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Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 2:39 pm
by DOB
Martin hasn’t attempted the Giro since he crashed out in the opening ttt in Belfast in 2012 or whenever that was. It’s too soon after the Ardennes for him, apparently.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 2:58 pm
by Beaver_Shark
It should be a good Vuelta.

My two favourites are Quintana and S. Yates. Quintana usually shows up pretty well in the Vuelta, and Yates' Giro showing convinced me that he has a grand tour in him. Movistar as a team look very very strong though.

Nibali has already said that he's not yet fit, but he's riding more in preparation for the World Champs. Richie Porte back as well for this, but who knows what kind of form he's in.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:25 pm
by BlackMac
Bullettyme wrote:
DOB wrote:I think we’ve touched on it before, but Bennett probably needs to move, if he wants to win everything he can. He’s capable of a TdF stage on the right course, he can maybe even win MSR with a team dedicated to getting him over the Poggio, but he won’t get to try while he’s on the same payroll as Sagan.
I think you're probably right there, I think after his Giro showing he'd get quite a bit of interest so I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave when his contract comes up for renewal.

Just saw that both Nico Roche and Dan Martin will be starting the Vuelta. Shaping up to be some decent Irish participation. Depending on how he has recovered from the Tour I'd hope for Dan to take a stage or two and be there and there about, sharing leader duties with Aru though. Nico Roche seems to have cycled himself into a bit of form, seemed to go well at the Arctic Race.

Movistar have a serious team going into the race, suppose we'll have to see which one of Valverde or Quintana wants it.

Do you think he still has it in him??

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:14 pm
by DOB
guy smiley wrote:
DOB wrote:Martin hasn’t attempted the Giro since he crashed out in the opening ttt in Belfast in 2012 or whenever that was. It’s too soon after the Ardennes for him, apparently.
I've probably confused the classics with the Giro. I was lucky this year to see more cycling that I ever had before and I probably overdosed. Like chocolate cake.
He rode the Dauphine as well, which might be part of the confusion.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:18 pm
by Bullettyme
BlackMac wrote:
Bullettyme wrote:
DOB wrote:I think we’ve touched on it before, but Bennett probably needs to move, if he wants to win everything he can. He’s capable of a TdF stage on the right course, he can maybe even win MSR with a team dedicated to getting him over the Poggio, but he won’t get to try while he’s on the same payroll as Sagan.
I think you're probably right there, I think after his Giro showing he'd get quite a bit of interest so I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave when his contract comes up for renewal.

Just saw that both Nico Roche and Dan Martin will be starting the Vuelta. Shaping up to be some decent Irish participation. Depending on how he has recovered from the Tour I'd hope for Dan to take a stage or two and be there and there about, sharing leader duties with Aru though. Nico Roche seems to have cycled himself into a bit of form, seemed to go well at the Arctic Race.

Movistar have a serious team going into the race, suppose we'll have to see which one of Valverde or Quintana wants it.

Do you think he still has it in him??
Not really. He'll give it a crack though. Just really referring to the joint leadership thing.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 4:44 pm
by Beaver_Shark
Porte will probably concede over 7min today.

Nibali also looking in a spot of bother.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 3:32 pm
by Bullettyme
Aqua Blue Sport won't be applying for a new UCI licence. That partnership fiasco seems to have been the last roll of the dice. Sad :(

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:24 pm
by nardol
Details?

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 7:43 pm
by Bullettyme

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 7:51 pm
by nardol
Tnx

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 2:34 pm
by Bullettyme
Looks like ABS demise is immediate too, they have raced their last race and won't be joining the Tour of Britain. That really sucks for the riders. There's a few who will definitely be snapped up, Denfil and Warbasse, and apparently from an Irish perspective Eddie Dunbar has received a bit of interest from a WorldTour team. I hope Conor Dunne finds a good home too.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 2:42 pm
by blindcider
Its sad that 'mostly' due to politics they didn't get a GT wildcard entry this year which would have massively upped their sponsorship income.

Their 1x experiment was brave but always seemed foolhardy for the biggest climbs but at least they gave something different a go, not sure how much sponsorship T3 bought though. One of the nicer pro-cycling liveries too.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:35 pm
by Mick Mannock
There will be a couple of irish cyclists with Wiggins. Looking forward to seeing how Pidcock gets on.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 2:49 am
by DOB
blindcider wrote:Its sad that 'mostly' due to politics they didn't get a GT wildcard entry this year which would have massively upped their sponsorship income.

