General racing chitchat

[mattheus]

What, no chitchat about Paris-Roubaix? Ok, wasn't the most exciting edition, but blimey vdP was fast. Thought I read somewhere that he did the first 100km on 700 x 28c Vittorias and then switched to 32mm, but now only see 32c mentioned. Anyways, always interesting to see the kit used on P-R and what seems to work well and what doesn't.

Tbh, I was more surprised by how fast his number 1 domestique was (Vermeersch?), who pulled for miles at a record pace, shut down all the G2 moves after VdP got away and then finished in the top 10...

Don't forget they had a massive tail-wind. The last rider home - outside the time limit - was faster than Fabien's 2010 win. Only the worst tin-foil wackos will conclude that every rider was on magic juice.

Sadly - for the armchair spectator - MvDP is just that little bit better than everyone in this kind of race, and doesn't make mistakes. Gotta give the guy credit ...

[Pendodave]

What, no chitchat about Paris-Roubaix? Ok, wasn't the most exciting edition, but blimey vdP was fast. Thought I read somewhere that he did the first 100km on 700 x 28c Vittorias and then switched to 32mm, but now only see 32c mentioned. Anyways, always interesting to see the kit used on P-R and what seems to work well and what doesn't.

Tbh, I was more surprised by how fast his number 1 domestique was (Vermeersch?), who pulled for miles at a record pace, shut down all the G2 moves after VdP got away and then finished in the top 10...

Don't forget they had a massive tail-wind. The last rider home - outside the time limit - was faster than Fabien's 2010 win. Only the worst tin-foil wackos will conclude that every rider was on magic juice.

Sadly - for the armchair spectator - MvDP is just that little bit better than everyone in this kind of race, and doesn't make mistakes. Gotta give the guy credit ...

Has every race this year had a massive tail wind?...
Given everything we know about all professional sports, and cycling in particular, "tin foil wackos" seems a tad hyperbolic.

The point about avoiding mistakes is a fair one though. Also, avoiding punctures. Given that Visma in particular seem afflicted by these, there seems to be some method in avoiding mechanicals that Alpecin have perfected.

[mattheus]

Given everything we know about all professional sports, and cycling in particular, "tin foil wackos" seems a tad hyperbolic.

Apologies for apparently branding you with that label! Bad posting on my part.
(and yes, of course you're right - there has been plenty of drug-cheating in the peloton.)


But I would maintain that there ARE quite a few internet cycling "experts" (i hesitate to call them fans) who will never give the credit that riders are due, proffering dubious evidence of their unfounded claims. A guy setting a new speed record seems an easy target to that sort, never mind that the race conditions can play a huge part!

[TrevA]

I thought, as with the Tour of Flanders, that the women’s Paris-Roubaix was far more exciting than the men’s. In both races the result was in doubt, right up to the finish line. And a great ride from Pfeifer Georgi to be part of the race winning break and get 3rd in the sprint. She actually crossed to the break entirely under her own steam, with no help from passenger Balsamo.

Nice to see another Brit, besides Lizzie, who is fighting for wins in top races.

[MrsHJ]

I certainly have been following on both for the RvV and Paros Roubaix. Amstel gold this weekend and LBL next weekend if I remember it correctly. Plus the tour of Abruzzo this week and tour of the alps starting next week- lots going on - according to Discovery plus there are twenty televised races in the next week although some of that is mountain bike. I follow various podcasts like the lanterne rouge to get my cycling chitchat and to decompress from work a bit on my commute. They’ve had some interesting comments on the lack of mechanicals for MvdP mentioned further up the thread.

I enjoyed watching the women’s race and that finish was good wasn’t it, some great U23 results too. But I also enjoy watching the GOATS- we are in an amazing era. It’s a real shame that’s WvA wasnt at the last two monuments but MvdP has been amazing and I have to give him credit. Looking forward to seeing Poggie at LBL - interesting to see how he and MvdP go head to head.

We are rushing through April and the giro is around the corner. Not entirely sure what the Tour de France is going to look like with the latest pile ups but the latest medical reports suggest everyone is making some progress, even Jay Vine. Geraint Thomas or Luke rowe suggested on their pod that maybe Pogacar should miss the giro so he’s on tiptop form to beat a not fully fit Jonas V at the tour. Seems unlikely to me.

