"PRO" Cycling Discussion

[indigo]

No great mystery surrounding Wiggins' tour win. His preparation and team was superb, there was more TT than usual which he excelled at, Contador wasn't there, and the course was made for him that year.

Believe he genuinely was Sky's best choice for that particular TdF. Not so last year ..

Given his amazing Palmares and their diverse nature, I would say he would be be capable of a P-R podium.

[TwiggyTN]

If you can top 10 you can win. Likely no, but possible yes, if things roll your way. Especially in a chaotic race like Roubaix.

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[Willier]

1 day too late



AC doing recon for July

[headwind816]

AC's helmet looks slightly off center ... I wonder how he would fair in a classic's race

Edit: I am an idiot, sorry about the classics comment.

[dereksmalls]

He races Classics

[KWalker]

tymon-

Too much to quote.

How many riders in that field have won a 1 week stage race? Grand Tour? Olympic medal? Podium'd another 2 Grand Tours? Podium'd a half dozen other stage races? He is hardly a flash in the pan. Other than Boonen and Cancellara no rider in that field comes anywhere close to that amount of accomplishment. Stybar, Degenkolb, Langeveld, Sagan, etc. have had some wins, but none that are at that level.

And yes, you are wrong about what wins the classics especially when there is wind or inclement weather. Even in the Mapei days they were often successful based on numbers and thus their ability to employ multiple game plans based on how things progressed. If you want to look at what good teamwork can do for a rider just check out the 2013 Tour of Flanders, where Fabian barely saw the wind until he attacked. Even the years where he and Boonen won from pretty far out it was (as in 2010 P-R) often a result of position and luck. When Fabian attacked for the wind Boonen and the other favorites were at the back of the pack and only Leukemans was able to cover it. Strength+tactics. In 2011 when Van Summeren won it wasn't on strength, but because he had teammates in the chase group who thus didn't contribute to the efforts and marked any counter attacks. Even when his teammates didn't make the final chase group he was far enough ahead where the chase that was eating into his gap didn't catch him fast enough (plus riding a leaking rear tire). Just like every bike race if other riders are off it also makes a difference. Boonen rode well this year, but it wasn't like 2012. Fabian hasn't ridden quite as consistently as he did in 2013 or 2010.

And no, not many of those riders have the same sustainable power Wiggins does either in shorter pursuit-like efforts or on the track. Cancellara is the one obvious exception and similar power profile. Stybar and Boom have great shorter duration power, but nothing that would probably get them off the front in the last 10km for the win. Degenkolb was a decent TT'er as a junior, but not on the World Tour level. Same with Hushovd.

A team effort isn't the be all and end all, but it sure helps when you have 3 riders in the final selection and all of them are capable of winning (Boonen, Terpstra, Stybar) or another rider from your team to share the work with or perhaps sit in and not chase when you attack. If anything Wiggo was a bit too eager once he got to the group and tried to attack from too far out.

[DartanianX]

Back to what the pros are riding, here we have Europcar was rocking.





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[tymon_tm]

KWalker,

there are races, and there are races. there are classics like PR, and there are classics like Amstel. from what you say, Wiggo has the potential to claim them all - i simply do not accept that for even a slightest possibility. as for the history, one might argue who actually won a given race - the rider or the team. or maybe both, but then - in what proportions?

there are cyclists, who can (could) be competitive without a strong team - McEwen comes to mind. and there are those who require the entire's team effort - like Petacchi. IMO Wiggins falls into the second bracket - does this make him less of a cyclist, no. he won the Tour after all. but it says something about how he is on the bike. i guess time will tell though - i for one won't bet my money he wins anything anytime soon.

[tymon_tm]

back to tech, one thing stuck in my mind - Dariusz Baranowski (a former pro for Banesto and USPS) said during the Paris-Roubaix Eurosport coverage something about certain teams using the double tire technique - like putting one tire (a clincher?) onto the other (a tubular?). does anyone have a clue about such a thing?

[petal666]

No idea what it actually is, but 'double chamber' MTB tires.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Schwalbe-D ... -ride.html

[nickl]

but i'd be far from praising Wiggins for his single top ten finish. could've been a pure coincidence as well.

I'm not sure a top-ten finish at P-R is ever a "pure coincidence", but whatever.

As for it being a single top ten finish, you need to understand that Wiggins will never, ever race lots just for the sake of it. I think he's completely unique in the cycling world in that he is only motivated by very specific goals, and only does things that will get him closer to that specific goal.

I actually tipped Wiggins to finish 5th (in another tipping competition) based on the way he rode Flanders. He only finished 32nd, ~20 seconds off the back of the Sagan group.

But if you watch the race it was pretty clear he was riding well - he wasn't getting gapped until the attacks right at the end, and it looked to me he dropped of the Sagan group because he didn't care too much (there's that "not a goal" thing...).

Apparently he's focusing on the track for the Rio Olympics. That will need him to bulk up a bit more, which might suit him well in the classics.

I actually think he's more suited the something like Flanders than he was to the Tour. P-R is too much of a lottery to say he'll win it for sure, but if he wants to do it he's proven he'll be a threat.

[Tinea Pedis]

Lance, now with advice on how to fix a flat tyre.

http://www.outsideonline.com/featured-v ... trong.html

[ico]

At least he has a sence of humor ..

[ayrej2]

Looks like he's trying to become a pantomime villain type character. Made me laugh anyway.

[euan]

back to tech, one thing stuck in my mind - Dariusz Baranowski (a former pro for Banesto and USPS) said during the Paris-Roubaix Eurosport coverage something about certain teams using the double tire technique - like putting one tire (a clincher?) onto the other (a tubular?). does anyone have a clue about such a thing?

I think this is unlikely given current tyre tech. However it used to be an old school winter training thing for extra puncture protection. You used a tubular tyre in a clincher instead of a tube.