The Pro Road Cycling Thread

[Manc in London]

Great to see Eddie Dunbar getting some great stage wins. He has been so unlucky with injuries

Indeed. I was chuffed for him.

 

[give it to gordon]

Panic in the start shed for Evenepoel

 

[chesterbells]

Panic in the start shed for Evenepoel

Yeah, watched the highlights from the races last night and that looked a stressful situation! He really is a worthy winner though isn’t he, and what a fabulous season.

As for Brown winning the womens and doing the Olympic - World double too, I’ve got mixed feelings. I don’t really know enough about her, her background or her cycling pedigree, but I do always have pause for thought when an athlete who hasn’t been on the top step regularly, after a long career, suddenly has one season where she is unbeatable - and then suddenly retires from the sport straight after. I recall Kelly Holmes doing the same in athletics after her double gold in Sydney I think.

 

[chesterbells]

Just to add, the two road races at the weekend look set to be fabulous though. I’m going with Vollering and Pogacar to win, but it would not surprise me to see MVDP retain his title, or even Remco do something again …

 

[chesterbells]

Ahead of this weekend’s races, here’s a reminder of the greatest footage ever seen from any World Championships.

Imola 2020, Anna Van der Breggen

A work of art.

 

[johnnytapia]

Ahead of this weekend’s races, here’s a reminder of the greatest footage ever seen from any World Championships.

Imola 2020, Anna Van der Breggen

A work of art.

Nice images but Hinault in ‘80 at Sallanches is much better IMHO. Second only to the footage of his biblical LBL win.

 

[johnnytapia]

Ahead of this weekend’s races, here’s a reminder of the greatest footage ever seen from any World Championships.

Imola 2020, Anna Van der Breggen

A work of art.

 

[johnnytapia]

15 out of 107 starters finished

 

[chesterbells]

15 out of 107 starters finished

Amazing stuff, just watched that back & cheers for posting. I’m a bit young to remember that one.

I think we are at cross purposes at bit though, as that was undoubtedly at more epic race than Imola, and some of those crowd scenes with all the French fans going bananas behind the barriers are great, but I was really talking about the quality of those images on that particular section on the ridge from the air, alongside the rider. The sort of thing that would look fantastic as a still framed on a wall.

 

[chesterbells]

This rain today gonna make it epic. Will watch before and after the Newcastle game.

 

[johnnytapia]

Amazing stuff, just watched that back & cheers for posting. I’m a bit young to remember that one.

I think we are at cross purposes at bit though, as that was undoubtedly at more epic race than Imola, and some of those crowd scenes with all the French fans going bananas behind the barriers are great, but I was really talking about the quality of those images on that particular section on the ridge from the air, alongside the rider. The sort of thing that would look fantastic as a still framed on a wall.

Yeah,get what you’re saying - the aesthetic of it.

 

[normskih]

This rain today gonna make it epic. Will watch before and after the Newcastle game.

Hope you meant the women’s elite race. A bunch finish but Kopecky was just too strong for the rest and retained her title. Men’s elite race today, 170 miles slog;)

 

[chesterbells]

Hope you meant the women’s elite race. A bunch finish but Kopecky was just too strong for the rest and retained her title. Men’s elite race today, 170 miles slog;)

Yep, epic crowds - watching it before and after our womens match today (and at half time)!.

Vollering was getting a lot of criticism afterwards yesterday, which I think was a bit unfair and simplistic really, without any of us knowing what the Dutch team had planned. Yes, in retrospect she ending up helping Kopecky win, but if she hadn’t done that she wouldn’t have won either.

 

[chesterbells]

Pogi getting involved with 100km to go. You gotta love it :-)

 

[johnnytapia]

If you’re going to attack you may as well do it from 100km out! He is something else.

 

[chesterbells]

Fabulous, utterly fabulous.

I would actually like to see him target Milan San Remo and Paris Roubaix next year, so he has the full set :-)

 

[johnnytapia]

Fabulous, utterly fabulous.

I would actually like to see him target Milan San Remo and Paris Roubaix next year, so he has the full set :-)

Think MSR will be the hardest by dint of fact it’s generally considered the easiest (if you can call 179 miles at 28mph “easy’) to win (and they’re all fucking brutal, hence they’re Monuments).
He’s never ridden PR and it’s a rare thing for a debutant to win it. But he’s capable; his bike handling skills are superb; he’s got the “minerals” to ride on the cobbles. And it’s rarely a “wet” race these days.
I’d love him to do it.
If he wins both monuments he’d be third rider to have won al 5 plus the arc en ciel.
The kid’s mustard

 

[JOGAMIGMOG]

Awesome by Pogi today. Genuinely thought he was stringing the chasers along in the last 10km. Give them a few seconds back and build up a bit of hope then whooosh! It’s the hope that kills you. The man is a machine. If he’s not juiced up he is beyond human - and I believe he is clean. Hope he is anyway as I love watching him.

 

[chesterbells]

Awesome by Pogi today. Genuinely thought he was stringing the chasers along in the last 10km. Give them a few seconds back and build up a bit of hope then whooosh! It’s the hope that kills you. The man is a machine. If he’s not juiced up he is beyond human - and I believe he is clean. Hope he is anyway as I love watching him.

My views on him mirror yours in every respect pal.

 

[chesterbells]

I know it’s not Road, but World gravel championships mens race on this afternoon (now).

Looks fantastic on the tv, and a lot more relatable to kind of routes that many people do for leisure or MTB rides I think. Makes you realise how boring road racing can look sometimes.

Anyway, I’m guessing MvdP is gonna be favourite here.