Team Movistar training run this morning???

chopchopchop

I went past a hotel as usual this morning and noticed 2 huge movistar team busses and cars in the car park (hotel is just off the stage 2 route). I got a few miles down the road and what I think were 6 riders flew past me. I noticed they were in green but that was about it. I was doing 16mph according to my garmin and they went past me like I was stood still. If it was them then I got an idea first hand of how fast they shift on a flat.

ugo.santalucia

Yeah, 16 mph is not very fast... you should have made it a bit harder for them by trying 32 mph... oh well, next time!

chopchopchop

If I'd known they were coming I would have made an effort to try and keep up for 100m or so

mallorcajeff

Ive ridden with a lot of pros in mallorca and its staggering how fast they can sustain. I have ridden the whole length of mallorca with a countless end of names from cadel, schlek bros,most of sky team, dowsett, and they make it look so easy. Cadel was the most miserable while alex was by the far the most chatty and thoroughly nice guy. Handed me may ass when we hit the climb though :-(

Initialised

chopchopchop wrote:

I went past a hotel as usual this morning and noticed 2 huge movistar team busses and cars in the car park (hotel is just off the stage 2 route). I got a few miles down the road and what I think were 6 riders flew past me. I noticed they were in green but that was about it. I was doing 16mph according to my garmin and they went past me like I was stood still. If it was them then I got an idea first hand of how fast they shift on a flat.

And you didn't even try and catch their draft?

Smithster

Team sky went past me yesterday, just at the end of my road, looks like they were commuting in to work http://app.strava.com/activities/190775867

Colinthecop

When training, do they still throw their drink bottle onto the verge...?

crispybug2

A few years back I did the North Hill climb event and Alex Dowsett turned up in full Team Sky kit and bike, he set off a couple of places behind me and when he overtook me, well, it was like being overtaken by a motorbike!

mattythemod

mallorcajeff wrote:

Ive ridden with a lot of pros in mallorca and its staggering how fast they can sustain. I have ridden the whole length of mallorca with a countless end of names from cadel, schlek bros,most of sky team, dowsett, and they make it look so easy. Cadel was the most miserable while alex was by the far the most chatty and thoroughly nice guy. Handed me may ass when we hit the climb though :-(

Cadel Evans is well known amonst the pro peloton as being one of the most grumpy , tantrum throwing riders there is .

mm1

crispybug2 wrote:

A few years back I did the North Hill climb event and Alex Dowsett turned up in full Team Sky kit and bike, he set off a couple of places behind me and when he overtook me, well, it was like being overtaken by a motorbike!

Alex rode (and won) our open 10 a couple of years back. I had the pleasure of watching him start as I recovered from my effort (ahem) on the opposite verge - he was going like a motorbike in the first 100m. He made a very gracious winner's speech and donated his prize money to the club charity.

MountainMonster

mm1 wrote:

crispybug2 wrote:

A few years back I did the North Hill climb event and Alex Dowsett turned up in full Team Sky kit and bike, he set off a couple of places behind me and when he overtook me, well, it was like being overtaken by a motorbike!

Alex rode (and won) our open 10 a couple of years back. I had the pleasure of watching him start as I recovered from my effort (ahem) on the opposite verge - he was going like a motorbike in the first 100m. He made a very gracious winner's speech and donated his prize money to the club charity.

Good on him. Everything I've heard/seen about him makes me believe he is a very good, humble and generous gentleman. Those types are needed in the peloton. Not Evan's, the grumpy git.

andy_wrx

chopchopchop wrote:

I went past a hotel as usual this morning and noticed 2 huge movistar team busses and cars in the car park (hotel is just off the stage 2 route). I got a few miles down the road and what I think were 6 riders flew past me. I noticed they were in green but that was about it. I was doing 16mph according to my garmin and they went past me like I was stood still. If it was them then I got an idea first hand of how fast they shift on a flat.

Which hotel was it ?

The ToB roadbook shows they were using the Park Royal in Stretton and the Penta in Warrington

I live a mile away from the Park Royal and was driving towards it on Saturday and IAM Cycling were coming the other way, complete with teamcar - I laughed that if they were recce'ing the stage they were a bit lost.
Five were together and one a hundred yards behind and fumbling about in his pockets, but having now found out they were using the Park Royal it's quite possible they'd all just set-off and he was still messing about (like one or two guys do on our clubruns ! )

Shame I didn't find this out until today, or I might have popped into the hotel bar last night for a quiet drink and seen who I could see...

mallorcajeff

Dowsett is a get. I made him a capachino in the cafe i was working in while we had a look at his bike, he then came back then next day and again took a capachino and then came in the third day as he realised he had not paid. And no of course i didnt charge him. Weird writing this just as hes appeared on the tv in his solo breakaway. Spooky.

itboffin

Colinthecop wrote:

When training, do they still throw their drink bottle onto the verge...?

i do that on the commute dont you? :roll:

chopchopchop

andy_wrx wrote:

chopchopchop wrote:

I went past a hotel as usual this morning and noticed 2 huge movistar team busses and cars in the car park (hotel is just off the stage 2 route). I got a few miles down the road and what I think were 6 riders flew past me. I noticed they were in green but that was about it. I was doing 16mph according to my garmin and they went past me like I was stood still. If it was them then I got an idea first hand of how fast they shift on a flat.

Which hotel was it ?

The ToB roadbook shows they were using the Park Royal in Stretton and the Penta in Warrington

I live a mile away from the Park Royal and was driving towards it on Saturday and IAM Cycling were coming the other way, complete with teamcar - I laughed that if they were recce'ing the stage they were a bit lost.
Five were together and one a hundred yards behind and fumbling about in his pockets, but having now found out they were using the Park Royal it's quite possible they'd all just set-off and he was still messing about (like one or two guys do on our clubruns ! )

Shame I didn't find this out until today, or I might have popped into the hotel bar last night for a quiet drink and seen who I could see...

Yes mate, it was the Park Royal. I'm in Barnton so only the other side of the M56

Bar Shaker

mallorcajeff wrote:

Dowsett is a get. I made him a capachino in the cafe i was working in while we had a look at his bike, he then came back then next day and again took a capachino and then came in the third day as he realised he had not paid. And no of course i didnt charge him. Weird writing this just as hes appeared on the tv in his solo breakaway. Spooky.

I would keep going back to places that didn't charge me, too.

Alex is local to me and a really nice guy. He deserves better luck than he has had this season. I hope it finishes well for him.