2017 'PRO' cycling discussion.

[bilwit]

TJ yo! Not usually a TJ fan but man I love an underdog!!!!!

Still early days. TJ always hangs around until the third week where he blows up. I'm more surprised at how Roche is holding up so far but again, it's still early.

[bikewithnoname]

Froome seem so to be cruising. As does Chavez, the rest look in pain. Long way to go. Froome is clear favourite. Hat-tip to Moscon showing some GC skills on top of his proven classics power

[ichobi]

Roche always goes well in Vuelta. Hope to see him up there in the top 10.


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[mentok]

I think it is too early to declare froome the winner here. nibali is off by less than a minute. it is a long tour with uphill finishes. he is the freshest of the GC folks not having done the tour. I think he will surprise us.

Hoping for this too. Froome, in theory, should be struggle to hold onto his form by the end of the Vuelta while Nibali is probably still riding into it. I think it was 2016 Giro when Nibali was a decent way behind but just rode a super strong 3rd week and got a bit of luck with Kruijswijk crashing out. More of the same please.

[boysa]

Nibali seems to come into GTs not quite in form. He's timed it perfectly a few times so far, hoping he's on the money here.

[wheelbuilder]

TJ's steep gradient ability has improved drastically. He used to need long very steady climbs to get into a rhythm, and would perform poorly with gradient changes, accelerations, and steep stuff. Good for him! That said he will mess up his program somehow on the second rest day and fall apart.

[bikewithnoname]

TJ always, and I mean always, goes off the boil for at least 2 days in every 3 week tour. He will be lucky to make Top 10. If you're looking beyond Froome orChavez you're over thinking this one imho

[micky]

Froome has done the minimun requested during TdF and until now he looks much more fresh than past years.
Of course it's still early to say.
Hope Nibali can get the legs rolling to add a bit of excitement to the race.

[CrankAddictsRich]

Lots of people on here and on podcasts saying that Froome cruised to the TDF win, riding at 85%, doing just enough to win so that he'd be on point to win the Vuelta as well... and sorry, that's just not how I remember it going down. I feel like Froome was pushed pretty hard in the TDF and even looked vulnerable in some spots. I think he looks good now but I'm not convinced he can maintain this form for the remaining two and half weeks. I think we will see him crack at some point in this race, but I also think he's got the strongest team at the race and the strongest team that Sky has ever brought to the Vuelta, so even if he does pop at some point, they may be able to limit losses and still be successful.

I think Chavez looks good and I think Nibali will come on strong. I'm also not willing to count Contador out yet. He looked good yesterday and even if he loses time in GC I still like he rides with enough panache to screw up tactics for Froome later on. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that we see Woods get a top 5 or even a podium. I think Cannondale will continue to play the "we don't care about GC, we're going for stage wins" card as he slowly moves up the GC list. I also think people just write Cannondale off easily... of course, I could also be totally off. hahaha

[Ozrider]

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/olympic- ... b88577842z


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[maquisard]

Zero sympathy for drug dealers, hope he goes to prison. This isn't doping in sports, this is selling recreational drugs that frequently kill people.

[ave]

But of course he would never touch drugs as a cyclist. ****** ****

[bilwit]

Bardet & Pozzovivo lost 6 minutes today.. wth is going on with AG2R

Lots of people on here and on podcasts saying that Froome cruised to the TDF win, riding at 85%, doing just enough to win so that he'd be on point to win the Vuelta as well... and sorry, that's just not how I remember it going down. I feel like Froome was pushed pretty hard in the TDF and even looked vulnerable in some spots. I think he looks good now but I'm not convinced he can maintain this form for the remaining two and half weeks. I think we will see him crack at some point in this race, but I also think he's got the strongest team at the race and the strongest team that Sky has ever brought to the Vuelta, so even if he does pop at some point, they may be able to limit losses and still be successful.

I think Chavez looks good and I think Nibali will come on strong. I'm also not willing to count Contador out yet. He looked good yesterday and even if he loses time in GC I still like he rides with enough panache to screw up tactics for Froome later on. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that we see Woods get a top 5 or even a podium. I think Cannondale will continue to play the "we don't care about GC, we're going for stage wins" card as he slowly moves up the GC list. I also think people just write Cannondale off easily... of course, I could also be totally off. hahaha

That's how I remember it. He was definitely undercooked before the Tour, just look at Dauphine and even the TT he put up there. Once Porte crashed in the Tour, there was no point it was ever in doubt that he was going to win, especially after already having that massive advantage after the opening TT in the rain. He lost the jersey on a climb that didn't suit him (even then he lost what, 20s?) but after that he just got stronger as the race went on and none of that mattered anyway because of the TT at the end. Here at the Vuelta he arrived in top form and looks unbeatable from Day 1. Just like in the Tour, it's going to take some major heroics or freak occurrence for him to lose.

Chavez and Nibali will cough up several minutes in the TT and if they can't even gain a few seconds here or there on these summit finishes then they don't have any hope.

[tymon_tm]

Bardet & Pozzovivo lost 6 minutes today.. wth is going on with AG2R

Lots of people on here and on podcasts saying that Froome cruised to the TDF win, riding at 85%, doing just enough to win so that he'd be on point to win the Vuelta as well... and sorry, that's just not how I remember it going down. I feel like Froome was pushed pretty hard in the TDF and even looked vulnerable in some spots. I think he looks good now but I'm not convinced he can maintain this form for the remaining two and half weeks. I think we will see him crack at some point in this race, but I also think he's got the strongest team at the race and the strongest team that Sky has ever brought to the Vuelta, so even if he does pop at some point, they may be able to limit losses and still be successful.

I think Chavez looks good and I think Nibali will come on strong. I'm also not willing to count Contador out yet. He looked good yesterday and even if he loses time in GC I still like he rides with enough panache to screw up tactics for Froome later on. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that we see Woods get a top 5 or even a podium. I think Cannondale will continue to play the "we don't care about GC, we're going for stage wins" card as he slowly moves up the GC list. I also think people just write Cannondale off easily... of course, I could also be totally off. hahaha

That's how I remember it. He was definitely undercooked before the Tour, just look at Dauphine and even the TT he put up there. Once Porte crashed in the Tour, there was no point it was ever in doubt that he was going to win, especially after already having that massive advantage after the opening TT in the rain. He lost the jersey on a climb that didn't suit him (even then he lost what, 20s?) but after that he just got stronger as the race went on and none of that mattered anyway because of the TT at the end. Here at the Vuelta he arrived in top form and looks unbeatable from Day 1. Just like in the Tour, it's going to take some major heroics or freak occurrence for him to lose.

Chavez and Nibali will cough up several minutes in the TT and if they can't even gain a few seconds here or there on these summit finishes then they don't have any hope.

totally agree, despite Bardet 'trying stuff' Froome was never in real danger in the Tour. now, he seems like just poking around - but I'd say it's not that he's crazy strong, it's others who lack form.

[Wookski]

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/olympic-cyclist-jack-bobridge-charged-with-drug-dealing-by-wa-police-ng-b88577842z


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Based on the quantity he was caught with he would have been making a fortune- explains the early retirement!