2022 Pre Season Chat Thread

1235

Comments

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 26,874
    m.r.m. said:

    The doctor is holding him a little bit. He is definitely tough as nails and maybe he is just standing free (without crutches for example) for the pic. Athletes especially don't like to appear vulnerable if they can avoid it.

    You accusing footballists of not being athletes? 😉
    Wimps, cheats, fakers, but the top level are fit.
    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.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    edited February 2022
    m.r.m. said:

    The doctor is holding him a little bit. He is definitely tough as nails and maybe he is just standing free (without crutches for example) for the pic. Athletes especially don't like to appear vulnerable if they can avoid it.


    Even so, did anyone think he'd be upright within a fortnight? Not me.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,451
    Comes down to what you previously wrote. We don't really know the true extent of the injuries.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,510

    As per other thread, I am curious how Vingegaard backs up last year.

    You have seen it so often; riders playing with house money on their first foray into a big race, where even just being at the sharp end is a win, and then when they have to back it up with expectations, it all crumbles.

    Doubly tricky if he has to share leadership responsibilities with the most boring interviewee in cycling.

    The tricky second album...
    He'll be protected in the Tour this year, but I don't see Jumbo Visma going full double leader, so chances may still be restricted.

    It'll be interesting to see if they give him sole lead at a week long stage race - he won Coppa e Bartali last year, but maybe time for a WT level? Probably will be using those to get the Tour team together though
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,394
    Jumbo are fairly sky in their approach so yes, I think he'll slot in as the domestique-cum-podium contender role. Might give WvA a bit more time to breathe in the mountains - when he's not winning them from a break, anyway.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    edited February 2022
    As this is a British website, I thought I'd make a list of British pro riders for this season. A healthy 45 riders.

    Men's World Tour (26 riders)
    Quick-Step: Cavendish, Knox, Vernon
    Bike Exchange: S.Yates
    DSM: Donovan
    Bahrain: Williams, Wright
    Bora: Walls
    EF: Carr, Carthy, Doull, Shaw
    Groupama: Askey, Stewart
    Ineos: Geoghehan Hart, Hayter, Pidcock, Rowe, B.Swift, Thomas, Tulett, Turner, A.Yates
    Israel: Dowsett, Froome
    Lotto: Holmes

    Men's Pro Conti (7 riders)
    Total Energies: Lawless
    Arkea: C.Swift, McLay
    Eolo: Christian
    Alpecin: Thwaites
    Caja Rural: Johnston
    Novo Nordisk: Brand

    Women's World Tour (12 riders)
    Canyon: A.Barnes
    EF: Banks, Smith
    DSM: Georgi
    Jumbo-Visma: Henderson
    SD Worx: Shackley
    Trek: Deignan, E.Backstedt
    UAE: Wright
    Uno-X: Barker, H.Barnes, Lowden
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,063
    RichN95. said:

    As this is a British website, I thought I'd make a list of British pro riders for this season. A healthy 45 riders.

    Men's World Tour (26 riders)
    Quick-Step: Cavendish, Knox, Vernon
    Bike Exchange: S.Yates
    DSM: Donovan
    Bahrain: Williams, Wright
    Bora: Walls
    EF: Carr, Carthy, Doull, Shaw
    Groupama: Askey, Stewart
    Ineos: Geoghehan Hart, Hayter, Pidcock, Rowe, B.Swift, Thomas, Tulett, Turner, S.Yates
    Israel: Dowsett, Froome
    Lotto: Holmes

    Men's Pro Conti (7 riders)
    Total Energies: Lawless
    Arkea: C.Swift, McLay
    Eolo: Christian
    Alpecin: Thwaites
    Caja Rural: Johnston
    Novo Nordisk: Brand

    Women's World Tour (12 riders)
    Canyon: A.Barnes
    EF: Banks, Smith
    DSM: Georgi
    Jumbo-Visma: Henderson
    SD Worx: Shackley
    Trek: Deignan, E.Backstedt
    UAE: Wright
    Uno-X: Barker, H.Barnes, Lowden

    Much bigger spread of teams than 10 years ago where they were nearly all at Skt too. Shame to see Scott Davies has retired, only 26 but that hip injury presumably wasn't going away.
  • RichN95. said:

    m.r.m. said:

    The doctor is holding him a little bit. He is definitely tough as nails and maybe he is just standing free (without crutches for example) for the pic. Athletes especially don't like to appear vulnerable if they can avoid it.


