"PRO" Cycling Discussion

[qwop]

Maybe Nibali could have won if he didn't have two (full?) bottles on his bike up the Cauberg

[jvanv8]

So possibly Ventoux and a double Huez ascent for 2013? Sounds interesting to say the least! But would it be a fizzer of a stage?http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-ventoux-and-two-ascents-of-lalpe-dhuez-for-2013-tour-de-france

I did the ascent and proposed descent of the "unpaved" Col de Sarenne which adds about 200 extra meters or so of climbing to Alpe d'Huez. It's a beautiful and historic short ascent/ and long descent with many pave sections for drainage and tight switchbacks for efficiency. There is zero chance the tour would ever take that path in the condition I rode it in (see the video section on my blog to judge for yourself). Although if they widened the road, took out all the pave "dips", and paved it beautifully smooth... maybe the tour would include it and all the big buses and trucks could navigate it.
However, there is some magic in riding a section of alpine roads that are "too rough" for la Grande Boucle. Since when does the route have to accommodate 200 trucks and countless vans and cars? Truly beautiful moments on a road bike occur when you are navigating a road that is too narrow, too tight, too rough, too wet, and too dangerous. When was the last time we saw that? Backtrack 60 or 70 or more years and they really did ride interesting roads like this... unimproved. It would be kind of fun to see a tour where the course was actually a challenge. Last I checked, that's what this great race was meant to do.

[Rodrego Hernandez]

So possibly Ventoux and a double Huez ascent for 2013? Sounds interesting to say the least! But would it be a fizzer of a stage?http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-ventoux-and-two-ascents-of-lalpe-dhuez-for-2013-tour-de-france

I did the ascent and proposed descent of the "unpaved" Col de Sarenne which adds about 200 extra meters or so of climbing to Alpe d'Huez. It's a beautiful and historic short ascent/ and long descent with many pave sections for drainage and tight switchbacks for efficiency. There is zero chance the tour would ever take that path in the condition I rode it in (see the video section on my blog to judge for yourself). Although if they widened the road, took out all the pave "dips", and paved it beautifully smooth... maybe the tour would include it and all the big buses and trucks could navigate it.
However, there is some magic in riding a section of alpine roads that are "too rough" for la Grande Boucle. Since when does the route have to accommodate 200 trucks and countless vans and cars? Truly beautiful moments on a road bike occur when you are navigating a road that is too narrow, too tight, too rough, too wet, and too dangerous. When was the last time we saw that? Backtrack 60 or 70 or more years and they really did ride interesting roads like this... unimproved. It would be kind of fun to see a tour where the course was actually a challenge. Last I checked, that's what this great race was meant to do.

It's being paved and the boulsters removed at the moment. Will still be a technical descent though.

[duz10s]

Lampre change Wilier to Merida with three year deal. http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/merida-to-enter-pro-cycling-world-with-lampre-35359/

What a shocker, big step back from riding Willer, must be paying the team big bucks

[CarpetFibre]

Wow if this speculation about the new tour route is true then I am already excited!

Mt Ventoux is special to me as I've climbed it a few times and spent a lot of my childhood visiting it too. I'll be looking forward to that although I wish they'd give the Malaucene ascent a go as I don't think it has featured in the tour before? (Although I guess this tour will be all about history and nostalgia to be fair).

Two ascents of L'Alpe is pretty awesome too - I always love the racing on that climb, it never disappoints.

...And then an uphill time trial?! Awesome! Let's hope all the big names are going to be featuring in next year's tour - whether you like all of them or not it'll make for a fantastic spectacle!

[SvenNijs]

What a shocker, big step back from riding Willer, must be paying the team big bucks

Really, what's in a name? Aren't both frames actually manufactured in Taiwan anyway and wouldn't Merida be a whole heap bigger company with lots more R&D, back-up etc?

[kgt]

I also liked the romantic idea of an italian team riding an italian bike with an italian groupset. I guess Wilier will not sponsor any team this year...

[ave]

Have you seen this?
That's a pretty fast bike change!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH1FEwr2htI

[duz10s]

What a shocker, big step back from riding Willer, must be paying the team big bucks

Really, what's in a name? Aren't both frames actually manufactured in Taiwan anyway and wouldn't Merida be a whole heap bigger company with lots more R&D, back-up etc?

I don't know, your telling the story so please tell us more

[MattSoutherden]

Maybe Nibali could have won if he didn't have two (full?) bottles on his bike up the Cauberg

Given that when Gilbert made his decisive attack, there was one other belgian rider ahead of him, i'm guessing that pic isn't the last ascent of the Cauberg. Also JTL wasn't right up at the front the last time, there was EBH, Kolobnev and a Dutch rider (Boom?).

[SvenNijs]

What a shocker, big step back from riding Willer, must be paying the team big bucks

Really, what's in a name? Aren't both frames actually manufactured in Taiwan anyway and wouldn't Merida be a whole heap bigger company with lots more R&D, back-up etc?

I don't know, your telling the story so please tell us more

No, you made the statement about it being a "big step back", I'm just posing questions based on logic/economics. Hopefully someone 'in the know' can fill in the gaps.

[ave]

Found a video of Contador's attack in stage 17 of the Vuelta. (The part that was missing from TV)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tSKmfBp9T0

[HillRPete]

ave, wow, thanks for digging this out. The other riders look like standing still!

[artray]

AC is a monster . Brilliant footage
Thanks

[ultyguy]

He has balls...I like balls.

What a ride, hilarious to watch all the riders he overtakes. They go from initial surprise to trying to accelerate to catch his wheel, which lasts for all of about 10 seconds, then the head goes down and start shaking in disbelief