The Pro Road Cycling Thread

blueinsa said:
It is but it’s still utterly incredible the level the man is riding at.
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I don't doubt that but it is making races boring. We used to see cyclists fighting just for an extra second or two. You now have two stage racers who will win a race by minutes if they turn up and not crash. Each can with a GT within the first week. This race will be over by Saturday afternoon barring a crash. I am guessing it could be interesting for a few days after with stage winners coming from breaks. Apart from the queen stage as Pogacar, more often than not, usually decides he wins them.

The only things I am interested in are if Thomas can podium and to see how Lipowitz does.
 
Manc in London said:
I don't doubt that but it is making races boring. We used to see cyclists fighting just for an extra second or two. You now have two stage racers who will win a race by minutes if they turn up and not crash. Each can with a GT within the first week. This race will be over by Saturday afternoon barring a crash. I am guessing it could be interesting for a few days after with stage winners coming from breaks. Apart from the queen stage as Pogacar, more often than not, usually decides he wins them.

The only things I am interested in are if Thomas can podium and to see how Lipowitz does.
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I’m not sure it does make races boring.
My take would be:
1) he’s one of 4 or 5 big names are the top of the sport, he isn’t always “out on his own”, unbeatable etc - it just depends who else is in the race, and who each has as team mates etc. It’s a structural fault is the sport (and injuries, crashes etc) they don’t ride against each other more often, not his.
2) He is a leader who animates races. Jonas wouldn’t have done what Pog and Thomas tried today imho; I love that about Pogacar. He’s an example of someone fighting for a second or two, as well as intermediate sprints.
3) As things stand currently, he’s one of the ones I actually believe in (as a non-doper), so that’s a further reason I’m happy to see him leading the race, and will still keep watching etc.
4) and I think every era has had those dominant riders - I’m not as rose-tinted about those past eras and riders having a different mind-set then.
 
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chesterbells said:
I’m not sure it does make races boring.
My take would be:
1) he’s one of 4 or 5 big names are the top of the sport, he isn’t always “out on his own”, unbeatable etc - it just depends who else is in the race, and who each has as team mates etc. It’s a structural fault is the sport (and injuries, crashes etc) they don’t ride against each other more often, not his.
2) He is a leader who animates races. Jonas wouldn’t have done what Pog and Thomas tried today imho; I love that about Pogacar. He’s an example of someone fighting for a second or two, as well as intermediate sprints.
3) As things stand currently, he’s one of the ones I actually believe in (as a non-doper), so that’s a further reason I’m happy to see him leading the race, and will still keep watching etc.
4) and I think every era has had those dominant riders - I’m not as rose-tinted about those past eras and riders having a different mind-set them
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In terms of stage racers, he and Vingegaard are on their own. They rarely race against each other so the stage races are predictable as long as one of them participates.

Yes, he does animate one day and stage races. Often, in stage races, by stomping all over everyone and it becomes obvious he will win within a few seconds of him making the move. He has literally had one or two bad days in four years. Contador, Purito, Froome and Nibali would have several a season. It's becoming F1 like.

One day races have been fairly predictable this year because of WvA injury.
 
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Italy looking absolutely gorgeous today on this stage that will end in a completely different landscape with the chaos of Naples.

Having been out for a ride already this morning, and now got my feet up, this is great viewing - though not much actually happening in the race!
 
What a shame for Navarez there - he really deserved that, was probably the efforts of Pogacar in the final that ended up gifting it to the sprinters.
Chapeau to Alaphillipe too.
 
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