Pro Cycling Thread 2023

One More Solo · 6 Jul 2023 at 20:51

I was actually surprised to see Vingegaard take so much time yesterday. He must have gone pretty hard. I was expecting the differences to be made on the longer climbs with Pog being stronger on the short stuff.

fez · 7 Jul 2023 at 16:12

Poor Cavendish! So close.

Junglist · 7 Jul 2023 at 16:13

So so so close. I thought he had it. Stupid commentators haha

Bear · 7 Jul 2023 at 16:13

Ahh nuts, though Cav was finally going to get it

fez · 7 Jul 2023 at 16:14

Looked like a child against an adult at the end there. Always forget how small Cavendish is

UTmaniac · 7 Jul 2023 at 16:19

So so close, when he was so out of position for most of the final 2Km!

SoliD · 8 Jul 2023 at 03:15

Can see on replay how the gear skip killed his sprint. Think he'd have easily won it without that issue.

fez · 8 Jul 2023 at 14:42

Oh no. That could be Cavs TdF done.

Yep. All over. Just makes yesterdays mechanical even harder to swallow. :mad:

Robzere31 · 8 Jul 2023 at 14:49

Sad way for a great career to end.

SoliD · 8 Jul 2023 at 14:57

fez said:
Oh no. That could be Cavs TdF done.

Yep. All over. Just makes yesterdays mechanical even harder to swallow.

And the deviation from philipsen not being punished.

Bear · 8 Jul 2023 at 16:25

SoliD said:
And the deviation from philipsen not being punished.

He didn’t look like he did it on purpose and was following Cav’s wheel but he nearly put Girmay into the barriers.

Gutted not being able to see Cav pushing for the win on the Champs like he finished it in Rome

chrismscotland · 9 Jul 2023 at 00:09

Gutted for Cavendish, sad to see him miss out do narrowly yesterday and then for it to end like that today

SoliD · 9 Jul 2023 at 12:37

Vinokorouv already saying he's offering cav a deal for next year...

fez · 9 Jul 2023 at 13:25

Wonder if Cav will want to do that. Thought he was retiring completely, not just his last TdF. As this year has proven, all it takes is bad luck for that record to be out of reach again in a second. Another year of hard work down the drain and at his age he should probably just call it a day.

SoliD · 9 Jul 2023 at 21:05

Strange to watch with no spectators on the finish. Great ride by Woods paced it perfectly. Feel for jorgenson coming 4th in a race of 1 with 2k to go!

Pog clawing back some more seconds, vingegaard looks like he needs a reset and few days off. Would have thought today's steep gradients should suit him, but seems to need that extra altitude that the third week should bring. Been an exciting first week and good to see a breakaway get it today.

AndyCr15 · 10 Jul 2023 at 07:17

Yeah, amazing looking finish. A few of the camera shots you really got a great feel for the gradient right at the end there, with a fantastic backdrop.

fez · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:56

Pogacar is slowly eating into Vingegaards lead.

Bear · 14 Jul 2023 at 16:14

Great to see Kwiato get a win as he has been rather anonymous for the past season or two which is a shame for such a good rider

SoliD · 14 Jul 2023 at 16:17

Bear said:
Great to see Kwiato get a win as he has been rather anonymous for the past season or two which is a shame for such a good rider

Yep. One of my favourite riders, thoroughly deserved. Good to see pidcock best of the rest too. strange stage that one. Really don't know how to read it, potentially Pog showing some weakness as he doesn't believe he can go for the kill if he has the tiredness in his legs. Gonna be interesting to see what happens over the next 2 days.

poosemon · 14 Jul 2023 at 16:25

SoliD said:
Yep. One of my favourite riders, thoroughly deserved. Good to see pidcock best of the rest too. strange stage that one. Really don't know how to read it, potentially Pog showing some weakness as he doesn't believe he can go for the kill if he has the tiredness in his legs. Gonna be interesting to see what happens over the next 2 days.

Or, is POG just confident he can slowly chip away at GC lead and possibly deliver a single killer blow to gap on one of the remaining stages?

Agree though, a bit strange as POG had so much support up front today from his team vs what Jumbo had up front you thought that it could have been a good chance to do something to get POG further in the lead, but they just left it too late.