Best single day of racing ~ 2013

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Comments

  • Alan A wrote:
    It's a toss up between P-R and Tour Echelon, with Echelons just pipping it because of what TWH pointed out above and the joy of reading "ECHELONS.... THIS IS NOT A DRILL" in the spoiler thread.

    Yeah, that made me sit in the corner of the room giggling for about an hour. I've always thought that the moment someone starts getting excited at the mere possibility of a cross-wind is the moment that first marks them out as a genuine cycling fan and not someone who just dips in and out of the Tour.

    Stage 9 on the Tour also fizzled for a while, although it never quite came to a climax. Sure I've seen some other good bits through the year, but can't place them at the moment.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,245
    Several one day races were better than any of the classics, but if folks don't get to see them, I guess they aren't worth posting.
    Not feeling all the Paris-Roubaix love, also getting the nod on another forum.
    The race was spoiled for me, by the Stybar crowd mishap.

    Definitely tell us about the one dayers you liked.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,218
    Despite the moans through the year I think there's been some excellent racing. It's a shame MSR was cut short but it still provided some epic conditions. The Tour, despite that feeling of inevitability from the first mountain stage, produce some excellent stages and we had that second mountain stage where Froome looked vulnerable for a large part of the day. The best finish to PR in years, the wet stage at Tirreno-Adriatico and the similar stage with Wiggins at the Giro but my favourite was Dan winning at LBL.

    Honourable mentions to Roma Maxima and Tro Bro Leon.
  • For me, MSR was the best by a long way!

    Followed by the echelon stage at the Tour and Dan Martin's win on the 2nd mountain stage.

    Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    1. LBL - great racing to the end...
    2. Echelons - best day on the forum
    3. MSR - best pics
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Riblon's win was very emotional, I really enjoyed that.

    And a certain Mr Quintana making his first breakaway in the Tour was stunning.
  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    Paris-Roubaix. Just watched it back to check I wasn't remembering it with rose tinted specs on. Back in the good old days when Harmon was commentating, we had a summer of cycling ahead of us and I wasn't injured! Great last 40km, would've been even better but for the OPQS crowd mishaps.
  • Alan A wrote:
    It's a toss up between P-R and Tour Echelon, with Echelons just pipping it because of what TWH pointed out above and the joy of reading "ECHELONS.... THIS IS NOT A DRILL" in the spoiler thread.

    Yeah, that made me sit in the corner of the room giggling for about an hour. I've always thought that the moment someone starts getting excited at the mere possibility of a cross-wind is the moment that first marks them out as a genuine cycling fan and not someone who just dips in and out of the Tour.

    Stage 9 on the Tour also fizzled for a while, although it never quite came to a climax. Sure I've seen some other good bits through the year, but can't place them at the moment.


    I was in Avignon for that stage and so didnt join in the BR fun. Now 3 months later I've just looked at the thread properly for the first time. Christ, BR went into meltdown with the excitement :)
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Cav's description of the Echelon stage is a fantastic read. The 'Ticket Collector' policing tail of echelon is a highlight.

    "...fanning out diagonally across the road toward the wind direction and rotating through the line quickly and cohesively, they could condemn the riders at the bottom of the line to a place in the gutter, in the wind, and in imminent danger of losing contact.

    Once one of those riders lost the wheel — or was deliberately shut out by a “ticket collector” placed at the back of the line to decide who was allowed into the echelon — there was no way back. It was a fine art that demanded strength, timing, nous, and balls; at Omega Pharma-Quick Step, we were considered experts.

    In the days that followed what became a famous stage, there would be all sorts of fanciful, verging on folkloric stories about code words devised by Wilfred Peeters and plans concocted the night before..."
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Cavendish wrote that? :shock:
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Cavendish wrote that? :shock:


    He actually wrote: "At the weekend I went on my bike with my friends we went fast and after we had Coke and crisps" - the editor extrapolated...
  • OCDuPalais wrote:
    He actually wrote: "At the weekend I went on my bike with my friends we went fast and after we had Coke and crisps" - the editor extrapolated...

    Stage was on a Friday... :D
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Peasants
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Cavendish wrote that? :shock:


    Daniel Friebe ghosted his book, as he did 'Boy Racer'. And then add in the work of the subbie (?) who worked on the extract for publishing on Velonews. But Friebe's said before that Cav's almost photographic memory plus his turns of phrase, makes his job as a ghost writer a lot easier.


