Pro Cycling Discussion Thread 2015

[Calpol]

I didn't really enjoy him earlier in the week, but came to like his input towards the end, he did spot a lot of the stuff you wouldn't usually get from the normal commentators.

Yeah, definitely. Anything's better than bloody Carlton Kirby, but Millar really does bring something new to the table. Hope we see more of him at the TdF. Matt Stephens and Daniel Lloyd are also pretty good but i'm not sure if they're just contracted to Eurosport.

I warmed to Millar as the week progressed. He did give an insight into the racing that you don't get from Kelly. Boulting is ok but not in the same league as Rob Hatch. Hatch would be my preference for the tour but I suspect that Kirby and Kelly have been retained for this year.

In fairness Kirby is very enthusiastic and stepped up from a role in the Eurosport studio in Paris where he assisted Kelly and David Harmon. Harmon was excellent but I think he had a bit of a breakdown when his marriage broke up and he has said he won't be back. I understand he did some announcing at the recent Cambridge Gran Fondo.

The GCN guys are also pretty good. Stephens has actually done a stint as lead commentator which was ok but really Hatch is my favourite. Ant McCrossan is ok and Declan Quigley probably my second favourite.

Not sure if ITV will kick Phil and Paul but maybe they can augment them with the odd bit of Millar.

 

[George Hincapie]

Not sure if ITV will kick Phil and Paul but maybe they can augment them with the odd bit of Millar.

As much as I love Phil & Paul, it's about time they were put out to pasture. Millar and Hayles could be a really good duo to replace them.

 

[George Hincapie]

I bought the 2015 Official TdF Guide at the weekend and was reading about the prize fund distribution. I didn't realise how little the other jerseys were awarded in comparison to the Maillot Jaune. They get E25K each, compared to something like E430K for the MJ. That's a ridiculous difference.

 

[xdcx]

And when you think that yellow jersey is the most prestigious and famous jersey in the world and the decades of training and then 3 solid weeks of basically destroying your body every day, it becomes pretty sickening to see how much the winner of it gets for doing so when compared to other sports. It is pennies!

 

[George Hincapie]

The Giro Eurosport coverage is quite funny. Juan Antonio Flecha just isn't comfortable with the mic bless him. Those cheesy 'hold the mic and don't say anything but smile' moments

 

[touch]

Roadbook for TdF:
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2015/us/linkExtranetFiles/us/tdf15-lr-uk-bd_1433865678.pdf
(right click > save as - it's 160MB and will take ages if you try and open it in a browser)

There's tonnes of info in this. It's what the team get, so it has maps, locations of team hotels, details of intermediate sprints and stage finishes showing hazards marked etc.

If you're going over to see the Tour, this will be great. If not, it's probably not worth the big download really.

 

[hendrix]

Gerraint Thomas and Spilak are trading virtual GC lead in the last stage time trial of the tour de suisse. Really wish this was on Eurosport. It's going to come down to ± a few seconds!

 

[hendrix]

2nd place in the overall by 5 seconds, great effort! Awesome ride by Spilak.

 

[George Hincapie]

Kittel hasn't been selected for the TdF! OMG! That's huge! And good for Cav, who should be able to add to his tally.

 

[touch]

Kittel hasn't been selected for the TdF! OMG! That's huge! And good for Cav, who should be able to add to his tally.

I dont think it changes much tbh.
There's nothing between Kittel and Degenkolb IMO and by leaving one of them out, it'll just focus the team and everyone knows who the sprinter will be. It's a bit confusing having 2 brilliant sprinters on the same team and working for whoever feels best on the day.

It wont just be Degenkolb vs Cav either, Kristoff has a good team around him. Guarnieri is a good sprinter in his own right, so he'll be a great leadout man and the team dont really have a GC contender so they can all work for sprint stages.

Sagan and Van Avermaet will probably be up there too - especially on the harder sprint days. Neither of them will have a full team for support though.

 

[PermaBanned]

Don't forget about Matthews. Actually his TdF debut.

 

[George Hincapie]

Sorry but Degenkolb isn't the same class as Cav in a straight line bunch gallop. He is more a Sagan type who can climb and sprint. I know Cav's star is waning, but I'm on the train - I don't know what to say

I think Cav's main competition is Greipel, Viviani and Kristoff.

 

[touch]

I didnt say Degenkolb was better than Cav. I said he was at least as good as Kittel - so Giant Alpecin wont be badly effected by Kittel not riding.
Having said that, I'd put money on Degenkolb getting more stage wins than Cav.

Viviani wont be there, Sky will throw everything at the GC.

 

[George Hincapie]

I didnt say Degenkolb was better than Cav. I said he was at least as good as Kittel - so Giant Alpecin wont be badly effected by Kittel not riding.
Having said that, I'd put money on Degenkolb getting more stage wins than Cav.

Viviani wont be there, Sky will throw everything at the GC.

Forgive me, genuinely not trying to be argumentative, but I'm confused about that. It's (generally) accepted that Kittel is a better sprinter than Cav. If you believe JD is as good as Kittel then surely you're saying JD is is also better than Cav?

JD is fast for sure, but he isn't faster than Kittel. He can climb better though and that makes him more versatile which is why I made the Sagan comparison. I am not concerned about him winning more stages than Cav, I just want Cav to win some.

I hadn't realised SKY had released their full Team? I saw something the other day but apparently it was an incomplete list that didn't even feature Kennaugh. That can't be right?

 

[touch]

I am not concerned about him winning more stages than Cav, I just want Cav to win some.

Then you won't be disappointed.

I hadn't realised SKY had released their full Team?

They haven't, I'm speculating.

 

[xdcx]

I don't even think Viviani will be on the Sky team..... We shall wait and see!

Kristoff has been on ridiculous form this year, he is my pick on this group of riders. I am predicting a disappointing TdF for Cav

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

I don't even think Viviani will be on the Sky team..... We shall wait and see!

Kristoff has been on ridiculous form this year, he is my pick on this group of riders. I am predicting a disappointing TdF for Cav

Wouldn't be surpsied if we've seen the best of Kristoff this year, will be tough to hold that form through the rest of the year. What makes you say a dissapointing race for Cav?

 

[GSVBagpuss]

I hadn't realised SKY had released their full Team? I saw something the other day but apparently it was an incomplete list that didn't even feature Kennaugh. That can't be right?

I thought I saw Kennaugh on the long list? (the one Roche missed out on)

 

[GSVBagpuss]

I think Cav's main competition is Greipel, Viviani and Kristoff.

Agree, although Viviani can be hit and miss and won;t have any sort of train (not that hugely affects him). As someone said on Twitter, Cav's chances of a new EQS contract went up with no Kittel

 

[xdcx]

Wouldn't be surpsied if we've seen the best of Kristoff this year, will be tough to hold that form through the rest of the year. What makes you say a dissapointing race for Cav?

Not just for Cav, for EQS as a whole would be the better thing for me to say. I just think it will be disappointing from Cav due to the team around him and the fact he's not raced or competed on the stage against the guys he is up against, he is coming in as an unknown compared to the competition, so we are basing his presence on the same level as these guys on previous years performances, not based on what he is actually been proving this year. He might come in and blow us away, but there is as much chance of him coming in and being nowhere as doing that. So I'm just speculating really but I can't see him coming in at the point and winning many/if any stages (I want to be wrong!)

Roche out, Kennaugh in.
Froome, Porte, Thomas 100%
Konig, Kennaugh, Stannard, Boswell, Nieve, Poels are serious strong contendors.
Viviani, Roche I don't see them being there at all.

Come on Sky, name your damn team!