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Finally a sports topic I can get into (I was on a cycling race team when I was 13-15) I actually set the record for the team climbing vail pass (west side bike path, in one hour 22 minuets) 41 miles

Pretty nice moments at La Vuelta, though I wished that Quintana was there 'till the finish.

Contador really surprised me, I never thought he would be on such a great shape as he was.

Froome was not that bad, but not at his top form, mainly on the 1st TT.

 

I still have a tiny chance to be present at Ponteferrada for the UCI Road Champs, it's only about 500 kms from home :pp

But the Mrs. is not that found of me going there with my mates, I just wonder why? Maybe it's just because she will have to handle the kids on her own and I'll probably not answer the phone, most of the time... :whistle:

Heh, I can almost guarantee that more than half of the women you see next to the road at any cycling event are not into the sport at all.

 

Anyhoo, I haven't checked to see if they'll show the road champs over here, but I think they will.

@W2B - You can always watch it online, if there's no official broadcast. Atm, I'm also not sure if there will be one here.

 

Jens Voigt is just about to start his 1H World Record's break attempt.

What a great way to retire if he does it, he turned 43 yesterday.

DSC_8611.jpg

DSC_8449.jpg

Edit - He has done it, New Hour Record Holder - Jens Voigt with 51,115 Km

Bx1YbTBCYAASn7g.png

It will probably not last for long, as there will be some new attempts in the near future.

Cancellara already announced that he will have a go soon.

But no one can take this from him now, in his last race too!!!

 

Congrats Jensi, all the best in your retirement!

Shut up legs!

Edited by EramVerdes
  • Like 2

I saw Chris Boardman beating the record in 2000 and I said to myself: 'what a great way that would be to finish my career'. 33 years of cycling behind me. This was my last attempt. I'm in so much pain... But what a way to retire!"

 

 

Well done Jensie! \o/

Wiggins just became Road TT World Champion.

I was a bit surprised, since Tony Martin was the top favorite.

Martin was 2nd and Dumoulin 3rd.

 

BMC won the Team TT last Sunday, imo also against the top favorites Sky and Omega

 

Congrats Wiggo!

Edited by EramVerdes

The cycling season is a almost over, only Giro of Lombardia and some minor races remaining.

It will be nice having another member around, since for the most of it was just I and the OP.

If not before, hope you'll be around when next season starts, you can probably give us some nice insight of the Tour Down Under :colgate:

Edited by EramVerdes

Giro di Lombardi, the last of the Five Monuments, results:

1st Daniel Martin, Congrats!;

2nd Valverde, another podium after so many, great season for him;

3rd Rui Costa, on his 28th birthday, pretty nice "gift".

 

Though it's a minor race, starting next Friday, this year's Tour of Beijing will be somehow of major importance.

Both Valverde and Contador will be present as they're still fighting for the overall 2014 UCI leadership.

 

Edited after W2B confirmation that Contador ended his season, due to knee injury at the final Giro di Lombardia's curve...

Edited by EramVerdes

Contador has confirmed that he will not take part in the Tour of Beijing after he was injured in a crash on Sunday at the Tour of Lombardy, which means Valverde will finish the season on top of the rankings. Valverde had a really impressive season, so well deserved.

Edited by W2B
  • Like 2
  • 4 weeks later...

Less than 2 months after Jensie did it (51,155 Kms), a new attempt was made and accomplished, this time in a Swiss 200m track (Jensie did it on a 250 mts track and specialists say this one was more "user friendly").

suisse-velodrome.jpg

New Hour Record Holder - Austrian Matthias Brandle (IAM) - 51,850 Kms!

 

brandle-podium-640.jpg

 

Some more attempts will surely be made soon.

 

Jensie and Brandle were/are not TT specialists, so with the new regulations the Hour Record can be beaten sometimes until one of the TT's "Top Guns" establishes some >55 Kms mark.

 

Cancellara (getting old) and Phinney (young, don't need to rush it imho) already said they'll have a go soon.

Wiggo (getting old like Cancellara) will also imo attempt it soon, though he hasn't said anything about it.

Than we have Tony Martin and Tom Dumoulin that sooner or later could/will also go for it.

 

Imho this record breaking attempts will be very interesting when some top contender fail to achieve it ;)

  • 2 months later...

Aw HELL YEAH!!! How did I miss this? Just read that South Africa's MTN-Qhubeka will be one of the wildcard teams at this year's TDF!!! Awesome stuff, and great news for SA (or African) cycling! Some big names that joined the team are Tyler Farrar, Edvald Boassen Hagen and Aussie Matt Goss.

 

Gonna be an one of the most exciting Tours haha! Can't wait!!! :D

 

(No idea if you guys are still around)

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm watching Tour of Andalucia live atm.

1st Contador vs Froome confrontation on 2015.

 

Today is day 2, though it's stage 3. It's a flat stage with a 3rd cat climb near the finish.

 

Yesterday there was a morning flat stage (about 100 kms). There were 2 big crashes on the last 7 kms, only some 30 riders didn't lost any time. Pim Ligthart won it on a small sprint.

On the afternoon there was a small TT (about 10 kms), won by Javier Moreno.

Bob Jungels & Contador finished 4th and are now both the current leaders (Froome lost 8 secs to them on the TT).

 

Tomorrow and Saturday there will be some nice mountain stages, so I'm looking forward to see how Contador (seems fitter) and Froome will react.

 

Edit - Stage 3 was won buy Juan Jose Lobato, followed by Degenkolb and Grega Bole.

Bob Jungels was very unlucky since he had a puncture on the final descent just 9 kms away from the finish line, ending up loosing 46 secs.

