Cycling

chava

Well-known member
Even tho I am cheering for Vingegaard I think this Tour is a bit of a let down. Pogacar too dominant and the Cav story does nothing for me. I don't really find any riders that inspiring. Maybe this forum could get behind Guilliaume Martin riding around with a Masters in Philosophy and citing Plato and Nietzsche and whatnot.

Stage design also a bit meh this year and Ineos completely disappointing with a budget 4x the other teams. Best news is that the Gendarmes finally try to nail that very dodgy Bahrain team.
 

chava

Well-known member
Danish cycling having a bit of a moment, actually

Vingegaard, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Mads Pederson, Mikkel Bjerg, etc + old guys like Fuglsang
Vingegaard is the real deal. A bunch of even younger ones coming up. Quite intense talent development going on.
 

jenks

thread death
Pog crushing the GC is maybe less exciting but I like the episodes (stages) that plug into the grand narrative - obviously Cav who is taking his unexpected chance with both hands (people forget he lost chances to add to his total by being dq-ed one year and being wiped out on day 1 in Harrogate, so I’m not weeping that others aren’t there) but there’s other great stories - the rise of the CX stars - MvdP and WvA, Alla on the first stage, Kus’ ride the other day. Some great stories. And lovely deserved wins for unsung heroes.
I think Pog will win the TT to rub salt into the wounds but I’d love to see G spring a surprise just because he’s had a rotten race.
Flat stage tomorrow- could he?
 

jenks

thread death
Danish cycling having a bit of a moment, actually

Vingegaard, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Mads Pederson, Mikkel Bjerg, etc + old guys like Fuglsang
Prescient. That post has aged really well. Danes have absolutely owned it like an apostrophe

been one of the best editions so far. Pidcock on the Alpe was one for the ages but also Wout’s super domistique role while still crushing the green jersey. I’m hoping Fred gets another go at a breakaway. And we’ve still got the Pyrenees to come.
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
Prescient. That post has aged really well. Danes have absolutely owned it like an apostrophe
well, Cort Nielsen and Pederson have solid been Classics guys/stage hunters for years

what I didn't foresee was Vingegaard's leap from super-domestique to true contender

not that I was unaware of the possibility, it's just that that specific leveling up so rarely works out

obv he's been aided by having such a strong team - WVA in particular has been incredible, yet again

but that attack on the Granon was shattering, and he stayed dead calm today when he was isolated on the last climb

idk about one of the best editions, but at least one of the best recent editions with potential for more. we'll see how the Pyrenees go.

that last time trial is quite long by current standards - 40 km. not sure how much of a cushion Vingegaard needs. tho he's no TT slouch himself.
 

jenks

thread death
well, Cort Nielsen and Pederson have solid been Classics guys/stage hunters for years

what I didn't foresee was Vingegaard's leap from super-domestique to true contender

not that I was unaware of the possibility, it's just that that specific leveling up so rarely works out

obv he's been aided by having such a strong team - WVA in particular has been incredible, yet again

but that attack on the Granon was shattering, and he stayed dead calm today when he was isolated on the last climb

idk about one of the best editions, but at least one of the best recent editions with potential for more. we'll see how the Pyrenees go.

that last time trial is quite long by current standards - 40 km. not sure how much of a cushion Vingegaard needs. tho he's no TT slouch himself.
I suppose one of the best editions for a good few years. Yep the way Jumbo have been so tactically astute - beating up Pog and then controlling what needs to be controlled.
The TT is dangerous - if either of them lose time then G will be on their heels.
I’m an old romantic and will cheer Romain on for one great day in the Pyrenees. Pinot too.
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
@jenks

I'd be happy to see Bardet or Pinot grab a stage. that part of cycling fandom that romanticizes panache above all else - i.e. that would rather lose with style than win without - does irritate me sometimes, but I'm never against the riders, especially such a deserving pair. it's not their fault they've been burdened with the millstone of French Tour hopes for the last decade.

