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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

Sleeping in was worth it: I got to see Voss the Boss win it Cancellara style. :)
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djconnel
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by djconnel

Nice work by the Dutch team. With 2 riders in the group of 5, it was a done deal. I started watching @ 15 km to go, left to do other things @ 2 km to go.

Also I felt for V (NZ), G & B (IT) chasing back on only to get popped immediately. Been there....

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MattSoutherden
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by MattSoutherden

So, the weather forecast for tomorrow is still shocking.

What would thunderstorms and torrential rain do to the race? Will the likes of Faboo/Nibali/Sagan cause havoc early on to thin the field?

Although it's forecast to be wet, it's not cold, so the conditions shouldn't kill off the stickmen as happened in MSR.
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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

AGW wrote:And for fun:

Image
Leaving aside comfort, safety, and the fact that he won, how effective is this technique? If the clip is running in real-time, he appears to be doing very roughly 120 RPM (perhaps someone can come up with a more accurate RPM figure), which is not that close to what I think would be spun out. Might he not be able to produce enough more power if in the saddle to more than make up for the aero reduction? Either that, or just not pedal?

Anders3404
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by Anders3404

The RPM seems about right. I was timing and counting his cadence when watching it and it was over 100. Even on the flat his cadence was around 100 in 53/11

AGW
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by AGW

The article where I found the GIF quoted a study stating that one could save 30 seconds on a 5km descent at -10% on the top tube vs in the saddle in the drops, or (up to) ~25% reduction in CdA. His position may have indeed helped him gain a few precious seconds, but the pedaling appears to just be his own eccentricity or fruitless attempt at more speed.

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ave
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by ave

Pedalling negates the drag of the freewheeling hub. :) So he might be faster like this.
I tried it today. I felt very unstable (at around 40kph), but could pedal surprisingly well. But I think I'd get cramps straightaway if I tried this in a race.

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

He could have also been doing it to keep the legs & fluids moving, avoiding acid build up.
I certainly soft pedal down some prolonged steep slopes when its well into a long ride and I still have a ways to go. It helps my muscles even though there is no speed benefit (there may even be more of a drag because I'm not keeping my legs still at the 6-9 positions)
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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

prendrefeu wrote:there may even be more of a drag because I'm not keeping my legs still at the 6-9 positions
Do you ride with PowerCranks? :beerchug:

I guess you could get the 6-9 position with Campy UT if you (mis)aligned the Hirth joint accordingly, but that might be awkward to ride.

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

Haha... sorry, I meant 3-9. ;)

One day though, I want to build a fixie (no brakes) with powercranks and eggbeater pedals, then leave it unlocked at the top of a steep hill.
I will find the thief either dead, injured, or crying within a few blocks. :twisted:
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JamieL
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by JamieL

Anyone got any more information on this? seems like the Sunday Times is the only one doing the story at the moment:

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/new ... 2013_09_28" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sunday Times wrote:Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, 28, from Plymouth, who won last year’s Tour of Britain, has received a letter from the UCI, cycling’s governing body, after the discovery of irregular variations dating back to September 2012, three months before he joined Team Sky. He has three weeks to provide an explanation.

The variations do not mean Tiernan-Locke is guilty of doping or any other illegal practice. However, the biological passport, in which they were detected, is regarded as a key tool in helping authorities uncover the use of banned substances.

It is believed the suspicious values relate to the final four months of last year, when Tiernan-Locke was riding for Endura...

airwise
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by airwise

Sad and embarrassing - it's been interesting to see how the guy has suffered under Sky guidance this year.

I wonder how many other riders have been recently pulled up - and more interesting perhaps how many more will be singled out with the change of leadership at the UCI

JamieL
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by JamieL

Team Sky wrote:We have no doubts over his performance, behaviour or tests at Team Sky and understand any anomaly is in readings taken before he joined the team. Team Sky has tried to respect what should be a confidential process, allowing the rider to explain in private, without prejudice, and the anti-doping authorities to do their valuable job.


Very good point - confidentiality of the rider should remain until any further action is taken. "Innocent until possible discrepancy is detected" is not really that fair.

Anyway, more importantly, with rain forecast today i have absolutely no idea who's going to win, but i think it'll be fast and hard from early on. Switzerland actually have a strong team but i think a small group of "unmarked" riders will fight it out at the end. £5 on Daniel Moreno...

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MattSoutherden
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by MattSoutherden

Similar to Frank Schleck - if he was trying to cheat this year, then he really *f##k* it up.
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jmilliron
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by jmilliron

No, he's clean this year. He blood values make it look like he cheated last year, when he got all his great results.
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