Bicycle Racing Thread 2013

[where to]

A few years ago, I used to find Cavendish's arrogance annoying. But I don't any more at all.

He's a different guy now somehow. I used to hate him but am now a fan.

Whereas Wiggins I am increasingly finding to be a hate figure for me.

 

[twistedAM]

I think he's probably my favourite sports interviewee. Soon he'll change, but after the whole "do you know anything about cycling" bit I'll always listen out for him.

One thing I don't get...All this talk of winning the points - isn't that like a golfer saying they've got the lowest round in a matchplay? Just seems odd that he goes for that. Why not just try and win the tour? As I understand it he's a bit of a special ops sprint finisher - does he just trundle through some stages just to save his poke for the finales that matter?

Basically, a sprinter uses different types of muscles from a climber. Nigh impossible to possess both. Cav is small for a sprinter; many of the others are big lads who really have to struggle pulling their weight up a mountain.

And on a tangent, I'd love to see a grand tour without an ITT.

Forza Nibali.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

I think he's probably my favourite sports interviewee. Soon he'll change, but after the whole "do you know anything about cycling" bit I'll always listen out for him.

Why will he soon change? He's been this way for 6 years now.

 

[The Boy]

GC action on stage 3

 

[twistedAM]

GC action on stage 3

Wiggins the wheel-hugger.
Forza Cadel

 

[The Boy]

Wiggins the wheel-hugger.
Forza Cadel

I was amazed he was even in there, tbh. A lot of guys who's GC aspirations are done after today.

 

[where to]

That bodes well. Tomorrow has Nibali written all over it.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Hard not to like the way Hesjedal has been riding recently. Both at LBL and today he's been pure entertainment value.

 

[The Boy]

That bodes well. Tomorrow has Nibali written all over it.

Gonna be a long stage, and I'm not sure who will be chasing the break down. Vini Fantini ftw?

 

[The Boy]

Hard not to like the way Hesjedal has been riding recently. Both at LBL and today he's been pure entertainment value.

Agreed. I had settled in after a gentle-ish afternoon of racing but sat up pretty quick when I saw him nipping off the front. Complete opposite to his ride last year in a way.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Agreed. I had settled in after a gentle-ish afternoon of racing but sat up pretty quick when I saw him nipping off the front. Complete opposite to his ride last year in a way.

I suppose it's not as if he can win GC this year in the TT. And the rest sure as hell aren't going to underestimate him the same way. So if he wants to win, he has to put time into Wiggins wherever he can. And he clearly isn't interested in riding to place.

Tomorrow has some potential, because it's a long stage, but I fear that it's about as much of a TTers climb as you'll get in Italy. I suspect that Wiggins will grind his way up very effectively.

 

[where to]

The other thing is, if he has reached peak form he needs to use that form now, with potential stage wins and pink jersey time. He probably won't win overall, so this stuff banks a decent Giro for Garmin early on. Anything else a bonus.

 

[twistedAM]

Anyone got a stream from Brit Eurosport? Got Rai Uno and my (albeit basic) Italian is not as good as it used to be.

 

[The Boy]

Anyone got a stream from Brit Eurosport? Got Rai Uno and my (albeit basic) Italian is not as good as it used to be.

http://88.80.15.211/b00ha/20130503/vv5183b730d99a0167291773-572970.html

works for me.

 

[Ted Striker]

http://88.80.15.211/b00ha/20130503/vv5183b730d99a0167291773-572970.html

works for me.

You star, cheers

 

[The Boy]

Erm, Nibali down?

edit: puncture. Bad timing though.

 

[twistedAM]

Erm, Nibali down?

edit: puncture. Bad timing though.

He's tucked in behind the Skybores on the final climb.

 

[The Boy]

Vini Fantini ftw?

I was close


edit: although Battaglin is in my fantasy cycling team for today so not all bad

 

[The Boy]

Wiggins dropped time . If that is a result of letting a gap open with the rider in front then very careless.

 

[twistedAM]

Wiggins missed the split by 17 seconds ...now down on GC behind Nibbles.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Sky are claiming that he was slowed down by a crash. So it's possible that his time will be adjusted back up. Assuming that they are telling the truth, the issue remains though, what was he doing riding at the back of the group? Was he nervous going around the wet corners at the end?

 

[tommers]

Sky are claiming that he was slowed down by a crash. So it's possible that his time will be adjusted back up. Assuming that they are telling the truth, the issue remains though, what was he doing riding at the back of the group? Was he nervous going around the wet corners at the end?

It's pretty easy to check if they're lying.

 

[The Boy]

Will be interesting to see if there is any video footage of the incident that pops up on youtube. I've had alook at the last couple of kilometres again but can't see anything.

 

[tommers]

Will be interesting to see if there is any video footage of the incident that pops up on youtube. I've had alook at the last couple of kilometres again but can't see anything.

Oh. Ok. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[The Boy]

Oh. Ok. Maybe I'm wrong.

Looks to me that there were already gaps appearing in the lead up to the sprint, but any crash would probably be off-camera if it took place towards the back of the peloton. Perhaps we might see some different footage surfacing, but in the meantime I can't see much happening here:

 

[Fez909]

Slightly off-topic now the Giro has started, but can anyone explain the thought processes behind Sky's giving the team lead to Froome for the Tour? I know he's been itching for it, but surely Wiggins holds the power here? I'd be demanding the right to defend my title, and I would have thought most teams would have granted the wish? Is it all about sublimation to the team rather than letting individuals become "too big"?

Cav was treated like shit as the world champ, Wiggins put in his place as Tour champ...maybe Froome is next should he win anything?

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Slightly off-topic now the Giro has started, but can anyone explain the thought processes behind Sky's giving the team lead to Froome for the Tour? I know he's been itching for it, but surely Wiggins holds the power here? I'd be demanding the right to defend my title, and I would have thought most teams would have granted the wish? Is it all about sublimation to the team rather than letting individuals become "too big"?

I suspect it's mostly just their usual ruthless approach to winning. Froome is a better climber than Wiggins and an only slightly worse time trial rider. This Tour is more weighted towards climbing than last year's wet dream parcours for Wiggins. So Froome is more likely to produce the goods. So he's the planned leader. No sentimentality. No loyalty. Just numbers.

They also probably figure that Wiggins, if he has last year's form, can probably win the Giro and two GTs are better than one. Plus, there may be an element of a longer term calculation: Froome is five years younger than Wiggins, and therefore backing him can help them bring in wins for longer than backing the older guy.

It may also be that Wiggins has changed his mind about his goals since it started to look more likely that Contador may not be the force he was. He might not have thought he could realistically defend the Tour back when the GT split with Froome was first talked about, but now thinks he can. Which would be the sort of thing that would cause a lot of friction on a team.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Apparently there was a crash and those involved got their time back. However, the jury ruled that Wiggins was not held up and his loss stands.

 

[The Boy]

Apparently there was a crash and those involved got their time back. However, the jury ruled that Wiggins was not held up and his loss stands.

They've been given a time of +21s so must have been behind Wiggins unless there are 80s style shenanigans a goin' on.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Well I'll guess we will know if it's an 80s thing if Nibali's bike is bolted to the back of a motorbike during the ITT!