Pro Cycling Chit Chat

[unc.si.]

Well I think the pure racing is better in the dry, but the spectacle of a wet Roubaix is pretty unforgettable.

Pity Colbrellli won’t be there to defend his cobble, but his heart problems show there are more important things than cycling

[blahblah]

Yeah.

I guess wind or rain make it more exciting, but the still heat and dust is bad, but not visually.

[theo29]

ok, the final 8 teams for the Giro will be 'pressed' 'drafted' or whatever. Just about 3 weeks to the Budapest start !

[unc.si.]

Fast start. Looks to be a bit of wind about which could play a factor later.

One big talking point from yesterday was Balsamo (who’s had a great start to the season) getting thrown out of the race for a sticky bottle, so the men are going to have to super careful about that today.

[blahblah]

And a big split 200k out....

[unc.si.]

Yeah.
Not sure about this. Ineos trying to win the race with 4 hours of racing to go and before they’ve hit the first pave secteur. Too much too soon in a race like PR but we’ll see later.
Makes things interesting though.

[Geoffv]

Yeah.
Not sure about this. Ineos trying to win the race with 4 hours of racing to go and before they’ve hit the first pave secteur. Too much too soon in a race like PR but we’ll see later.
Makes things interesting though.

Ineos brimming with confidence and some engines they have too.

[blahblah]

I'll avoid the easy/cheap jest about the engines being from Ferrari.

[blahblah]

. carnage is an understatement....

[blahblah]

Credit to Adam Blythe, he's now really good

[sibrown4]

Certainly that crash has put pay to whatever plans Ineos initially had.

Unfortunate really.

[blahblah]

Finally the race starts

[unc.si.]

Arenberg…

[blahblah]

I don't envy the people editting this down for the "highlights"

[blahblah]

After a bit of a lull it kicks off

[blahblah]

This must be a record for flat tyres

[unc.si.]

What an amazing race.
It’s been a fantastic classics season so far with some really aggressive racing

[blahblah]

Shame that there wasn't a bunch sprint in Robaix

It looks like Ineos are the new Quickstep?

[Geoffv]

Coming to the last 40 ks of the 4th Monument the LBL and race affected by a bad crash. Alaphillipe out of the race. Big bunch fighting for control

[unc.si.]

Oh well reminded. Lost track of what day it was. It’s really not been Ala’s year.

[unc.si.]

Great ride by Remco for the win.

Broken shoulder blade, ribs and punctured lung for Ala, but he’s ok. Hope he gets fit again in time for the Tour. He always animates a few stages so will be a pity if he misses it. Must be touch and go tbh.

[theo29]

Count-down to the 2022 Giro. Due to FISO inability to produce 22 owner/managers, the remaining 8 teams will be overseen by ZOMBIES ANONYMOUS (ZA). The teams concerned will be named tomorrow, 26th April.
Stage 1 in Budapest is getting close.

[unc.si.]

skipped through the key bits of LBL again this morning. That attack by Remco at the top of La Redoute was astonishing. Great victory and a 1-2-3 for Belgium in the last of the spring classics.

Top marks also for the Phil Gil fan club, that covered every inch of La Redoute with PHIL painted on the road. What a great way to say goodbye to a great rider

Chapeau to Bardet as well for climbing down to Ala after the big crash and staying with him til the medics arrived. He could have got a new bike and chased on to the peloton, but chose to make sure his countryman was OK instead. Classy.

[unc.si.]

PHIL!!!

PHIL.jpeg

[blahblah]

Yep, yep and yep.

Remco was awesome

[theo29]

why not claim a runner in the Giro d, just 6 left ?

[theo29]

last chance for one of the 3 remaining World Tour Teams. Press Gang in operation on Saturday. 30th April.

[sibrown4]

Nasty crash at the sprint of stage 1 of Tour de Dunkerque yesterday.

https://youtu.be/OsZfTNtLWHQ

[unc.si.]

Ouch. Welsford can’t be shutting the door like that

[blahblah]

True, but the road does bend to the left, which is really daft.