Nationals *spoiler*
Comments
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antsmithmk wrote:How has G ended up in this situation?
Dropped his chain before the Celtic Manor climb apparently. I was watching just after that climb, Rowe was away with Jon Mould and had a decent gap over a group that contained the other Sky riders with G in the third or fourth group and already a fair distance behind. Alex Peters crashed out right in front of me but he looked OK in the car park later, think he touched wheels on the fast descent before a tight right turn (quite a few police motorbikes overshot it!).
How many finished? It only looked about 20 with what was left of the peloton lapped with about 2 laps to go. It's one downside of that course, lots of quite short finishing laps meaning a high risk of riders getting lapped especially when there were some getting dropped after around 20 miles.
Thought Rowe was going to reward me for my PTP pick but was ultimately the stalking horse to make the Yates twins work. He must be disappointed with being 4th in both events.
Lizzie didn't seem too happy after the race and didn't seem too keen to get involved in the fun and games with the Wiggle girls on the podium.
It's been a good few days with some hard racing on excellent cycling terrain and fantastic crowds, hopefully they'll be back on The Tumble in September.0 -
Pross wrote:How many finished? It only looked about 20 with what was left of the peloton lapped with about 2 laps to go. It's one downside of that course, lots of quite short finishing laps meaning a high risk of riders getting lapped especially when there were some getting dropped after around 20 miles.
19 finished the entire course before being pulled.
provisional results
Only 26 finished last year's multi lap affair in Glasgow.0 -
@GeraintThomas86 2 hrs
Support today was incredible, cheers guys!! Unfortunately a mechanical after 25km, more or less ended my race... #dayofchasing
@GeraintThomas86 2 hrs
Guess it was good training for riding on the front in July though...
@RussellHampton 4 hrs
Tried my hardest and put myself in a great position just so happened Thomas chain coming off ruined my day #funnysport #notsolucky13
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@AussieLarry
@L_ArmiTstead was the strongest rider, half a lap between her and that jersey. She will win it again though!
Would like to read a write up of the women's race.Contador is the Greatest0 -
Just realised Ken-YACK is not going to the Tour which is odd. Anyway, it means neither jerseys will be in the Tour which starts in Britain...Contador is the Greatest0
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frenchfighter wrote:Is this race done yet? Not sure why it is so long as it always to same story. All the other Nats finished 2hours ago.
That'll be the BST/CET time difference I guess.... :roll:0 -
OCDuPalais wrote:Apparently the Madison Genesis bus got stuck under the gantry.
They may have done it on purpose...
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
If she watches that back Armitstead is going to wonder what Pooley was doing towing the Wiggle Honda riders round.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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frenchfighter wrote:Just realised Ken-YACK is not going to the Tour which is odd. Anyway, it means neither jerseys will be in the Tour which starts in Britain...
Yep, which is why the pre-race rumour was that G had been 'chosen' to win. Not convinced myself, I think with the Yates on the scene Sky couldn't be that complacent and had to play things by ear.
In the women's race the break went in Monmouth, about 25 miles into the race. Wiggle had strength in depth, Pooley was there as well together with a Storey and (I think) Archibald. The break had a healthy lead in town and stayed together until just before the bell, Lizzie attacked and got a bit of a lead. From what I've been told Dani put in a massive effort to pull her back for Trott and 100m from the line in the sprint it looked like anyone's race between Trott and Lizzie with Dani a few lengths behind so she must have put in one hell of a sprint to take second on a photo finish. With one exception the women were very friendly and chatty with everyone in the car park afterwards.0 -
TakeTheHighRoad wrote:frenchfighter wrote:Tuned in for the sprint. NEVER heard a UK commentator get so passionately involved. Total Ken-YACK fan boi. Wonder why they cant always be like that. Shame Ben Swift didn't win but at least PK will show the bands off when he is not ill.
http://youtu.be/3ru3vGR8nck?t=6m50s
Same commentator as today. It's kind of his 'thing'
I just LOL'd at that comment at the end "Joy for cycling fans Globally!" - Brilliant!
