Spanish Circle... aka La Vuelta + plus off topic bollox

245

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  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    So the cycling 'experts' think La Vuelta is all over barring a crash, can someone have a look in Pro Race and see what the nutters on there fink?

    TIA

    HTH
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    ...can someone have a look in Pro Race and see what the nutters on there fink?

    No.

    It may 'warm up'. Froome may not have enough in the tank for 3 weeks (even though the TdF wasn't as challenging as it should have been). However, I know he said how tough he thought it was but he's hardly going to say "it was a piece of pi$$" (to use the local vernacular).
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    I know he's an ugly bastard on a bike (says a sack of spuds), but Froome's cadence on climbs is something to behold.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    hopkinb wrote:
    I know he's an ugly bastard on a bike (says a sack of spuds), but Froome's cadence on climbs is something to behold.

    How many hours has he spent staring at his stem?

    Froome is super human. He raced whilst he had Bilharzia. Then they cured him and then he spouted wings.
    Chris' brother is married to my mothers best friends grand daughter :D Do you like that? Anyway, he was out near Mombasa on 40 deg+ heat on Christmas day 2010, on god awful, death trap roads doing 135 miles.
    Utter nutter. I like the guy but I think he has a bit of a loose screw. He cycled with a 'club' in Nairobi in his youth. When I say 'club', it was a racing team (all local, native black people). They had the most unusual assortment of whatever bike, wheel and parts bolted together. You never seen anything like it.
    For a white guy in that area of Nairobi, living, training and cycling on those roads is, what we call 'gone bush'.
    How he was never kidnapped or mugged or assaulted for simply being white (very common), I do not know. This isn't East Ham or Dudley; it's a no go area for white's after 6pm - you simply do not go there, let alone live.

    Kikuyu's (main tribe in Nairobi; have monopolised every election due to their numbers, more than anything) have a long and unfairly perpetuated mistrust of white's since the Mau Mau uprising. He would have been safer out in the wild or in the company of most other tribes in Kenya.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    There's a programme about gangs on telly. With that bloke from eastenders, where he pretends he's something other than a fat actor.
  • ballysmate
    ballysmate Posts: 16,004
    Garry H wrote:
    There's a programme about gangs on telly. With that bloke from eastenders, where he pretends he's something other than a fat actor.

    What? He's not hard, rock hard? :shock:
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Ross Kemp took the piss out of himself well on Extras. I think he plays a role? Though he was married to the editor of the Sun, Wade was it?

    I like Froome, I know it's not a popular view. He's a tremendous all round cyclist. I remember that crosswindy stage in the 2016 tour in the south where he and G took off when Sagan and a team mate made a 70 kph break off the front. Plus the crazed high cadence climbs and the TT's. That's why he wins Grand Tours. It would be great if he took this Vuelta. Almost a shame he would then concentrate on the 5th tour rather than the Giro to get 3 in a row.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy and in the face of all the sh1t thrown at him from the (very rude in this case) French, he's held his chin up, never complained and got on with the job as well as throwing in compliments to his rivals.

    Wiggo howeve - he's a cnut [ducks]. He really grates my balls. He would never have won that tour if Froome had decided to go off on his own. (I know he did on one stage but succumbed to team orders).
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,497
    Chavez might have a card or two to play yet.
    But you can't blame Froome if he just happens to be the best.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,444
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    So the cycling 'experts' think La Vuelta is all over barring a crash, can someone have a look in Pro Race and see what the nutters on there fink?

    TIA

    HTH
    The nutters think there are too many insanely steep climbs left for it to be a foregone conclusion, I think.

    Even though the 'experts' are talking about the final TT already.

    Chaves looks good, really happy for him.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    He's a great all round rider and racer. He's an anodyne media presence, but he's honest and polite.

    Wiggins seems like a dick, though I'm sure we all are in some ways, but he's a great track rider who won a Tour of France on a parcours made for his talents.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    Wiggo has done a helluva lot and kudos for going from track to road and then to track for the odd 6 day and the hour record but achievements don't make you immune to being a tw@t.

    The above, in the style of Blakey:

    Wiggo has done a lot and kudos for going from track to road and then to track for the odd 6 day and the hour record.
    Achievements don't make you immune to being a tw@t.

    Do you see the difference? It's very subtle.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847
    It isn't all over, it takes just one bad day, or hitting the deck on one corner, and Froome could be in trouble. But he looks in great form and is taking every opportunity to take time out of his rivals, so assuming nothing untoward happens I'd be really surprised if he didn't win it.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    The one thing in his favour is that so far (and it's early days), is that no one looks really prominent other than Froome.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,444
    Pinno wrote:
    The one thing in his favour is that so far (and it's early days), is that no one looks really prominent other than Froome.
    Chaves looks really comfortable on the climbs.
  • mrfpb
    mrfpb Posts: 4,569
    Froome hit the deck on day two of the TdF didn't he? and had mechanicals on other days. The team seem to be equipped and primed to sort him out without waiting for a support car. I think SKY just have a lot more foresight for these things, like giving out bottles from the roadside at points where the cars will take ages to get forward.
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    mrfpb wrote:
    Froome hit the deck on day two of the TdF didn't he? and had mechanicals on other days. The team seem to be equipped and primed to sort him out without waiting for a support car. I think SKY just have a lot more foresight for these things, like giving out bottles from the roadside at points where the cars will take ages to get forward.

