S*** Small Races 2024

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  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,227

    I have a feeling it might be an attempt to get into the road race at the Olympics for a last hurrah as the MTB route seems to be very, very unlikely now. He'll have some teammates at the national champs.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,590

    Thought he retired!

  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293

    There's a documentary series on Disco+ called "Chasing Glory", I may be doing Sagan a disservice but he comes across as thinking getting to the Olympics MTB would be a walk in the park. He had a rather abrupt wake up call.

  • jimmyjams
    jimmyjams Posts: 784

    That was a good/clever win by Van Gils, I think he was on his own in that 'front' peloton of about 35.

    Education First somehow got it wrong, and Bora should have also done better, given their numbers. Aranburu said he was happy with his result, but it didn't look it just after he crossed the line.

    I hope Christen got a bonus prize for his efforts over the last 35 km.

    Degenkolb won the mountain prize, which before the race he said he would aim for, thinking he couldn't contend for the overall win just yet, still recovering from his injury. I was amused to hear that the prize was only 500 Euro, though he seemed very happy. He later said he really suffered achieving his goal – not a surprise considering he isn't a climber.

  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,204

    I don't think he's the only one; quite a lot of the road community don't realise how good, and competitive XCO racing is - and their technical ability. Just because Pidcock, and formerly MvdP had some success doesn't mean others will; they're outliers.....It's a different sport from when he was a top youth racer.

    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited May 4

    Spoiled for choice tomorrow, with a MTF finish in the Giro, with Pogacar clearly hunting pink and the best little race of the season taking place.

    Yup, it's Tro Bro Leon time. Coverage is live from 2pm on Eurosport.


    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,823

    I'm working from home tomorrow so Tro Bro Leon and the Elfstedenronde will keep me company

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,691

    De Lie takes Tro Bro Leon, good to see him back

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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,590

    He was third in some chipper yesterday too. Cosnefroy won it and I can’t remember what it was (switched on after the Giro and saw the presentation).

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,691

    Surprised nobody has commented yet but in the Tour of Hungary Cav was ahead in the sprint until 50m to go where he got swamped and sat up. Wellsford took the stage, Cav ended sixth

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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730

    He’s put things right today and beaten Groenewegen to take the win.

    Cav starting to find his legs in time for the tour…

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,691

    CAV!

    Brilliant leadout, Cav finally gets a win in Europe for '24

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  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,823

    I know Groenewegen isn't an A* sprinter these days but Cav showed his just as fast as him, after being brilliantly set by his lead out train

  • wakemalcolm
    wakemalcolm Posts: 940

    Sagan seems to be able to hack the pace of the first 2 stages: has come in with the lead group both times.

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    Cake is just weakness entering the body
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,823

    Feels this is the best place for this discussion rather than a thread of it's own

    Is Arnaud de Lie any good? Apart from the Quebec race last year he's only ever won the type of race Cav would describe at S**t small

    Whenever he's been at World tour level (Quebec aside) he's never impressed, apart from a (somewhat fortunate) 2nd place at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    I don't think anyone who finishes on the podium at Het Nieuwsblad is ever fortunate.

    He's 22, he's won 22 races in 2.5 years as a pro at a team which doesn't have the horsepower to put wins on a plate for him, so I think it's clear he has talent. He's still raw and his inexperience shows at times, but I think he's definitely got the potential to win major races throughout his career.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912

    Cav win is a morale boost .... Lead out was very good

    "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 pm
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,691

    I saw him absolutely smoke Mads P on a long uphill sprint in Etoile de Bessèges last year, so yeah, he's good.

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  • wakemalcolm
    wakemalcolm Posts: 940
    edited May 14

    Cofidis do it again in Dunkerque jour 1: they're unstoppable.

    ================================
    Cake is just weakness entering the body
  • Webboo2
    Webboo2 Posts: 1,115

    No Carlton spent at least half the race explaining the name.😜🤪😜🤪😜🤪😜

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    Good to see Sam Bennett get a win at the Four Days of Dunkirk today, his first for Decathlon-AG2R.

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    Horrible crash in the closing few hundred metres of the Women's Vuelta a Burgos today. UAE's Sofia Bertizzolo lost control of her front wheel somehow, and went down taking Lisa Balsamo with her, who smashed into the barriers. I hope they are both okay.

  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730

    No live coverage of the Criterium Dauphine on tv this year. In fact, no same day highlights either, on Eurosport, only ITV 4’s 7pm highlights package.

    Further pressure being applied to fans of cycling to stump up 7 quid a month for Discovery+s inferior product, while tennis fans get almost 48 hours of tv coverage every 24 hours.

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,610

    I suppose it aaves the pain in the @rse tennis matches over-running and screwing up the Eurosport schedule... 😏🙄

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    I still think £7 a month to watch most, if not all, the major races live is a good deal.

  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,620
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago