The Pro Road Cycling Thread

[chesterbells]

Yep, the final week is looking tasty. What are the best days to look out for? I've not really studied the profiles & I don't know the Italian Alpine climbs that well really either, so advice appreciated.

On another note, bought the Sunday times today for the Froome book extract; some scathing stuff in there re the Sky set up for 2012 tour & esp about Wiggins.
It's fair enough, and it's his view, but what I do question is the timing - he surely doesn't need the cash at the mo & surely all this would be better to come out with as his career is ending?
It certainly won't endear him to the Brailsford setup in general or Wiggins in particular on the Sky Team bus this summer, to have revealed all this (I'm assuming Wiggo will get selected here). It's behind a paywall but certainly worth a read.

Looking at the profiles Stage 16 (Tuesday) has two very big climbs in it, including the Stelvio) before finishing with a third less daunting MTF climb. Could be ripe for a Contador at Fuente De/Schleck at Galibier long range attack if someone (Quintana/Rolland) so wishes.

Stage 17 looks to be a bumpy stage, with lots of little steep ramps. Could be one for the sprinters but should test everyone's legs so who knows.

Stage 18: MTF, similar to today's - less altitude, but with more climbing preceeding it.

Stage 19: 25 km TT, the final 19KM's of which is climbing to a mountain top finish.

Stage 20: Mount Zoncolan. All the GC contenders throwing all in for what they can get.

So emm basically, just watch every stage!

Cheers for that - yes I will if I can!

Realistically think I'll prioritise Stages 16 & 20 - those climbs are so legendary that even a non Giro specialist like me has heard of them.
I don't normally enjoy watching TT on tv but this uphill one so close to the end could be worth watching to see how Evans et al go

 

[Shands]

On another note, bought the Sunday times today for the Froome book extract; some scathing stuff in there re the Sky set up for 2012 tour & esp about Wiggins.
It's fair enough, and it's his view, but what I do question is the timing - he surely doesn't need the cash at the mo & surely all this would be better to come out with as his career is ending?
It certainly won't endear him to the Brailsford setup in general or Wiggins in particular on the Sky Team bus this summer, to have revealed all this (I'm assuming Wiggo will get selected here). It's behind a paywall but certainly worth a read.

Just had a read of the extract. I didn't like Froome much before I read it, I like him even less now I have. I hope his Tour defence falls apart miserably.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

On another note, bought the Sunday times today for the Froome book extract; some scathing stuff in there re the Sky set up for 2012 tour & esp about Wiggins.
It's fair enough, and it's his view, but what I do question is the timing - he surely doesn't need the cash at the mo & surely all this would be better to come out with as his career is ending?
It certainly won't endear him to the Brailsford setup in general or Wiggins in particular on the Sky Team bus this summer, to have revealed all this (I'm assuming Wiggo will get selected here). It's behind a paywall but certainly worth a read.

Just had a read of the extract. I didn't like Froome much before I read it, I like him even less now I have. I hope his Tour defence falls apart miserably.

Are any of these pro-cyclists 'nice' people? Everyone seems to have an oversized slice of cuntish behaviour waiting to come out.

Looking forward to tomorrow's efforts. Last year we were diddled out of Stelvio 'cos of the Italian weather. Hope it holds up, no snow and a proper race as good as yesterday's.

 

[Shands]

On another note, bought the Sunday times today for the Froome book extract; some scathing stuff in there re the Sky set up for 2012 tour & esp about Wiggins.
It's fair enough, and it's his view, but what I do question is the timing - he surely doesn't need the cash at the mo & surely all this would be better to come out with as his career is ending?
It certainly won't endear him to the Brailsford setup in general or Wiggins in particular on the Sky Team bus this summer, to have revealed all this (I'm assuming Wiggo will get selected here). It's behind a paywall but certainly worth a read.

Just had a read of the extract. I didn't like Froome much before I read it, I like him even less now I have. I hope his Tour defence falls apart miserably.

Are any of these pro-cyclists 'nice' people? Everyone seems to have an oversized slice of cuntish behaviour waiting to come out.

Looking forward to tomorrow's efforts. Last year we were diddled out of Stelvio 'cos of the Italian weather. Hope it holds up, no snow and a proper race as good as yesterday's.

Seems like it's set to go ahead as planned mate, so sit back and enjoy the action.

 

[chesterbells]

Just had a read of the extract. I didn't like Froome much before I read it, I like him even less now I have. I hope his Tour defence falls apart miserably.

Are any of these pro-cyclists 'nice' people? Everyone seems to have an oversized slice of cuntish behaviour waiting to come out.

