Explains a lot of things I guess.maquisard wrote:Ha, I ride all the time with a pair of fluo-yellow Jawbones, love them!
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Explains a lot of things I guess.maquisard wrote:Ha, I ride all the time with a pair of fluo-yellow Jawbones, love them!
That is true! I'm the same with Flak Jackets for the last 10 years (although my age means I've finally had to get new lenses and went for Radar EV's this time)
Exactly. There was no money for a road programme. The one English rider in the top 10 is Dan Martin (born and raised around Birmingham; Brit junior road champion), but he couldn't get financial backing when he needed it, so rode for Ireland (due to his Irish mother) instead. That's how one-sided it was for the trackies.wingguy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:21 amBut most successful cyclists were focussed on the road in their junior days and early 20s. The nature of the BC program at the time meant that the best British talent was funnelled into the Olympic track program.tymon_tm wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:38 amthe issue is - most successfull cyclists have a record of wins going back to their junior years. SKY's leaders don't (and although Wiggins was a superior athlete, track is not road racing). in a discipline where consistency allows improvement over the years, seeing a dude transforming from mediocre to unbelievable over a season or two is - what?
And suddenly Froome could ride a good TT
OK, wasn't aware about it. as I said, Wiggo's a phenomenal athlete, so his transition to road racing is less of a surprise (for instance - Roglic was a solid ski jumper too ). it's still a bit quirky though, perhaps it's just me not knowing the science behind the process, but getting a track powerhorse to perform along best climbers in the world (again, guys who have been doing it their entire career) is somewhat mind twisting. he stll managed to be 4th at '09 Tour though, did some races earlier.. but Thomas? he might've been known on the track, but here we go again - where's team pursuit, where's climbing atop Huez? two different realities, although I once again acknowledge a world class athlete is possibly more open to shift regarding his abilities. perhaps SKY has the knowledge to shift athletes like that, never mind their age - but I just don't buy it. one is luck, two coincidence, three - a pattern. of course where this lead follows is up for guessing at the moment, and mine is as good as yours.KB wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:44 amExactly. There was no money for a road programme. The one English rider in the top 10 is Dan Martin (born and raised around Birmingham; Brit junior road champion), but he couldn't get financial backing when he needed it, so rode for Ireland (due to his Irish mother) instead. That's how one-sided it was for the trackies.
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.
the word "hate" is a two lane street - I could say branding everyone who doesn't see this miracle of a team for what they picture themselves a "hater" you put yourself in a "psychofan" or "cult follower" seat instead we might just talk, criticize, debate and sometimes agree to disagree, puting emotions aside. unless you're emotionally involved, which makes you... yeah
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.
Leaving aside that you're conflating skills wth fitness, I'll once again point out that Geraint Thomas hasn't raced track since 2012. That's six seasons of uninterrupted road riding (in addition to a 2009-11 spell) during which time he's shown a steady and constant improvement in ability and results. Rundfahrt, Algarve, Nice, Alps, Dauphine.... Tour?tymon_tm wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 10:40 amalso: I haven't heard about anything even remotely similar in other disciplines, heck even considering alpine skiing, where one would say downhill and slalom are just riding down the slopes thus very similar - which they are not - guys and gals who shine in one end take seasons to master the opposite one.
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.
Before 2017 Dumoulin nearly won the Vuelta until collapsing in the 2nd last stage in 2015. Then 2016 was a bad year where he abandoned the Giro where he has worn the pink for at least a week and crashed out the Tour after winning the Andorra stage. 2016 was also the year most of his focus was on the TT for the Olympics. He had top 10 in 1-week races before. The other difference is Dumoulin is still young. and has been building up to stage races and TT from day one. He doesn't come from another complete discipline. It's apples and oranges.bikewithnoname wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 11:18 amQuick fact.
Before TD won the Giro in ‘17 he had won exactly zero 1 week races or classics, and only placed in the top 10 of a 3week tour once (almost 4mins down).
Using the logic being applied to Thomas, there is no possible way TD has actually won the Giro, it’s just not possible that someone with this previous palmares and 3week form actually won the Giro, it’s impossible, IMPOSSIBLE
But hang on it actually happened, I saw it first hand in Milan. Eyebrows raised?
Sports a funny thing
Britain has always produced good pursuit riders who developed into roadies. Simpson, Hoban, Boardman, Wiggins et al. Thomas raced in his first TdF 11 years ago and finished second last. I think he was 21 at the time. Indurain's first tour I think he finished about 90th. Riders improve with age. Yes, Froome makes me scratch my head a bit, but not Thomas. And remember that pursuit riders are not track sprinters. The physiology is totally different. As a corollary there are runners who are world class 1500m runners and then develop into 10000m runners.tymon_tm wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 11:03 amnot just skills, it takes a whole different set of abilities for downhill/SG and slalom/GS. it's basically like sprinter vs. climber.
re: Thomas - his individual progress isn't any extraordinary. it's when you put in context and observe the pattern, it gets a bit, well, eyebrow-raising. that's it, nothing more, nothing less.