2017 Cycling Thread

[Clucking Bell]

MIlan- San Remo, the first of the monuments is today.

Sagan's to lose?

[[HH]]

Love Classics season.

Given the form Sagan has been in, you'd say he is favourite. While he has shown he can scale the Cipressa and Poggio, he has been unlucky with crashes or narked his sprint. Degenkolb is always strong after hills so close the finish. Between those pair imo, but in one-dayers, anything can happen.

[[HH]]

Panache from Sagan to light up MSR like that. Must have put out some serious watts for that attack. Shame he couldn't finish, but he was never going to get any help.

Just watch the last 5km; even on the Poggio, Kwia was hardly pedalling at all, sat in the slipstream of both Sagan and Alaphillipe who were pushing on. There's an exponential amount of energy saved up until about 3-4 riders back. When it comes down to margins as tight as that over such a long race, every ounce of recovery is vital. Clever racing.

[hammerddh]

Fantastic finale to the race.
Sagan's attack on the Poggio was frightening and the two guys done well to bridge over.
They were never gone to pull on the front but even so Sagan looked so strong I still thought he would take out the sprint.
Apparently Kwiatkowski's put out 1220w on the last 50 metres.

[Jasper]

Chris Froome gets his season proper underway today at Volta a Catalunya. Should be interesting to see who Sky ride for him or Thomas as Gee showed he is in good form at Tirreno Adriatico.
Sky will be hoping for no more wheel failures in the 40 km TTT tomorrow, I do think a 40 km TTT is a bit ridiculous as the time gaps big and will be hard to make up in the later stages.

Thank goodness Sagan put in that attack at MSR, the race had been a bit of yawnfest up till then.

[Clucking Bell]

I do think a 40 km TTT is a bit ridiculous as the time gaps big and will be hard to make up in the later stages.

It shouldn't be though. If you take away mechanical issues and someone switching off and causing a crash, a TTT is easy thing to get right. BMC are very strong but, in truth, they're no better than Sky, Movistar or Dimension Data would be, if those teams put their minds to it.

My view is that a lot of pro riders treat any time trial and particularly a team time trial as a bit of a rest day - they'll spend as much time warming up and warming down as they actually do on the stage.

[hammerddh]

Lovely one-two by Quick step yesterday in the DDV.
Pretty certain that the tactic was there for Gilbert to finally come through but on the second attack Durbridge just could not bridge the gap allowing Lampaert to ride away to victory.
To be fair to Gilbert he looked well chuffed for his team-mate when he crossed the line, and Quick Step have such a strong Classics squad its bordering on unfair. Gavira, Terpstra and Stybar were back in the chasing group !

Onto Friday.
I love the Classics.

[Clucking Bell]

Bad day at the Volta for Sky today.

Geraint Thomas is probably my favourite rider but, I do wonder whether he's really got it in him to win one of the monuments or stand on the podium at a Grand Tour. I think he's a bit Sagan-esque: he's very good at everything but, not exceptional at anything.

[Bend it like Repka]

Bad day at the Volta for Sky today.

Geraint Thomas is probably my favourite rider but, I do wonder whether he's really got it in him to win one of the monuments or stand on the podium at a Grand Tour. I think he's a bit Sagan-esque: he's very good at everything but, not exceptional at anything.

G is my favourite rider in the peloton. Without that crash on the last bend he could well have won gold at Rio. A great all round rider, can ride the cobbles or mountains just as well. Probably not quite good enough to win a grand tour but definitely capable of winning a monument. Top bloke as well.

[hammerddh]

I think G has missed a trick here by thinking he can become a Grand Tour GC rider.
I just dont see it myself and like others on here i would love him to become a success.
Personally I though he should have concentrated on the classics primarily.

BTW Valverde appears to be in spectacular form this spring. I know there is a strong field going to the Giro this year but he could really run them close

[Clucking Bell]

Excellent ride today by Gilbert at the Tour of Flanders ..... Terpstra was doing his usual freeloading bit. I can imagine that he's not a particularly popular rider among the other teams as not doing his share seems to have become a habit.

Paris-Roubaix should be a cracker. Lots of guys in very good form.

[hammerddh]

Gilbert really is in a rich vein of form. Amazing solo today.
Interesting to see if Sagan/GVA would have caught him. They really seemed to be putting the hammer down when the crash happened.
Pleased for Gilbert though, always been one of my faves

[Jasper]

Paris- Roubaix tomorrow bring it on always a great race. Sagan ftw

[Clucking Bell]

Nice interview with Geraint Thomas http://www.bbc.com/sport/wales/39579608

[Jasper]

Thomas starts in Tour of the Alps today, he should be a good shout for the overall win later in the week

[Jasper]

Stg3 win today for Thomas was enough to get him the leaders jersey. Sets him up nicely for the overall win.

[Clucking Bell]

Stg3 win today for Thomas was enough to get him the leaders jersey. Sets him up nicely for the overall win.

..... and he does, by six seconds.

[Jasper]

Sad news from Italy this morning is the death of Michele Scarponi. He finished fourth behind G at tour of the Alps and returned home, then out on a short training ride early this morning he was hit by a lorry at a cross roads..

RIP Michele

[Whitters]

The Tour de Romandie is on this week, the biggest race in my neck of the woods, in fact it passed by the end of my road last year. The weather has been glorious of late but has turned cold and wet, and there is possible snow showers on the big mountain stage today.

Froome is the pre-race favourite and has won it a few times before. Sadly the missus has organised a dinner party for Sunday when the race has the time trial finale in Lausanne so I'll miss the race for the first time in a few years

[Jasper]

The 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia starts today, should be a cracking race.
Three Brits on the startlist are Thomas, Adam Yates and Hugh Carthy. While G & Yates both have the potential to finish in the top ten young Carthy could go well in the young rider competition.
Quintana for the win though.