Page 2 of 8

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 5:46 pm
by Clucking Bell
Thomas' and Yates' Giros are over.

I can't believe how unlucky/tactically **** Sky have been this season. Hopefully, they'll get their collective **** together before the Tour.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 10:25 pm
by hammerddh
Thomas interview was typical of his manner.
"Yeah we're racing for position (probably around 40kmh) and we hit the deck. Pretty bad but they popped the shoulder back in, and I got back on for a 15k brutal climb"

Unreal these fella's

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 10:26 pm
by hammerddh
Also, not to be overlooked, Quintana was mustard today

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri May 19, 2017 2:16 pm
by Clucking Bell
G has pulled out of the Giro this morning. The knee that he injured in the crash is getting worse.

I don't know what the Sky plan is but, it might be worth him sitting out the Tour and letting him lead the team at the Vuelta. If he's got to wait another year before having a crack at leading the team, I suspect he won't get the chance or have the form.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 1:59 pm
by hammerddh
Steve Cummings. Chapeau

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:08 pm
by Clucking Bell
What a start to the Tour by Geraint Thomas!

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 11:01 pm
by Bend it like Repka
Absolutely made up for G.

He's had so much bad luck in the last year, utterly deserves this.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:08 pm
by DasNutNock
Not usually v. interested in TDF, but that was a nasty move from Sagan.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:36 pm
by Clucking Bell
DasNutNock wrote:Not usually v. interested in TDF, but that was a nasty move from Sagan.

There's always plenty of pushing and shoving in a bunch sprint and a bit of elbows isn't entirely unknown. Sagan has a tendency to freelance i.e. jump from wheel to wheels which the pure sprinters don't like (although they've all been known to do it too when their lead-outs screw up) and he was definitely shutting the door on Cavendish anyway.

The elbow was definitely the final straw though and Sagan has now been DQ'd for endangering another rider's safety.

This is a bugger 'cos he's in my fantasy team ....

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:46 pm
by Johnny Byrne's Boots
Yep, Sagen has been disqualified.

He was initially penalised 30 seconds and 80 points but Dimension Data appealed and Sagan got the elbow :wink:

I don't think we've heard the last of this.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:06 pm
by Mayday
It's a shame really. The race will be worse off without him. He is the most naturally talented rider on the circuit and one of the best characters.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 11:47 pm
by Johnny Byrne's Boots

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:34 am
by twixy
Awful decision IMO.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:06 am
by Big George
Great piece on Brailsford, the Nigel Farage of Sport

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... us-cycling" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:25 pm
by Clucking Bell
Big George wrote:Great piece on Brailsford, the Nigel Farage of Sport

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... us-cycling" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I don't know what's so great about it. Whether anyone likes Brailsford and the rest of the British Cycling organization or not, you can't argue with the fact that they've collectively made us pretty much the number one cycling nation over the last two decades.

Being a single-minded, selfish, arrogant asshole isn't necessarily a bad thing if you want to win.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:32 am
by White Goodman
Very true CB but I do have this lingering doubt that they've cheated in order to do it.

Huge questions around Wiggins TUE. Just don't buy the asthma excuse, it's bull****.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 10:49 am
by DasNutNock
White Goodman wrote:Very true CB but I do have this lingering doubt that they've cheated in order to do it.

Huge questions around Wiggins TUE. Just don't buy the asthma excuse, it's bull****.
It is bullsh*t. He's a drugs cheat. That everyone else is cheating doesn't make it any worse or better.

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 11:43 am
by Johnny Byrne's Boots
What I haven't seen satisfactorily explained is the mystery package brought out for Wiggins. The courier claims he didn't know what was in it, but when checking in for the flight (assuming it wan't a private one) he would have been asked the questions we're all asked, including "Did you pack your bags yourself?" and "Has anybody asked you to carry anything for them?"

I wonder what his answers were?

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:47 pm
by DasNutNock
Johnny Byrne's Boots wrote:I wonder what his answers were?
"It's a container of performance enhancing drugs for a high profile olympian, tour de france winner and Skoda salesman"

Re: 2017 Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 2:19 pm
by White Goodman
There should be no TUEs.

Effectively if you're not fit and able to compete then tough.

Wiggins is clearly a better cyclist than me but clearly wasn't good enough to win the TdF without the TUE he received.

To me that suggests his particular physiology isn't able to win the TdF fairly, much like mine.

Just because he'd need less assistance should be neither here nor there. It's all about having the complete package to win surely?

how many potential champions have fallen by the wayside in sport because despite all the natural talent in the world, they've been injury prone or wasted it in another way? This should be no different.