Topic: Pro Cycling 2023

[redbyrdz]

I was thinking there might be a few young, new riders in there that fancy their chances in a sprint. But I wouldn't know who they are.

[dave 5516]

The two young riders to watch at this edition will be Enric Mas and Marc Soler. Future GT winners these lads. Apart from those...I'm made up Manzana Postabon are here...best kit in pro cycling.

[dave 5516]

You just think Pantani when you see a pink kit like that, don't you. Makes you smile.

For me it's always ONCE. They're the pro jerseys I have. For the TDF ONCE used to swap the yellow background colour of their team jersey to pink, as you know.

[redbyrdz]

Today's stage...if anyone wants to watch a bit of TTT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxleS1AOPVY

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/jxleS1AOPVY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/jxleS1AOPVY</a>

Everyone else can just look at the results:

Spoiler

1   BMC Racing Team   0:15:58   
2   Quick-Step Floors   0:00:06   
3   Team Sunweb       
4   Team Sky   0:00:09   
5   Orica-Scott   0:00:17   
6   Bora-Hansgrohe   0:00:21   
7   Lotto-Soudal   0:00:24   
8   Movistar       
9   Bahrain-Merida   0:00:31   
10   Katusha-Alpecin   0:00:33   
11   Trek-Segafredo   0:00:35   
12   FDJ   0:00:38   
13   Aqua Blue Sport       
14   Dimension Data   0:00:39   
15   LottoNL-Jumbo   0:00:40   
16   Astana   0:00:41   
17   Cannondale-Drapac   0:00:46   
18   AG2R La Mondiale       
19   UAE Team Emirates   6:29:02   
20   Manzana Postobon   0:00:53   
21   Caja Rural-Seguros RGA   0:00:56   
22   Cofidis   0:00:57

[close]

[redbyrdz]

Stage 2 of the Vuelta a Espana






A flat stage with little of note. Usually this would be a sprinter's stage, but as discussed above, there aren't that many sprinters here.

IIRC,there's not a lot of sprinting talent here either..Degenkolb, if not he from the team, then Theuns.  Modolo, Cort Nielsen, Trentin....they're the only riders I can recall from my quick glance at the start list.

The only thing that could make this interesting is the weather....the forecast is for a mixture of sunshine and clouds, no rain....and a northerly wind with up to 18 mph. From the map that makes it mostly a cross-tail wind, but for a few of the later sections it turns into a straight cross wind. If there are teams inclined to make something out of this stage, this is where it will happen....please

[spen71]

Has anyone ever been to Spain to watch it?  I was in Northern Spain recently and drove on some of the roads they will be racing on.   Stunning area!   Would love to go next year.

[dave 5516]

Grote Prijs Jef Scherens.

Live here.

http://sebn.sc/sebn-5.php

[redbyrdz]

Also today:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/KoxwKWqLXtU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/KoxwKWqLXtU</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoxwKWqLXtU

Without having watched it....you're likely safe to just watch just the last km...from 28 mins in.

[redbyrdz]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/WzHD-BBBv6A" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/WzHD-BBBv6A</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzHD-BBBv6A

[redbyrdz]

The Vuelta finish is excellent tactically.

[Gerry Attrick]

That was brilliant.

[redbyrdz]

Vuelta a Espana stage 3

A mountain stage. We're done with messing around.



As you can see, this is all climbing and descending, a tough day. The first climb is the Col de Perche, a fairly steady 5% climb - over nearly 20km. This is followed by about 70km of descending, before it ramps up a little for 10 miles and then hits the second cat 1 climb, the Coll de la Rabassa. This ramps up at nearly 10% for 4 km, before easing off to 7%, then 6%, then 5%. The descend is steep and full of hairpins. Following that there is a small cat 2 climb - 4km at 8% - and a 7km descend to the line (the last km before the line is actually flat). This is another technical descent with hairpins down to 3km to go, and then a couple of roundabouts and two 90 degree turns to the finish.




Because its so early in the race, I do fancy the break to take the day - I can't imagine any of the GC contenders will want to let a rival go, and the teams are still fresh and at strength. That said, I'd love to see Nibali go for it with the way the finish looks.