G is going better than I thought he would be I don't think he's a serious threat to win. podium is feasible. Pog is definitely a better TTer than G and Vingegaard is probably about his equal, and he certainly can't outclimb either one.
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
that part of cycling fandom that romanticizes panache above all else - i.e. that would rather lose with style than win without
not saying this includes you tbc. and I do enjoy attacking and appreciate panache, just dislike the way some people make a cult of it, especially as the history of dominant GC riders is basically the history of top TTists who can climb - Anquetil, Indurain, Froome, etc - rather than Pantani-type swashbucklers
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
back on the current race, losing your two top domestiques - Roglic and Kruijswijk - on the same day (and crashing) is about as bad as it gets

basically puts the remaining UAE and JV teams roughly on par which you'd think is advantage Pogacar

but idk I think Vingegaard - presuming he isn't too banged up from the crash - has it in him to at least hold serve even w/o a dominant team

we'll see - either way race just got a lot more compelling
 

chava

Well-known member
back on the current race, losing your two top domestiques - Roglic and Kruijswijk - on the same day (and crashing) is about as bad as it gets

basically puts the remaining UAE and JV teams roughly on par which you'd think is advantage Pogacar

but idk I think Vingegaard - presuming he isn't too banged up from the crash - has it in him to at least hold serve even w/o a dominant team

we'll see - either way race just got a lot more compelling
Pog and Vingegaard probably equal now, yeah, even though Vingegaard claimed he wasn't on limit on the Mende finish. Very exciting edition this year, and not only because I'm Danish. Tom Pidcock descending was a touch of pure beauty, and I see the experts tips him as a future GC contender. If they ride into a thunderstorm in the Pyrenees he should do a rogue attack together with Bardet and then I'll cheer for them over Vingegaard.

Crossing fingers for no Covid mayhem on the rest day! On that note, Rafal Majka shows what you can do riding around with an minor infection, ha.
 

jenks

thread death
Nothing in the above I disagree with. Although I think you underestimate G’d TT ability a little. And he’s got more of his team left than the other two. However, by then both will be too far out front. But un jour sans for either of them is always possible. Especially with so few loyal lieutenants left - WvA doing the work of two men.
Remember that time Yates just cracked leading one of the Grand Tours? Doesn’t happen often but with these two making up new rules who knows? Or, obviously a crash
Bardet flying up the Tourmalet would be a lovely sight.
 

jenks

thread death
Pog and Vingegaard probably equal now, yeah, even though Vingegaard claimed he wasn't on limit on the Mende finish. Very exciting edition this year, and not only because I'm Danish. Tom Pidcock descending was a touch of pure beauty, and I see the experts tips him as a future GC contender. If they ride into a thunderstorm in the Pyrenees he should do a rogue attack together with Bardet and then I'll cheer for them over Vingegaard.

Crossing fingers for no Covid mayhem on the rest day! On that note, Rafal Majka shows what you can do riding around with an minor infection, ha.
I’ve been lucky enough to watch Pidcock since he was a junior - same age as my older son. Precocious talent. Wonder though if he’ll need to move elsewhere to get a pop at GC challenge. He’s very un-Sky/Ineos.
 

chava

Well-known member
I’ve been lucky enough to watch Pidcock since he was a junior - same age as my older son. Precocious talent. Wonder though if he’ll need to move elsewhere to get a pop at GC challenge. He’s very un-Sky/Ineos.
Yes he shouldn't end up like Kwiatkowski. I do find Ineos a bit more exciting than in the Sky/Froome days. Seems they're racing more with their instincts and less with their powermeters now. Carapaz is also leaving which hopefully with result in top-level teams in the future than just a handful, let alone one.
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
Tom Pidcock descending was a touch of pure beauty, and I see the experts tips him as a future GC contender
he is truly great and that was maybe the 2nd-best descent I've ever watched, after Nibali in Lombardia 2015

I suspect GC is a bit much. one week races possibly, idk he's quite got the climbing/recovery that makes a difference between top 10 and GC contender.

not sure how his time trial is either - I want to say good but not spectacular?

Sky/Ineos has had mixed results with that transition from versatile Classics rider to GC - Kwiat no, G yes

I don't think they'll push him into it - they still have Bernal, they'll keep signing young new GC phenoms and one of them will pan out, and so on

they've always been an underrated Classics team - not great, just underrated, they've always been OK rather than terrible

Ian Stannard's 1-on-3 Omloop victory over Quickstep is a favorite of mine
 
Top