Pro Cycling Discussion 2017

SoliD · 22 Jun 2017 at 13:13

SoliD said:
I think this year it will be more about having people available on different days rather than the trains of years of late. Landa will probably carry his form through, Nieve will be there on some days, Kwiat and Kennaugh both look as though they will be there for the medium mountain days if picked, then the usual Stannard or Rowe brutes marshalling the flatter days, can see Moscon or Danny Van Poppel being picked if their form is still there from early season.

Got most of this right

SoliD · 22 Jun 2017 at 22:17

Grand tour teams down to 8 from next year. Should make things a bit more unpredictable

Bear · 25 Jun 2017 at 18:22

Incredible job for Steve Cummings to be the double British champ

Roady · 26 Jun 2017 at 12:00

SoliD said:
Got most of this right

Yeah, although I'm not sure why they dropped Kennaugh? He's been quite consistent other years and showed he's in good form during the Dauphine. Although I guess Kwait has generally outperformed him and the team seems to concentrate more on the high mountains where Kwait is more consistent. I'm guessing Henao, Landa & Nieve there for pure mountain domestique duties. Knees, Rowe and Kiryienka there for the flatter stages with Thomas and Kwait capable of everything.

National. Wow. Anyone know how much TV/catchup coverage there is & where? ITV have highlights only I think & nothing on Eurosport.

Mega ride by Cummings, beating Dowsett in the TT & then to break away in the Road Race must have been phenominal, can only find Scott Thwaites' ride (7th). The finishing circuit was quite short so even those finishing top20 got pulled out on the final lap. Only 12 actually 'finished' = Brutal! Bibby finishing 3rd proving again how much of a missed talent he is - needs to get in Grand Tours as he can ride Stage races really well!

Cummings proving some amazing form and what a come back! DD have to prove something in the Tour now, certainly seeing much of their riding in the Giro they've got the riders for it. Dowsett amazing to place well in both, bodes well for him showing up in the Tour somewhere, even Tao GH came in 8th (proving how phenominal he's doing, 4th in the TT too! Shouldn't he be listed as U23?). Kennaugh finishing 4th again proving the form he currently has. Hope Sky use him for something (after the tour?) as I doubt he'll be able to hold it until the Vuelta... Not sure where Rowe was? Don't see him on the results page.

SoliD · 26 Jun 2017 at 13:50

Well Cavs been selected, don't reckon he can add any notches this year though, unless he's been keeping his powder dry.

PermaBanned · 26 Jun 2017 at 15:45

He's been keeping his powder dry on account of recovering from glandular fever. Question is whether he's recovered enough to be competitive, it takes a long time to really get over - albeit most of us don't have the resources he does. Might not be quite up there with the pure sprinters like last year but I wouldn't rule out a surprise stage win on a bit of a different stage, as in 2015.

SoliD · 26 Jun 2017 at 21:22

PermaBanned said:
He's been keeping his powder dry on account of recovering from glandular fever. Question is whether he's recovered enough to be competitive, it takes a long time to really get over - albeit most of us don't have the resources he does. Might not be quite up there with the pure sprinters like last year but I wouldn't rule out a surprise stage win on a bit of a different stage, as in 2015.

That's what I mean, has he been keeping something back to ensure he doesn't overdo it and coming into ideal format for next week.

PermaBanned · 26 Jun 2017 at 23:43

There's quite a few sprint stages in this tour anyway, even if he's not at 100% there's a possibility of him taking one or two from good positioning and racecraft.

platypus · 27 Jun 2017 at 11:00

SoliD said:
Well Cavs been selected, don't reckon he can add any notches this year though, unless he's been keeping his powder dry.

I was happy to see this is the case as it's always a bit livelier with Cavendish around.

I don't think he'd have been picked if they didn't think he could win a stage or two though.

xdcx · 27 Jun 2017 at 11:04

The boy that finished a place ahead of Cav in the British RR sat on my wheel up the climb twice in a stage race (that he won)....
Was before he proceeded to obliterate the legs of me and everyone else around me of course but it is my claim to fame.
Same boy that put 6 minutes into me at the national 25 this month and broke the Scottish national record which had stood for 23 years.

Roady · 27 Jun 2017 at 16:48

^^ I vote this the worst namedrop ever.

Finished watching the Tour series last night, mostly because Eurosport wouldn't cast to my Chromecast to watch any of the Nationals.

Think I just need some kinda HDMI extension to move the Chromecast out and into LOS of my phone as my HDMI slots are right in the back/middle of the TV not the bottom or side. Some days it's fine, other days not so much... Annoying! Only get this problem with the Chromecast. Samsung smart TV, NowTV & Amazon Fire stick are all ok, just no Eurosport app on any of them... Even more annoying!

Gutted for Dowsett getting left out of the TdF squad

Bear · 27 Jun 2017 at 17:07

Amazon firestick does have the Eurosport app, I saw it available the other day

Roady · 28 Jun 2017 at 10:50

Derp. Will revisit it tonight/tomorrow and check!

Chromecast worked fine last night so watched 2/3 of the Nationals TT. Stupidly fell asleep before many of the big names were on course (did a late turbo session so was later than usual) so will continue tonight! ! :cool:

Just about recall Tanfield finishing, mention of his plain skinsuit as Bike Channel Canyon don't supply them? No mention of his really high bars position though, think he's riding too small a frame or? Twin Towers lulz (how high!) - check pics on most of those links for insane stack

Roady · 28 Jun 2017 at 12:45

GSVBagpuss · 1 Jul 2017 at 07:06

So, TdF predictions?

Titchy Ritchie has the best legs but will have at least one calamitous day on this tricky course. Froome has guile to take him but so do others. I'm looking forward to this as it isn't just a series of uphill or flat TTs to decide it

platypus · 1 Jul 2017 at 07:23

Woooo its départ day, looking forward to it

.

I think Froome will win it, again, but its a good field and a great course so hoping for lots of excitement. Most looking forward to stage 9 as it goes very close to my town!

BennyC · 1 Jul 2017 at 07:50

Sagan makes me chuckle, just wants to race

https://instagram.com/p/BV7Tjx_jgXs/

Looking forward to seeing all the shoe porn this year too. Cav's maybe not so much...

https://instagram.com/p/BV-dOHqH7c0/

GSVBagpuss · 1 Jul 2017 at 08:39

Sagan is 4/7 for the green jersey - surely that's a safe investment as he only loses it if he falls off

One More Solo · 1 Jul 2017 at 11:35

xdcx said:
The boy that finished a place ahead of Cav in the British RR sat on my wheel up the climb twice in a stage race (that he won)....
Was before he proceeded to obliterate the legs of me and everyone else around me of course but it is my claim to fame.
Same boy that put 6 minutes into me at the national 25 this month and broke the Scottish national record which had stood for 23 years.

The boy in question being John Archibald? Seems like a total machine - good genes in that family!

BennyC · 1 Jul 2017 at 12:11

Recommended bookies? Literally never placed a bet in my life, nor gambled (other than the lottery...)