Pro Cycling Chit Chat

[blahblah]

Isn't he claiming to live in Switzerland (that august nation of respectability ) so they can nominate him

The only slight advantage that he has over any of us in winning the vote is that he is standing, well is atm....

[unc.si.]

If he does stand, he's got a reasonable chance of winning, crazy as it sounds.

If it was a fair and reasonable process then of course he wouldn't stand a chance. However, it's down to a 'democratic vote', so of course Lobbying and 'persuading' come into it. Now of course we know from the Landis court case that the UCI and McQuaid absolutely do not engage in bribery or corruption in any way, but he has been quite generous to emerging cycling nations in the past, enjoys socialising with delegates and is willing to bring top races to far flung and slightly inappropriate places (Tour of Beijing anyone).

If Pat gets re-elected it will be a farce and I think the only hope for cycling would be to somehow rip it all up and start again, ie teams club together, refuse to be licenced by the UCI and set up another governing body.

[blahblah]

Yep, I see a breakaway if he wins, or is announced the winner or any other Conspiracy Theory type description of him still being in situ after the vote.

I seem to remember rumblings of a breakaway at the start of the year, but remember very little about it apart from JV being quoted or questioned... I would guess that the Classics and GT's hold the key to one succeeding?

[unc.si.]

The ASO own a lot of races (TdF obviously but also quite a few classics) and RCS own the Giro and possibly MSR.

I guess in theory a breakaway could succeed if they could get the ASO and RCS on board. Would be painful though. The best option would be Cookson followed by serious reform of the UCI and pro-cycling as a whole.

I really would like to think that there's no way that Pat could get in again. You wonder why he'd want to tbh? Fear of what a successor might find, or just a huge ego?

[blahblah]

I would guess that the shredder has been quite busy lately

While there must be logistical and legal issues with a Truth and Reconciliation idea, it has to be done but Pat would come out smelling of manure, rather than flowers, imho.

[unc.si.]

Chuffing good finish to the tour of Poland today. Taylor Phinney goes solo with 8k to go and just hangs on with the pack bearing down on him in the home straight.

Nice ride

[Moist von Lipwig]

Chuffing good finish to the tour of Poland today. Taylor Phinney goes solo with 8k to go and just hangs on with the pack bearing down on him in the home straight.

Nice ride

Watched it late last night. 1St pro win that's not a T T. Now there was someone that was happy. Pack credited with the same time it was that close

[unc.si.]

Just had enough time to go over the line solo to keep the sponsors happy

There were a few dismayed looks in the chasing pack though.

Great to have Maggie B commentating, but christ, Carlton Kirby doesn't half spout some drivel.

[El Tel of Ealing]

Carlton Kirby is a complete idiot.Unbelievably he did the Giro for Sky/the English global feed and TdF for Eurosport,yet remains ignorant and up himself.He has made cycling on Eurosport painful to watch.
On Tuesday the Polish TV hosts put up a clearly wrong GC classification,without Henao and many other top tenners.Cue a spluttering lecture from the ego-maniac Kirby about how unprecendented it was to have 1 to 15 separated by 1 hour 20 minutes.Backstedt,who contradicts practically everything the pompous fool says,
let him dig his hole for what seemed an eternity,before putting him right.

[blahblah]

With Mark Renshaw on his way to the team Cavendish will have a stronger arsenal at his disposal next year and a full season with Omega under his belt will only help.

From here.

Excellent news?

But then the Uran rumours could take the edge off it?

Renshaw and Duran confirmed at OPQ

[gazwood]

With Mark Renshaw on his way to the team Cavendish will have a stronger arsenal at his disposal next year and a full season with Omega under his belt will only help.

From here.

Excellent news?

But then the Uran rumours could take the edge off it?

Renshaw and Duran confirmed at OPQ

Not forgetting Alessandro Petacchi to add to the lead out train;

http://roadcyclinguk.com/racing/alessan ... -2014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Moist von Lipwig]

Story that the 2014 Giro could have its mountains finish with a double climb of the Zoncolan.

Ave 11-13%, sections of 23%

[murf]

Story that the 2014 Giro could have its mountains finish with a double climb of the Zoncolan.

Ave 11-13%, sections of 23%

I don't see the point of double climbs - didn't think Alpe D'Huez worked on the TdF, would much rather see them do 2 different mountains or at least do two different climbs up the same lump (not always poss as they will also need to descend and not many lumps have 3 ways up)

[Moist von Lipwig]

Story that the 2014 Giro could have its mountains finish with a double climb of the Zoncolan.

