Cycling Thread

[Martino Knockavelli]

Aye. Well being Sky's plan A in a monument guarantees failure so far tbf. Wouldn't be surprised if Thomas or Stannard had a crack at getting away on the Poggio.

 

[SUTSS]

Paris-Roubaix this weekend.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Word.

Definitely my fave bike race of the year, and probably my fave sporting event full stop.

(Forecast to be dry again mind you, for the 256th year in a row. Bastards.)

I think this cobbles season might have had a changing of the guard vibe to it anyway, but it definitely does now, with Boonen and Cancellara at home.

Kristoff has looked godlike thru De Panne, Flanders and Scheldeprijs, and the ability to win in a sprint or just by riding away from everyone else in the finale makes him a hell of a proposition again here. Other usual suspects look there or thereabouts formwise. Sep Vanmarcke probs the only really big boy who has looked a bit short thus far. A shout out to Tiesj Benoot too. I highly doubt he'll win this one, but 21 year old economics students really aren't supposed to be coming 5th in Flanders (!), 18th in E3 and 6th in Dwaars. This guy could be an all timer.

Sky-wise Thomas was awesome in E3 and again in a brutal Gent Wevelgem (seriously, look at this shit), but not quite there last Sunday. I'm sure he'll be the mix if he can stay upright. Wiggo-mania aggravates me at the best of times and I might be provoked to chuck a TV remote if they have Thomas working for him with 60k to go here. Stannard looks like he peaked 6 weeks too early (tho that's not the worst plan in the world when you get a nice win out of it I suppose).

PREDICTION: 1 Kristoff, 2 Degenkolb, 3 Stybar.

> No femmes version obv. ASO don't cover themselves with glory with this stuff, do they.

 

[lordofthepies]

I haven't felt like I've missed out on much over the last 10 months but the thought of not being able to watch Paris-Roubaix makes me feel kinda homesick. I feel like last year was probably Wiggins's best chance so I hear what you're saying about Thomas.

 

[Krazy8]

Gutted its going to be dry again. Hopefully it'll be quite attacking without any clear favourites.

My prediction: 1.Van Avermaet 2.Terpstra 3.Degenkolb

 

[SUTSS]

Wiggins attacks with 30k to go

 

[SUTSS]

Degenkolb wins.

 

[SUTSS]

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

If this doesn't prompt the British press to get on board nothing will. The scope for "GERMAN BLITZKRIEG IN NORTHERN FRANCE" type headlines is endless. Fair play anyway, think he could have won that any way he wanted from inside 10k to go.

Not to keen on after the fact quarterbacking, but if anyone knows what Quickstep were doing leading out that sprint I'd love to hear it. Probably wouldn't have mattered either way, but they really did make it easy for him.

He's looked pretty good in these races before, but would not have had Rowe as the first Sky man over the line. Unfortunate reappearance of Thomas' crash master tendencies. And I'm really not all that keen on the Earl of Kilburn and the surrounding hoopla, but credit where it's due. A bit short today but can't fault the effort. At least he's not going home wondering. Just imagine if he'd remembered that this race was his biggest childhood dream definitely ever a few years earlier, when he could have had more than 2 proper cracks at it.

 

[Super_horns]

Degenkolb wins.

Won both this and Remo.

1st Gernan to win since1896!

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Crashtastic Fleche Wallonne today, blimey. Froome a victim and BMC appear to have lost most of their team.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Giro?

 

[lordofthepies]

Yes.

I should be able to watch most of the third week...

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

This does not look good for Pozzovivo. Jesus.

 

[Super_horns]

Fortunately it seems he is "ok" (breathing etc)

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Bloody hell. That was not boring.

Formolo looks about 9 years old with his sunglasses off.

 

[Craig]

Some lovely scenery in California, I mean it's not Yorkshire, but it's still pretty.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

So attractive that Toms Skujins decided to go and have a closer look on that bend there...

 

[Craig]

The state does seem to have a worrying lack of crash barriers.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Slo-mo crash into perfectly placed trio of hay bales. *claps*

 

[Craig]

Hold the fuck up, was that a roundabout I saw there?

 

[Craig]

The Latvian has done himself up like a kipper.

 

[Craig]

They never saw him coming, is what I meant...

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Won an iPad from Eurosport. Finally getting the recognition I deserve IMHO.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Remarkable turnaround in form for Aru. Dysentery, it's the new altitude training.

 

[Craig]

Wine country.

Quite a bland landscape, yes I only really watch these things for the scenery.

Though maybe I'm being a little harsh, it's kind of like a sun scorched Pennines I suppose.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

I'm quite partial to the sublimity of supersized void and monotony, arrow straight roads thru endless agri-biz prairie or Qatari desert. Not sure how much fun it is to ride, mind you.

Does seem to be getting browner and browner every year. Don't think they are joking about this drought malarkey.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

What a shit hole

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

BROKEN FORUM DOUBLE POST

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

That guy had his fucking arm snapped in half by some badly erected barrier or a twat in the crowd or summat. FUCK.

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