S*** Small Races Thread - 2022
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I have to say I don't get the great affection for Pinot. He's been the unchallenged leader of a World Tour team for over a decade - probably unique in recent times. And yet despite this indulgence, he has constantly underdelivered. For me he's the personification of everything that is wrong with French cycling. And goats are just annoying. They're delinquent sheep.Twitter: @RichN953
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He's the antithesis to most other WT team leaders, I think. He still lives where he grew up, trains on the same roads he's always trained on and seems to care little for the analytics that other teams and riders obsess over.
He's also recorded over 30 wins, including stages in all three GTs and a monument, which for a climber is pretty decent.0 -
So he had the good fortune to be born in an ideal training area (and I think the French can't tax dodge in Monaco & Andorra). As for the analytics - he's coached by his brother, a sports scientist. And if you are being paid a seven figure salary you damn well should care about analytics.andyp said:He's the antithesis to most other WT team leaders, I think. He still lives where he grew up, trains on the same roads he's always trained on and seems to care little for the analytics that other teams and riders obsess over.
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Not his fault someone wanted to pay him more than you think he's worth given his personality.0
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I know were you're coming from. He's a throwback, a rider from the 60/70/80's maybe, that's why he seems popular with many. When the sport was more simple and/or 'pure' and none of this modern jargon had been invented.RichN95. said:I have to say I don't get the great affection for Pinot. He's been the unchallenged leader of a World Tour team for over a decade - probably unique in recent times. And yet despite this indulgence, he has constantly underdelivered. For me he's the personification of everything that is wrong with French cycling. And goats are just annoying. They're delinquent sheep.
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
Tee bo ho
Uptown top ranking0 -
I think for many of us, we like Pinot precisely because he is flawed. He is a real person fighting against automatons. Yes, the demons usually win, but occasionally, just occasionally, he prevails. I pity those who can't see the romance in that.2
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Lenny Martinez though - 18!0
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I generally agree with Rich's comments on Pinot. There can't be many sportspeople who get to keep a top job for 10 years whilst seemingly being unprepared to push their limits or work on their most obvious weaknesses. I guess I prefer sportspeople who maximise their talents, even if they aren't as naturally gifted. That said, I was really pleased to see him win today and it felt a big step forward to do it after the disappointment yesterday.3
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Pinot should of won bernal's tour .... Baffed his own knee with his handlebars pre race"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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Pinot massivily improved his downhill riding ... It's not true he didn't work on his weaknesses... He used to crash ALOT"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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I disagree the others are supposed "automatons".DeadCalm said:I think for many of us, we like Pinot precisely because he is flawed. He is a real person fighting against automatons. Yes, the demons usually win, but occasionally, just occasionally, he prevails. I pity those who can't see the romance in that.
PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 20230 -
I have been a long time critic, but Pinot impressed me today.
I thought his head would drop after yesterday’s near miss.
Instead he took it up a notch, especially on the final climb where he had to drop de La Cruz, in order to gain the time necessary for the descent.
Bardet too. He seems to be the only guy at DSM reaching his potential."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.1 -
Great to see Bardet attacking and winning.
Lovely tweet from De La Cruz and it was good of him to wait for Pinot when he had the mechanical. The commentary was rather biased for Pinot.1 -
Pinot's tragedy is that he's good enough uphill that people hope it'll make up for his inability to lay it down on the flat. If he was a bit worse he wouldn't have the ridiculous expectation...
Glad he grabbed today's stage - was a gutsy performance.0 -
I like him but he's whats wrong with french cycling. I think he's happy with what he's achieved (and should be many would kill for his palmares) but I think if he truly wanted to do more he'd have left FDJ0
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It might be a case of highlight editing but from that it looked like De La Cruz was too kind and got mugged for the win. Good tactics by Pinot but he played De La Cruz.bm5 said:Great to see Bardet attacking and winning.
Lovely tweet from De La Cruz and it was good of him to wait for Pinot when he had the mechanical. The commentary was rather biased for Pinot.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.2 -
Yeah, I'm a bit embarrassed by that post. As a big fan of Pinot and Bardet, I don't get a chance to enjoy their successes very often. To have a win for each on the same day (with a young rider's jersey for my man Arensman as the icing on the cake) is mind-blowing and I did get a tad carried away.m.r.m. said:
I disagree the others are supposed "automatons".DeadCalm said:I think for many of us, we like Pinot precisely because he is flawed. He is a real person fighting against automatons. Yes, the demons usually win, but occasionally, just occasionally, he prevails. I pity those who can't see the romance in that.
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Arensman is starting to show signs of the promise he displayed at U23 level when, as an 18 year old, he finished second to Pogacar at the Tour de l'Avenir ahead of older riders like Vlasov, Sosa and Almeida. I'm expecting big things from him, not Pogacar style 'big', but I do think he'll win some decent races. He has plenty of time. He's still only 22.blazing_saddles said:Bardet too. He seems to be the only guy at DSM reaching his potential.
Hopefully, his obvious rapport with Bardet will keep him off the well worn DSM to JV conveyor belt for Dutch riders.
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The 75th Tour de Romandie starts tomorrow. Nothing of interest to report, in regards of the parcour which are, putting it politely, "traditional". Yes, once again it starts with a prologue, ends in a time trial, (although this year it's a mountain climb) has a solitary MTF and a trio of rolling stages.
Following Sunday's big crash, the startlist has only just been finalised. Vlasov is a recent edition.
Top competitors
VLASOV Aleksandr
CARUSO Damiano
O'CONNOR Ben
WOODS Michael
TEUNS Dylan
IZAGIRRE Ion
HIGUITA Sergio
HAYTER Ethan
URÁN Rigoberto
MCNULTY Brandon
THOMAS Geraint
HIRSCHI Marc
CATTANEO Mattia
KUSS Sepp
DENNIS Rohan
FUGLSANG Jakob
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
The forecast looks decent for once, so hopefully won't be a cold and damp edition.0
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Is Romandie on the PTP list?PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 20230
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Shouldn't we get a PTP thread up then now if the prologue is atrting tomorrow? Not critisizing @gregster04 at all. But it's probably helpful if everyone chips in when those in charge are too busy to get it up in time.
I'll start it. Gregster04 can redo it if he likes.PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 20230 -
They should get Brailsford in to sort them out.0
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This is a quite astonishingly ugly course today.1
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Short and ugly. Seems a bit pointless.Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי0
