really enjoyed yesterdays Stage in the Vuelta.
5 riders attacking each other for the last 15km’s or so. Just relentless.
One thing I have noted from the Vuelta and the Giro has been some of the coverage has been astounding. The helicopter shots have been fantastic. Yesterday the speed these guys were going at looked crazy from the air.
And to top it all, a Canadian winner. @Arminius will be made up.
I don’t follow the pharmaceutical industry closely enough to have a strong opinion about cycling…
Think of it as Marmite and all is good. Perhaps Woods was supercharged with a superior grade maple syrup from a special blend from deep within Canadian sports science?
Damn, just noted that someone got nailed in the Giro (just finished) for something. The sport really doesn’t help itself.
On a slightly more serious note the health side of these grand tours is fascinating. These guys can consume over 8000 cal per day and still not maintain their body weight. Considering how low they are in fat stores going in it’s probably not the healthiest job in the world.
Watching Froome yesterday and today and I wonder if he’s actually racing himself fit?
Put in some big shifts yesterday and been doing a bit today as well. Right near the front as Movistar are winding the pace up.
Will look out for him on todays final climb. Intriguing to actually understand why he’s in the team.
Well Froome didn’t last long, probably sat up as his work was done for the day.
Roglic is an effin animal though. How do you ride two grand tours and the World Championships and be near the lead in all of them? He would have finished the Dauphine as well had he not crashed, while leading!!
That’s not normal in these abnormal times/
Good drugs I guess…
Amazing that he’s been able to maintain the level for such a lengthy period. Normally that just doesn’t happen with a single grand tour considered the max for a season.
Sagan as well though. Did the Tour and Giro and was competitive in both.
These guys are nuts.
Fuck, Roglic again!!
Surprised that the organizer did not give that 3 sec time gap.
Well, tomorrow is going to be interesting with all that mountainous terrain.
Feck.
Can’t believe I missed it…
Good excuse but…had a job interview.
Just weird that. He was clear and there were gaps.
Good luck with that. I hope it’s a good job, like a Cornish pasty taste tester or something like that
I am still catching up to the events from the past 2 days. However, for Friday’s result, the organiser has changed the verdict and had given the 3sec time gap. There was a protest by the peloton (I also read somewhere that it was initiated by Froome…not surprised that he’s a team mate of Carapaz).
What a race today towards Alto de l’Angliru. 20+% gradient in the last 2km after 3 hours of racing!
yes it was an astonishing state of affairs. Froome parked himself between Carapaz and Roglic on the start line and basically told everyone not to start.
The problem arose because of the stage classification where flat stages are given a 3 second gap leeway to prevent the race leaders racing on sprint stages. On bumpy stages this is reduced to 1 second. That stage was initially classed as a flat stage and the UCI then over ruled it quoting something in the rule book that basically allows them to review things on the hoof. The problem was that the protest was basically to the wrong person. The race commissioner has no part in that decision.
I am forever in awe of these guys. In parts that climb was so steep you could physically see them struggling to push the pedals down with all their weight. So many gutsy performances. Martin, being dropped and working his way back, Carapaz, isolated 5 to one at one point and still finished ahead of Roglic. Worth noting the Sepp Kus looked stronger than Roglic yesterday as well. Fantastic to watch. Loved it, apart from having to stay up until 11pm to catch the highlights.
Rest, day today, time trial tomorrow which may put Roglic back in red, maybe. I’ve been so far off with my cycling predictions i really should just give up.
I am watching Froome with great interest however. He’s been getting better with each day and did a big turn yesterday delivering Carapaz to the base of L’Angliru. Huge shame he couldn’t help further and Ineos didn’t have more riders there. I wonder how well he’ll go in the time trial?
I am still amazed that Roglic has managed to stay in peak condition for so long. Was yesterday a little sign of him dropping off?
Cycling season over as of tomorrow it the Vuelta’s final and processional stage into Madrid.
Today’s stage was pretty special. I feel for Carapaz. He’s essentially been alone this whole tour. Very limited help from his lieutenants.
About to put on the highlights on Eurosport…can’t wait!
Danny MacAskill’s Wee Day Out…
Used to think I was pretty good on my bike until I watched this guy again…!
I only have a passing interest in cycling, but whilst researching the “GOAT” thread I thought I’d try to learn more about the sport.
Probably a “noob” question but I have searched extensively online and cannot find anything which categorically answers the question:
Why is Merckx almost universally ranked above Induraín?
Yes. But both were freaks.
I’d personally add Armstrong to that category and actually above Indurain. Even without chemical assistance he was a phenomenal athlete. Shame he was / can be a bit of a cunt.
I’d also argue that I have questions over Indurain’s “cleanliness”. But he was never caught to my knowledge.