World Championship - ***SPOILERS***

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Comments

  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    powerbookboy wrote:
    I would suggest an alternative explanation. Wiggins could quite easily add more muscle mass, and hence more Watts (think of his pre-road physique). He didn't, because he was compromised in his TT preparation by needing get over the lumps in the Tour of Britain. This meant he entered the World TT in good shape, but not in the ideal physical shape for this specific power orientated course. Hence the thighs comment. Similarly Cancellara has an eye on the road race, and the power climbs on that mean he's dropped a few kilos, with the resultant loss of aerobic power.
    Wiggo just has skinny legs - even when he was at 82kg in Beijing (with a lot more upper body muscle) he still had skinny legs - and this was in a power event like the 4k pursuit where he was the best on the planet.

    I'd put money on 2012 Wiggo who was even skinnier beating the Wiggo we saw on Weds. His form was simply better in 2012.

    Maybe the Martin/Cancellara big legs is the "right" one for TT and maybe Wiggo is just a bit of a freak in that he can TT whilst still being a bean pole. Then again Froome is not a bad TTer either - fair way behind the big three though.
    Outsider art by Loan wrote:
    3. Good TTers tend to be taller; put them in a crowd and they'll look bigger.
    Indeed. A good TTer needs a big engine and this needs big lungs and a big heart. Taller riders will no doubt have more potential in that area.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,390
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    The mitochondria that convert fuel into energy need a place to live.

    I'm not sure about this when we're talking about people quickly losing a few kg to reach an un-naturally low weight e.g. 72.5kg to be a lightweight rower.

    A "light heavyweight" might start off circa 80kg, and lose the necessary weight to hit the target. Typically, this is achieved with no loss of aerobic capacity. Indeed, if extra "steady state training" is employed to hit the weight limit them this might actually improve aerobic capacity.

    However, once at this un-naturally low weight, the ability to generate short, explosive efforts - presumably largely anaerobic - seems to be diminished, but returns when the rower concerned has "hit the pies" following their competition, and hitting the pies primarily replaces lost fat, one would think. We're only talking 0.5% to 1% in speed terms over race distance (7 minutes) but this is very significant in rowing terms.
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:
    powerbookboy wrote:
    Not sure why, though!
    The mitochondria that convert fuel into energy need a place to live.
    Is that what gives a Jedi his powers? :?
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    link for the U23 race livestream....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdR93Ctlvzo
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    U23s are off. Start outside Firenze. Will take them an hour and a half or so to get on the circuit
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Does anyone know if there's any truth to the rumour on the Youtube feed comments that Simon Yates has a cold?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Apparently the Italians have completely resurfaced the whole route with fresh tarmac, including the 100 kms the pros are doing from Lucca to get to the circuit. Will be very slippery when it rains this weekend
  • Ed-tron
    Ed-tron Posts: 165
    Ooo some graphics there folks, though 'not correct'
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Group of 6 up front, 2'40" on the main field. No idea how far they'e ridden/how far left.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    U23 reached the circuit now. Let's see what those climbs (and descents) look like
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Ant Mccrossan sounding even more like Richard Herring than usual.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Turfle wrote:
    Ant Mccrossan sounding even more like Richard Herring than usual.


    McCroissant
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Turfle wrote:
    Ant Mccrossan sounding even more like Richard Herring than usual.


    McCroissant

    I love Ant McCroissant. I don't think I've ever met anyone who loves cycling quite as much as he does.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Loving the course. Faaaaaaaaaast
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Looks like it'll be a proper leg-sapper.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    The start list looks very promising, I'm hoping for a proper battle!
    Road
    MTB
    NEW Cross
    Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Did I really just hear a Norwegian rider called 'Viking'? Please may that be true.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Did I really just hear a Norwegian rider called 'Viking'? Please may that be true.

    Unfortunately it was probably Odd Christian Eiking, which is still a pretty good name.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Reckon it's too hard for Caleb Ewan?
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Joe Perrett is in the road race?? Was there every any reason given for not being in the TT?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    gpreeves wrote:
    Odd Christian .
    As opposed to an Orthodox Christian?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • FoldingJoe
    FoldingJoe Posts: 1,327
    Damn it!!

    Need to be on the Boston VPN to do some work, but then YouTube won't allow me to stream the U23 race!!

    :(
    Little boy to Obama: "My Dad says that you read all our emails"
    Obama to little boy: "He's not your real Dad"

    Kona Honky Tonk for sale: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40090&t=13000807
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    RAI finally get around to announcing the good news.

    This is one tough course.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    It always makes me chuckle when they talk about Mikhail Ignatiev, I wonder how many other cyclists have names almost identical to Presidents and Prime Ministers?
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    The descent just now reminded me of Mendrisio (the year Evans won). On the final lap that year Cancellara put in a big effort that shattered the field. He'd smoke that descent doing the same on Sunday.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    This course is brutal. Trust the Italians to design a course which enables riders to make a race of it. Hope that half the Brits are out of form and peel off half way through.

    It is the Worlds though and I am sure there are real racers out there who will 100% make a selection, then continue to make a selection until only the real heavyweights remain.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    The Slovene kit looks really like Sagan's Slovak national champs Cannondale kit.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Ed-tron
    Ed-tron Posts: 165
    This solo commentary gig is hard. You've got no one to bounce suggestions or observations off.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,642
    Above The Cows wrote:
    It always makes me chuckle when they talk about Mikhail Ignatiev, I wonder how many other cyclists have names almost identical to Presidents and Prime Ministers?

    Though Ignatieff never got elected PM and led the Liberals to their worst result ever...
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    dish_dash wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    It always makes me chuckle when they talk about Mikhail Ignatiev, I wonder how many other cyclists have names almost identical to Presidents and Prime Ministers?

    Though Ignatieff never got elected PM and led the Liberals to their worst result ever...

    Ah yes, I don't know why I always think of him as being PM, probably because he's such an important (not positive) figure in my particular academic discipline.
    Correlation is not causation.

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