Author Topic: Pro Cycling 2023  (Read 1456077 times)

Offline SouthDerryLaggo

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30360 on: February 23, 2024, 10:21:55 pm »
It’s the season proper now. Hard to look past jumbo visma
YNWA

Offline redbyrdz

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30361 on: February 27, 2024, 07:52:02 am »
Had to swerve this thread until after I'd cauggt up with the weekend's races. Both OHN races were good, very entertaining. The women's even more so, I thought, good tactics. Sunday's races were decided quite early and a bit less interesting.
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Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30362 on: February 27, 2024, 09:15:23 am »
Right it's almost March, I'm back in. Absolutely love classics season.

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30363 on: February 27, 2024, 11:50:55 am »
I missed both days racing as I took the bright And Early to London on Saturday to stay with mates before the game.(you'll have to be a certain age to remember that train service.) ;D

Both men's races played out as expected, Jumbo just have more options than other teams at this time of the year, see them at last years early races.

The women's OHN was a pleasant surprise. The best rider the women's peloton has ever seen winning was a surprise. She has a few second places already this season and to hold off Lotte Kopecky was a great effort.

The following day at Craywinckelhof Omloop van het Hageland was another pleasant surprise. The winning rider rode a great race.


Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30364 on: February 27, 2024, 11:52:22 am »
Le Samyn today. Course looks wet-good. Cobbles, hills and water always make for a good days racing.


Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30365 on: February 27, 2024, 11:06:06 pm »
Caught up with the two races of Le Samyn, not bad. Women's was the pick of the two.

Onto Trofeo Laigueglia tomorrow. The race is always decided on the laps of the finishing circuit, four of them. UAE have a decent team for this race. EF Education -Easy Post too. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team come here with last years winner, Nans Peters.Should be a good race.

With Lenny Martinez winning for Groupama - FDJ. ;D It would be nice, the kid has a lot of promise.

Offline SouthDerryLaggo

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30366 on: February 28, 2024, 04:36:28 pm »
great stuff from Darren Rafferty today in that Italian race.
YNWA

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30367 on: February 29, 2024, 12:13:14 am »
Caught up with the two races of Le Samyn, not bad. Women's was the pick of the two.

Onto Trofeo Laigueglia tomorrow. The race is always decided on the laps of the finishing circuit, four of them. UAE have a decent team for this race. EF Education -Easy Post too. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team come here with last years winner, Nans Peters.Should be a good race.

With Lenny Martinez winning for Groupama - FDJ. ;D It would be nice, the kid has a lot of promise.
Just watched the last 30 km. Martinez once again impressing me with his climbing, his descending on a slippy descent, his intelligence, in knowing where the attack must come. Most of all, his holding off firstly of Christen, and then the rest of the chasing pack over a 6 km itt, something which is not his forte was massively impressive.

As I said above, the lad has promise, a lot of promise.

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30368 on: March 1, 2024, 08:29:59 pm »
Strade Bianche-Women's.
Strade Bianche-Men's.
Salverda Ster Van Zolle.
Les Tour Des 100 Communes.
Grand Prix Criquielion.

All live to stream tomorrow.

Paris-Nice. Sunday.

Tirreno-Adriatico. Monday.

The most exciting weekend in the early calendar, no one post.


The Women's race is a difficult call with Vollering backed by a strong SD Worx-Protime team that includes Kopecky, and then there's rivals such as  Niewiadoma,  Labous, and Persico. And the cherry on top, the greatest cyclist of all in the peloton,Vos. As I say, a difficult call.


The Men's race is easier, this is how I rate the riders in terms of winning.

5 Star-Pogacar
4 Star- Pidcock, Valter.
3 Star. Kuss, L. Martinez, Wellens.
2 Star Gregoire, Healy, D. Martinez, Van Gils.
1 Star. Madouas, Mohoric, Powless, Tronchon, Van Eetvelt.


