Pro Cycling Discussion Thread 2015

Calpol · 15 Mar 2015 at 09:35

I have started a new thread to help clean up the main Road Cycling thread. I find it too difficult to keep track of the conversation at times.
It's going to be a busy week or 6 in the pro ranks.

Here are some useful sites for following what going on in the world of Pro Cycling

http://inrng.com/

http://cyclingtips.com.au/

http://www.cyclingnews.com/

http://www.steephill.tv/

Calpol · 15 Mar 2015 at 09:41

Great days racing today
The finish of Paris Nice and the Col d'eze time trialhttp://inrng.com/2015/03/paris-nice-stage-7-preview-col-d-eze/

Gallopin's ride yesterday was stunning and he should be strong enough to hold onto yellow unless he get a mechanical. You have to say that he will deserve it too with the bravery of his descending. Porte should be good enough for 2nd.

Tirreno Adriatico Stage 5 mountain finish http://www.c-cycling.com/sites/tirreno15/stage5_preview.html

Bertie seems a little off colour and no-one is talking about Quintana. The climax today will tell us how the preparation for the Giro is going.

dodg3rman · 15 Mar 2015 at 09:59

Watched every days riding of both races this week and its been some good stuff. Really enjoying the Paris-Nice in particular as they've been having a real go at it. Yesterdays stage was gripping stuff especially on that last descent when the 2 Sky lads crashed after chasing down the Etixx riders. Epic ride from Gallopin , very impressed with his lone break and I agree he should be comfortably strong enough to hold on for a well deserved win.

Also very impressed by Wout Poels ride , I didnt realise he was such a good climber but that was a master stroke of an attack just before the summit. If any of the Sky boys was gonna give it a go I thought it would be Nieve tbh

Calpol · 15 Mar 2015 at 16:12

Porte crushed it. Gallopin shipped nearly two minutes over less than 10km. Thomas finished 5th which is very creditable. The Sky bandwagon rolls on. I wonder whether or not they can land Roubaix?

Berger · 16 Mar 2015 at 08:01

One day classics are still a lottery, the cream tends to rise to the top but it could be any one of 20 riders.

Look at EPQS, all the talent in the world and they still lost to Stannard.

FrenchTart · 16 Mar 2015 at 08:15

Ah..I was kind of hoping this would be a thread containing posts by everyone that races - I always find that interesting to read

Good idea anyhow.

PermaBanned · 16 Mar 2015 at 08:29

FrenchTart said:
Ah..I was kind of hoping this would be a thread containing posts by everyone that races - I always find that interesting to read

Good idea anyhow.

That would be this one: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18660914

Calpol · 16 Mar 2015 at 08:32

Berger said:
One day classics are still a lottery, the cream tends to rise to the top but it could be any one of 20 riders.

Look at EPQS, all the talent in the world and they still lost to Stannard.

I don't think they are a lottery. That would imply that a large number of the 180 or so starters had a genuine chance. In truth you can probably shortlist about 15 for any of the big races. Of course you can get crashes, mechanicals etc but I can't remember the last time one was won "out of the blue" - maybe Ciolek's win at Milan-San Remo a couple of years ago.

Milan San Remo is on Sunday and it looks like a tight affair as there is no long climb in the parcours to take the sprinters out of consideration. The run in from the bottom of the Poggio descent is also shorter this year. Kristoff could defend as he looks in decent form - if it comes to a bunch sprint but you won't get 100-1 on him like you could last year.

Flanders still looks like a race for Cancellara to lose if he continues to build form like he is. Roubaix - Sky have a decent shot. They will have a team to rival Ettix this year and Stannard, Thomas or Wiggins could all contend.

One More Solo · 16 Mar 2015 at 08:32

As much as I'd love to call a thread filled with 4th cat crashfests the pro cycling discussion thread, I probably wouldn't get away with it.

FrenchTart · 16 Mar 2015 at 08:34

Clearly I'm blind :eek:

OMS, it's a sliding scale. At the moment the road cycling thread is filled with my commuting results so y'know... in comparison

PermaBanned · 17 Mar 2015 at 00:24

Good AMA on reddit by a pro race mechanic for anyone that's interested in that side of things-

http://www.reddit.com/r/peloton/comments/2z86ek/i_work_as_a_team_mechanic_for_a_procontinental/

Jonny69 · 17 Mar 2015 at 13:27

I'm looking forward to Paris Roubaix which will probably be the first race I watch this year. Got it in the diary already

Any idea who is showing it live this year? Sky, Eurosport, BBC, ITV4?

Calpol · 17 Mar 2015 at 14:30

PermaBanned said:
Good AMA on reddit by a pro race mechanic for anyone that's interested in that side of things-

http://www.reddit.com/r/peloton/comments/2z86ek/i_work_as_a_team_mechanic_for_a_procontinental/

Cheers for that - a very interesting read

Jonny69 said:
I'm looking forward to Paris Roubaix which will probably be the first race I watch this year. Got it in the diary already

Any idea who is showing it live this year? Sky, Eurosport, BBC, ITV4?

Probably Eurosport. It could be a cracking race this year. More open than before but Etixx losing Tom Boonen will mean they have to ride a different race.

Calpol · 19 Mar 2015 at 10:56

So, prediction for Milan - San Remo

I am going to stick my neck out and say Cancellara will win his second La Primavera. He has wintered well and raced selectively with the classics season his main goal. He knows this might be his last chance to compete for these races. The finish being close to the decent of the Poggio suits him as well because he can attack on the Poggio and leave less chance for the better sprinters to get back on. I expect Degenkolb, Kwiatowski and (wait for it) Boassen Hagen to be there also. Kristoff also looks in good enough form.

1. Cancellara
2. Degenkolb
3. Kwiatowski

dodg3rman · 19 Mar 2015 at 11:10

Calpol said:
So, prediction for Milan - San Remo

I am going to stick my neck out and say Cancellara will win his second La Primavera. He has wintered well and raced selectively with the classics season his main goal. He knows this might be his last chance to compete for these races. The finish being close to the decent of the Poggio suits him as well because he can attack on the Poggio and leave less chance for the better sprinters to get back on. I expect Degenkolb, Kwiatowski and (wait for it) Boassen Hagen to be there also. Kristoff also looks in good enough form.

1. Cancellara
2. Degenkolb
3. Kwiatowski

I'll go

Matthews
Sagan
Kwiatkowski

PermaBanned · 19 Mar 2015 at 13:09

Matthews here as well, he did an interview with ridemedia where he sounded very confident, at least for a podium. OGE have managed to pull of some amazing lead outs lately so we'll see. Never rule out Cav either though.

touch · 19 Mar 2015 at 18:53

Cavendish
Kristoff
Sagan

Berger · 20 Mar 2015 at 06:46

Gilbert, Cancellera, Sagan.

PermaBanned · 21 Mar 2015 at 18:12

Certainly one of the more, ahem, interesting choices of team sponsors i've seen: https://twitter.com/KVanVlaminck/status/579329206263382016

xdcx · 22 Mar 2015 at 15:21

It's all kicking off if you ain't watching! - http://www.cyclinghub.tv/livestream

Pro Cycling Discussion Thread 2015

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