longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/15/2017 10:23 PM |
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https://bergen2017.no/courses/road-race/elite-men/
The map probably does not do justice to what must be a drop dead beautiful venue for a major race - unless it's cold, rainy and crappy, in which case it won't be as pretty but will enhance the awesomeness of the race.
The major hill is pretty far from the finish, about 7 miles. ?A mini version of Rio, where (on this course) the puncheurs forge ahead but get hung out to dry before the line on the last lap?
Sagan three-peat is just too much of a long shot, and who would go with him knowing his finishing kick.
I'll vote for Belgian and/or Dutchman on the podium for sure. Van Avermaet for gold? Or someone with a similar if less stellar pedigree whose temperament matches the weather that day, and did not ride any grand tours this year and has more left in the tank. Not a true dark horse, just not a top dog most of the year.
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/17/2017 10:52 AM |
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| It's a good day when the sky train comes apart at wheels. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/17/2017 11:14 AM |
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Nice ride by Sunweb. Was not upset in the slightest to see SKY fall apart.  |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Red Tornado
Posts:159
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| 09/18/2017 01:56 PM |
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Posted By Orange Crush on 09/17/2017 10:52 AM
It's a good day when the sky train comes apart at wheels.
+1000 |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/19/2017 03:43 PM |
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So far so good for the Orange. Excellent representation in the TTT and the ladies Crushed the iTT.
Looking forward to the Dumoulin - Froome match up tomorrow.
IMO the UCI made a mistake allowing for bike change before final hill and Dumoulin is uncertain about risk versus reward.
Nice setting for worlds. A bit like Vancouver (water, mountains) but more colourful houses. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/19/2017 04:44 PM |
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The bike change option is complete schitt....they are basically treating it as a CX pit. The bikes will be there waiting, so you dump one bike, pick up another and get going.
You wanna change your bike, pull over, wait for the team car to stop, get your bike off and bring it over to you.
Total and complete horseschitt. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/19/2017 05:28 PM |
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Yes agreed. I'd go one step further and say pick a bike and stick with it.
That said, I also don't understand T Martin griping about a hill in the course. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/19/2017 06:50 PM |
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| Absolutely. The bike change thing is just weird. The big hill is also a bit weird for a rainbow jersey course. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/20/2017 07:46 AM |
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Most riders seem to be making a complete mess of the change....I would wager they are losing more time in the change than they are gaining on the climb. I don't think the climb is long enough to realize any benefit form a lighter bike anyway...
Many are now opting to just keep going rather than make a change. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/20/2017 08:32 AM |
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| I just realized the women's ITT winner was the woman who suffered a horrible crash in Rio. Wow, what a comeback! |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/20/2017 10:31 AM |
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Crap...Froome was losing time but is now clawing back and is less than 10" down. He could still win this....
Rohann Dennis crashed and is out of it, but Dumoulin is on a tear....hopefully he can keep it going on the final climb.
Martin seems to be saving some energy for the climb....he is not tearing up the flats as I would have expected. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/20/2017 10:52 AM |
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| LOL....police just decked a guy running up behind Tony Martin. Came across the road with his shoulder and knocked the guy into the crowd on the other side if the street!! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/20/2017 10:52 AM |
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| Dumoulin wins gold!!! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/20/2017 10:57 AM |
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Posted By Frederick Jones on 09/20/2017 08:32 AM
I just realized the women's ITT winner was the woman who suffered a horrible crash in Rio. Wow, what a comeback!
Yes, its been quite the emotional year for van Vleuten. She's been on a tear to make up for that Rio mishap.
Not surprised to see Roglic come 2nd; perfect course for him and Dumoulin. Suspect Froome was sapped after Vuelta.
Not only does the Bergen area look like Vancouver, they also have same weather LOL. Sun and cloud with a few showers mixed with rain. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/20/2017 11:08 AM |
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Shouldn't this thread be titled "The Worlds; a Crush of Orange"?
Ben |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/20/2017 11:19 AM |
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In line with my last post, I'll have to root for Dumoulin for the road race.