With a nod to keep an eye on Neilson Powless. 





Offline SouthDerryLaggo

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30369 on: March 3, 2024, 11:19:54 am »
81km solo pogacar. 😂😂😂
YNWA

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30370 on: March 5, 2024, 08:23:59 pm »
I watched the women's Strade on the way to the game-it played out as expected.

I watched the men's on the train back-wow!! Pogacar is easily the best all round rider we've seen in generations, he's that good. To say, I'll do this, and then do just that is phenomenal. Imagine Clemens walking out at Fenway and saying, I'm throwing a no-hitter...Bird walking on court at Boston Garden  and telling team mates, a triple double from me tonight...that's what Pogacar was able to do on Saturday.

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30371 on: March 8, 2024, 04:59:37 pm »
Decent racing at both P-N and T-A today.

Both Morkov and Cavendish finished outside the time limit at T-A.I have to say I'm surprised by that, it wasn't a difficult stage.

Both races set up nicely for the weekend stages.

Offline SamAteTheRedAcid

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30372 on: March 16, 2024, 09:36:27 am »
I watched the women's Strade on the way to the game-it played out as expected.

I watched the men's on the train back-wow!! Pogacar is easily the best all round rider we've seen in generations, he's that good. To say, I'll do this, and then do just that is phenomenal. Imagine Clemens walking out at Fenway and saying, I'm throwing a no-hitter...Bird walking on court at Boston Garden  and telling team mates, a triple double from me tonight...that's what Pogacar was able to do on Saturday.

I didn't post about this but it didn't go unnoticed...Pogacar just brilliant for that. Really exciting rider and lots of fun too, just an incredible talent. Today should be good, will try and follow on Twitter as I'm out of the house.
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Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30373 on: March 16, 2024, 03:40:38 pm »
Pog comes third in the sprint, lol. But brilliant from Philipsen to stay at the front up the Poggio and so close from Pidock! What. A. Race.

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30374 on: March 16, 2024, 08:31:17 pm »
Not a good race.MSR is too easy when the pace isn't hard enough.

UAE need to ask questions,firstly of Ulissi and Hirschi, they went missing early. Also, why not take a rouleur like Pollit? The race was not hard enough for Pogacar to win today. And yet if not for the closing down of him by MVDP he might have won.

Still, a good race from MVDP in assisting his team mate to the win. I wondered why he never attacked Pogacar off the Poggio, he knew his team mate was there just behind. Another upside, nice to see Bling being competitive at MSR.

Onto Binda, tomorrow and the on Monday Catalunya-this should be a great race, lots of good riders there for the overall.

Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30375 on: March 16, 2024, 08:41:09 pm »
I dunno. It’s MSR. It’s all down to the Poggio. And then it all happened. Including an almost win for Pidcock. And a sprinter won it when they’ve been asking if a sprinter could ever win again. If you wanted more you were expecting it to be a different race to MSR I reckon.  Cipressa was a bit slow I’ll give you that!
« Last Edit: March 16, 2024, 08:55:47 pm by Knight »

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30376 on: March 18, 2024, 01:01:55 pm »
I dunno. It’s MSR. It’s all down to the Poggio. And then it all happened. Including an almost win for Pidcock. And a sprinter won it when they’ve been asking if a sprinter could ever win again. If you wanted more you were expecting it to be a different race to MSR I reckon.  Cipressa was a bit slow I’ll give you that!
I was hoping for some bravery from the riders who couldn't win the sprint. That it was ending in a sprint was obvious from the Cipressa on. Still, at least a decent rider won, due in part to another good ride from a team mate whose ambitions were put on the back burner to ride for his sprinter.

As for another sprinter ever winning this race again, Stuyven won here just three years ago. I know society is all about the present, but, three years...

Onto Catalunya. Looks like a nice finish to today's stage.

