Here's hoping on both of those bits. After my comments last night I hadn't actually realised how badly contador had hurt his shoulder. That's some tough break if he loses any time today/tomorrow to porte that could be giro over for him
Pro Cycling Discussion Thread 2015
- Thread starter Calpol
- Start date
Here's hoping on both of those bits. After my comments last night I hadn't actually realised how badly contador had hurt his shoulder. That's some tough break if he loses any time today/tomorrow to porte that could be giro over for him
Mountain top finish and we aren't at work so can watch all afternoon. Bring it!
Contador wasn't exactly struggling yesterday, tough cookie.
Astana is going to bring it today.
OGE was weird yesterday, taking it out for Gerrans? I really like him and have him on my fantasy Giro team so not complaining I just found it strange. Definitely very keen to see what they can bring today.
Sky aren't doing it for me on the climbs, bit of a bizarre situ for them I just don't see them having a massive support base for Porte but I hope things improve and this is tactics we are seeing in play......
Contador wasn't exactly struggling yesterday, tough cookie.
Astana is going to bring it today.
OGE was weird yesterday, taking it out for Gerrans? I really like him and have him on my fantasy Giro team so not complaining I just found it strange. Definitely very keen to see what they can bring today.
Sky aren't doing it for me on the climbs, bit of a bizarre situ for them I just don't see them having a massive support base for Porte but I hope things improve and this is tactics we are seeing in play......
Michael Matthews had allergies I believe the official line was.
Sky had Nieve puncture before one of the hardest climbs in the Giro so far and Konig is still in the front groups. Porte has probably the best TT out of the favourites, then Uran and Contador then Aru.
Sky had Nieve puncture before one of the hardest climbs in the Giro so far and Konig is still in the front groups. Porte has probably the best TT out of the favourites, then Uran and Contador then Aru.
Really think Sky are looking to save their guys after the last couple of years, they haven't been able to control the peloton for multiple days on end, so they're letting Astana/Tinkoff do the work and only coming to the fore when it really matters. As shown in the latter stages yesterday with Konig and Nieve. Going to be another interesting stage today, hopefully nothing will be left on the road with the rest day tomorrow.
Watched the ToC last night and it was an excellent race to the top of Mt Baldy. Young Mr Alaphillipe took the honours with a superb climb to beat Henao. He really is showing a lot of promise and looks really good for the future
Is Richie Porte keeping his powder dry for later in the Giro or does he not have a big enough acceleration to distance his rivals ?
Is Contador bluffing the extent of his injury ? I think he could well be
Is Richie Porte keeping his powder dry for later in the Giro or does he not have a big enough acceleration to distance his rivals ?
Is Contador bluffing the extent of his injury ? I think he could well be
Day for the breakaway today and all neutral between the main contenders....?
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 5,505
- Location
- London
Mega ride from Sagan as well.
Personally not sure Porte has what it takes, he seems to try and accelerate on climbs but never gets anywhere near dropping anyone like Contador does.
Bloody hell sagan couldn't have won toc by any less.
Giro was interesting, seems to me like porte is keeping his powder dry and just waiting for next Saturday time trial, doing the bare minimum to stay in touch! Risky but not exactly one that hadn't been done a number of times in the past, obviously wiggo of late, but indurain being the master!
Giro was interesting, seems to me like porte is keeping his powder dry and just waiting for next Saturday time trial, doing the bare minimum to stay in touch! Risky but not exactly one that hadn't been done a number of times in the past, obviously wiggo of late, but indurain being the master!
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 5,505
- Location
- London
Really glad he won in the end. Deserved it after yesterday, looked like he went so deep. Really impressive.
I honestly don't think Porte has it against Aru and Contador. I thought one of them was going to give him a slap yesterday for hanging on the back haha.
Porte is in superb form but Aru and Contandor just seem to have this extra 0.1%. If we are basing on the last 2 stages Aru is by far looking the strongest, he's pushing it and they are sticking but they are working hard to stay with him. Someone has got to give and I think Astana assumed it would be Contador who would crack due to the injury but he has coped with it superbly.
Porte is in superb form but Aru and Contandor just seem to have this extra 0.1%. If we are basing on the last 2 stages Aru is by far looking the strongest, he's pushing it and they are sticking but they are working hard to stay with him. Someone has got to give and I think Astana assumed it would be Contador who would crack due to the injury but he has coped with it superbly.
Soldato
- Joined
- 29 Dec 2004
- Posts
- 17,071
- Location
- Shepley
Porte is so bloody dull to watch, hoping he has a bad TT and has to go on the attack. I guess there are some question marks over his form over 3 weeks so potentially he's saving himself but still...
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 5,505
- Location
- London
True, but I can't believe Aru, the one time team domestique now team leader is riding clean. Nor can I believe Contador is either tbh.
I'm glad someone said this before me
Astana just reek full stop the way they've been riding, and now they're going on the defensive publicly. Can anyone say Lance Armstrong wannabe?
Soldato
- Joined
- 29 Dec 2004
- Posts
- 17,071
- Location
- Shepley
Astana are doped to the gills no doubt, 3 riders in the top 5 after week 1 when they've been doing most of the pulling on the front. Add to that Aru doing altitude training in the freezing cold at Sestriere in what looks like an attempt to manipulate his bio passport and the BS story about his dysentery and it all looks very dubious. I love how he trotted out the Lance cadence excuse for his improved performances. The Vino/Ferrari connections just finish it off. I wish they'd been booted out but that ship has sailed for now.
There's something dodgy about Porte's weight loss too (and the CIRC report seemed to suggest as much) but at least Sky are trying to keep it marginally (heh) believable.
