Unpopular Pro Race Opinions

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  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    m.r.m. said:

    While that may all be the case I find the analysis decent enough with the Belgian co-host. The move podcast is getting rather mediocre because Armstrong doesn't even pretend to care anymore. The podcast would probably be better focusing on Hincapie and Bryuneel. Bruyneel's podcast on the same channel is better.

    The amount of advertising minutes on The Move is rather grating at times as well.

    For me it's currently:
    1. Lanterne Rouge
    2. The Move preview Bruyneel podcast
    3. The Move Armstrong
    4. Rest

    I wish Cosmo Catalano did more in the format. His 'How the race was won' videos are still the gold standard.

    Lance Armstrong brings suprisingly little to that podcast and doesn't do his research. He also acts like a child ('that w"nker Contador') I could listen to Bruyneel all day.
  • 50x11
    50x11 Posts: 408
    TheBigBean said:

    This forum spends far too much time talking about Sky/Ineos

    English speaking forum in speaking about British based team shock.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    They should run the Tour the 'wrong way round' periodically, with the big mountains first followed by lumpy/windy stuff in the last week.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    salsiccia1 said:

    They should run the Tour the 'wrong way round' periodically, with the big mountains first followed by lumpy/windy stuff in the last week.

    The best way to improve the Tour would be to run it in Italy.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    nickice said:

    m.r.m. said:

    While that may all be the case I find the analysis decent enough with the Belgian co-host. The move podcast is getting rather mediocre because Armstrong doesn't even pretend to care anymore. The podcast would probably be better focusing on Hincapie and Bryuneel. Bruyneel's podcast on the same channel is better.

    The amount of advertising minutes on The Move is rather grating at times as well.

    For me it's currently:
    1. Lanterne Rouge
    2. The Move preview Bruyneel podcast
    3. The Move Armstrong
    4. Rest

    I wish Cosmo Catalano did more in the format. His 'How the race was won' videos are still the gold standard.

    Lance Armstrong brings suprisingly little to that podcast and doesn't do his research. He also acts like a child ('that w"nker Contador') I could listen to Bruyneel all day.
    His attitude towards other riders is amazingly basic. If they beat him, they're w@nkers, if they lost to him, they're real good guys really.
    _
  • david37
    david37 Posts: 1,313
    rick_chasey said:

    nickice said:

    m.r.m. said:

    While that may all be the case I find the analysis decent enough with the Belgian co-host. The move podcast is getting rather mediocre because Armstrong doesn't even pretend to care anymore. The podcast would probably be better focusing on Hincapie and Bryuneel. Bruyneel's podcast on the same channel is better.

    The amount of advertising minutes on The Move is rather grating at times as well.

    For me it's currently:
    1. Lanterne Rouge
    2. The Move preview Bruyneel podcast
    3. The Move Armstrong
    4. Rest

    I wish Cosmo Catalano did more in the format. His 'How the race was won' videos are still the gold standard.

    Lance Armstrong brings suprisingly little to that podcast and doesn't do his research. He also acts like a child ('that w"nker Contador') I could listen to Bruyneel all day.
    His attitude towards other riders is amazingly basic. If they beat him, they're w@nkers, if they lost to him, they're real good guys really.
    Well he was an a$$hole then and he's no different now.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,458
    Not so much an opinion as a confession.

    With the odd exception mountains all look the same to me.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,458
    Yes, that's the Col de la Blah Blah from the South East side

    Aye, is it.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • craigus89
    craigus89 Posts: 887
    Unpopular opinion: This GC race is pretty dull. The race has been great, but the GC battle is really dull.

    It seems no matter who runs the mountain trains, it just kills the excitement.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    I don't think that's a particularly unpopular opinion.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    I reckon that's a pretty popular "unpopular opinion".
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Modern sock height *is* too high, and whilst the UCI have got more important things to worry about they're right to want them not to get too high.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    salsiccia1 said:

    Modern sock height *is* too high, and whilst the UCI have got more important things to worry about they're right to want them not to get too high.

    Agree.

    (In the largish group I was riding with pre-covid there was a strong correlation between the riders' sock length and age.)
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    Harry182 said:

    salsiccia1 said:

    Modern sock height *is* too high, and whilst the UCI have got more important things to worry about they're right to want them not to get too high.

    Agree.

    (In the largish group I was riding with pre-covid there was a strong correlation between the riders' sock length and age.)
    I've found a strong correlation with those who try to buy success.
    "I'd have won if only I had a ....".
    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.
  • 50x11
    50x11 Posts: 408
    Agreed, went and watched a TT the other night and the sock height was off the scale, I genuinely think one rider had his arm warmers on his legs with about a 2" gap from his shorts
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,108
    Pross said:

    DeVlaeminck said:

    Have we had this one yet ? The Tour should scrap the yellow jersey.

    Scrap it and until a genuine GC contender gets established in the lead nobody has such an incentive to control the race just to keep "the jersey" - and that makes the racing less predictable which is generally seen as a good thing.

    Another flaw in this is when would you consider someone a "genuine contender"? We could have had most on the 1990 Tour without a yellow jersey and up until Stage 19 in both 2011 and 2019. In 1991 would it have been awarded to Lemond then stopped again when Delgado's domestique took it over and held it until the end?
    I wouldn't have a yellow jersey - it's not that I'd wait til a genuine contender took the lead to award one I just wouldn't have it at all so that isn't a flaw... let alone "another" !