Ave 11-13%, sections of 23%

I don't see the point of double climbs - didn't think Alpe D'Huez worked on the TdF, would much rather see them do 2 different mountains or at least do two different climbs up the same lump (not always poss as they will also need to descend and not many lumps have 3 ways up)

actually, bit more info now. It'll be 2 different ascents - the first from Ovaro and the second from Priola which is a road the race has never used before.

[Moist von Lipwig]

I really would like to think that there's no way that Pat could get in again. You wonder why he'd want to tbh? Fear of what a successor might find, or just a huge ego?

second to last nail in the coffin for Pat?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... pport.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

you would imagine Morrocco and Thailand would be pressured in the same manner with the same result regardless of Pats unlikely chance of changing the election rules.

[unc.si.]

I think in some ways I'd prefer it to go to a vote. I'd rather Pat actually lost in a democratic vote rather than not standing.

Of course that would raise the uncomfortable possibility that he could garner enough support from Africa, Asia, S. America to actually get in. It does seem unlikely but he has greased a lot of palms in Africa and Asia in particular. Think that the way the vote works means that he would have to get some European support as well though.

If he does manage to bend the rules so that he can stand, and does get in, I think that would rip pro cycling apart, at least in the short term.

[blahblah]

I am more pragmatic than that, and as long as he does not win then it is good for cycling......

[forestfan]

It's sad to see the demise of Euskaltel, one of the oldest teams in the sport (surely the oldest continuously under the same name) and which surely has become one of the iconic institutions of the Basque region.

I'll certainly miss seeing the distinctive orange jerseys chasing stage wins in the mountains, hopefully the team will be reborn in some form when the region gets back on its feet financially.

[Moist von Lipwig]

It's sad to see the demise of Euskaltel, one of the oldest teams in the sport (surely the oldest continuously under the same name) and which surely has become one of the iconic institutions of the Basque region.

I'll certainly miss seeing the distinctive orange jerseys chasing stage wins in the mountains, hopefully the team will be reborn in some form when the region gets back on its feet financially.

Yes, the cry of 'carrot down' will be missed as one of them epicly eats tarmac.

Think I read somewhere that tinkov is trying to buy their licence. A bloke I would trust about as much as pat...

[Moist von Lipwig]

Fernando Alsonso has taken over Euskatel Euskadis licence! Big mate of Bert so not a total suprise he's getting involved.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/f1-star ... -euskaltel" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Moist von Lipwig]

anyone else very about a certain climbing performance?

[blahblah]

Missed yesterday's stage, so care to enlighten me?

[Moist von Lipwig]

1. Christopher HORNER, RadioShack-Leopard, in 4:30:22
2. Vincenzo NIBALI, Astana, at :48
3. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, Movistar, at 1:02
4. Ivan BASSO, Cannondale, at 1:02
5. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Katusha, at 1:02
6. Thibaut PINOT, FDJ.fr, at 1:02

[murf]

I was only half watching but it seemed like they let Horner get away as they were too busy watching each other.

It is a bit weird that he is suddenly a good rider now he has turned 40, 41, 42.....

[blahblah]

Or the rest have come back to him?

I can only find the last 2km's online, and he had gone by then...

[unc.si.]

Really though, the fact that a certain aged American is still racing without being popped is proof that testing procedures still leave something to be desired. He's kind of a beacon, shining away to let others know that they can still dope without getting caught, as long as they're careful / professional about it. Santa just got careless.

Quote from earlier in the season.

Of course he could be clean, and there's no evidence against him that we know of, but its pretty implausible.

[blahblah]

On the one hand: he could have reduced the weight of the bike up that climb by taking the saddle off: as he didn't use it....

On the other hand: the rest of them looked like they could have gone with him, but were watching\mindful of each other....

[Moist von Lipwig]

It wasn't just that stage though.

[blahblah]

Isn't the real issue that even (hopefully) when Pat gets kicked out and the Drug Testing and Promotion of cycling is split some results will still be questioned?

Whatever other people say I believe that it is in human nature to cheat (or gain a real\perceived advantage), especially at this level of sport. It is up to the Authorities to have sufficient punishments and testing to make it not worthwhile - hence leveling the playing field. Arguably the changing of bikes in the recent TT is an example of this, and should be stopped by having a similarly spec'ed replacement bike as the spare, not a road bike a TT bike. (I also think power and heart rate monitors should be for training not racing, especially in TT's.)

Other sports by burying their heads in the sand are perpetuating the myth that their sports are clean, and I believe that very few of them are with various shades of doping and cheating depending on the amount of money and prestige in the sports....

[Moist von Lipwig]

not quite pro

http://saddleblaze.tumblr.com/post/6048 ... llow-scott" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;