Catch all Professional Cycling Chat (Possible Spoilers)
#27
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Watching Live amtsport (Italian)
#29
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What a finish! I'd have expected the other big names to take more chances though..
#30
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Too much to lose, I guess. No one was really willing to seize the moment, and with such a large group still together at the base of the last climb, it's not surprising. Kwiatkowski really chose the perfect moment to make his move. Pulled the other favorites free as well, so you have to wonder if you would've seen a similar group and rainbow jersey for Gerrans if he hadn't done it. I'm delighted to see Kwiatkowski take it. It was a tense final few kilometers as I was really pulling for him, but the gap was so small by the end that I just wasn't sure. If he had been brought back, my only mantra would've been "anyone but Valverde." Anyone else in that group would've been a deserving winner.
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I got the impression that no one had the gas left to do a full blooded chase on the last lap. I was also very impressed by that first-year Danish pro in the break. Strange also to see Cancellara try absolutely nothing, especially after giving up the TT for this race.
#32
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No one would come around Gilbert (I think he was on the front) with ~1k to go to help with the chase. That's a tough roll of the dice. Either help chase and risk having nothing for the sprint or don't help chase to save energy but risk not catching Kwiatkowski.
Last edited by hack; 09-28-14 at 05:58 PM.
#33
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Kwiatkowski's strava for the race:
Bike Ride Profile | 253 kilometers near Ponferrada | Times and Records | Strava
Bike Ride Profile | 253 kilometers near Ponferrada | Times and Records | Strava
#35
starting pistol means war
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Kwia is a deserving champ for sure. When he feels good, he takes races by the horn.
Gerrans played his game and lost out. Tap through a few times with the boys and everyone will assist as well. Sit there and hope? You'll get maybe, or maybe not. He's made quite a career off his strategy, so whatev's.
Gerrans played his game and lost out. Tap through a few times with the boys and everyone will assist as well. Sit there and hope? You'll get maybe, or maybe not. He's made quite a career off his strategy, so whatev's.
#39
fuggitivo solitario
also nominate the third rider (MTN?) who avoided the back wheel of the AG2R rider. Some mad handling skills all around
#43
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So, with three recent drug failures, Astana is under review by the UCI. Wonder at what point Nibali's TDF will be called into question (if it hasn't been already).
#44
**** that
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Catching up with the Pais Vasco today - how about that crash at the end of stage 1??
Can't believe the organizers would allow those metal poles on the course, with just cones on them.. wtf.
Can't believe the organizers would allow those metal poles on the course, with just cones on them.. wtf.
#45
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^That is such a laughably bad setup. Sucks that some of the guys got severely injured as a result. Hindsight is 20/20 and all that, but I'd love to see the logic behind that.
#46
**** that
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yeah really.
even velo promo wouldn't allow that!!
sounds like the organizers asked the city for the poles to be removed, but it never happened..
even velo promo wouldn't allow that!!
sounds like the organizers asked the city for the poles to be removed, but it never happened..
#47
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been a rough week for crashes with those poles and the Shimano cars at Flanders
Last edited by hack; 04-07-15 at 09:24 PM.
#48
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#49
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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did they die?
that is the most ****ed up thing I've seen. They couldnt get 20' of barricades?
that is the most ****ed up thing I've seen. They couldnt get 20' of barricades?
#50
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Buncha broken bones - nobody died at least.
BMC guy was Stetina, broken fibia and 4 ribs I think they said. 3-4 others with assorted broken stuff.. probably a bunch of others with injuries.
Riders held a 5-minute "protest" at the start of the next stage, but those rarely make a difference. Doesn't seem like the UCI or the riders' union can really do anything about it; I mean they already have rules to avoid this kind of stuff but it doesn't seem like there's any accountability.
BMC guy was Stetina, broken fibia and 4 ribs I think they said. 3-4 others with assorted broken stuff.. probably a bunch of others with injuries.
Riders held a 5-minute "protest" at the start of the next stage, but those rarely make a difference. Doesn't seem like the UCI or the riders' union can really do anything about it; I mean they already have rules to avoid this kind of stuff but it doesn't seem like there's any accountability.