Contenders...climbers who are allowed into the break. I've just read this and he says...Atapuma, De Gendt, Fraile, Domont, Monfort, Polanc, Navarro, LL Sanchez. Yeah. Why not one of them?

[dave 5516]

What kind of a preview leaves out Sandro? No Sandro no party. To him I'd add....Alaphillipe, Dennis, Geniez, Visconti, Roche, Costa.

[The_Cutter]

Is the result discussion moratorium active?

Spoiler

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiibbles! That was a mugging! 

He cracked on the climb again though, but got back and won it like an old fox! Those 30'' bonks in the first two weeks ultimately cost him the Giro, he needs to sort that out.

[close]

[redbyrdz]

Yes. Thanks!

[redbyrdz]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/NJHpGCRjJIw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/NJHpGCRjJIw</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJHpGCRjJIw

[redbyrdz]

Is the result discussion moratorium active?

Spoiler

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiibbles! That was a mugging! 

He cracked on the climb again though, but got back and won it like an old fox! Those 30'' bonks in the first two weeks ultimately cost him the Giro, he needs to sort that out.

[close]

Spoiler

His descending saved him, he got right back to the front. And yep, great awareness to spot when the others weren't looking and enough left to see it out.


How ugly was Froome's attack? He should be banned from racing on style alone.

[close]

[dave 5516]

Ta. I'll watch this when I get back.

No need for a preview for the next two stages....have a rest, you must be tuckered out.

[redbyrdz]

Ta. I'll watch this when I get back.

No need for a preview for the next two stages....have a rest, you must be tuckered out.

I was just looking at tomorrow's. Sprint stage, technical finsh. Trentin. That'll do.

[dave 5516]

I was just looking at tomorrow's. Sprint stage, technical finsh. Trentin. That'll do.

The stage is not too far from where we're staying....

I would like to see a win for Blythe.

[The_Cutter]

Just force him on a bike, he can't be as useless as the rest of the BM guys! Heck, Vinnie got his brother riding a GT just for the hell of it.



Anyway, it's late, past 9 o'clock even, you come in 'ere you get spoilers!

Spoiler

He got also lucky that he found himself in a group with 2 BMC guys fancying their chances for a stage and/or the red jersey. He wouldn't have caught up alone. He plays it safe nowadays and thus Bardet, Aru and Froome all descend as fast as Nibbles.

Meh, I'm alright with Froome, he can come in second behind Nibs. Froome animated the race today, in stage 3 of the Vuelta no less. He's no Landa(ni) on bike for sure, but he's the one mainly responsible for the last 10km being a great race.

This could be a very intriguing race. Those coming of the TDF looked stronger today, but the Giro guys should gradually improve and have the advantage in the 3rd week. In theory. It's pro cycling, so who knows. 

Also, kinda sad seeing Contador just give up in his last GT. Loosing almost 3' on a stage like this? Ouch.

[close]

[redbyrdz]

Spoiler

Was wondering if Contador decided, after realising that he wouldn't get back, if I'm going to lose time, I'll lose enough to be able to go away and target a stage win later on.

Agree its a bit sad, but at least it put the fairytale ending away quickly.

[close]

[dave 5516]

That was great. A sprinter/classics rider is now a legit climber as well as an unrepentant racist...now you know why his team didn't discipline him. The UCI did tho, oh no, that was Boom who was punished for making an obscene gesture. Swear and you're fined...use racist language towards another rider and if you ride on the right team you get a pass. About right.

[redbyrdz]

That was great. A sprinter/classics rider is now a legit climber as well as an unrepentant racist...now you know why his team didn't discipline him. The UCI did tho, oh no, that was Boom who was punished for making an obscene gesture. Swear and you're fined...use racist language towards another rider and if you ride on the right team you get a pass. About right.

Boom didn't even swear. You've lost me with the other rider though, who?

[dave 5516]

Boom didn't even swear. You've lost me with the other rider though, who?

Moscon...the c*nt!!

Did you not see Froome telling him to ease off on the climb after Rosa peeled off? Fuckin risible...imagine Gaviria doing that....

[redbyrdz]

Moscon...the c*nt!!

Did you not see Froome telling him to ease off on the climb after Rosa peeled off? Fuckin risible...imagine Gaviria doing that....

