TdF Stage 14 - Rodez -> Mende **SPOILERS**
Comments
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When Davide Appollonio was recently busted for EPO, he was widely described as a 'former Sky rider', despite leaving in 2012 and riding for AG2R and Androni.I noticed that the state broadcaster referred to Cummings as 'Britain's Steven Cummings'. It seems the title 'Former Team Sky rider...' is reserved for bad news days.
Loon. Why would anyone describe him as "Former Sky rider"? He left them at the of 2011 and has ridden for two different teams since leaving. If he's a former anything, he's a former BMC rider.
But he wasn't British - which is rather a difference when discussing UK media. (And it occurs to me at this point that I have assumed you are in the UK Macaloon - if not then ignore me).
If you're a UK media outlet, a story about a rider who many in the UK will likely not even have heard of it makes sense top tie the story into something which will encourage people to click on your link (because it *is* all about clicks now rather than paper copy shifted). When a UK rider who wins a stage in the one race that people in your target market actually pay attention to, why would you then need to add any "local interest" aspect?
It's clear form your posts on here that you and Macaloon are both obviously very smart gentleman. You're better than this.Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy0 -
Precisely. And this is what both I and presumably Macaloon are pointing at. Not the reporting of Cummings, but the clickbait of putting Sky and doping in a headline (as particularly happened with Rogers) even when it has nothing to do with them.it makes sense top tie the story into something which will encourage people to click on your link (because it *is* all about clicks now rather than paper copy shifted).Twitter: @RichN950 -
(And it occurs to me at this point that I have assumed you are in the UK Macaloon - if not then ignore me).
Only in a manner of speaking. It was a minor dig on my part at the coverage of sports in general on the BBC, which in my (full disclosure) unhinged opinion oscillates between Light Entertainment and Business depts. I meant nothing by using the word British. My snark would have been uncontainable had they said 'MTN's Steve Cummings'....a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.0 -
Precisely. And this is what both I and presumably Macaloon are pointing at. Not the reporting of Cummings, but the clickbait of putting Sky and doping in a headline (as particularly happened with Rogers) even when it has nothing to do with them.it makes sense top tie the story into something which will encourage people to click on your link (because it *is* all about clicks now rather than paper copy shifted).
Here's how the BBC reported on Dowsett abandoning the Tour:
"Briton Alex Dowsett has abandoned the Tour de France after the Movistar rider failed to recover from an elbow injury suffered on stage four of the race.
The 26-year-old from Essex crashed on the stage from Seraing to Cambrai and the wound on his elbow kept reopening.
Before Thursday's stage 12, Dowsett was 175th out of 176 riders, more than two hours behind race leader and former Team Sky team-mate Chris Froome.
British time-trial champion Dowsett was making his Tour de France debut."
(my bold)
The lay supporter may not recognise Dowsett's name as he hasn't ridden the Tour before, so they throw in a line about him having ridden with Froome on Team Sky - two names they *will* have heard -in order to provide context for the reader. It's what journalists do. And it's what they did before the internet too - the never ending hunt for clicks just makes it that bit more...cynical (?).Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy0 -
Best post of the rce so far, I agree with all you say about Sky's impact.Sadly I'm reading this thread for the controversy and not the win.
Personally I think Team Sky are a good thing for cycling, a progressive team which through advertising and exposure is bringing more money into the sport and more awareness. The Tour de France has never been as popular and it has never been this clean. A lot of that has to be attributed to Team Sky and it would be great to see other teams follow the example they set - going as far as not to employ individuals with past doping offences.
And we can say Team Sky are clean because really its an extension of British Cycling or Team GB and they're all clean. Is anyone on any doubt that Sir Chris Hoy, Wiggins or Lizzie Armistead aren't clean?
Furthermore I generally think we are seeing an increase in the speed of technological advancements and innovation in cycling because of Team Sky as an extension of Team GB who are known to use tech to extract the best out of their athletes. Its no surprise Froome is as good as he is, Hoy, Wiggins, Pendleton, Armistead and many more have dominated their field and basically came out of the same factory.
And the benefit of having a single sponsor team is that it encourages other large companies to sponsor teams in the same manner and this provides more financial reassurance for the future of the sport.
Alas this will all probably be overlooked because Sky have a Man Utd/City effect about them, people prefer the underdog.
And no, I'm not a Sky posterboy but I can appreciate what they bring to the sport, which is probably more than any other team. I'm actually a Contador man.
Next year's tour will be interesting, none of this year's GC contenders bar Froome will be team leaders, none are good enough. Quintana is too lightweight, nice lad but once a hill evens out Froome will fly past him every time.
If the Tour de France was the only race then maybe, but its not so I doubt that. Contador won the Giro and its highly possibly Quintana or Nibali could win the Vuelta so they are still legitimate GC contenders. Even if they didn't win a tour this year (Froome didn't last year and is still team leader) - sh*t happens, who would replace them? The goal is to win races, not beat Sky at one race - that's part of the problem.
Ref GC contenders, I was referring to th TdF, only, not the other races and again I agree with you.'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Cummings and Brian Smith interview on Cycling Podcast from ~8:00.
