longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/24/2018 12:23 PM |
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Great course for an in form Nibali. Did not look great in Spain, but that might have been saving for Innsbruck.
Valverde will be there. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/24/2018 01:01 PM |
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I'm routing for Mas or Alaphillipe. A Quick Step win brings LeFevere closer to the '71 wins of his 2000 season with Mapie.
https://www.velonews.com/2018/09/news/with-worlds-ttt-win-quick-step-moves-closer-to-lefeveres-season-record_479340
QS has been "on" all year. Yes the lost P-R but they completely dominated the rest of the cobbles. Been players at every GC. Viviani and Gaviria. And others. Great team support with "A" riders happily doing the work for teammates. With less than half the budget of that big team (and well under 10% of the controversy) they go about the business of riding and winning races. Biggest complaint - they win and dominate too many. But they do that much closer to the old way of riding all season. No, no one QS rider does that, but QS doesn't disappear after the classics are over or just line up who? and who? to fulfill UCI required races.
They lost one of the all-time greats and bounced back to a really fun team to watch. I'd love to see them podium the Worlds. Top two steps would be OK for me. (But put Alaphilipe on top. France needs that. It's time.)
Ben |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/24/2018 01:05 PM |
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Nibali was coming off that hard crash in the Tour and was riding the Vuelta for prep and no hopes of actually doing anything. I'd like to see him ride well Sunday. Valverde, now that would be cool. A win for a class act. (We need 4 podium steps.)
Ben |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/24/2018 04:08 PM |
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Nibali has already passed the leadership hat to Moscon, who would be one of worst possible representatives cycling could imagine. Nibali's back was basically superglued together, no way will he be there in end. Even without crash that final pitch is a notch too steep for him I'd think. He rides like an older statesman now; still lots of grinta but no more super punch.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vincenzo-nibali-abdicates-italian-team-leadership-to-moscon/
My sentimental pick is Valverde who won on a pitch like that in Vuelta (beating back Yates I believe). But it could be anyone who was in mix at Mur de Huy and who can handle 4k of vertical beforehand. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/25/2018 12:29 AM |
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Valverde was on fumes by the end of the Vuelta....don't know that he can recover in time to be in top form for such a brutal course. Under normal situations, he would be the 5-Star favorite.
Same with Nibali, but it is clear he doesn't have the form to win Sunday.
Alliphilippe is the overwhelming favorite right now, but I think the race is pretty wide open, more so than usual (despite the course being so hard). Adam Yates is someone to look out for....raced the Vuelta for 2 weeks, saving his energy for the final week and then rode hard for his brother.....could prep for a race 2 weeks later.
I would also watch Miquel Angel Lopez, although I have not heard anyone rate him yet as a favorite.
COuldn't imagine a worse scenario than if Moscon wins.... |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/25/2018 11:12 AM |
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Meanwhile...ding, ding, ding. I thought a sweep was something they only did in curling?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-road-world-championships-2018/womens-elite-individual-time-trial/results/ |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/25/2018 11:39 AM |
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| Very impressive. The winner has a fantastic tt position on the bike, no drag anywhere |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/25/2018 12:18 PM |
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BTW - this guy looks to be cycling's next big thing. His winning percentage is amazing particularly considering he only started racing bikes in 2017. Major capture for QS to bring him into ranks. Perhaps too early too soon; that really depends on how the team manages him.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/remco-evenepoel-dont-call-me-the-next-eddy-merckx/ |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/25/2018 01:13 PM |
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OC, who is that guy who doesn't want to be called Eddy Merckx? CyclingNews doesn't like my Adblock)
Ben |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/25/2018 01:52 PM |
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Ben - here's the first two paragraphs... he wins through solos typically. And he played for some good soccer clubs too.
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel won the junior men's time trial at the UCI Road World Championships by over a minute and will turn professional with Quick-Step Floors in 2019 without racing in the under-23 ranks. He has won 34 of the 44 races he has competed in over the past 18 months, a feat that has captured enormous attention in Belgium. Although the comparison is easy, Evenepoel does not want to be called Belgium's next Eddy Merckx.
Evenepoel only turned to cycling in 2017 after spending much of his youth playing football for the Anderlecht, PSV Endhoven and Belgian youth teams. His father was a professional cyclist in the early 1990s with the Collstrop team, and that experience helped his prodigious young son become the provincial, then national, then European and now the world champion. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/26/2018 08:59 PM |
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| Kudos to Dennis for his dominating win today. |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 09/27/2018 05:10 AM |
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| WC Road pick--- Alaphilippe |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/27/2018 12:26 PM |
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Just wow...
"Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) steamrollered the opposition into submission to win the junior road title at the UCI Road World Championships, completing the double after winning the individual time trial earlier in the week.
