Worlds 2018 - SPOILERS

FocusZing

OCDuPalais wrote:

Is it popularity or respect for Valverde amongst his peers? Didn’t Boonen say words to the effect that Valverde was the greatest rider of his generation?
The guy is an absolute don: a supreme athlete getting the most from his physiology coupled with unparalleled race craft.

As for the doping thing, it’s a bloody shame and a massive red mark against him - but I imagine that many pros, particularly the older ones, disallow any sanctimony to overwhelm their admiration: they know that they either dabbled themselves or we’re very close to it...

Visions of LA and Ullrich Cocoon like by the pool.

greasedscotsman

Going to seem odd seeing Sagan in a different jersey.

richard_t._biscuit

greasedscotsman wrote:

Going to seem odd seeing Sagan in a different jersey.

It will, although he will be in the Slovakian National Jersey which is still white with bands.

awavey

stanislav wrote:

rozzer32 wrote:

On a bit of a side note. I think the thing that made me more ***** off about Valverdes win was listening to the BBC comentary. Jeez how rubbish was it! Stevie Wonder would have done a better job at picking out the riders.

Second that, If the main commentator had done his homework he would have recognised more riders from their trade team helmets and bikes

his footballing commentary homework style was there though, clearly had spent several weeks downloading every procycling stat stage win this year for all 188 riders, which kind of overlooks the context they then need to be placed in, Im sure in one of the cycling podcast things theyve said thats exactly how you shouldnt prepare for commentating on a race ie just knowing the stats as you need to get the riders actual feel for the course and race ahead.

the coverage itself wasnt great though was it, all those long helicopter shots and minimal on screen graphics at first I thought it was just due to the red button being like a minimal world feed just with their comms as it was a bit out of synch, but it carried on when they were on BBC2, I dont really understand if they were all using those gps dongles how they cant have it as per the TdF when you know exactly where everyone is and arent waiting a whole lap to get a time check on them, then you dont need to really identify all the riders visually all the time.

Vino'sGhost

Great race and a very deserving winner . Absoloute class. The worlds sees the cream rise to the top.

carbonclem

Great to see some young fresh blood winning. *





* Shameless Twitter steal

argyllflyer

I listened to the world feed with McCrossan and Hayles. They're on site yet I feel didn't put enough stock by the final climb whcih I am sure they could have reccied. A classics type rouleur like Valgren was never going to dance up it and maintain his slender lead yet they had the jersey effectively awarded 15km out. They even seemed unsure how long it was - McCrossan making a comment at one stage about how close he was to the top and if he could crest even with the chasers it he'd be the world champ. It took a further 5 mins or so to get over it!

Anyway, cracking finale all in all, and when you think back to Qatar...!

Vino'sGhost

Der Kaiser wrote:

Cheats never prosper until they have served a 2 year ban for doping.

Wiggins did all right

Vino'sGhost

Ben6899 wrote:

The worst thing about Valverde winning is that he'll almost certainly go with white bibs.

HAHAH yes i think he will

FocusZing

CarbonClem wrote:

Great to see some young fresh blood winning. *





* Shameless Twitter steal

Had to smile at that.

@millarmind
I AM COOL WITH @alejanvalverde BEING THE @UCI_cycling WORLD CHAMPION

I'm suprised and disappointed at this comment given his stance now and CPA interest.

kingstongraham

argyllflyer wrote:

I listened to the world feed with McCrossan and Hayles. They're on site yet I feel didn't put enough stock by the final climb whcih I am sure they could have reccied. A classics type rouleur like Valgren was never going to dance up it and maintain his slender lead yet they had the jersey effectively awarded 15km out. They even seemed unsure how long it was - McCrossan making a comment at one stage about how close he was to the top and if he could crest even with the chasers it he'd be the world champ. It took a further 5 mins or so to get over it!

Anyway, cracking finale all in all, and when you think back to Qatar...!

I thought the Qatar finale was pretty good. Just different.

Vino'sGhost

FocusZing wrote:

CarbonClem wrote:

Great to see some young fresh blood winning. *





* Shameless Twitter steal

Had to smile at that.

