Pro Cycling Discussion 2018

Soldato
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Enough of the Froome talk, sick of it already.

Will Phil Gilbert win MSR or PR this year.

My take, no. You can’t go solo over the last climb at MSR with enough lead to win & he won’t win a sprint. Sagan or Gavaria (if he rides it).

PR too much of a lottery & not enough experience. I see GVA/JD getting up again, bigger more flat land power riders.
 
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Part of me wants him to serve a suspension rather than a ban after Sky admitting their doctor got it wrong with Sky being fined, yet only if something proving Froome himself wasn't involved in the decision and was 'operating under doctors orders'. A way to show that Sky are not exempt from the UCI/WADA rulings, yet Froome not lose too much face, not lose his results (lets not forget he was tested the rest of the race with no anomalies). I just want an answer & some honesty!

But agreed, enough about it in here. At least until we have some developments! ;)

I missed most of the Tour down Under (except highlights) as the only channel showing it (Freesports) had quite an irregular schedule they didn't stick to, so the only stage I watched completely was stage 5. Thomas De Gendt the machine! Amazing ride (as always) by one of my favourites. The break forming pretty much from the gun, after a few miles a young Movistar rider was busting a gut trying to bridge up to them and struggling. TDG dropped back, towing him up to the breakaway so Movistar where represented. All this while the break is still trying to get away from the peloton! Incredible power! He then did the lions share of the work, the break away down to 2 at the end before being gathered in the last 10k before Willunga hill.

Porte did his thing, nobody able to match him to take a great win. His second kick/acceleration was great to watch but considering nobody could even stick with his first... Class of his own on that hill! He commented 'that was the hardest one so far'. His time up there was probably one of the fastest times he's done it, but nobody was racing/catching him so not sure how that's classed as 'hard'! Especially as BMC didn't do any work all day. ;)

Sagan is looking strong but I'm still disappointed with Bora, they had a really strong team yet couldn't get Jay McCarthy into real contention.

Big things from Gaviria this year. I just hope that QS don't ride for Viviani all the time and give him a chance.
 
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Soldato
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No the Vuelta result has to go. Can’t return an AAF and expect to retain it. That day could have been the day the door opened and the others took it to him. (Expected that to happen on the stage he did nothing but crash mind).
 
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Women’s CX worlds was a fantastic race.

Eurosport coverage so-so. I’d like start to finish without ad breaks, the race isn’t that long!
 
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So either Froome is really convinced he is going to get away without a ban or he is being silly competing ,earns the ban can’t be back dated so no hope of the tour if he is found guilty this year!
 
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Great weekend of CX action across all the races. Yesterdays events looked like carnage with the mud as it was. Running for probably 50% of the lap. Unfortunately not as close as it could have been but deserving champs all the way through the categories.
 
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Eurosport coverage so-so. I’d like start to finish without ad breaks, the race isn’t that long!
Is it on their app? I've generally not seen breaks when streaming from their app before but I've not used it for a few months as there's been no cycling on there.

Great weekend of CX action across all the races. Yesterdays events looked like carnage with the mud as it was. Running for probably 50% of the lap. Unfortunately not as close as it could have been but deserving champs all the way through the categories.
Have to admit I've not watched any CX for about 2 seasons so may revisit it once I'm caught up with the 6Nations. How did Evie Richards get on? Local-ish rider to me and rides much of the CX around here I should probably be getting into.

So either Froome is really convinced he is going to get away without a ban or he is being silly competing ,earns the ban can’t be back dated so no hope of the tour if he is found guilty this year!
I'm fairly convinced Froome doesn't know, I don't even think Sky can be sure about whats going to happen, but there's little point sitting and waiting for the UCI to make a decision. If any rider did then they'd lose most of a season. Let's be honest, all of the naysayers want the decision to be a stripping of his Vuelta title. I'd be very surprised if he's not really gearing up and will do the double again, it's been obvious the last 2-3 years he's the best rider this generation. Contador came close but don't forget he's a convicted doper. No suspicion.
 