Offline San Diego Red

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30377 on: March 19, 2024, 09:11:54 pm »
Well Pogacar showed he was head and shoulders above the field in the Volta Catalunya today. In miserable conditions he just rode away from the field on the final climb. Pity there was no TV pictures at the time of the attack due the weather.

Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30378 on: March 20, 2024, 02:55:32 pm »
I was hoping for some bravery from the riders who couldn't win the sprint. That it was ending in a sprint was obvious from the Cipressa on. Still, at least a decent rider won, due in part to another good ride from a team mate whose ambitions were put on the back burner to ride for his sprinter.

As for another sprinter ever winning this race again, Stuyven won here just three years ago. I know society is all about the present, but, three years...

Onto Catalunya. Looks like a nice finish to today's stage.

You can't know it's gonna be a sprint from Cipressa. Someone can jump on Poggio. And I was wrong about Cipressa being slow, it was one of the fastest they've ever done it. As for Stuyven winning 3 years ago I don't think he's a sprinter really? He wins classics races mostly. And even if he is, he didn't win from the small group. He jumped at the bottom of the descent and had a decent gap going into the last 150 metres. Albeit he outsprinted the guy he was with. If you want a sprinter you gotta go back to 2016.

Re bravery, well Pogacar attacked on the Poggio and then several guys tried to pull a fast one on the descent/ on the flat. That's how you win this race. 
« Last Edit: March 20, 2024, 02:59:49 pm by Knight »

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30379 on: March 20, 2024, 04:47:26 pm »
You can't know it's gonna be a sprint from Cipressa. Someone can jump on Poggio. And I was wrong about Cipressa being slow, it was one of the fastest they've ever done it. As for Stuyven winning 3 years ago I don't think he's a sprinter really? He wins classics races mostly. And even if he is, he didn't win from the small group. He jumped at the bottom of the descent and had a decent gap going into the last 150 metres. Albeit he outsprinted the guy he was with. If you want a sprinter you gotta go back to 2016.

Re bravery, well Pogacar attacked on the Poggio and then several guys tried to pull a fast one on the descent/ on the flat. That's how you win this race.
Of course you can tell. I don't know how many editions of MSR you've watched, but for those of us who've seen more than a few, it's not too difficult. If you see a Zabel, Cavendish or Cippolini in the group on Cipressa, you'd be stupid to not know there's a sprint finish coming. The same can be said of Saturday's race.

As to Stuyven. Did you see how that edition ended? His attack from about 2 out ended with him just holding off the reduced bunch sprint. A reduced bunch sprint, is a sprint.

Bravery? Or the last throw of desperate die? Bravery was Stade, not an attack with the strongest super-domestique just behind.


Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30380 on: March 20, 2024, 04:49:59 pm »
Well Pogacar showed he was head and shoulders above the field in the Volta Catalunya today. In miserable conditions he just rode away from the field on the final climb. Pity there was no TV pictures at the time of the attack due the weather.
The twit lost me a bet. ;D I had him down for 4 plus wins here. I hope he can win the Barcelona stage to go with his, hopefully, win on the penultimate stage.

Offline San Diego Red

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30381 on: March 20, 2024, 05:45:13 pm »
The twit lost me a bet. ;D I had him down for 4 plus wins here. I hope he can win the Barcelona stage to go with his, hopefully, win on the penultimate stage.
Well he has 2 and he definitely should win Saturday. Sunday is always a tough stage in Barcelona.....bit of an ask for him to win that but since I have no skin in the game may as well pull for your bet!

Totally off topic Carlton Kirby can sure as fuck ramble on about nothing

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30382 on: March 21, 2024, 12:42:23 pm »
Well he has 2 and he definitely should win Saturday. Sunday is always a tough stage in Barcelona.....bit of an ask for him to win that but since I have no skin in the game may as well pull for your bet!

Totally off topic Carlton Kirby can sure as fuck ramble on about nothing
the bet is only the four train fares to Manchester for our next away.