[Pendodave]

Geraint Thomas or Luke rowe suggested on their pod that maybe Pogacar should miss the giro so he’s on tiptop form to beat a not fully fit Jonas V at the tour. Seems unlikely to me.

Haha.
I'm pretty certain they were joking, as GT is down for the Giro, and obviously has no chance of winning if Pogi is in it.
On a more serious note, it was quite dark to hear Luke Rowe talking about the aftermath of his concussion, and how he is still feeling the aftereffects. Makes you wonder how many sports people carried on through these sorts of symptoms in less enlightened times and may eventually suffer the consequences.

[mattheus]

Geraint Thomas or Luke rowe suggested on their pod that maybe Pogacar should miss the giro so he’s on tiptop form to beat a not fully fit Jonas V at the tour. Seems unlikely to me.

Haha.
I'm pretty certain they were joking, as GT is down for the Giro, and obviously has no chance of winning if Pogi is in it.

As you say - and given the tone of that podcast - I'm sure they were joking.
BUT .. is it not quite sensible advice? This could be Pog's best shot at a third TdeF win ...

[pjclinch]

Geraint Thomas or Luke rowe suggested on their pod that maybe Pogacar should miss the giro so he’s on tiptop form to beat a not fully fit Jonas V at the tour. Seems unlikely to me.

Haha.
I'm pretty certain they were joking, as GT is down for the Giro, and obviously has no chance of winning if Pogi is in it.

As you say - and given the tone of that podcast - I'm sure they were joking.
BUT .. is it not quite sensible advice? This could be Pog's best shot at a third TdeF win ...

But it's probably also his best shot at the Giro/Tour double, and on past form I think he'd be more interested in having a chance at that but failing than a bigger chance at something he's won twice already. Whatever he does, I'm sure it'll make for some great racing!

Pete.

[MrsHJ]

Pidders and Vos.

Another bout of oops, a bit too early, celebrating!

[Redvee]

Pidders and Vos.

Another bout of oops, a bit too early, celebrating!

Caught the Discovery+ feed at the right moment on the bus to work and saw the last 3km, feel sorry for Wiebes but Vos was stronger and beat Pfeiffer Georgi, unlike in the Roubaix veledrome.

[pjclinch]

Pidders and Vos.

Another bout of oops, a bit too early, celebrating!

I'm surprised how often this happens, or even very nearly happens, in World Tour level bunch sprints. You'd think having Vos right behind you would concentrate your mind on getting past the line before you come off the drops...

Pete.

[kylecycler]

Marianne Vos and Demi Vollering, Lorena Wiebes's SD Worx teammate who led her out for the sprint, were genuinely sympathetic, but they'd have been pure hypocrites if they hadn't been. Vollering lost the win at Brabantse Pijl in 2021 when she flung her arm in the air instead of flinging her bike, losing out in the photo finish to Ruth Winder's consummate 'tits over the saddle' (according to Winder's Trek teammate Tayler Wiles!) bike throw...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JTatOKMWtM&t=130s

...while five days later at Amstel Gold, Vos very nearly lost out the way Lorena did when she 'posted up' only to see Vollering, having learned her lesson, coming by like an express train just after the line - you'll see how Vos did a Disney-style double-take and had a big 'Uh-oh' moment, for sure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAiy_8GF2_I&t=163s

As to why Lorena did what she did, I think she just got overexcited - no way did she wake up that morning thinking she'd win Amstel Gold - it's not a sprinter's race, and even though her climbing has improved phenomenally, if the course hadn't been curtailed due to the accident involving the police motorcyclist, leaving out some of the climbs, she'd likely only have been a bit player. So to find herself 'winning' was maybe just too much for her to keep her head together. That plus, she tends to win sprints so decisively that she legitimately has time to post up, so it's habit. Still made no sense, though!

We all do daft things - anyone who says they've never done anything as daft as that is either lying or else they will before they pop their clogs - and as long as that's the daftest thing she ever does she'll get through the rest of her life just fine.

[mattheus]

Agree with all that - and good race references there!

[rjb]

First UK winner up the Mur de Huy at La Fleche Wallonne . Can we make this a hat trick at Liege.

[Shuggie]

First UK winner up the Mur de Huy at La Fleche Wallonne . Can we make this a hat trick at Liege.

UK male winner don’t forget Nicole Cooke (3 times) and Emma Pooley both got there before



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