconds. Great opening stage.
Pogacar with a great sprint for third and bonus seconds. Great opening stage.Great stage. Well done to Yates and Pogacar will get a lot of confidence from this.
Great stage - the Eurosport commentator was scoffing at Pogacar's celebration "surely he didn't think he won the stage"
No but he got a few seconds on Jonas and his teammate won!
No but he got a few seconds on Jonas and his teammate won!
Hate Vingegaard with a passion.
The difference with the best rider in the world Pogacar couldn’t be bigger.
The difference with the best rider in the world Pogacar couldn’t be bigger.
Feck off Jumbo, you deserve every loss riding that way. Disgusting.
Cowards tbh
Does WvA have more 2nd places than wins in his career?
WWA doesn't like the long sprints....
Jumbo with all that and still get fecked over by an outsider. Love it
Jumbo with all that and still get fecked over by an outsider. Love it
Can you explain for those of us who aren’t so knowledgeble about cycling. Is it that Vingegard didn’t want to go for it with Pogacar? or that WvA waited too long to attack at the end?
Agree - what were they thinking?
Aye - be prepared for Danish fans barrage
How come?
I could understand why they didn't "use" Vingegaard yesterday - it was an uphill finish and you don't wanna risk Pogacar winning all the bonifications if he wins the bunch sprint (was faster than WVA yesterday at the finish as well, so it made sense for Jumbo in hindsight).
But it just seems like they are not willing to use him at all, not even for a few hundred meters in the last kilometer of a stage. You don't lose or win a Tour by doing that but you can lose a valuable teammate if you are 100% unwilling to co-operate, or at least that's how I'd view it if I was Van Aert right now. Perhaps he was informed beforehand that it was going to be all VIngegaard the entire Tour but even then it must be frustrating for him.
Van Aert didn't do anything wrong today, if anything he shouldn't have to be the one going after Pidcock and Skjelmose when they attacked. He didn't wait too long either, if he went earlier surely Pogacar would've overtaken him before the finish line, he was close even now. Jumbo had Benoot, Kelderman and Vingegaard present in the breakaway; in that situation with a closer like Van Aert, you make sure no one gets away no matter what, you win that stage and you celebrate tonight. Pressure's off, first stage in the pocket, Van Aert happy, and focus on the yellow.
They completely bottled that imo. And I hope they lose every stage if they continue to do this, and hope to God that Vingegaard doesn't win yellow over Pogacar.
He doesn't understand cycling. Seemingly wanted Vingegaard to go alone with Pogacar, which would have resulted in a guaranteed stage win and 20 bonus seconds for Pogacar (versus 12 for Vingegaard). Vingegaard had van Aert right behind who would have been a huge favourite to win (and would have won if not for a great surprise attack). Jumbo-Visma rode entirely logically.
How would Vingegaard have helped at the end today? He's not got the same engine on the flat as the guys who were riding in front.
The don't want to risk their GC men for a stage win, and Wouts visible frustration is normal.
They'll blame it on Jonas.
I'd love to see the team bus atmosphere.
Jumbo is going to suffer because of the double objectives.
He is everything that cycling has moved on from these last 5 to 10 years. An uninspiring, dull rider who plans his entire season around the Tour, is scared to go through with breakaways, rides defensively, ... It almost takes you back to the Armstrong days. He capitulized on one bad moment from Pogacar last year and can't even remember he did anything remotely interesting after that apart from following.
Pogacar is present the entire season, rides proactively, agressively, does everything well, comes across as super relaxed, approachable, just easy-going and a funny guy. He's part of the "new wave" with guys like Van Aert and VDP who don't think too much and just go for it whenever they feel like it. You could see it even today, who cares about yellow; they were in front at the top of the Jaizkibel and he wanted to go through with it and go for the stage win. Enter Vingegaard who shakes his head. And while I get it and it's the right move since he's limited as a rider, it's such a cowardly move and I simply don't like that.
Give me a fecking break
Vingegaard closes that gap on Lafay with his eyes closed in less than 10 seconds if he wanted to.Pogacar is a more exciting, flashier rider but then again he's probably the flashiest GC rider ever. Doesn't mean his competitor is necessarily boring. Vingegaard broke him last year with a daring series of strong attacks halfway through a stage, halfway through the Tour. You'd have never seen that from Armstrong or a peak Froome. Since that stage he simply rode with common sense, like he did today.
Of course he doesn't. He doesn't have that explosiveness in him at all, especially not on the flat. He could never have caught that attack if van Aert couldn't.Give me a fecking break
Do they?
If you're not in the GC contention it's a perfect opportunity for a flying win.
They had to have known that.
They had the numbers, should have attacked and Wout takes that today.
Wout was a shoe-in for the sprint win, of course he shouldn't attack. They made the mistake of reacting a few seconds too late for the decisive attack, otherwise VWA would have won.
I don't want to get into the whole Vingegaard discussion, but I am really disappointed in Jumbo today. I realize I'm always going to be a bit biased in favour of WVA, but surely it isn't just me who thinks he gives way more to his team mates than they ever give back to him? The cynical reaction would be that Jumbo pay him enough for it, but still.
They had several riders in the lead group in the final 10 km and it was still van Aert who had to close all the gaps. And then they can't even pace properly for him. How on earth does that happen at a team as strong as Jumbo? Amateur hour. I mean, I'm not sure how motivated I would be to work as hard as the last few years for the team.
They had several riders in the lead group in the final 10 km and it was still van Aert who had to close all the gaps. And then they can't even pace properly for him. How on earth does that happen at a team as strong as Jumbo? Amateur hour. I mean, I'm not sure how motivated I would be to work as hard as the last few years for the team.