I watch a stream on YT that is broadcast without any comms, just the ambient noise of the stage. Have a look and subscribe here, if you're interested.


https://www.youtube.com/@ProCyclingRaces
 

Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30383 on: March 21, 2024, 03:13:15 pm »
Of course you can tell. I don't know how many editions of MSR you've watched, but for those of us who've seen more than a few, it's not too difficult. If you see a Zabel, Cavendish or Cippolini in the group on Cipressa, you'd be stupid to not know there's a sprint finish coming. The same can be said of Saturday's race.

As to Stuyven. Did you see how that edition ended? His attack from about 2 out ended with him just holding off the reduced bunch sprint. A reduced bunch sprint, is a sprint.

Bravery? Or the last throw of desperate die? Bravery was Stade, not an attack with the strongest super-domestique just behind.

You really can't. Firstly, it was one of the hardest Cipressa's ever in terms of time up. Secondly, last year a decent sized group made it over the Cipressa and it wasn't a sprint finish. Both years Pogacar has tried to make it very hard and it's still had sprinters in the group at the end of it. But beyond the examples, and perhaps you've watched every edition since the Cipressa was included in '82, it doesn't make sense of how people have actually won the race just in the last 8 or so editions. You can win MSR either by attacking on the Poggio and just blowing everyone off your wheel with insane watts or by going clear on the descent of the Poggio or by attacking on the flat before the finish, or by winning a reduced bunch sprint (with or without true sprinters in it). None of these ways of winning can be discerned from the makeup of the peloton after the Cipressa.

Yes I rewatched the highlights of the Stuyven year. 1. He's not a sprinter, this was a weird thing for you to claim and I don't know why you've not admitted that he isn't. 2. He attacked on the flat(ish) once the descent finished and so had a decent lead on the reduced bunch going into the final 150 metres. So it wasn't won from the reduced bunch, it was won from the guy off the front. This is not and has never been known as winning a bunch sprint. Rather the typical way of referring to it would be to 'hold off the bunch to win'. So neither did a sprinter win it in 2021, given he's not a sprinter, and nor did he win the bunch sprint, because he wasn't in the bunch.

Re bravery - fair enough. Give me a few examples of someone being brave in MSR according to your definition.   
« Last Edit: March 21, 2024, 03:20:47 pm by Knight »

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30384 on: March 22, 2024, 01:12:58 pm »
You really can't. Firstly, it was one of the hardest Cipressa's ever in terms of time up. Secondly, last year a decent sized group made it over the Cipressa and it wasn't a sprint finish. Both years Pogacar has tried to make it very hard and it's still had sprinters in the group at the end of it. But beyond the examples, and perhaps you've watched every edition since the Cipressa was included in '82, it doesn't make sense of how people have actually won the race just in the last 8 or so editions. You can win MSR either by attacking on the Poggio and just blowing everyone off your wheel with insane watts or by going clear on the descent of the Poggio or by attacking on the flat before the finish, or by winning a reduced bunch sprint (with or without true sprinters in it). None of these ways of winning can be discerned from the makeup of the peloton after the Cipressa.

Yes I rewatched the highlights of the Stuyven year. 1. He's not a sprinter, this was a weird thing for you to claim and I don't know why you've not admitted that he isn't. 2. He attacked on the flat(ish) once the descent finished and so had a decent lead on the reduced bunch going into the final 150 metres. So it wasn't won from the reduced bunch, it was won from the guy off the front. This is not and has never been known as winning a bunch sprint. Rather the typical way of referring to it would be to 'hold off the bunch to win'. So neither did a sprinter win it in 2021, given he's not a sprinter, and nor did he win the bunch sprint, because he wasn't in the bunch.

Re bravery - fair enough. Give me a few examples of someone being brave in MSR according to your definition.
If I see a Zabel on Cipressa I can safely say that it's a sprinters day. I raced through to juniors level, have been watching cycling live and on tv for over 50 years, not since 2012.With that experience it's more than possible to see/say how a race will end based upon the make of the race lead. There's examples of races being called, mid race, in this thread, in particular an edition of P-R.