"He's an artist when it comes to these things"
Magic....a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.0 -
Times for interest:
Cote de la Croix Neuve-Mende
2015:3,1 km@10,0%---9:38---average speed 19.31 km/h(Quintana-Froome)
---9:43---average speed 19.14 km/h(Alejandro Valverde)
---9:53---average speed 18.82 km/h(Alberto Contador)
---10:20---average speed 18.00 km/h(Steve Cummings)
2012:3,0 km@10,2%---9:52---average speed 18.24 km/h(Lieuwe Westra)
2010:3,1 km@10,0%---9:33---average speed 19.48 km/h(Contador-Rodriguez)
---9:44---average speed 19.12 km/h(A.Schleck-Van Den Broeck-S.Sanchez-Menchov)
2010:3,0 km@10,2%---9:43---average speed 18.52 km/h(Alberto Contador)- Paris-Nice
2007:3,0 km@10,2%---9:39---average speed 18.65 km/h(Alberto Contador)
2005:3,1 km@10,0%---9:12---average speed 20.22 km/h(Armstrong-Basso-Ullrich-Evans)
---9:45---average speed 19.08 km/h(Leipheimer-Rasmussen-Vinokourov)
---10:35---average speed 17.57 km/(Marcos Serrano)
1995:3,1 km@10,0%---9:03---average speed 20.55 km/h(Pantani-Indurain-Riis)-RECORD
---9:48---average speed 18.98 km/h(Laurent Jalabert)Contador is the Greatest0 -
It seems Contador begged Valverde not to attack on the climb.
#TrueChampion
Just so you know this is not the case. Go and read the quote from Valverde rather than some snippet from a Spanish newspaper trying to make money.Contador is the Greatest0 -
If this is a true translation, it looks like Contador was hoping Valverde would help him. He must have know this wouldn't happen, on lots of different levels.This is a competition, Alberto needs to understand that,” Valverde said following the stage, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais. “I and my team are working to win the Tour with Quintana, but if I make the podium it would be incredible.”
He later said in a press release from his team: “When I reached him, Contador asked me for some turns and I told him I couldn't take them, because Nairo was ahead. This is racing: he's doing his job, mine is to take care of Nairo, and he was the one who had to push.”0 -
Yeah, bit different to begging Valverde isn't it.Contador is the Greatest0
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Was very enetertaining the way SC ambushed the two French riders just as they were starting to mess about playing cat & mouse. Almost a Velverde style, the way he hung on on the climb and then clawed them back.0
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Interview with him:
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/interviews/pez-talk-steve-cummings-interview/#.VbpzsflViko
Pure racer:
we race in a good way – a way that people like to watch. It’s different to being on a big team where it’s all about racing for a team leader
Only negative comment about the team's he has ridden with is Sky (no surprise):
they wanted me to do stuff I didn’t think was right, racing and training-wise and I butted heads with management
Oh yes, a man of the peloton. Respect:
99% of the peloton have come to me to congratulate me. I’ve been shaken by how much respect there is for me.Contador is the Greatest0 -
Great for him to find a team where he can win; also great for Sky to win the Tour with a set goal for the team to work for a GC win. Obvious conflicts of interest isn't it. Where's the story!?
Your negativity towards Sky, a British team where you reside, is getting boring.0 -
Great for him to find a team where he can win; also great for Sky to win the Tour with a set goal for the team to work for a GC win. Obvious conflicts of interest isn't it. Where's the story!?
Your negativity towards Sky, a British team where you reside, is getting boring.
Why is the only thing you are commenting on Sky? Pretty boring.Contador is the Greatest0 -
Ps. lots of people I see claiming to like Cummings or know all about him; now. These same people who are Sky fanbois (and girls) and probably don't know that he won Tour of the Med last year (or that there was a race of that name).
Oi, some of us remember his Vuelta win as well... so pleased for him and the team!i've said it before, and I'll say it again: Dutch is just English spoken in a comedy accent, isn't it?
Tell me about it! I had a Dutch bloke talk to me for 10 mins as I was gasping for breath at the top of the Madeline last week. I think I understood about 2/3rds... apparently he was in camper van which got very hot on the climb, used to work for a company making cobble stones and once lost his job as a welder for BMW in Berlin...0 -
Ps. lots of people I see claiming to like Cummings or know all about him; now. These same people who are Sky fanbois (and girls) and probably don't know that he won Tour of the Med last year (or that there was a race of that name).
Oi, some of us remember his Vuelta win as well... so pleased for him and the team!i've said it before, and I'll say it again: Dutch is just English spoken in a comedy accent, isn't it?
Tell me about it! I had a Dutch bloke talk to me for 10 mins as I was gasping for breath at the top of the Madeline last week. I think I understood about 2/3rds... apparently he was in camper van which got very hot on the climb, used to work for a company making cobble stones and once lost his job as a welder for BMW in Berlin...
Lol, thanks for that FF quote, Dish Dash...I'd forgotten how funny he is
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I'm enjoying slowing working my way through the spoiler threads... I'm amazed that there weren't more nominations for post of the tour...
PS. welcome back...0 -
# I'm enjoying slowing working my way through the spoiler threads... I'm amazed that there weren't more nominations for post of the tour...
PS. welcome back...
Gracias, amigo
I'm having a jolly time myself going through all the Tour stage threads. Excitement, ennui, anticipation, world-wearydom, rage, titters...its all there0