Contador still leads, Intxausti is 1 sec away and Froome is 8 secs away.

 

Edit2 - Stage 4:

1st Contador/Froome 2015 mountain battle!

Contador won it but imo just barely.

7,5 kms climb until the finish line, Tinkoff in front of the peloton all the way and still managed to have 3 riders backing up Contador for the final climb. Sky only had 2 riders backing up Froome at this stage.

About 6kms to go Contador took off really strong and managed to get some 45'' lead over Froome.

Though Contador seems fitter than Froome, imo the British still "won" some time against Contador on the final mountain, since he finished 19'' away (from the early 45'').

On current overall, Contador leads, Froome is 27'' away and far on 3rd place is Intxausti (1:59).

 

Edit3 - Stage 5:

The final km was awesome (took about 8 mins to complete).

Sky was stronger than Tinkoff (that was working in front of the peloton almost the entire stage), and kept attacking until some 700 mts from the finish line Froome took off with Contador trying to go after him.

Contador managed to follow Froome for about 30'' but then had to slow down a bit, so the British managed to win the stage with Contador loosing 29''.

Overall Froome became the leader with Contador just 2'' away.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Last+10+Km+of+Stage+4&dashboard=vuelta-a-andalucia-ruta-ciclista-del-sol&id=Qmba3jK8BvM&start=3&yr=2015

 

Stage 6:

Almost flat stage, though the final km had some small inclination.

Juan Jose Lobato won his 2nd sprint stage, followed by Degenkolb and Chavanel.

 

Final Overall (3 riders from Sky on the top 6):

Froome - Winner

Contador - 2''

Intxausti - 2'38''

Nieve - 3'05''

Bardet - 3'13''

Kennaugh - 4'03''

Edited by EramVerdes
  • 3 weeks later...

Strade Bianchi was nice (Stybar won it followed by Avarmaet and Valverde), though I expected some better show...

 

I'm now watching Paris-Nice, go Rui Costa, though (sadly) my bet is on Kwiatkowski!

 

Next Wednesday Tirreno-Adriatico will start.

Froome, Contador, Nibali & Quintana will all be there, so I'm expecting some nice "mountain fights". Will keep you (anyone still around?) duly posted.

Aye I'm still watching. What a load of sh*te this CIRC stuff is, sensationalist reporting akin to a tabloid newspaper instead of a serious document.

 

Can't wait for next week. First race with the big names pretty much all together this year. Andalusia was great fun between Froome and Bertie in the last few stages but will be interesting to see how they deal with Nibali being around them instead of the usual two horse race they've both been used to. They can't just play cat and mouse up the mountains. Bring it.

Edited by Mark

Random question to anyone that watches cycling in here, has anyone tried watching Cross Country Skiing or Biathlon? Whilst they may seem like vastly different sports, they're actually pretty damn similar to watch. I know it's getting towards the end of the winter season but if you can, try have a go. I've been hooked on this years biathlon season.

Edited by Mark

Sadly, Froome didn't start Tirreno-Adriatico due to some lung's issue. Still, with Contador, Nibali and Quintana it will be really nice to watch those mountain "fights".

 

Paris-Nice and Tirreno Adriatico updates still to come (watching it live atm)...

Edited by EramVerdes

Random question to anyone that watches cycling in here, has anyone tried watching Cross Country Skiing or Biathlon? Whilst they may seem like vastly different sports, they're actually pretty damn similar to watch. I know it's getting towards the end of the winter season but if you can, try have a go. I've been hooked on this years biathlon season.

Yeah I do, but only during the winter olympics. That's the only time we get to see winter sports like that over here where it never snows. Kinda love it actually and watched it all during Sochi last year.

 

Anyway, haven't really watched a lot of cycling so far this year. Only watched stages 3 and 4 of Paris-Nice so far. Missed st5 today.

  • 2 weeks later...

Sadly I couldn't update both Tirreno-Adriaticon & Paris-Nice as I wished to.

Well deserved wins by Quintana and Porte.

Paris-Nice 2nd place was somehow wonderful as Kwiatkowski, Spilak and Costa all finished with the "same" time.

 

Milan-San Remo tomorrow, slightly different from previous years since the final as been shortened...

Betting on M. Matthews to win it, though Valverde and Kwiatkowski are are also big contenders, imo.

 

Edit - Degenkolb won it.

 

I didn't update any info since it doesn't seem to be (m)any cycling fans around.

For those lurkers that just stand by, mind note that Tour of Flanders is just 1 day away!

Boonen & Cancellara are both off.

 

Oleg Tinkoff dismissed Bjarne Riis during Volta da Catalunya, Contador didn't appreciated it that much...

Edited by EramVerdes
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm still here lol

 

Damn, it was Flecha and Hoogerland all over again as Kiwi Jesse Sergent of Trek-Factory was taken out by a neutral service car at the Tour of Flanders:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41re8NNWEyQ

 

f*ckin idiot

 

Edit: also, a short while later, a car crash, amazingly caused by another neutral service car (the same one maybe??), took out FDJ rider Sebastien Chavanel as he was getting ready for a wheel change:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDGgVpxLIFU

 

 

 

Edit: Hello? Oh well.... well done to my twin (he kinda looks like me) John Degenkolb for winning Paris-Roubaix

Edited by W2B
  • 1 month later...

I've been a bit off posting here though I'm thoroughly following the season.

This week I've been on top of Tour of Azerbaijan and the 4 days of Dunkirk, both ending next Sunday.

 

Anyway, Giro is starting next Saturday and the Tour of California next Sunday. Hopefully we'll have some more posters around...

Giro will have Contador and Porte, California will have a non-winner Sagan, good stuff for sure!

Edited by EramVerdes
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