The soon-to-be Quick-Step Floors rider was simply on another level to the competition in Innsbruck, almost single-handedly coming back from a crash and a lone chase on the climb of the Gnadenwald, before a string of attacks whittled down the rest of the field. Such was Evenepoel's dominance that the Belgian rode the final 19 kilometres on his own as the remnants of the peloton fought it out for the rest of the medals." |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/27/2018 02:08 PM |
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| Is going straight to the pro tour the right move? |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/27/2018 02:47 PM |
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| Time will tell. Apparently QS's initial idea was to have him ride at U23 Continental level for a year first but when Sky came knocking they had to up the offer. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/27/2018 05:23 PM |
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OC, Evenepoel doesn't want to be compared to Merckx. He'd better stop riding like him. He crashed, got back to the peloton, then proceeded to attack again and again until no one was left, then solo'd in the last 20km for the victory. If you don't want to be seen as an old man, don't stoop over and wear a grey wig. (I watched B&W footage years ago of Merckx doing exactly that (minus the crash)
Ben |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/27/2018 10:07 PM |
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Just read VeloNews' list of possibles. https://www.velonews.com/2018/09/news/worlds-preview-the-climbers-get-their-shot-at-rainbow-stripes_479466
This could be one hellofa race. A lot of real contenders. Should be fun to watch. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/29/2018 10:39 AM |
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| Wow, that was a total victory. Was like watching a marathon: the final big move is made at mile 22 and everyone cruises in in ones and twos. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 09/30/2018 10:53 AM |
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Spoiler!
Too bad for France. But TG that Italian didn't make the bridge. And we get to see a class act wear the colors for the next year. (I'd totally support him if he chooses to not defend his title but retires instead wearing the jersey.)
Ben |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/30/2018 11:51 AM |
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I've never seen Valverde so happy. Finally!
With this one in bag 2019 just has to be his retirement year. One last victory lap around his favorite races. And do show up at Flanders. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 09/30/2018 02:33 PM |
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Great race.
I wonder if TD cramped when he jumped near the red kite, or if just he very quickly realized it would be a waste of energy. All he needed to do was drop one other rider to make the podium. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 09/30/2018 09:06 PM |
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Interesting question...I thought he just sat up bec@use he knew he was spotted, but since he was never able to get near the front in the sprint, maybe he had cramped.
I dunno that I can call Valverde a “class act” given Puerto and how he handled it, but I can’t deny I wasn’t that upset to see him win.
Would ave loved to see Woods win after listening to his interview on the CyclingTips podcast, but Bronze ain’t too shabby for him.
Great race...was surprised Valverde recovered after finishing the Vuelta on his knees.... |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 09/30/2018 09:37 PM |
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TD said when he made move he saw how sharp Valverde was in response so knew it was in vain. He also used up all he had just to get back.
Surprised TD was there at all given how gassed he was in iTT. Big paperboy struggle up that climb. This is one guy who just doesn't quit.
Happy they managed to keep Moscon at bay.
So Valverde will keep riding till Tokyo Ole games. Wow.
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 10/10/2018 10:03 PM |
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| Valverde's latest "don't bring up my proven previous blood doping" approach is BS. I like the guy a lot less today. You cheated, you got busted. Man up. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 10/11/2018 10:51 AM |
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The catholic and protestant thought streams on doping, penance and redemption will continue to clash.
In Valverde's view he did the crime, did the time (didn't confess but didn't come up with lame excuses or threaten anyone either; just stayed mum and sat out his time without complaining), and so he's good to go, move on.
In the Anglo-Saxon protestant view, once a sinner always a sinner so questions never stop.
Who is right? |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 10/11/2018 12:28 PM |
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Yeah, was pretty disappointed in his comments the other day. I have largely gotten past the whole "BURN THE DOPERS AT THE STAKE" phase....and honestly, I can admit to the contradiction when it comes to Valverde...I have always liked how he raced, and was pleased to see him win the Rainbow Jersey.
But the whole "don't ask me about that anymore" schtick was kinda BS....and leaves me to believe he may not have left his old practices too far behind. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 10/11/2018 09:35 PM |
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CK: Yep.
OC , not fully understanding the 95 theses Irish Civil War angle, but I'll keep working on it.
If you mean (correct me if I'm wrong) "jeez, I've done my time, cut me some slack, I'm entitled not to have to deal with that anymore, so let's all move on", I get that.
Just trying to get Indulgences and the numerous other Catholic Church corruptions out of my head.
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 10/12/2018 11:17 AM |
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Posted By Frederick Jones on 10/11/2018 09:35 PM
CK: Yep.
OC , not fully understanding the 95 theses Irish Civil War angle, but I'll keep working on it.
If you mean (correct me if I'm wrong) "jeez, I've done my time, cut me some slack, I'm entitled not to have to deal with that anymore, so let's all move on", I get that.
Just trying to get Indulgences and the numerous other Catholic Church corruptions out of my head.
You got it.
I am also curious if there is a bit of a fear factor here. Puerto has the reputation of some powerful players at stake outside the cycling world, including government officials etc;Fuentes is none too plussed that the blood bags are now heading to CONI. I could see not wanting to be pressed on this if that is the case; who knows what kind of pressure these guys may be under not to talk. |
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