Road Cycling
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@scribe Yeah - I think he did a similar thing in Stage 1 last year. Skinny little guy breaking the wind.
Big news tonight as I'm watching is Pinot has cracked badly and a long way from home.
TJV driving the (elite) remnants of the peloton and it is Van Aert who takes them over the top of the Port de Bales. Incredible for a guy who again outsprinted the sprinters yesterday.
Sepp Kuss has dropped out of the chain for TJV - maybe paying for his work yesterday. WVA, Roglic, George and Dumoulin left to climb the Peyresourde - but, both George and Tom looked to be struggling a little as they went over the top.
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Pogacar clawed back plenty last night. Big winner of the GC contenders and got back 40 seconds. The question will be whether he can back it up tonight.
Pinot Noir (the dark horse) and Alaphilippe the big losers. Both out of contention now.
Jumbo Visma doing the damage to those two and a few others, but Roglic didn’t really capitalize on all the candles they burned. He had the opportunity to follow Pogacar when he attacked and either didn’t or couldn’t. I’m inclined to think the former – he rode a bit conservatively – but when Quintana attacked late on the final climb, Roglic had no trouble shutting him down.
But, TJV put in a lot of effort making the pace, including sacrificing Dumoulin. It was either a bit of a fuck up, or they’re playing the long game and thinking Roglic will really be able to hurt others tonight.
Another mountain stage tonight - I think it could be quite decisive. Or, as decisive as any stage can be in a race that will go to the wire.
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Dunno if any of you guys following cycling are "power nerds" but here's an article with an analysis of the power that Pogacar was putting out. It's fucking insane.. and obvs lots of question marks being raised on the interwebs.. obvious he's a talent. Hopefully today he's shit like George and Depp were last night after their previous day's effort.. usually a bit of a sign
Tour de France power analysis: Tadej PogaÄŤar's record-breaking ascent of the Col de Peyresourde
Slovenian averages 6.5 watts per kilo for 24 minutes and 450 watts for the decisive attack
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@WillieTheWaiter I reckon winning today’s stage probably doesn’t count as being shit. Amazing powers of recuperation ...
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That was worth staying up for.
Given the timing, it’s hard to choose which stages are worth it, but it was fascinating watching the big four chase down Hirschal. Heaps of tension, some awesome attacks, brilliant.
I felt super sorry for him that he couldn’t get the stage win after such a huge effort.
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interesting year with the fucked up prep meaning a few guys you expect to do well already popped.
Did you see Pinot's face when he cracked up that first climb? World of hurt
I enjoyed watching Hirschi power up the first big climb by himself. He's quite the young rider. Then i fell asleep. Will watch replay later.
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I see on Stuff Bennett saying he's been riding with a busted rib since his early crashes.. starting to come right.
One tough mofo -
@WillieTheWaiter They all must be as hard as nails.
You know when you're riding down a hill and you think, "Fuck, I'll munt myself if I come off here".
Those guys do and they're going twice as fast as me! And then they often get back on instead of lying there screaming for an ambulance!
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@Chris-B said in Road Cycling:
@WillieTheWaiter They all must be as hard as nails.
You know when you're riding down a hill and you think, "Fuck, I'll munt myself if I come of here".
Those guys do and they're going twice as fast as me! And then they often get back on instead of lying there screaming for an ambulance!
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@Chris-B they’re all hard as nails, or nutters. Didn’t Tyler Hamilton grind 11 teeth down after riding the Giro a few years back, with a broken shoulder and then rode most of the following TdF After breaking his collar bone in an early stage? Geraint Thomas also famously rode most of a TdF For Team Sky after cracking his pelvis , and had to be lifted on and off his bike each day. Truly hard men. Doing that without high powered (banned) pain killers too, though I guess in Hamilton’s case, overstepping the mark was not something that bothered him too much.
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Also, Sagan beaten again. And loses the Green for i think the 2nd time on Tour. That's unheard of. 30 years old and it's getting a bit hard? or just the fucked up prep?
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tylers a twat but he had some good quotes.. i remember his other one was that he knew he was in shape to ride the tour when he could see his internal organs through his skin.. I certainly never going to have a problem with that!
anyway shittest news about today is we lost one of our riders - Sam Bewley - busted wrist in first crash. Gutted for him, 1st tour, very late in his career.. he'll be spewing.
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@WillieTheWaiter said in Road Cycling:
tylers a twat but he had some good quotes.. i remember his other one was that he knew he was in shape to ride the tour when he could see his internal organs through his skin.. I certainly never going to have a problem with that!
anyway shittest news about today is we lost one of our riders - Sam Bewley - busted wrist in first crash. Gutted for him, 1st tour, very late in his career.. he'll be spewing.
Soft.
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@mariner4life said in Road Cycling:
Also, Sagan beaten again. And loses the Green for i think the 2nd time on Tour. That's unheard of. 30 years old and it's getting a bit hard? or just the fucked up prep?
he's never been a 'pure' sprinter so would 9 outta 10 times lose against guys like Bennett and Ewan.. he's always someone who wins when it's a hard stage with climbs etc.. but he's defo on his way down - been 2 years since he won anything.. he doesn't need to panic will just scoop up the points in the intermediate sprints when we hit the alps.. Trentin has been getting a few of hte int sprints.. not sure what his thoughts are he's wayy back.. but can climb a bit
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Sagan isnt making things easy for himself. Rides to second place in the stage but gets relegated for shouldering van Aert.
Loses a 10 point gain to Bennett at the end plus his points earned at the intermediate sprint.
Has a 68 point deficit that could have been 15!
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yeh he fcuked now.. i take back what i said earlier about him picking up intermediate sprints during alps - didn't realise but all the intermediate sprints during those stages are within first 60 k's of the stage starting so miss the climbs.. Sagans team will make it hard though they've got nothing else to fight for as their GC guy has crumbled already.
That sprint.. rubbin is racin.. few stages back when Ewan got through a similar gap it was one of the greatest sprints ever.. Sagan not helped by a slight curve in the road. Van Aert a bit of moaning twat about it tho, BS that it stopped him doing better - he'd gone waayyy too soon and was going backwards. Any other race it wouln't have mattered but since Poland they're being a bit anal about things I guess
I'd be more happy for Bennett to be in green but it's disappointing cause his normal leadout man and good mate is Shane Archbold - the kiwi mullet - and they didn't take him to the tour to support alaphillippe in the GC.. which has obviously turned to custard. Just gutted Shane not there to be a part of the success
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Maybe Ineos shouldn't have ditched two, massively experienced winners for the new best thing. He was rubbish lost night, no guts at all on the long climb. As a part Brit, I say