    Of course like anyone else I'm attached to the tradition of the jersey it's just when you look at it dispassionately you can at least make a good argument that it can have a negative affect on the racing. I'd probably test it out in the Vuelta first though.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,108
    salsiccia1 said:

    They should run the Tour the 'wrong way round' periodically, with the big mountains first followed by lumpy/windy stuff in the last week.

    Half agree - I'd have some early mountains but a flattish last week is going to mean the GC battle is done and dusted early even if it's still close. I suppose we might get some genuinely decisive crosswind stages or some very tense run ins to sprints .
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    salsiccia1 said:

    Modern sock height *is* too high, and whilst the UCI have got more important things to worry about they're right to want them not to get too high.

    Keep up at the back. Look at the first line in the first post!!
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,587
    DeVlaeminck said:

    Pross said:

    DeVlaeminck said:

    Have we had this one yet ? The Tour should scrap the yellow jersey.

    Scrap it and until a genuine GC contender gets established in the lead nobody has such an incentive to control the race just to keep "the jersey" - and that makes the racing less predictable which is generally seen as a good thing.

    Another flaw in this is when would you consider someone a "genuine contender"? We could have had most on the 1990 Tour without a yellow jersey and up until Stage 19 in both 2011 and 2019. In 1991 would it have been awarded to Lemond then stopped again when Delgado's domestique took it over and held it until the end?
    I wouldn't have a yellow jersey - it's not that I'd wait til a genuine contender took the lead to award one I just wouldn't have it at all so that isn't a flaw... let alone "another" !

    Of course like anyone else I'm attached to the tradition of the jersey it's just when you look at it dispassionately you can at least make a good argument that it can have a negative affect on the racing. I'd probably test it out in the Vuelta first though.
    Looking back, I think I misread what you'd said. I read "Scrap it and until.... " and "Scrap it until....". I still think it would make it less exciting if anything as, in the early stages, you get riders racing hard for the opportunity to wear yellow which in many cases will be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I think the teams of the many contenders don't really bother defending the lead against someone who isn't an overall threat and in many cases they'll be happy to lose the jersey for a day or two. Occasionally they miscalculate and end up under pressure late in the race (like with Alaphilippe last year, Vockler back in 2011 and Lemond in 1990) which in itself adds to the race. I don't think too many teams put in too much effort to defend the jersey when they've got a 'place holder' wearing it unless it is their team leader.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Punters obsess over rim brakes vs disc brakes because most people came to proper road riding after they learned to drive and are pansies, thus over-preoccupied with how to slow down rather than go downhill faster.

    *awaits nerd saying yeah but if you can brake later you can go downhill faster* > I can assure you, the folks worrying about which braking system they have are not concerned about eeking out an extra 10m going at 70kph before hurtling into a hairpin.
    _
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,108
    Discs certainly didn't stop Dan Martin getting dropped on that descent yesterday by a group including Carapaz on his rim brakes.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,486
    Having to be right is less about truth and more about ego. 😉
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    rick_chasey said:

    salsiccia1 said:

    Modern sock height *is* too high, and whilst the UCI have got more important things to worry about they're right to want them not to get too high.

    Keep up at the back. Look at the first line in the first post!!
    Apologies, seeing Roglic's monstrosities brought it to the fore again.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • 50x11
    50x11 Posts: 408
    rick_chasey said:

    Punters obsess over rim brakes vs disc brakes because most people came to proper road riding after they learned to drive and are pansies, thus over-preoccupied with how to slow down rather than go downhill faster.

    *awaits nerd saying yeah but if you can brake later you can go downhill faster* > I can assure you, the folks worrying about which braking system they have are not concerned about eeking out an extra 10m going at 70kph before hurtling into a hairpin.

    Agree with this. Pro's are riding disks because they have to for Sponsors etc, the ones who have. a choice are using rim brakes.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    I mentioned it in the Stage 18 thread: gravel or cobble sections have no business in a Grand Tour.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    salsiccia1 said:

    I mentioned it in the Stage 18 thread: gravel or cobble sections have no business in a Grand Tour.


    Cobbles are OK once every few years, but gravel belongs in a garden centre
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,204
    The spirit of Ned Ludd is alive and well in this thread.......
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    andyrac said:

    The spirit of Ned Ludd is alive and well in this thread.......


    Yes, because gravel is a cutting edge modern road surface
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,717
    RichN95. said:

    salsiccia1 said:

    I mentioned it in the Stage 18 thread: gravel or cobble sections have no business in a Grand Tour.


    Cobbles are OK once every few years, but gravel belongs in a garden centre
    Hmmm, other way around for me...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    ddraver said:

    RichN95. said:

    salsiccia1 said:

    I mentioned it in the Stage 18 thread: gravel or cobble sections have no business in a Grand Tour.


    Cobbles are OK once every few years, but gravel belongs in a garden centre
    Hmmm, other way around for me...

    Cobbles take a particular skill to ride though. Gravel is just a bad road.
    Twitter: @RichN95

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