    Even so, did anyone think he'd be upright within a fortnight? Not me.
    Footage on Twitter of Bernal walking unaided. Looks like he requires a massive back brace at the minute
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,563
    neonriver said:

    RichN95. said:

    m.r.m. said:

    The doctor is holding him a little bit. He is definitely tough as nails and maybe he is just standing free (without crutches for example) for the pic. Athletes especially don't like to appear vulnerable if they can avoid it.


    Even so, did anyone think he'd be upright within a fortnight? Not me.
    Footage on Twitter of Bernal walking unaided. Looks like he requires a massive back brace at the minute
    He could do with a smaller front door too
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,432
    gsk82 said:

    neonriver said:

    RichN95. said:

    m.r.m. said:

    The doctor is holding him a little bit. He is definitely tough as nails and maybe he is just standing free (without crutches for example) for the pic. Athletes especially don't like to appear vulnerable if they can avoid it.


    Even so, did anyone think he'd be upright within a fortnight? Not me.
    Footage on Twitter of Bernal walking unaided. Looks like he requires a massive back brace at the minute
    He could do with a smaller front door too
    :D

    You're not alone in this.

  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 559
    Well you can't really miss that door.
    Great to see him walking though.
  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 559
    Thanks for the list Rich (Don't think Simon Yates is riding for 2 teams though)
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    bm5 said:

    Thanks for the list Rich (Don't think Simon Yates is riding for 2 teams though)


    One of them is Sean. He's making a comeback
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,563
    RichN95. said:

    bm5 said:

    Thanks for the list Rich (Don't think Simon Yates is riding for 2 teams though)


    One of them is Sean. He's making a comeback
    Proof ineos have been doping all along
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,657
    So AG2R Citroen rider that lives in Geneva...

    Who did I see yesterday?

    (Genuine Q, I dunno)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,341
    ddraver said:

    So AG2R Citroen rider that lives in Geneva...

    Who did I see yesterday?

    (Genuine Q, I dunno)

    Don't know, but Clement Venturi lives in Lyon. He rode past me in Meribel in summer 2019.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    edited February 2022
    AG2R are based in Chambery which is 100km to the South, so it could be any of them that wasn't racing elsewhere. Michael Schar is the only Swiss but lives in Lucerne according to his Strava profile..
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,657
    Hmmm, think he was doing too good a job to only be a FKW...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,063
    They've got an U23 squad too I think.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,042
    I see Lizzie won't be defending P-R 'cos she's pregnant again.
    Shame really.
    Both P-R's were epic but for me, I think her win was the best moment last year.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,657
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,657
    Mind you the race organisation have taken a "realistic Cycling in NL" approach to the TT

    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310

    Pog talking about doing MSR & Flanders.

    Hubba

    *excited*
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Being locked up in the UK gloom for 6 months champing at the bit for that first race, only to discover it's been cancelled due to inclement weather. No wonder your a bunch of grumpy old men.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,657
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    Not like there's going to be much pressure on the team (can anyone really see past a Pog/Rog winner?) so may as well find out how he goes.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 26,874
    JimD666 said:

    Not like there's going to be much pressure on the team (can anyone really see past a Pog/Rog winner?) so may as well find out how he goes.

    No. Stage wins or polka/green jerseys for everyone else.
    Ineos may challenge Movistar for the team.
    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.