    Yo are aware the marginal gains bollocks has been fully debunked now?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    mrfpb wrote:
    Froome hit the deck on day two of the TdF didn't he? and had mechanicals on other days. The team seem to be equipped and primed to sort him out without waiting for a support car. I think SKY just have a lot more foresight for these things, like giving out bottles from the roadside at points where the cars will take ages to get forward.

    Yo are aware the marginal gains **** has been fully debunked now?

    So they are on PED's?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • mrfpb
    mrfpb Posts: 4,569
    If your team mate hands you there bike when you crash, the adrenalin will keept you going, whereas waiting even two minutes for the car will let your body start feeling the pain (and two minutes if far from marginal). Also, didn't Froome get back on after a Vuelta crash in the past and finish a stage without realising his foot was broken? You just don't see him hanging around the roadside after a crash for any time at all. It's not just marginal gains, it's the resilience of the team.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    WTF!! Has somebody killed ES Player?
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    mrfpb wrote:
    It's not just marginal gains, it's the resilience of the team.

    Don't you come in here with that sensible stuff. Can you help Gazza with his Eurosport player?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,497
    Pinno wrote:
    mrfpb wrote:
    It's not just marginal gains, it's the resilience of the team.

    Don't you come in here with that sensible stuff. Can you help Gazza with his Eurosport player?
    The answer to Gazza's question is, yes.
    The answer to your question is, no.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    mrfpb wrote:
    If your team mate hands you there bike when you crash, the adrenalin will keept you going, whereas waiting even two minutes for the car will let your body start feeling the pain (and two minutes if far from marginal). Also, didn't Froome get back on after a Vuelta crash in the past and finish a stage without realising his foot was broken? You just don't see him hanging around the roadside after a crash for any time at all. It's not just marginal gains, it's the resilience of the team.

    Like last year's running incident in the TdF? As for a team mate handing him the bike, that's a well drilled practice and les domestique are there to be (super)human sacrifices. Thing is though, you pay all that money for a bike fit, and Froome comes along and takes his colleagues bike (or a neutral service ride - Wiggins in 2011 I think) and ride like nothing happened. Or does a team mate sacrifice his own setup to leave a bike to Froome's spec? One things for sure, if I rode for someone in a GT win, I'd be expecting a nice watch as a thank you.
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,497
    Mouth wrote:
    mrfpb wrote:
    One things for sure, if I rode for someone in a GT win, I'd be expecting a nice watch as a thank you.
    Can't remember who, but back in the day one team leader did exactly that for his team mates.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Mouth wrote:
    mrfpb wrote:
    One things for sure, if I rode for someone in a GT win, I'd be expecting a nice watch as a thank you.
    Can't remember who, but back in the day one team leader did exactly that for his team mates.
    Bertie in 2009. Even Lance got one.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,497
    Garry H wrote:
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Mouth wrote:
    mrfpb wrote:
    One things for sure, if I rode for someone in a GT win, I'd be expecting a nice watch as a thank you.
    Can't remember who, but back in the day one team leader did exactly that for his team mates.
    Bertie in 2009. Even Lance got one.
    I was thinking older but yes, there is precedent.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Merckx as well, if memory serves me correctly. Rolex I think.

    Bertie just got some of that blingy shite that's popular with the kidz nowadayz.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Barguil's been kicked out for disobeying team orders. What a wally.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,521
    Mouth wrote:
    mrfpb wrote:
    If your team mate hands you there bike when you crash, the adrenalin will keept you going, whereas waiting even two minutes for the car will let your body start feeling the pain (and two minutes if far from marginal). Also, didn't Froome get back on after a Vuelta crash in the past and finish a stage without realising his foot was broken? You just don't see him hanging around the roadside after a crash for any time at all. It's not just marginal gains, it's the resilience of the team.

    Like last year's running incident in the TdF? As for a team mate handing him the bike, that's a well drilled practice and les domestique are there to be (super)human sacrifices. Thing is though, you pay all that money for a bike fit, and Froome comes along and takes his colleagues bike (or a neutral service ride - Wiggins in 2011 I think) and ride like nothing happened. Or does a team mate sacrifice his own setup to leave a bike to Froome's spec? One things for sure, if I rode for someone in a GT win, I'd be expecting a nice watch as a thank you.

    It's standard practice to split your money with your team mates, That's nothing unusual; there are Pro Am teams in Italy, where you get the basics and ride for your living but winnings are shared.
    Some time ago, I was taking to a bloke who had just retired from a Pro Am racing. He rode for a team called Pepsi-Fanini and that was the set up.

    It's customary also to thanka competitor who was instrumental in your win, even when there wasn't collusion with a bottle of wine or something. Re.: Gerrans vs Cancellara in the Milan San Remo. Fabian did most of the work only to be pipped by Gerrans at the line. Gerrans never acknowledged Fabian. He lost enormous popularity in the peloton after that.
    It's competitive enough without making enemies. I don't think his career was the same after that.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,497
    Sharing winnings is a given.
    The watches were an extra. I think.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.

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