So my picks: Dumoulin, Sagan, Froome. (I'd love to see a non-Froome. But if he gets third we can award him with a bronzed cycling shoe.)
Ben |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/20/2017 11:40 AM |
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Dumoulin will probably factor in RR because he comes in fresh to Worlds. Froome won't play a role, he's too sapped from a long season. Sagan, Matthews, van Avermaet and other ususal suspects are top favorites IMO. Perhaps also a good race for Lars Boom who did well in Britain and a few other recent races.
Big ride too for Moscon today. In Vuelta he was billed as a classics rider but going by his build and today's performance he may be Italy's new hope for GTs. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/20/2017 12:29 PM |
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| Any update on Sagan's illness? |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/20/2017 01:39 PM |
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Don't know...that's a well kept secret.
Froome isn't racing the RR; his interview reminded me. His off season just started. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/20/2017 08:19 PM |
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I'll give the Sky Night King credit for a solid ride today. He made the podium without the usual coterie of shepherding Skybots.
PS: Congrats to the Dutch team and fans for yet another rainbow jersey. Quite a haul this year.
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Habanero
Posts:257
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| 09/22/2017 09:05 AM |
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| I am thinking this is a perfect course for Sagan, especially if the weather is crap. He is a puncheur without peer on a tough day and I think he gets away on the hill and holds off all comers. Remember his first title in Richmond? He stormed the last climb and no one had an answer. He soloed away in complete glory.
As for a fly in the ointment of my prediction - GvA. He is also pure class, but he often fs up the last bit needed to win. We'll see.
Regardless this will be fun to watch! |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 09/22/2017 11:10 AM |
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I'll flip my lid if Sagan takes the win. Really hopes he gets #3 but he'll be so marked if he even blinks everyone will know it.
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Habanero
Posts:257
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| 09/22/2017 11:24 AM |
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| Look how marked he was the past two worlds and he still won. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/22/2017 12:40 PM |
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Posted By Hot Habanero on 09/22/2017 11:24 AM
Look how marked he was the past two worlds and he still won.
Yup. GvA had his number for a little while but recent matchup in Quebec wasn't close. Whether he can pull off number 3 will depend in part how technical finale is. If it is, his odds are very good. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/22/2017 02:47 PM |
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| Still wondering about that reported illness. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/23/2017 11:40 AM |
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| Hahaha I am liking this worlds |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 09/24/2017 09:49 AM |
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| speechless |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/24/2017 10:11 AM |
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| Hugely impressive yet farcical. |
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Habanero
Posts:257
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| 09/24/2017 11:07 AM |
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| Team? I don't need no stinking team! |
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Habanero
Posts:257
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| 09/24/2017 11:09 AM |
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| BOOM!!! He is simply without peer at the moment. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/24/2017 11:51 AM |
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| OC: what farce?
As for team, he did give a shout-out to his teammates And “friends in the peloton”. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/24/2017 12:16 PM |
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Simply the fact that the madcap final 5k could have produced any number of winners.
That it's Sagan is the hugely impressive part. But I prefer competitions to be more than a seemingly random.sequence of events. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/24/2017 01:51 PM |
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Previous two wins Sagan made his own fate. This time fate made him...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sagan-i-dont-know-maybe-its-karma-that-i-won/ |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/24/2017 03:42 PM |
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| Really weird that the coverage dropped (pesky hackers?) kms 5 to 1 to go. I hope the helicopter cam was storing, not just feeding, so those hectic final miles can be seen. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/24/2017 04:31 PM |
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| After pondering it more: Sagan is a very smart bike racer. This was not a lottery. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/24/2017 09:22 PM |
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| Cyclingnews has final 4k video but it's all from air and no commentary obviously. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/25/2017 12:23 PM |
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Thanks. Wish the quality was HD, not highly compressed.
Crazy hectic finish. Some monster pulls, first by a rider wearing a red jersey (?Denmark?) to pull in Alaphilippe, another massive pull by Italian later on. |
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