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jibberjim wrote:frenchfighter wrote:Oh what a shame. Two trackies take it. Maybe next time Armitstead - you looked wonderful in the kit this year.
The laps course was very much a crit course and not a road race, Armitstead tried a lot but tbh didn't have a chance on that circuit if she hadn't shook them before.
It's not really a crit circuit other than the bit through the town centre. The rest of the circuit is pretty straight and wide (still don't like it though and it leaves a few hundred houses trapped when the road closures are on as they only have access off one road).0 -
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really enjoyed that race. Very animated last couple of hours. The Yates Bros made a great race of it and a good fist fight between Swift and Kennaugh at the end. Li'l Pete had more digs than a Pompeii archaeologist. Very special mention for Mark Christian and Raleigh for a great ride.0
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Pross wrote:It's not really a crit circuit other than the bit through the town centre. The rest of the circuit is pretty straight and wide (still don't like it though and it leaves a few hundred houses trapped when the road closures are on as they only have access off one road).
Lots of that outside the crit parts where neutralised by the ascent and descent though it seemed, but I only had the impression from the radio and how the groups were and who I chatted with - certainly not a pure crit no, but not really a road race either.
Here's Maryka's strava, with her comments - http://app.strava.com/activities/159465013
This was the segment in Monmouth where the break went, as you can see Maryka climbed it in the same time as Scott Davies in the Men's race who I believe was still in the break then. And she was gapped by the break.Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Seriously, take a look. Pre-decided race. Total shi t. They should ride as individuals not teams.
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Are you for real ????????? I thought you had at last some inkling of an idea of how cycling worked
Check out the French/ Belgian / German / Italian etc etc etc etc national champs0 -
jibberjim wrote:Pross wrote:It's not really a crit circuit other than the bit through the town centre. The rest of the circuit is pretty straight and wide (still don't like it though and it leaves a few hundred houses trapped when the road closures are on as they only have access off one road).
Lots of that outside the crit parts where neutralised by the ascent and descent though it seemed, but I only had the impression from the radio and how the groups were and who I chatted with - certainly not a pure crit no, but not really a road race either.
Here's Maryka's strava, with her comments - http://app.strava.com/activities/159465013
This was the segment in Monmouth where the break went, as you can see Maryka climbed it in the same time as Scott Davies in the Men's race who I believe was still in the break then. And she was gapped by the break.
That's seriously impressive. I was thinking I've dropped even further down the leader board on that segment today but for some reason I've never recorded a time up there!
I'd be glad to see the finish circuit in the men's race get cut to 4 or 5 laps. They could easily add in a good 25 or 30 mile circuit after the main lap and before the town centre.0 -
Now I'm getting back from the race. A good day in a great week.
Yes, Pross, less laps preceded by a Tumble or Llangynidr Mountain circuit.
So a big East, small West loop."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
I don't think it even needs the climbs, it's selective as it is without scaring people off. They could loop back out of Aber and around Usk / Raglan or take the parallel road back towards Monmouth. Races in the town used to finish with a circuit around Llanfoist and Llanellen which was a better circuit.0
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Pross wrote:I don't think it even needs the climbs, it's selective as it is without scaring people off. They could loop back out of Aber and around Usk / Raglan or take the parallel road back towards Monmouth. Races in the town used to finish with a circuit around Llanfoist and Llanellen which was a better circuit.
Exactly. It had the biggest field of any road race Nats and only 5% could hold the wheel on a rolling circuit. Through a mountain in there and they may as well play lucky dip in the Sky camp and not bother to race. Very poor strength in depth of the UK scene - World apart from the real pros. But then after all British Cycling like to cherry pick a few riders, plough millions into them and give them an easy life without making the general level of cycling in this country great.Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Pross wrote:I don't think it even needs the climbs, it's selective as it is without scaring people off. They could loop back out of Aber and around Usk / Raglan or take the parallel road back towards Monmouth. Races in the town used to finish with a circuit around Llanfoist and Llanellen which was a better circuit.