Their 1x experiment was brave but always seemed foolhardy for the biggest climbs but at least they gave something different a go, not sure how much sponsorship T3 bought though. One of the nicer pro-cycling liveries too.
In fairness, it was only through luck that they got a GT last year. Results wise they hadn’t earned it.

It says something that as much of a bollix as Pat McQuaid was, the UCI elected him president, but they only put up with a Caaark hoor like Delaney for 2 years and they already wanted nothing to do with him.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:44 am
by blindcider
DOB wrote:
blindcider wrote:Its sad that 'mostly' due to politics they didn't get a GT wildcard entry this year which would have massively upped their sponsorship income.

Their 1x experiment was brave but always seemed foolhardy for the biggest climbs but at least they gave something different a go, not sure how much sponsorship T3 bought though. One of the nicer pro-cycling liveries too.
In fairness, it was only through luck that they got a GT last year. Results wise they hadn’t earned it.

It says something that as much of a bollix as Pat McQuaid was, the UCI elected him president, but they only put up with a Caaark hoor like Delaney for 2 years and they already wanted nothing to do with him.
True, but by actually winning a stage they can feel a bit hard done by this year.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:05 am
by happyhooker

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:08 am
by Margin_Walker
happyhooker wrote:Cavendish goes, will he return?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/amp/cycling/4 ... ssion=true
Is he out of contract this autumn? Would be tough to get a TdF ride next year with so many question marks over him.

I guess we'll see.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:10 am
by Gospel
happyhooker wrote:Cavendish goes, will he return?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/amp/cycling/4 ... ssion=true
Cynically speaking - only if he's paid enough.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:12 am
by clydecloggie
Margin_Walker wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Cavendish goes, will he return?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/amp/cycling/4 ... ssion=true
Is he out of contract this autumn? Would be tough to get a TdF ride next year with so many question marks over him.

I guess we'll see.
Sprinting is a young man's game. If he wants more glory he may have to reinvent himself as a breakaway puncher. Can't see him compete at the elite end of sprinting anymore against the likes of Viviani and Groenewegen, and young upstarts like Fabio Jakobsen.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:16 am
by Margin_Walker
clydecloggie wrote:
Margin_Walker wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Cavendish goes, will he return?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/amp/cycling/4 ... ssion=true
Is he out of contract this autumn? Would be tough to get a TdF ride next year with so many question marks over him.

I guess we'll see.
Sprinting is a young man's game. If he wants more glory he may have to reinvent himself as a breakaway puncher. Can't see him compete at the elite end of sprinting anymore against the likes of Viviani and Groenewegen, and young upstarts like Fabio Jakobsen.
Well exactly. Would be a shock if he was able to be competitive in a world class sprint field again. If he did get a ride, he wouldn't have a grand tour team built round him again like he did with DD.

Would have to reinvent himself, as you say.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 5:02 pm
by johnstrac
I remember Abdoujaparov getting away in a break with a few others in a Tour once, their faces were a delight when they saw who was with them.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:07 pm
by frillage
johnstrac wrote:I remember Abdoujaparov getting away in a break with a few others in a Tour once, their faces were a delight when they saw who was with them.
If he doesnt beat us with his pace he will just knock us off throwing his bike from side to side.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 2:53 pm
by DOB
Image

I was waiting for the line about “home-built bike out of old car parts/new aero approach, but it looks like a pretty standard off the shelf Felt frame with Campag wheels and a Giro helmet. I guess he just does have a massive engine. So which WT teams are going to be after him?

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 3:04 pm
by blindcider
DOB wrote:Image

I was waiting for the line about “home-built bike out of old car parts/new aero approach, but it looks like a pretty standard off the shelf Felt frame with Campag wheels and a Giro helmet. I guess he just does have a massive engine. So which WT teams are going to be after him?
If he's riding for Team USA there (rather than in National champs kit) then they have used Felt bikes for a few years.

I love my Felt bikes.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:47 pm
by eldanielfire
Sad news, Olympic champion Kristina Vogel is paralysed after crashing into a cyclist

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/45451442

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 12:00 pm
by Bullettyme
I see promising young Irish rider, Eddie Dunbar, is now an ex-ABS rider after signing for Team Sky with immediate effect. Delighted for the guy, he's a very exciting rider, hope he gets some chances to show off what he can do.