@millarmind
I AM COOL WITH @alejanvalverde BEING THE @UCI_cycling WORLD CHAMPION

I'm suprised and disappointed at this comment given his stance now and CPA interest.

Why are you surprised??? Millar is a convicted drug cheat, does serving your sentence only apply to Brits?

FocusZing

Vino'sGhost wrote:

FocusZing wrote:

CarbonClem wrote:

Great to see some young fresh blood winning. *





* Shameless Twitter steal

Had to smile at that.

@millarmind
I AM COOL WITH @alejanvalverde BEING THE @UCI_cycling WORLD CHAMPION

I'm suprised and disappointed at this comment given his stance now and CPA interest.

Why are you surprised??? Millar is a convicted drug cheat, does serving your sentence only apply to Brits?

No further explanation is required.

larkim

Irrespective of views on cheating, I'm content to live with convictions being punished, and then we move on. Valverde did his crime, served his time according to the rules.

If the rules don't allow for stronger punishments, its the rules that are at fault, not the rider.

Millar can hardly say convicted cheats should never perform again given his own history. What we need of course is Valverde's post-racing biography to demonstrate mea culpa etc

kingstongraham

larkim wrote:

Irrespective of views on cheating, I'm content to live with convictions being punished, and then we move on. Valverde did his crime, served his time according to the rules.

If the rules don't allow for stronger punishments, its the rules that are at fault, not the rider.

Millar can hardly say convicted cheats should never perform again given his own history. What we need of course is Valverde's post-racing biography to demonstrate mea culpa etc

I wouldn't hold your breath.

Of course he's a valid winner, he's served his ban and come back. But would anyone really be surprised if he wasn't clean now?

FocusZing

KingstonGraham wrote:

larkim wrote:

Irrespective of views on cheating, I'm content to live with convictions being punished, and then we move on. Valverde did his crime, served his time according to the rules.

If the rules don't allow for stronger punishments, its the rules that are at fault, not the rider.

Millar can hardly say convicted cheats should never perform again given his own history. What we need of course is Valverde's post-racing biography to demonstrate mea culpa etc

I wouldn't hold your breath.

Of course he's a valid winner, he's served his ban and come back. But would anyone really be surprised if he wasn't clean now?

I'm glad most people don't seem cool with that.

ddraver

KingstonGraham wrote:

larkim wrote:

Irrespective of views on cheating, I'm content to live with convictions being punished, and then we move on. Valverde did his crime, served his time according to the rules.

If the rules don't allow for stronger punishments, its the rules that are at fault, not the rider.

Millar can hardly say convicted cheats should never perform again given his own history. What we need of course is Valverde's post-racing biography to demonstrate mea culpa etc

I wouldn't hold your breath.

Of course he's a valid winner, he's served his ban and come back. But would anyone really be surprised if he wasn't clean now?

I don't think anyone thinks it's an invalid win...

Just that the winner is a dickswab

DeVlaeminck

I honestly don't get the hate. Everything I've heard about him suggests he's a decent guy who loves bike racing who happened to dope like most of his generation did.

How many have actually come clean before they were caught, those riders if any exist I'd have extra respect for but your Millars, Valverdes all doped and all served a ban - for me that had to happen for the good of the sport but we shouldn't hold it against them forever and definitely not differentiate between them just because some bare their soul and others not.

Just seeing his obvious delight at winning was quite something.

kingstongraham

DeVlaeminck wrote:

I honestly don't get the hate. Everything I've heard about him suggests he's a decent guy who loves bike racing who happened to dope like most of his generation did.

How many have actually come clean before they were caught, those riders if any exist I'd have extra respect for but your Millars, Valverdes all doped and all served a ban - for me that had to happen for the good of the sport but we shouldn't hold it against them forever and definitely not differentiate between them just because some bare their soul and others not.

Just seeing his obvious delight at winning was quite something.

I didn't see that - turned it off as soon as he crossed the line.

It's his statement that he didn't do anything wrong - can't be happy that he wins. If it makes it any better, I don't like Millar much either, especially after reading his book.

ddraver

It's the admission of guilt and (moderate) contrition that's important to me DeV...I totally accept I can't fully explain why.