As to bravery-see an Italian rider called Michele Dancelli, for one example.There's lots more examples throughout the races history. Educate yourself, not my job, lad.

 
 

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30385 on: March 22, 2024, 01:16:56 pm »
More importantly, E3 is live now.WVA and MVDP meet on the road for the first time this season. The Women's race is later today. Coppi-Bartali, looks like a decent finish at this race. And the Pogacar show continues at Catalunya.


Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30386 on: March 22, 2024, 02:40:12 pm »
If I see a Zabel on Cipressa I can safely say that it's a sprinters day. I raced through to juniors level, have been watching cycling live and on tv for over 50 years, not since 2012.With that experience it's more than possible to see/say how a race will end based upon the make of the race lead. There's examples of races being called, mid race, in this thread, in particular an edition of P-R.

As to bravery-see an Italian rider called Michele Dancelli, for one example.There's lots more examples throughout the races history. Educate yourself, not my job, lad.

Ah the mask slips. Noticeable that you appeal to experience and authority and fail to argue the point. As per the bravery question - I was asking a genuine question wanting to learn and you give me this. Just elitism of the worst kind.

Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30387 on: March 22, 2024, 02:45:53 pm »
More importantly, E3 is live now.WVA and MVDP meet on the road for the first time this season. The Women's race is later today. Coppi-Bartali, looks like a decent finish at this race. And the Pogacar show continues at Catalunya.

Hope Waert wins P-B this year. Feel bad him keeping on missing out on the monuments.

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30388 on: March 22, 2024, 05:19:14 pm »
Great finishes at Catalunya and Coppi-Bartali. Well worth catching up with. E3 was good. I'll not post anymore as I'm sure there's people who've yet to see the race.

Offline Knight

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30389 on: March 23, 2024, 09:17:51 am »
Great finishes at Catalunya and Coppi-Bartali. Well worth catching up with. E3 was good. I'll not post anymore as I'm sure there's people who've yet to see the race.

A noted sprinter came 2nd I see ;) wish I’d watched it, seems to have been a great race.

Offline San Diego Red

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30390 on: March 24, 2024, 03:36:08 pm »
the bet is only the four train fares to Manchester for our next away.

I watch a stream on YT that is broadcast without any comms, just the ambient noise of the stage. Have a look and subscribe here, if you're interested.


https://www.youtube.com/@ProCyclingRaces
 
Hey Pogacar did the business for you in Barcelona....always good to have a winning bet. Cheers for the link will check it out.

Offline San Diego Red

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30391 on: Yesterday at 07:55:26 pm »
Looks like Van Der Poel will be a really heavy favorite for Tour of Flanders on Sunday. With Wout Van Aert crashing yesterday and missing rest of classic season....denies us the rivalry for another year.

Might put a small bet on Benoot to win it.....he might go under the radar and be given a bit more freedom by the peleton.

Offline Baby Huey

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Re: Pro Cycling 2023
« Reply #30392 on: Today at 08:02:40 am »
Hey Pogacar did the business for you in Barcelona....always good to have a winning bet. Cheers for the link will check it out.
Did. ;D I thought he'd take five, a moment's inattentiveness and he loses the first. That was a good thing as he looked more dialled in after that.

The bet was more about bragging rights, that's more important than the train fares to Manchester next week. ;D


Looks like Van Der Poel will be a really heavy favorite for Tour of Flanders on Sunday. With Wout Van Aert crashing yesterday and missing rest of classic season....denies us the rivalry for another year.

Might put a small bet on Benoot to win it.....he might go under the radar and be given a bit more freedom by the peleton.
Benoot is not a bad shout. He'll need to get away in a break though. I can see MVDP dropping everyone on the Kwaremont, if not on the first time up there, definitely on the second.