Probably some good business to be had with the ABS riders looking for working. I see Casper Pedersen signed up for Team Sunweb, and there's still some handy riders and ex-national champions there like Adam Blythe, Larry Warbasse and Conor Dunne.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 6:34 pm
by Bullettyme
After that Warbasse has signed to AG2R Mondiale. Good to see some of these riders get good homes.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 6:51 pm
by DOB
Bullettyme wrote:After that Warbasse has signed to AG2R Mondiale. Good to see some of these riders get good homes.
Great news for Warbasse.

You’d hope Dunne can get into at least one of the Continental teams. He’s shown if nothing else he can get in an all-day break and even pick up a kom jersey for a day or two. That’s basically the business model for the likes of Androni and Wanty.

Or who knows, a WT team might want him for keeping the breaks on a leash.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:53 am
by Bullettyme
DOB wrote:
Bullettyme wrote:After that Warbasse has signed to AG2R Mondiale. Good to see some of these riders get good homes.
Great news for Warbasse.

You’d hope Dunne can get into at least one of the Continental teams. He’s shown if nothing else he can get in an all-day break and even pick up a kom jersey for a day or two. That’s basically the business model for the likes of Androni and Wanty.

Or who knows, a WT team might want him for keeping the breaks on a leash.
Blythe gone to Lotto-Soudal too, back where he started. Looks like he's shaping up for a job in media anyway! Still no movement on Dunne, but time yet.

Eddie Dunbar seems to be making a good impression at Sky, contributed in a big way to Moscon's win yesterday. Great to see.

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... a-toscana/

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:47 pm
by Beaver_Shark
Rohan Dennis absolutely demolished the field today om the ITT and was a worthy winner of the rainbow jersey

It's not everyday that somebody puts a minute on Tom D.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:55 pm
by DOB
Caught Castroviejo for 90s just after halfway, and Kiriyenka for 3 minutes! Not much question of who the top TT rider in the world is right now.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:56 pm
by Bullettyme
Wow, just saw that result. Dennis has been pretty impressive this year alright, I had a feeling he'd win today but thought it would be closer with Dumoulin. Fair play!

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:08 pm
by Beaver_Shark
.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:11 pm
by Beaver_Shark
Bullettyme wrote:Wow, just saw that result. Dennis has been pretty impressive this year alright, I had a feeling he'd win today but thought it would be closer with Dumoulin. Fair play!
I saw him destroying them in the Vuelta and thought he might sneak it here. Didn't expect him to be so dominant though.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:17 pm
by DOB
Beaver_Shark wrote:
Bullettyme wrote:Wow, just saw that result. Dennis has been pretty impressive this year alright, I had a feeling he'd win today but thought it would be closer with Dumoulin. Fair play!
I saw him destroying them in the Vuelta and thought he might sneak it here. Didn't expect him to be so dominant though.
At the Vuelta it was pretty obvious that he didn’t have much competition. GCN were only accepting predictions for who would finish 2nd in the long TT. But to then turn around and produce that against a full strength Worlds field is a different story.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 3:34 am
by Peteray
Sensational effort by Patrick Bevin to make the top ten as well, he certainly must have charged up that climb. Hamish Bond also the third non-European, and better than the top half of the field. I wonder how he's finding the pain threshold compared to rowing?

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:20 pm
by clydecloggie
Belgian broadcasting company Sporza have a few videos up of 'Hell', the final climb of Sunday's men's elite WC race.

https://sporza.be/nl/2018/09/26/wk-verk ... ours-jose/

Gradients up to 28% after a 250k+ race. Insane. But also very interesting - the mountain goats you would expect to shine on a ramp like that may already have been eliminated by that stage while for the classics riders who will still be at the front this one may just be a staircase too far. Maybe hybrid types like Valverde and Nibali will fight it out for the win.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:29 pm
by Bullettyme
Fudge me that is BRUTAL. And after 250km that is just torture porn.

You mention Valverde. I think he's in with a shout this weekend. Not sure Nibali will have recovered entirely. Alaphilippe for me has to be the favourite, just to cap off an insane year for Quickstep.

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 1:28 pm
by blindcider
It could favour everyones favourite Brummie Pro cyclist, although what shape he's in with newborn twins recently arrived is anyones guess

Re: The Official UCI Pro Cycling Thread

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 1:31 pm
by blindcider
Peteray wrote:Sensational effort by Patrick Bevin to make the top ten as well, he certainly must have charged up that climb. Hamish Bond also the third non-European, and better than the top half of the field. I wonder how he's finding the pain threshold compared to rowing?
Most impressive for me was Martin Toft Madsen finishing 10th as a semi-pro - I happen to frequent a forum he is a contributor on so have been aware of his different record attempts etc.