Mick Rogers said it was the hardest first week he'd ever ridden in a GT which should probably be accompanied by this face:
There's something dodgy about Porte's weight loss too (and the CIRC report seemed to suggest as much) but at least Sky are trying to keep it marginally (heh) believable.
Mick Rogers said it was the hardest first week he'd ever ridden in a GT which should probably be accompanied by this face:
Last edited:
Spending a couple of days with Brailsford alone makes me 100% believe Sky are not doping, that's not to say they're not using trained professionals to do what they can within the rules, but I do not believe for an instant that they would be doing any banned substances, though that is not to say they may have something that is bordering, but I can't see it myself, their performances aren't stand out.
Although the proof will be in the pudding come week 2/3 when whoever (cough Contador/Aru) go attacking 3 days in a row...
Soldato
- Joined
- 29 Dec 2004
- Posts
- 17,071
- Location
- Shepley
It's rife in the peloton but there is nothing natural about guys like Froome and even Wiggins dropping as much weight as they do whilst maintaining or even improving their flat TT performance IMO. That famous picture of Froome winning at Les Planches des Belles Filles in 2012, even his lips have no fat in them, it's bloody awful. GT riders have always been skinny but the last four or five years are something else. Everyone looks like Michael Rasmussen.
Being brutally honest, marginal gains is a fine idea in principle, but there are not enough gains to make you climb like Pantani or Armstrong. I'm not sure EPO is de rigeur any more, at least not in 90s doses, but I think there are a boatload of grey area products that are being abused instead.
I will say Porte looks most clean of the three contenders but we'll see how things go as you say.
Being brutally honest, marginal gains is a fine idea in principle, but there are not enough gains to make you climb like Pantani or Armstrong. I'm not sure EPO is de rigeur any more, at least not in 90s doses, but I think there are a boatload of grey area products that are being abused instead.
I will say Porte looks most clean of the three contenders but we'll see how things go as you say.
I have to say I was 'surprised' by last years TdF performance from Astana when they blew everyone away. All their domestiques were piling on the pain before Nibali sailed of up the road with no-one able to go with him. He did nothing after and nothing since and with all the positive tests coming out of Astana I just feel that whole Tour was a little suspect.
Mr Henderson's comments about Aru make me believe there's something the pros even feel is suspect going on.
Mr Henderson's comments about Aru make me believe there's something the pros even feel is suspect going on.
Astana are taking the brunt of it because they are so bloody blatant, the performances they are putting in from multiple riders is touching unbelievable and the rumours are flying.
Nearly stripped of their license, got away with it and now look at their perfomance on the GC in this Giro and they are dominating the hilly stages.... Sure they have a team of pure climbers but it's sketchy, nobody can deny that. Plus we have Aru, apparently lost 5kg due to this illness of his and has come back essentially riding the best form of his career right now.
One More Solo is spot on, I don't think this can be put down to the 90/00's drugs of the past. Grey area, new rising products it's a constant battle they can never be that one step ahead of the cheats.
I personally believe ALL the top teams are right on the line of what is legal, they have to push those boundaries and go to the limits of what is legal within the sport to be competitive. The teams with the large budgets, expensive trainers/nutritionists and docs are going to be at the forefront of this. but there has to be a fine line they tread between staying within the realms of clean or crossing over. And from the difference you see in Astana, it seems to me that they have crossed that line..... BUT, what about Tinkof? They aren't exactly nowhere to be found or struggling, they are themselves been dominating the peloton, although not to the extent of Astana but you look at the recent mountain stages and look how many riders they have covering their guy compared to Sky, purely as example.....
I don't believe the sport is clean. But it is nowhere near as dirty as the early 00's.
Nearly stripped of their license, got away with it and now look at their perfomance on the GC in this Giro and they are dominating the hilly stages.... Sure they have a team of pure climbers but it's sketchy, nobody can deny that. Plus we have Aru, apparently lost 5kg due to this illness of his and has come back essentially riding the best form of his career right now.
One More Solo is spot on, I don't think this can be put down to the 90/00's drugs of the past. Grey area, new rising products it's a constant battle they can never be that one step ahead of the cheats.
I personally believe ALL the top teams are right on the line of what is legal, they have to push those boundaries and go to the limits of what is legal within the sport to be competitive. The teams with the large budgets, expensive trainers/nutritionists and docs are going to be at the forefront of this. but there has to be a fine line they tread between staying within the realms of clean or crossing over. And from the difference you see in Astana, it seems to me that they have crossed that line..... BUT, what about Tinkof? They aren't exactly nowhere to be found or struggling, they are themselves been dominating the peloton, although not to the extent of Astana but you look at the recent mountain stages and look how many riders they have covering their guy compared to Sky, purely as example.....
I don't believe the sport is clean. But it is nowhere near as dirty as the early 00's.
Interesting development in the Giro. Porte punctures in last 10km and takes a wheel from Simon Clark in order to get going again. The commissaires ahve now docked him 2 minutes and fined him 200 swiss francs for accepting this moment of generous sportmanship from another team.
Very strange!
A few angles - why did Sky leave the leader on his own outside the 3km mark?
When no penalty has been applied to blatant rules transgressions in recent races this seems harsh - think P-R and the level crossing fiasco plus numerous examples of sticky bottles and car drafting.
Then you also have Diego Ullisi winning a stage only a year after a ban for a positive test.
The sport is crazy.
Very strange!
A few angles - why did Sky leave the leader on his own outside the 3km mark?
When no penalty has been applied to blatant rules transgressions in recent races this seems harsh - think P-R and the level crossing fiasco plus numerous examples of sticky bottles and car drafting.
Then you also have Diego Ullisi winning a stage only a year after a ban for a positive test.
The sport is crazy.