Looking forward to tomorrow's efforts. Last year we were diddled out of Stelvio 'cos of the Italian weather. Hope it holds up, no snow and a proper race as good as yesterday's.

Seems like it's set to go ahead as planned mate, so sit back and enjoy the action.

I think you're being harsh on Froome there tbh, although I see where you're coming from.

Final decision for tomorrow is being left as late as possible - 90 mins before start of stage in the morning; there's plenty of snow up there I understand. Anyway, fingers crossed from me like everyone else.

 

[Shands]

Are any of these pro-cyclists 'nice' people? Everyone seems to have an oversized slice of cuntish behaviour waiting to come out.

Looking forward to tomorrow's efforts. Last year we were diddled out of Stelvio 'cos of the Italian weather. Hope it holds up, no snow and a proper race as good as yesterday's.

Seems like it's set to go ahead as planned mate, so sit back and enjoy the action.

I think you're being harsh on Froome there tbh, although I see where you're coming from.

I thought I was quite restrained by The Cellar's standards :D I could have said I want to pummel him repeatedly round the head with a cobblestone (measuring the ferocity of each blow on his powermeter) time trial up and down his back on the big ring*, then chuck him off ventoux and hope the winds blow him back to Kenya where he gets slowly digested by a lion :)

*not a euphemism.

 

[Pokes28]

I've not watched today's stage yet (have to wait until after work and then mountain biking for a couple hours) but I've read the race report. Sounds like it was AMAZING. I can't wait to watch it. I'm trying to figure out what took place in regards to the call to neutralize the big decent and then it wasn't done. A few days ago I thought Evans was in the drivers seat. Then I thought there was no way Uran could lose it. Then today happened and with the hard climbing left plus a mountainous ITT... Damn this is fun. This is why I love the Giro. Other than last year, it is consistently provided better theater than the TDF. Nothing like trying to climb a mountain in snow and sleet.

If Ryder hadn't completely botched the first week, he would be right in the thick of it. Amazing that he's pulled back into the top 10.

 

[Nervous Nedum]

I've not watched today's stage yet (have to wait until after work and then mountain biking for a couple hours) but I've read the race report. Sounds like it was AMAZING. I can't wait to watch it. I'm trying to figure out what took place in regards to the call to neutralize the big decent and then it wasn't done. A few days ago I thought Evans was in the drivers seat. Then I thought there was no way Uran could lose it. Then today happened and with the hard climbing left plus a mountainous ITT... Damn this is fun. This is why I love the Giro. Other than last year, it is consistently provided better theater than the TDF. Nothing like trying to climb a mountain in snow and sleet.

If Ryder hadn't completely botched the first week, he would be right in the thick of it. Amazing that he's pulled back into the top 10.

Was fortunate enough to watch almost the whole stage today, and it was a cracker. There are some conflicting reports from teams about what they heard on race radio- I think the Lotto DS said there was no call for a neutralisation, but a few others teams have said there was a call. It's interesting that the official Giro twitter account tweeted that there was a neutralisation, but then deleted the tweet afterwards! Intriguing.

As for the racing, Quintana absolutely bossed that final climb, on the front for pretty much all of it. Kudos to Hesjedal to for only losing a few seconds on him. I can't wait for the next few days now, will be fascinating.

 

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

Just watched today's action, Chapeau Quintana, i do like Nairo. Brutal start to the day but finished in decent weather, like Cadel earlier in the tour, much will be made of should they have attacked/gone on, but Nairo put most of his time into Uran in the good weather on the final climb and did all the work himself, the goat that he is.

Reading the thread, Shands in giving shit to Froome shock, where is Rasc the Sky fanboy to stand by his man? I do have to agree with Shands though, there is something unlikable about Froome, but i am a Wiggo fan so i would say that i suppose.

 

[discopop]

Just finally got back on track with the Giro after being about 2 stages behind (thank the lord for Sky +) Yesterdays stage was a brute and has just about rescued what to me has been a pretty dull affair, not sure the Irish start worked too well and it certainly messed up the normal flow of a grand tour having a rest day after just three days.

One of the good things to come out of the Giro has been the younger riders coming to the fore, time to wash away the likes of Basso, Evans and the plethora of other fading Italian and Spanish drug taking climbers.

I hope the Yorkshire Grand Depart works out better than the Irish one but having ridden a lot of the stage 2 route on Sunday its an absolute fucking gem including some insane steep shit, cobbles, and more steep stuff, there will be a few sprinters cursing that's for sure.

I hope Wiggins gets a final shot at it, pretty certain its last last full year in the Peleton his form at ToC suggests he back at it.