It's the patent dishonesty that rankles. See also Brexiteers, footballers that dive (The England v Colombia game in the WC was a particularly sorry display) and a few other things I can't think of right now...

prawny

My issue with Valverde is that his defence when he got busted was that the Italians shouldn't have been testing him, no admission that he did, didn't deny it either, just tried to get off on a technicality, like a xxxx

dish_dash

prawny wrote:

no admission that he did, didn't deny it either, just tried to get off on a technicality, like a xxxx

Like David Beckham and his speeding ticket last week then...

Morals of sport are just as dodge as in real life...

prawny

He's one n all.

Vino'sGhost

prawny wrote:

My issue with Valverde is that his defence when he got busted was that the Italians shouldn't have been testing him, no admission that he did, didn't deny it either, just tried to get off on a technicality, like a xxxx

But skys standard defence is to lose information or not record it or have Doctors too poorly to testify (that day) and yet Wiggins and froome are beyond reproach for many on here.

St Millars defence was to say he didnt cheat but kept the EPOto remind him how close hed come. FFS utter bullshit like wiggins.

NB St Millar later fessed up for his book

ddraver

KingstonGraham wrote:

I thought the Qatar finale was pretty good. Just different.

True, it was an exhibition in flatland racing skills.

argyllflyer

KingstonGraham wrote:

argyllflyer wrote:

I listened to the world feed with McCrossan and Hayles. They're on site yet I feel didn't put enough stock by the final climb whcih I am sure they could have reccied. A classics type rouleur like Valgren was never going to dance up it and maintain his slender lead yet they had the jersey effectively awarded 15km out. They even seemed unsure how long it was - McCrossan making a comment at one stage about how close he was to the top and if he could crest even with the chasers it he'd be the world champ. It took a further 5 mins or so to get over it!

Anyway, cracking finale all in all, and when you think back to Qatar...!

I thought the Qatar finale was pretty good. Just different.

I meant Qatar as a Worlds in general - the on-bike stuff was fine but it just seemed to lack something and the possibility of it all coming down to the last few hundred metres was 'writ large' as Kirby might have it.

norvernrob

Vino'sGhost wrote:

prawny wrote:

My issue with Valverde is that his defence when he got busted was that the Italians shouldn't have been testing him, no admission that he did, didn't deny it either, just tried to get off on a technicality, like a xxxx

But skys standard defence is to lose information or not record it or have Doctors too poorly to testify (that day) and yet Wiggins and froome are beyond reproach for many on here.

St Millars defence was to say he didnt cheat but kept the EPOto remind him how close hed come. FFS utter bullshit like wiggins.

NB St Millar later fessed up for his book

Millar fessed up before the end of his 48hr detainment. Which was quite a long time before he wrote the first book :?

I was actually rooting for Valverde (other than Woods, who I’d have loved to have seen win for what he’s been through this year) at the end there, I’ve grown to like him as a racer over the last couple of years. I don’t like cheating, but he did his time and it was in an era when they were pretty much all at it.

prawny

I don’t like cheating, but he did his time and it was in an era when they were pretty much all at it.

This is kind of my thinking now, I can't deny he's done well since he came back from his ban.

But he's one of the last from that era still regularly bothering the top end, and I wish he'd piss off with the rest of them.

Pross

Some over the top comments on here. I've never been Valverde's biggest fan but he served his ban and there's no doubting he's a racer. He respects races and doesn't just turn up to make up the numbers like many.

ocdupalais

So Valverde didn’t bend over for us all at the time of his sanction? Free yourself from the shackles of a pious mind and enjoy a brilliant racer!
I make no apologies for the fact that most of the music I like was apparently created under the influence of something - or that I’m still going to find Louis CK funny despite his predilection for getting his winkle out to non-consenting women.
I spent a long time begrudging Valverde’s presence in every race until his magnificent racing wore my grumbling away, like the ocean wears away a sharp little angry uptight pebble...
He did his time.
LLSanchez and his brother Samuel (I know, I know...), and numerous others, have had very lucrative careers - and ok, Sammy got caught, but they’ve slipped the net.