The Pro Cycling Thread

Because potentially you can be outside top 30 on GC but still win the stage.

I also like that the stage leader sits in the winners chair until he gets dethroned by the next fastest competitior,
and you see on the splits how many seconds behind leader etc,

First blokes off is a bit of a snooze fest though your right until there are a few good times on the board.

Fans at the race itself I meant, not TV viewing.

All I know about Chaves is there is a crisis of confidence - Training numbers are very,very good, preparation is fine and he’s clear of injury - Possibly there is a deep underlying medical issue that is undiagnosed, but discount allergies.

It was great to see the ES and MS boys enjoying a beer after the Hammer Series.

1 Like

I would rather a handicap style where the leaders are the backmarkers and have to play catch up! Would make for some very interesting team tactics.

Are time bonuses happening in TDF this year? If so this stage will become even more important.

heres an idea let them ride a stage without any communication except for the chalk board telling the riders how far in front behind they are…none of the convoluted break aways we see that are never a danger…imagine riders having to think about it instead of getting fed the information!

4 Likes

Impey smashes them like guitars on Stage one at the Dauphine.

He had a good last 200m.

Impey moves into second overall behind Kwiatkowski

1 Like

He should go.

1 Like

Impey was surprisingly fast in the last 200 metres - It was a pleasant surprise - Something will have to give with Ewan and Yates x 2 - I doubt very much that MS will have the budget for all three, though they are determined to have a marquee rider from Oz. - Lotto Soudal does seem a logical fit for Ewan.

1 Like

That will be Haig.

Impey’s RSA jersey is awful looking

I can guarantee you that MS want to retain Ewan - If push comes to shove they will drop a Yates for Ewan - Though it’s unlikely to get to that situation - It’s like Sky want Thomas to stay because he is British - Anyway, I posted not long ago that MS should target a second sprinter like a Bauhaus/Walscheid type to keep the wins coming during the season.

Ackermann beats Boassen Hagen and Impey in stage 2 of Dauphine and Impey into the yellow - Kwitakovski fell with 1.5km to go - Wonder if the falls from Thomas and Kwiatkovski will affect Sky’s TTT - I have been banging on that MS need a second sprinter - Ackermann is your man - Off contract with 2 WT’s this season and 24 - And more importantly he is third in line behind Sagan and Bennett - MS can offer a good calendar and one GT per year where he will have significant support.

1 Like

MS really think they can chase GC and Sprints in one GT?

With 8 man teams, no.
Unless your sprinter can fend for himself and surf other leadout teams trains.
Ewan isn’t one of those yet.

SBS cycling on Channel Viceland gets an interesting lead in …

De7h59mUYAA7RqY

3 Likes

Unless you are Sky the perfect ideal is to have strong teams for 2 GT’s per year which MS will have in the Giro and the Vuelta, with the other GT being a mixed team - You can still ride a good GC with a not so strong team and there are many examples - Dumoulin 2017/2018 Giro, Pozzovivo 2017 Giro, A.Yates 2016 TDF - A good sprinter is important for team harmony and confidence because they win races - I will add that teams always think they can chase wins and GC in the one GT and it works to a certain extent as evidenced by Sky in 2012 with Wiggins and Cavendish, but in the longer term the sprinter usually leaves - Reckon MS have got it right in 2018 - You only have enough riders to 100% challenge for two GT’s in a year and they have chosen the Giro and the Vuelta and the other GT is for mixed results as in the TDF this year - A.Yates main objective is to win a GT stage and the GC will follow, especially with MS poised to ride a good TTT - Will add there is no reason to have any kind of sprinter in a team unless you can offer a rider one GT each year.

GC is a secondary focus for A.Yates at the TDF - The TTT will get him into a good position in GC, BUT ultimately he wants to win a stage - Ewan needs to follow Mezgec’s wheel ( who is a gun lead out rider ) to be in good position and my understanding is Kluge will also be riding which also helps the TTT - Strange as it may seem, though Ewan’s form is rock solid he has won two races in 2018.

I ponder you this question - I am AG2R or FDJ and I am chasing A.Yates - They both need another GC rider, while Yates is fluent in French and rode for a French Amateur team.

Yes, but why would you want to go to FDJ? It’s done wonders for Pinot (surely he has to go somewhere else??)
And Adam would never get GC at the TdF at AG2R while Bardet is there.

The only good things about FDJ and AG2R are how fun their names are to say out loud

1 Like