Pro Cycling Discussion 2017

One More Solo · 17 Jul 2017 at 17:36

The media are only determining medical policy because of the truly woeful action of people like WADA, UKAD and the UCI themselves in failing to tackle the abuse of in competition TUEs and out of competition abuse of cortisone.

madindehead · 18 Jul 2017 at 14:45

Someone else had a good take on it too. Because of the whereabouts rule, he still needs a TUE to treat his condition. It just means he isn't in the race anymore. I can't find the Tweet currently, but will link it if I find it again.

touch · 18 Jul 2017 at 14:50

madindehead said:
Someone else had a good take on it too. Because of the whereabouts rule, he still needs a TUE to treat his condition.

My interpretation of his statement was that he was going to refuse to take the medication offered to him, not that he was going to take it and drop out of the race.

topgun06 · 19 Jul 2017 at 09:03

Didn't realise ITV were airing entire stages this year! :eek:

I had been watching Eurosport as I knew they aired the whole lot.

Woo, ITV coverage is far better

hendrix · 19 Jul 2017 at 10:35

Really looking forward to today's stage. I rode up the route to Col de la Croix de fer at the weekend (after a month off the bike, was a painful climb to Col de la Glandon, 2km from Croix de fer). Hopefully an exciting stage from the get go. All the team buses were passing by the bar I was enjoying post-work drinks in, was awesome

Roady · 19 Jul 2017 at 10:39

touch said:
My interpretation of his statement was that he was going to refuse to take the medication offered to him, not that he was going to take it and drop out of the race.

I read it as he was going to refuse it and drop out of the race to 'avoid' requiring the TUE for it (hinting he'd need it to continue being competitive in the race)...

touch · 19 Jul 2017 at 10:59

Roady said:
I read it as he was going to refuse it and drop out of the race to 'avoid' requiring the TUE for it (hinting he'd need it to continue being competitive in the race)...

The point that @madindehead made was that he would still need a TUE for the medication even if he dropped out of the race. ('out-of-competition'/'whereabouts' rules)

My understanding was that he wasn't going to take any medication at all, so wouldn't require any TUE.

topgun06 · 19 Jul 2017 at 11:27

hendrix said:
Really looking forward to today's stage. I rode up the route to Col de la Croix de fer at the weekend (after a month off the bike, was a painful climb to Col de la Glandon, 2km from Croix de fer). Hopefully an exciting stage from the get go. All the team buses were passing by the bar I was enjoying post-work drinks in, was awesome

The scenery is beautiful! I really need to get myself to that region of France with my bike.

SoliD · 19 Jul 2017 at 12:35

They're basically just copying me!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1064338077

https://www.strava.com/activities/1061232152

Roady · 19 Jul 2017 at 12:48

touch said:
The point that @madindehead made was that he would still need a TUE for the medication even if he dropped out of the race. ('out-of-competition'/'whereabouts' rules)

My understanding was that he wasn't going to take any medication at all, so wouldn't require any TUE.

Yeah that's pretty much what I meant/said. Maybe shouldn't have put the word 'avoid' in there!

As 'leaving' the race means he doesn't need (or require) to take the medication (so therefore doesn't require the TUE)?

SDK^ · 19 Jul 2017 at 14:27

The Green Jersey competition is turning into a last man standing competition

topgun06 · 19 Jul 2017 at 15:28

Yes, and it was just getting exciting with Matthews closing the gap on Kittel.

SDK^ · 19 Jul 2017 at 16:21

Today's stage is sorting the race out

poosemon · 19 Jul 2017 at 17:04

Another cracking stage, think the organisers did a good job this year! Interesting that Aru got dropped to an extent today considering his form last week.

I think that there is a strong chance for Uran and Bardet. I just have a feeling that Froome is going to get dropped tomorrow someway along the final climb. To many people he needs to fend off seeing as the time difference is so close at the top.

Bear · 19 Jul 2017 at 19:41

SDK^ said:
The Green Jersey competition is turning into a last man standing competition

My velogames team only has four riders left in it, all the rest have abandoned the race

SoliD · 19 Jul 2017 at 22:27

poosemon said:
Another cracking stage, think the organisers did a good job this year! Interesting that Aru got dropped to an extent today considering his form last week.

I think that there is a strong chance for Uran and Bardet. I just have a feeling that Froome is going to get dropped tomorrow someway along the final climb. To many people he needs to fend off seeing as the time difference is so close at the top.

To me it looks like he has been pretty much saving himself for that climb. His closing down of attacks pretty much seated today showed he wasn't struggling at all.

Happy tjay Matthews got into green, means kitten can't best cavs records and he's really lit up that race.

xdcx · 20 Jul 2017 at 08:36

Froomeatron has this in the bag.
Bardet is the only man who can do the damage and his repeats yesterday proved that he doesn't have that upper hand on Froome to distance him enough. He would need to put near enough 2 mins into Froome today to both eradicate the time gap that exists already and put enough time down for the TT as Froome will put a minute into Bardet in the TT.

I think Bardet is a class act and a future GT winner. He was my pick for the tour behind Froome (crashing out always more than half expected with him) and I wasn't far wrong. Uran, I 100% did not even imagine in the slightest, he's having the performance of the tour in my opinion.

I took great pleasure in seeing that little **** Aru getting dropped yesterday.

#Chri5# · 20 Jul 2017 at 09:36

Froome needs to cover Uran and Bardet today. If Uran & Bardet want to keep a podium place, they'd need to cover any attacks by Aru which could help Froome. Dan Martin at 2'37" back can be let go to a degree without being a big threat.

booyaka · 20 Jul 2017 at 09:44

I think Froome will go on the attack today up the final climb. He said he was feeling way better than last week.

He'll attack on the final climb, play with them but I've got a sneaky feeling he'll mess with Bardet/Uran which will allow Landa to escape to get time out of Bardet/Uran and potentially get a 1/2 overall for Sky

SoliD · 20 Jul 2017 at 09:54

xdcx said:
Froomeatron has this in the bag.
Bardet is the only man who can do the damage and his repeats yesterday proved that he doesn't have that upper hand on Froome to distance him enough. He would need to put near enough 2 mins into Froome today to both eradicate the time gap that exists already and put enough time down for the TT as Froome will put a minute into Bardet in the TT.

I think Bardet is a class act and a future GT winner. He was my pick for the tour behind Froome (crashing out always more than half expected with him) and I wasn't far wrong. Uran, I 100% did not even imagine in the slightest, he's having the performance of the tour in my opinion.

I took great pleasure in seeing that little **** Aru getting dropped yesterday.

I did not expect Bardet to be this strong again, thought he profited last year from everyone looking at each other but has proved that he can mix it up across most terrains. I suspect in a years time he will be signing for Sky as Brailsfords first french tour winner prospect he seemed to be banging on about a few years back.

I was also very happy about Aru

Shame for Martin though, once again struggling in the high mountains.

Sky will ensure Froome is first before messing about with Landa, and Landa would need quite a bit of time on Uran as he'll put a chunk into him in the TT.

Barguil has also been relentless this past week, Sunweb have made the jersey competitions relatively interesting, compared to the bore they have been the past few years.