UCI WorldTour and other pro cycling nonsense 2011

I think you're probably right (not that I see American cycling coverage, though). For quite a while I thought all coverage was pretty frank about the numerous doping controversies, but after quite a while I realised that all the frank stuff on ITV was done by Ned Boulting / Gary Imlach (the journalist/presenter types, doing their little pieces) while the commentary from Paul Sherwen and Phil Ligget barely touched on it, if at all. Which is fine: it made for a balanced programme. But then eventually I discovered that the Phil & Paul bit was syndicated to various other countries (but obviously without the Boulting/Imlach stuff), so I assume a lot of coverage does the ostrich with head in the sand trick.

the Real Peloton podcast is highly recommended for the true views of Ned and Matt Rendell, they are most definitely not pro-Lance, unlike Paul and Phil, who are great commentators, but definitely Lance-enablers. Also the Flammecaste, for even more cynicism and anti-dopig talk.

<3
http://www.leopardtrek.lu/news/jens-answers-your-questions

the downhill skills of Thor Hushovd. He’s amazing going downhill.

huh, i never knew that

He's an unmantislike 170-180+ pounds... Never hurts to have gravity on your side.

Wiggins going very well in the Dauphine: a good prologue, up near the front in the next two stages (both with uphill finishes) and second place in today's time trial at Grenoble (using the exact same course as the TT in the TDF) to Tony Martin has put him into the yellow jersey.

Not just yellow - he's in green as well!

http://www.youtube.com/v/JVsp4X7Y8VI

proper embed:
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVsp4X7Y8VI

:^O hahahahahaha

Mon dieu, vaches dangereaux.

Thought for sure Wiggins would be toast but have to give him credit for hanging in there.

Yeah, that was impressive. With about 2km to go I thought he was about to blow up, but in the end he hardly lost any time to VdB or Vino and put time into Evans. Unless he falls apart tomorrow he should get the overall.

Just watched the webcast of the Tulsa Tough, a USA NRC 3-day crit Omnium. It looks really fun! I really want to go race it some day now (they have amateur/masters fields). Who knew I'd ever want to go to Tulsa.

Great win by Wiggins. Best British stage race performance since the days of Robert Millar. I think he's looking good for a top ten in the Tour de France, maybe even top 6.

Unless he was hiding his form, I'm pretty convinced he won't podium. He can do ok with good time trials and just sticking with the contenders but I don't ever think I've seen him go out on the attack. That said, sky should be a stronger team this year, boassen-Hagen did great yesterday.

He's one of those riders who can climb well at a regular rhythm, but hates the sudden accelerations that the top climbers can do. Every time he got dropped he didn't panic, he just kept his pace and rode back to them over the course of a minute or so. Because of this, I don't think he's got an awful lot of attack in him - he's usually just clinging on. He attacked and dropped Armstrong at Verbier in 2009 and he attacked the leaders on a huge climb in the Giro last year, but basically just stayed about 20 seconds clear on his own for 2 or 3 km then got reeled in and dropped. I can't remember any other attacks.

i don't know if he's even as "dynamic" as leipheimer or evans 1.0, but def less than evans 2.0.

wow, its like a luge run that lasted 15 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7VT-cDytsE&feature=player_embedded

That was absolutely terrifying

i need a cigarette after that

Cav headed to Sky for 1.5GBP/yr

MILLION! lol

i would be mega-surprised if goss wasn't at greenedge next year too. add greipel to that and highroad've lost their three best sprinters in 12 months.

somewhat... careless i'm sure u agree. do they re-focus on tejay, tony martin and the like in that case?

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/06/bikes-and-tech/spotted-giants-new-prototype-road-frame_179050/attachment/proof-is-in-the-pudding

no brake hoods?!

he chews them off as he goes along to gain a few grammes advantage in the sprint.

om nom nom

Only 3 UK riders (Wiggins, Swift, Thomas) in the SKY TdF team? That surprises me, but perhaps it shouldn't?

wow! 58 national titles on road and track, still wining at 52.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/06/news/at-52-jeannie-longo-wins-french-national-time-trial-title_179850

yay gilbert

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/belgian-road-championships-2011/elite-men-road-race/results

Gilbert's having a hell of a season.

Wiggins has won the British champs, and he's also the reigning time trial champ, so he'll be in white for every stage of the Tour. And, er, every other race now I think about it. Unless he's in yellow, but that seems more than a bit unlikely. Still - he's looking much better than last season and I reckon he'll get a decent placing (i.e. top ten).

new bikes are cropping up pre-TDF, i see:-

• ridley have a new road frame with integrated brakeset for cirque du vacansoleil
• thor was at norway nat championships on some new cervelo monstrosity that looked like a P3 with drops
• rabo dudes on the new giant which is lookin decidedly non-aero - TREND, BUCKED

This is the giant, I think

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/giant-2012-road-launch

read haitch's post as saying ridley's new frame has integrated basket, that'd be practical and fancy imo. integrated brakes seem like they'd be fun to adjust hanging out of a follow vehicle.
its harder to be aero running a 2.5inch/1.75inch headset or whatever stupid shit.

Some national Champs

GB - Wiggins
Belgium - Gilbert
France - Chavanel
Spain - Not Contador (Jose Joaquin Rojas)
Germany - Robert Wagner
Netherlands - Pim Ligthart
Luxembourg - Frank Schleck
Switzerland - Cancellara
Italy - Giovanni Visconti

I want an integrated basket.

perfect for carrying yr baguettes to the top of alpe d'huez while wearing stripey t-shirt and beret

Germany - Robert Wagner
Netherlands - Pim Ligthart

I have never heard of these people

No shame in that, Nasty, most of the Netherlands hadn't heard of Pim Ligthart either. He's with Vacansoleil but isn't going to the TdF. Basically he got very lucky to find himself being the only sprinter in the group ahead. Finished it good 'n proper, but he's definitely not a household name even here.

earlier i considered trying to make a joke about "isn't pim ligthart like, a fascist politician or something"?

I had only heard of RObert Wagner because I remember asking "who the hell is he?" during the Leopard Trek presentation.

Earlier I considered trying to make a joke about Wagner being Hitler's favourite cyclist, but thought better of it

yours is more cleverer for sure tho

that Ridley integrated brake:
http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/uploads/images/Medium/13043.jpg
is nice.

Gilbert is doing a daily report thing for Eurosport apparently. Starts Saturday! all I need tio do is find out free wifi key in building at work and fork out for a month of eurosport on iphone = sorted.

seems like a complicated "solution" to the "problem" of non-aero calipers.

I like it, d'you thing the yellow bit is some sort of polymer hinge? There's a spring too.....

article here> http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/gear-news/ridley-unveil-noah-fb-with-integrated-brake/6880.html

I have to convince my friend who aspires to be an steel bike artisan that I've ordered this

"F-Surface is a textured plastic strip applied to strategic locations on the frame, letting air travel smoothly around the frame instead of detaching and creating drag."

AND I can get it with Di2

hahaha

integrated v-brake!

woah, talking of Ridley - you guys this is on my company (australian) intranet right now:

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