I was thinking you meant Moscon, but I didn't see him, thats why I was confused. To be honest I had it on in the background, only really watched the finish. I saw Froome attack on the climb, that put me off watching more closely    He seemed to have run out of power at the finish...couldn't get back back to Nibali.

[dave 5516]

I was thinking you meant Moscon, but I didn't see him, thats why I was confused. To be honest I had it on in the background, only really watched the finish. I saw Froome attack on the climb, that put me off watching more closely    He seemed to have run out of power at the finish...couldn't get back back to Nibali.

Maybe the battery in his motor didn't have sufficient power for another attack.

As to Moscon...in the moment that we're living in with racist attacks on the rise, ditto right wing groups, for Moscon to escape any punishment whatsoever is beyond explanation. Do as he did in your work place and you're out the door. He should have been pulled from the race by his team and sacked. The UCI should have banned him as an example as to what would happen in the future if any other rider did their same as Moscon.

[redbyrdz]

As to Moscon...in the moment that we're living in with racist attacks on the rise, ditto right wing groups, for Moscon to escape any punishment whatsoever is beyond explanation. Do as he did in your work place and you're out the door. He should have been pulled from the race by his team and sacked. The UCI should have banned him as an example as to what would happen in the future if any other rider did their same as Moscon.

Yes but...are you surprised? Its exactly because of the times we're living in that he gets away with it. After years of progress, there's a noticeable decline now, where racism, sexism, homophobia are on the rise again. I mean, why would a young lad like Moscon even know racist slurs? Hasn't language changed enough that it'd feel odd to use words like that?

[redbyrdz]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/bkRg3m69N2w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/bkRg3m69N2w</a>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkRg3m69N2w

[redbyrdz]

Spoiler

I was just looking at tomorrow's. Sprint stage, technical finsh. Trentin. That'll do.

[close]

[redbyrdz]

Vuelta a Espana stage 5





A lumpy stage, which might favour the break. However there seem to be less and less days where the break is allowed away, so maybe not. There's a series of cat 3 and cat 2 climbs to tire the rider out, but this is all about the climb to the finish. At under 4 km, it's not very long, but the average is close to 10%, and hidden in that is apparently a 20% ramp. That is probably enough for the peloton to catch the last remaining riders of the break, before a GC contender starts attacking on one of the ramps.

On yesterday's stage, the two strongest riders seemed to be Chaves and Froome....lets hope its the former who takes this.

[redbyrdz]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/3t4j-qiRnCE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/3t4j-qiRnCE</a>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t4j-qiRnCE

[redbyrdz]

Vuelta a Espana stage 6





Looks like another stage for the break to me...
Four easy and one harder climb, followed by a flat finish.
Alto de Alcudia de Veo 11km at 3.4% cat 3
Puerto de Eslida 5.3km at 5.4% cat 3
Alto de Chirivilla 7.9km at 4.2% cat 3
Puerto del Orenet 6.4km at 4% cat 3
Puerto del Garbi 9.3km at 5.1% - steeper in the middle section

Who's going to win it...someone strong enough to get over the climbs in the break and fast enough to win a sprint. And probably not the same riders who got into the break today.

[redbyrdz]

No decent vid yet, so here's the official highlights

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/a4bfgbR9VM4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/a4bfgbR9VM4</a>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4bfgbR9VM4

[redbyrdz]

Link here for the last 23km of the Vuelta stage 7.

[redbyrdz]

 Vuelta a Espaņa stage 8



This will be a GC day, due to the Xorret de Cati climb at the end, with an average of over 10% and one section of about 18%



This has a nice steep descent after it too, before a flatish run in the last km.

[dave 5516]

Jules.

Thanks for the previews and links.

[The_Cutter]

I can tolerate a 10-15'' time loss for Nibbles today, but being nearly a minute down after the first week and before the TT is far from ideal.

Fireworks will happen in the last 3km of the climb.

[redbyrdz]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/OOhknj-PCug" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/OOhknj-PCug</a>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOhknj-PCug

[redbyrdz]

Jules.

Thanks for the previews and links.

You're welcome....you're missed too, my previews are rubbish