“marginal gains” eh…
You’d have to understand why people are sceptical about cyclists who do things that seem superhuman. It’s the same reason people are sceptical about any TnF record.
Personally I’m all for suspending disbelief until evidence of wrongdoing emerges, if it even does. So I’ll just enjoy the show. But I can completely accept that people will question stuff, and the “better nutrition and equipment” arguments generally won’t cut it.
My post covered two areas - Advances in technology/nutrition/body development etc which combined means the human should be faster or stronger than 30,40 or 50 years ago.
The second part of my post referred to athletes and their support teams experimenting with substances to gain an edge - Some find the ‘magic formula’ BUT in some cases these substances are not on the WADA prohibited last - In other words there are two kings of doping legal and illegal. This is a distinction many fail to understand - Finally look at the EFC 34 case - Dank and Robinson experimenting with legal substances.
I understood your points.
I think people are rightfully sceptical of claims like those when they’ve been made many times by people who were later found to have been doping. It’s one of the constant narratives.
The technology/nutrition/body composition stuff follows pretty consistent trajectories, with improvements being incremental generally.
The “non banned” performance enhancers ignores all the catch all bits that they tried to get Essendon on. Sure there are grey areas for performance improvement, but see “nutrition”. If something is a massive performance enhancer it won’t be “legal” for long.
As for using Dank and Robinson as a positive for anything…
Anyway, I deliberately choose to believe everyone is legit, bit I understand how people can be sceptical.
Back on the bike, another Stage for Cav?
What’s the Aussie lads team like can he hold on for podium or fade out.
Only 2 in the break, almost certainly a sprinter’s day, Cav will be the hot favourite.
AG2R aren’t that strong but O’Connor is a fair chance to hold onto a podium. His ITT isn’t that strong, and that might decide it one way or another.
It’s amazing how much better you can ride a tt when there’s a podium on the line either way hope he gives it a shake.
The one who was more impressed at being mentioned in a presser by a sweaty ex Navy lawyer (to use Christian Porter description of the WA Premier ) than being on the front page of L’Equipe?
Could be a wet finish in Valence, who would that favour?
Cav
A textbook lead-out leads to Cavendish winning the stage - Ewan must be kicking himself because he could have had his best ever TDF.
Cav done it again.
hope he survives till Paris so he makes the champs élysées sprint
you have to look at routes gradients winds length of stage who fancies they can win the stage…
Yes technology plays apart …i made huge gains riding a 25 over a course where i once rode a 32 .
youll see that the same guys arent getting flogged from tour to tour squads are massive and they cycle riders in and out tours/races.
as for legal illegal gains well Vit b12 always can give you a boost …with mmmmm i wont say!
have seen lots of legal things tried on humans and animals with some success but mostly failure to improve performance…
The big gains are recovery / technology by far…
Cadence is king!
IMO, road cyclists bodies are the most finely tuned precision engineering of any high performance athletes - and technology in equipment far ahead of others
exactly 1 year ago nearly to the day i was supposed to be riding VENTOUX…
after doing this tour
https://kiwistylebiketours.co.nz/cycling-tours/epic-italy-france-tour-2022/
Hopefully i may go next year
Why not finish on top the 2nd time over?
They change up the mountain stages all the time.
Last year was mountain top finish friendly, this year not so much.
Descending is an important part of racing, so I guess this stage rewards both the good climber and the good descender.
Based on his efforts on stage 8, O’Connor might have some worries defending his lead on the descents.