    EDIT
    And Maca's right, you're all peasants. Its a cracking account - especially of the scrap with the Carrot
  • FocusZing
    FocusZing Posts: 4,373
    69933bf04cc311e3abf4129f1c753887_8.jpg
    Cav at Valencia Moto GP.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Inevitably - like the march of the seasons, further sexual assault charges against TV presenters from the 70's and 80's and more cycling champs being revealed as dopers - we'll see Cav's sprint dominance challenged - and eventually superseded (by Kittel?). Let's say his off-season training re-establishes his superiority for most of 2014, but the writing's on the wall for the following years in terms of sprint performance (drop off): will he try to re-align himself as more of a Boonen/classics man - or will that be it, and he just retires at 31?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    Inevitably - like the march of the seasons, further sexual assault charges against TV presenters from the 70's and 80's and more cycling champs being revealed as dopers - we'll see Cav's sprint dominance challenged - and eventually superseded (by Kittel?). Let's say his off-season training re-establishes his superiority for most of 2014, but the writing's on the wall for the following years in terms of sprint performance (drop off): will he try to re-align himself as more of a Boonen/classics man - or will that be it, and he just retires at 31?
    People have been sporadically writing off Cavendish's career for years now. You would have thought they might have paid a bit of attention and learnt something by now.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    A few seasons of results that would delight any normal sprinter, but look poor by Cav's standards, won't do any harm to the legend of his golden years.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • OCDuPalais wrote:
    Inevitably - like the march of the seasons, further sexual assault charges against TV presenters from the 70's and 80's and more cycling champs being revealed as dopers - we'll see Cav's sprint dominance challenged - and eventually superseded (by Kittel?). Let's say his off-season training re-establishes his superiority for most of 2014, but the writing's on the wall for the following years in terms of sprint performance (drop off): will he try to re-align himself as more of a Boonen/classics man - or will that be it, and he just retires at 31?


    Nope - he's going to return and monster the Sprint King-in-Waiting
  • Nope - he's going to return and monster the Sprint King-in-Waiting

    Nah, he's finished.
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    Inevitably - like the march of the seasons, further sexual assault charges against TV presenters from the 70's and 80's and more cycling champs being revealed as dopers - we'll see Cav's sprint dominance challenged - and eventually superseded (by Kittel?). Let's say his off-season training re-establishes his superiority for most of 2014, but the writing's on the wall for the following years in terms of sprint performance (drop off): will he try to re-align himself as more of a Boonen/classics man - or will that be it, and he just retires at 31?


    Nope - he's going to return and monster the Sprint King-in-Waiting
    With a much improved lead out train, that will function a hell of a lot better and no need to over extend himself in the Giro, I think Cav will get back to his best. Give the guy credit, he won 7 grand tour stages this year. Not exactly the sign of a has-been. Kittel is on the rise, Viviani will be up there next year if he gets his timing better and Greipel will still be there or thereabouts.

    As for this year, the ventoux stage of the tdf, Liege Bastogne Liege are my 2 favourites. also enjoyed Cavs win in the echelon ridden TDF stage, and Sylvain Chavanels one man crusade to be near the front or driving the breaks throughout the tour.
  • LutherB
    LutherB Posts: 544
    philbar72 wrote:
    ....Kittel is on the rise, Viviani will be up there next year if he gets his timing better and Greipel will still be there or thereabouts. .

    Don't forget Matt Goss. Carlton Kirby won't :wink:
  • LutherB wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    ....Kittel is on the rise, Viviani will be up there next year if he gets his timing better and Greipel will still be there or thereabouts. .

    Don't forget Matt Goss. Carlton Kirby won't :wink:


    Matt HARLEY Goss
  • LutherB
    LutherB Posts: 544
    LutherB wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    ....Kittel is on the rise, Viviani will be up there next year if he gets his timing better and Greipel will still be there or thereabouts. .

    Don't forget Matt Goss. Carlton Kirby won't :wink:


    Matt HARLEY Goss

    Another reason Cav should be quaking
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    The reason that Matt Goss, Tyler Farrar, Roberto Ferrari and others don’t get on that list is pretty obvious, surely…. They just are not as fast!

    Agree about Cav. He is the best sprinter I’ve ever seen. Though I preferred Greipels nodding dog routine (for the comedy value).
  • I do remember shouting at the TV for LBL though so that probably wins

    Cavendish used the phrase "ticket collecter" in his book - while I get the analogy, how do you go about doing this? Just drop the wheel slightly and wobble across the road to stop the rider behind you go around to close the gap?