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2016 Cycling Season


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I think the long term future of the race is dependent on it challenging the Tour of Romandie as a prep race for the Giro and Tour de France. Extending to 4 or even 5 days will certainly help that. However, the racing calendar is already overcrowded at this time of year.

If the TdY can build on the overwhelming positivity so far to get even more sponsorship and offer a big enough cash reward for success, it'll take over. Decent winnings are still thin on the ground in road cycling, so money talks.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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  • 2 weeks later...

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First week of the Giro d'Italia has been dominated by the German sprinters Kittel and Greipel but the home nation have taken hold of the leader's jersey in the form of Gianluca Brambilla. Going to be interesting to see if he's still in pink after today's time trial. 

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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First week of the Giro d'Italia has been dominated by the German sprinters Kittel and Greipel but the home nation have taken hold of the leader's jersey in the form of Gianluca Brambilla. Going to be interesting to see if he's still in pink after today's time trial.

Kittel's gone home, so he's freed up the Maglia Rosso for Greipel. Interesting ITT today, made more interesting as it's started raining. At only 57kg Brambilla is not exactly built for time trials but in the rain it could be a lottery.

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Kittel's gone home, so he's freed up the Maglia Rosso for Greipel. Interesting ITT today, made more interesting as it's started raining. At only 57kg Brambilla is not exactly built for time trials but in the rain it could be a lottery.

Atrocious conditions for the men going out later. Brambilla does just enough and hangs on to the overall lead by a single second.

 

Greipel looks a happy man but then again he always seems to be quite cheerful.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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Atrocious conditions for the men going out later. Brambilla does just enough and hangs on to the overall lead by a single second.

 

Greipel looks a happy man but then again he always seems to be quite cheerful.

 

 

Yes, Brambilla was one second fast enough. Not bad for a little fella! With the race getting lumpy on Tuesday after a rest day, I wonder if he has a chance of holding on to the Pink Jersey for a few days although I think it will be a day when Valverde and Nibali (and possibly Landa and Amador) start attacking. Should be a good next stage.

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Yes, Brambilla was one second fast enough. Not bad for a little fella! With the race getting lumpy on Tuesday after a rest day, I wonder if he has a chance of holding on to the Pink Jersey for a few days although I think it will be a day when Valverde and Nibali (and possibly Landa and Amador) start attacking. Should be a good next stage.

Looking at the profile for Tuesday it does look pretty bumpy. As you say, we can expect the big hitters to start motoring. Looking forward to it.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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They have avoided a few of the really murderous climbs in the area. Maybe next year they'll send the Tour up Chimney Bank out of Rosedale, or maybe one of the climbs to High Street above Ampleforth, like the White Horse or Wass.

That's just cruel :biggrin:

 

However, the advent of 11 speed cassettes and compact chainsets has meant that you see much steeper climbs in pro racing than you used to.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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  • 1 month later...

Probably asked this years back. Memory bank says johnm is but i forget.

 

Anyhow, first yellow for cav yesterday........well pleased for him and sagan today.

Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points.

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Reviving this topic for me and Gurner (and anybody else) to discuss the Tour.

Didn't even know this existed, is why i started one

Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points.

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Didn't even know this existed, is why i started one

It was buried several pages back. No way you would have known it was there.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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I like to watch on TV just for the locations.  I was sorry to miss Mont St Michel today.  In 2013 I was on holiday in France when it started in erm Yorkshire, I sat in my bedroom in Montpelier and watched the previous day's finish in Harrogate and then watched them cycle past York Minster!

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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Didn't even know this existed, is why i started one

Any road, as you were saying, it was great to see Cavendish pull on the yellow jersey for the first time. I think they said he only needs one more stage win to equal Bernard Hinault's total which would put him joint second in the all time list behind Eddy Merckx. He was never going to hang on to yellow today though. The stage was far too lumpy for him. I was surprised that today was also the first time Sagan had taken the leaders's jersey.

 

Contador looked in real trouble today. Not a surprise given how much skin he lost yesterday.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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Made up for Sagan, he came so close to stage wins last year only to be pipped at the line. Thought Cav was finished after last year, he didn't seem to have it any more. Hope he does get to Hinault.

 

Missed yesterdays stage but believe contador had another fall, doesn't bode well.

 

One question though. Is Porte BMC's main man or is it still Teejay? Had a bet on Teejay last month for top 3

Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points.

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I know Froome mentioned Tejay van Garderen as a GC threat. I guess van Garderen is BMC's plan A and Richie Porte is plan B.

 

Might be worth keeping your eye Julien Alaphilippe, who finished second yesterday. He's a 100/1 shot so is not likely to be on the podium in Paris but I seem to remember Sean Kelly really rates him as one for the future.

 

I thought the same as you about Cav. He seemed to have fallen well down the sprinters' pecking order but that was a quality field he beat.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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Had a punt on Aru also, not sure if his team can carry him through. Thought the signing of porte could make the difference for bmc cos they fell away last year.  I believe there are no team time trials this year :sleep:

Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points.

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Not an avid but like to watch the hour highlights when its on. Like Guess Who I'd love to go and follow it For me it would have to be in a camper van.

Not quite warmed to the new commentary team on ITV yet. I realise they have to have a more recent cyclist than Phil Sherwen, but Millar isn't doing anything for me at all

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Not an avid but like to watch the hour highlights when its on. Like Guess Who I'd love to go and follow it For me it would have to be in a camper van.

Not quite warmed to the new commentary team on ITV yet. I realise they have to have a more recent cyclist than Phil Sherwen, but Millar isn't doing anything for me at all

yeah what happened to ligget?

Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points.

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He nicked that all right. Nice to see Bernard Hinault congratulate Cavendish on equalling his total number of TdF stage wins.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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yeah what happened to ligget?

He's still on the go. I've heard him commentating on other races this year on Eurosport. Bit sorry he's not on ITV4. His voice is one of the sounds of summer.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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