Exactly. It had the biggest field of any road race Nats and only 5% could hold the wheel on a rolling circuit. Through a mountain in there and they may as well play lucky dip in the Sky camp and not bother to race. Very poor strength in depth of the UK scene - World apart from the real pros. But then after all British Cycling like to cherry pick a few riders, plough millions into them and give them an easy life without making the general level of cycling in this country great.
Did Mummy not give you enough attention when you were young?0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Exactly. It had the biggest field of any road race Nats and only 5% could hold the wheel on a rolling circuit. Through a mountain in there and they may as well play lucky dip in the Sky camp and not bother to race. Very poor strength in depth of the UK scene - World apart from the real pros. But then after all British Cycling like to cherry pick a few riders, plough millions into them and give them an easy life without making the general level of cycling in this country great.
What a breathtakingly-dumb thing to say. Doesn't sound like you have any understanding of how this works. Have you been following cycling for long?0 -
Do you have anything useful and specific to add or are you just going to stay with the useless few sentences above?Contador is the Greatest0
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David Millar said something on the start line about the GB nationals being unlike any other pro race in that it gets slower towards the finish rather than faster, which probably says something about strength in depth as well as course design. To a casual tv observer yesterday looked a bit like a Chas Messenger slog fest.0
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frenchfighter wrote:Do you have anything useful and specific to add or are you just going to stay with the useless few sentences above?
I'm following your lead, mate. I'll start responding positively to your posts if or when you ever say something which doesn't make you sound like a clueless armchair newbie.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Pross wrote:I don't think it even needs the climbs, it's selective as it is without scaring people off. They could loop back out of Aber and around Usk / Raglan or take the parallel road back towards Monmouth. Races in the town used to finish with a circuit around Llanfoist and Llanellen which was a better circuit.
Exactly. It had the biggest field of any road race Nats and only 5% could hold the wheel on a rolling circuit. Through a mountain in there and they may as well play lucky dip in the Sky camp and not bother to race. Very poor strength in depth of the UK scene - World apart from the real pros. But then after all British Cycling like to cherry pick a few riders, plough millions into them and give them an easy life without making the general level of cycling in this country great.
I think this year and last have been the first that have seen Sky with competition since they started out. The main break was 4 Sky and 3 others which included the Yates twins. Arguably a big climb would have suited the Yates' over Rowe and, arguably, Swift so could have led to a less likely Sky victory but the problem is it would smash the majority of the home based pros even more. When you think Sky only had 5 riders this year they could be put under pressure, it's not like 2010 to 2012 when they had big numbers turning up.
A few domestic riders did themselves justice, notably Mark Christian who was with the leaders until the final 10 miles or so and Scott Davies who was in the winning break and isn't 19 until next month. He's got a massive future. Jon Mould was also in the initial break with Rowe that formed the break of the day and there was a decent group in the 'bunch' with Thomas.
Even when the course is used for the Grand Prix of Wales including the Tumble with a domestic only field it breaks up massively.0 -
Geraint looked like he was going to bridge with 9 laps of Abergavenny to go - he got to about 50 secs off of the lead group before fading. That he looked broken by the end, gives an indication of the grinding nature of the course and the level of the other riders: and we'll see just what level he's at in the Tour. My hope is that his climbing will move into a new plane at this Tour - I think it will need to if he wants to convince folk that his GT aspirations have basis.0
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UK one of if not the biggest amount of starters at circa 160. (How much do you pay to enter?)
Finishers:
UK: 19 (9 mins back)
NED: 59 (8 mins back)
GER: 138 (14 mins back)
SPA: 79 (10 mins back)
FRA: 89 (15 mins back)
BEL: 104 (6 mins back)
ITA: 49 (16 mins back)Contador is the Greatest0 -
Russell Hampton finished with Stannard and Dowsett in 2012.
Saying no strength in depth is a bit harsh, it’s more the courses are generally pretty gruelling. There’s no team controlling as such, there’s a natural selection and slowly the field is ground down as they try and fail to hold wheels. Hiding in the bunch is not really an option.0