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I'm fairly convinced Froome doesn't know, I don't even think Sky can be sure about whats going to happen, but there's little point sitting and waiting for the UCI to make a decision. If any rider did then they'd lose most of a season. Let's be honest, all of the naysayers want the decision to be a stripping of his Vuelta title. I'd be very surprised if he's not really gearing up and will do the double again, it's been obvious the last 2-3 years he's the best rider this generation. Contador came close but don't forget he's a convicted doper. No suspicion.

I don't see how he avoids a suspension everyone else who's failed this test has been banned and his reading is off the scale, If I were him I'd have taken a voluntary ban given up the Vuelta title and come back fighting this year as it is when he inevitably gets banned he will still loose the Vuelta but also all his results since and then his ban will start meaning he will probably miss the tour this year.
 
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I don't see how he avoids a suspension everyone else who's failed this test has been banned and his reading is off the scale, If I were him I'd have taken a voluntary ban given up the Vuelta title and come back fighting this year as it is when he inevitably gets banned he will still loose the Vuelta but also all his results since and then his ban will start meaning he will probably miss the tour this year.

He hasn't avoided a suspension and he can't exactly choose the punishment! With it being an AAF I don't think it carries a ban and is totally down to the UCI/WADA to decide on the punishment. Who else has had an AAF from that test? I'm not aware of anyone recently. Banned substances and riding without a TUE for a substance which requires one is closest we've seen before. I don't think there are many allowed substances which require a TUE over a certain level that riders are regularly taking without usually getting the TUE 'just in case' anyway? I'm guessing that's why Sky where given the opportunity to submit data to quantify where the AAF came from.

Woohoo!
 
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Can’t comment on the Eurosport app. I recorded it on VM and watched it later in the day.

In the men’s race I was expecting a huge showdown when MVP powered past all the Belgians. Then it just disappeared, plus the footage skipped about 20 minutes of racing!
 
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Dubai Tour - time for the sprinters to come out to play. Today’s sprint sounds chaotic with lots of mechanicals for Kittel, Blythe and others. I don’t understand how that happens to them so often
 
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He hasn't avoided a suspension and he can't exactly choose the punishment! With it being an AAF I don't think it carries a ban and is totally down to the UCI/WADA to decide on the punishment. Who else has had an AAF from that test? I'm not aware of anyone recently. Banned substances and riding without a TUE for a substance which requires one is closest we've seen before. I don't think there are many allowed substances which require a TUE over a certain level that riders are regularly taking without usually getting the TUE 'just in case' anyway? I'm guessing that's why Sky where given the opportunity to submit data to quantify where the AAF came from.

Woohoo!
I didn't mean he's avoided one I meant I can't see how he will avoid one the reading is so far over the limit explaining it away when he didn't fail on any other day will be pretty fifficult. If he had voluntarily withdrawn himself from competition his ban would almost certainly have been back dated to that point (plenty of examples of this) by continuing to compete his inevitable ban will start from the point the judgement comes down. If I was him I would have asked for a deal he'd probably have got 6 months and loss of the vuelta so he would be back for this years tour.
 
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Heartbreak for Rally Cycling today at the Dubai Tour, the sole break survivor almost making it to the line.

He looked good until the camera cut back to the peloton going about five times his speed up some stupid gradient!
 
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If he had voluntarily withdrawn himself from competition his ban would almost certainly have been back dated to that point (plenty of examples of this) by continuing to compete his inevitable ban will start from the point the judgement comes down.
Agree with most of your points, except for the use of 'inevitable'. The fact so much time has passed (and we're already in the next season of racing) makes me think it's even more inevitable they're not going to ban him... Then again this is the UCI we're talking about, they hardly ever do anything as we'd expect! :rolleyes:
 
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And we are back.

Enjoyed today, astana rode that really well. Deserved win. Quick step take note.

Van aert rode really well to be in the final group. He's going to be a joy to watch with a winter full of racing legs.
 
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Sep Vanmarcke rode well, good effort trying to get away with Stybar.

I expect QS to smash it tomorrow.

Astana going the way of IAM, at risk of folding, best results ever!
 
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