2024 Pro thread

[Mr.Gib]

To repair the psychological damage I just watched the mens race again, but with the Euro feed. Rob Hatch, Robbie McEwen, Matt Stephens. Hopefully after hearing their call of the race, the nightmares will stop. I'll watch the women's again also.

[spud]

Faulkner was not only the strongest (or was she) but definitely the smartest. had there been radios it all would've played out differently. all that explosiveness and racing like their lifes depended on it was due to lack of coms - you just can't be sure, can't take it easy at any point, and if you do, you're done.

Paris RRs were amongst the absolute best races i've ever seen

And just think:

Taylor Knibb had that spot in the RR but gave it up because she didn’t have any mass start experience.


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After USA cycling is done patting themselves on the back, they should take a serious look at themselves. The fact that Knibb made the decision which resulted in a gold medal shows how utterly incompetent USA cycling is...

[LeDuke]

Faulkner was not only the strongest (or was she) but definitely the smartest. had there been radios it all would've played out differently. all that explosiveness and racing like their lifes depended on it was due to lack of coms - you just can't be sure, can't take it easy at any point, and if you do, you're done.

Paris RRs were amongst the absolute best races i've ever seen

And just think:

Taylor Knibb had that spot in the RR but gave it up because she didn’t have any mass start experience.


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After USA cycling is done patting themselves on the back, they should take a serious look at themselves. The fact that Knibb made the decision which resulted in a gold medal shows how utterly incompetent USA cycling is...

Absolutely.

Ruth Edwards (nee Winder) and Kristen Faulkner would’ve been my two picks. Both win hard races and can handle their bikes in a group.

Also, how the US only managed to earn two spots in the Olympic RR is beyond me. Ruth coming out of retirement will help going forwards but we need more than just a couple point earners.

I wonder how many of the people that are “coached” by Jim Miller are actually coached by him. Or if they just pay him to get his vote on the selection committee.

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[tymon_tm]

I'll allow myself to take a moment to praise Robbie McEwen for his outstanding performance this season

after watching PL eurosport for a quarter of the century (since 99' to be exact) i switched this season to UK coverage. and man that was a great choice. McEwen was a great rider, but is even a better commentator. nah, he's just the best. took me a race or two to get used to his accent, but he speaks so elegantly it's not even an issue for someone like me, not 'adjusted' to accents other than American (i'll even take Kentucky over British, thank you very much). Robbie's very insightful, funny (but in a nuanced kind of way) and how he speaks you just feel being in front of a mic is a natural habitat for him.

here's Robbe mocking both Pog and Sagan, and also displaying too much exuberance, y'all welcome to feel offended. chapeau!




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as UK Eurosport team goes most of them are fine, with exception of Matt Stephen's who's really great to listen to, maybe too chaotic sometimes, but that's part of the charm i'd say. a clear runner up to Robbie. there's that one dude (Rob? Carlton? can't remember who's who) laughing at his own jokes, there's ever mumbling Sean Kelly, who provides viewers with zero insight, but all that's acceptable for most parts. the cherry on top for me are guests - for instance Vaughters who was there for 3 Tour stages, how much cooler one can get!

the biggest issue i have is how's all that put together, with these constant shifts during a race - why on earth does Kelly have to comment on nearly every race finale is beyond my grasp..

[spokenwords]

[/quote]
After USA cycling is done patting themselves on the back, they should take a serious look at themselves. The fact that Knibb made the decision which resulted in a gold medal shows how utterly incompetent USA cycling is...
[/quote]
quoted for posterity. USA cycling has been an embarrassment for decades.

[EtoDemerzel]

Sounds like Knibb dropped out of the rr to do triathlon (silver)
She would never have been in contention in the rr.

I guess that's USAC failing upwards.

[eins4eins]

I'll allow myself to take a moment to praise Robbie McEwen for his outstanding performance this season

after watching PL eurosport for a quarter of the century (since 99' to be exact) i switched this season to UK coverage. and man that was a great choice. McEwen was a great rider, but is even a better commentator. nah, he's just the best. took me a race or two to get used to his accent, but he speaks so elegantly it's not even an issue for someone like me, not 'adjusted' to accents other than American (i'll even take Kentucky over British, thank you very much). Robbie's very insightful, funny (but in a nuanced kind of way) and how he speaks you just feel being in front of a mic is a natural habitat for him.

here's Robbe mocking both Pog and Sagan, and also displaying too much exuberance, y'all welcome to feel offended. chapeau!




--------

as UK Eurosport team goes most of them are fine, with exception of Matt Stephen's who's really great to listen to, maybe too chaotic sometimes, but that's part of the charm i'd say. a clear runner up to Robbie. there's that one dude (Rob? Carlton? can't remember who's who) laughing at his own jokes, there's ever mumbling Sean Kelly, who provides viewers with zero insight, but all that's acceptable for most parts. the cherry on top for me are guests - for instance Vaughters who was there for 3 Tour stages, how much cooler one can get!

the biggest issue i have is how's all that put together, with these constant shifts during a race - why on earth does Kelly have to comment on nearly every race finale is beyond my grasp..

+1
UK team is awesome. Personally don't like Kelly, as he got stuck in a time long time ago, but the rest of the crew makes up for that.
Blythe and Orla Chennaoui in the studio for the after show do a great job as well.

[EtoDemerzel]

Eurosport is the only thing I watch
I can't stand NBC. Just like Flo cycling on yt- my day is so much better when i block them and don't get spoilers in the titles.

[Karvalo]

as UK Eurosport team goes most of them are fine, with exception of Matt Stephen's who's really great to listen to, maybe too chaotic sometimes, but that's part of the charm i'd say. a clear runner up to Robbie. there's that one dude (Rob? Carlton? can't remember who's who) laughing at his own jokes, there's ever mumbling Sean Kelly, who provides viewers with zero insight, but all that's acceptable for most parts. the cherry on top for me are guests - for instance Vaughters who was there for 3 Tour stages, how much cooler one can get!

Rob Hatch is the one who's obsessed with being from Lancashire (particularly when paired with Yorkshire's own Adam Blythe), Carlton Kirby is the guy who laughs at all his own jokes. But I've got to say, even though his schtick does get a bit samey after a while, his ability to stay positive, enthusiastic, and still find something to say when he's on a 2 hour solo commentary stint on a flat stage without a breakaway when absolutely nothing has happened all day really is a rare talent. I think the best Kellyism is when it's August in the Spanish desert, the tarmac is running off the roads and water is evaporating straight out of the bottle before the domestique can even hand it to his leader and he'll say "Well you know it is a bit warm out there today".

[BenSiskri]

Rob Hatch is the one who's obsessed with being from Lancashire (particularly when paired with Yorkshire's own Adam Blythe),

That's just to keep the Yorkies in check (and remind them who won the Wars of the Roses).....

[tymon_tm]

his ability to stay positive, enthusiastic, and still find something to say when he's on a 2 hour solo commentary stint on a flat stage without a breakaway when absolutely nothing has happened all day really is a rare talent.

that's a bare minimum for any endurance sport commentator. but I agree they do a solid job; the 'division of labour' where Rob and Carlton act as moderators setting the tone for conversation, asking direct questions (when there are more than 2 poeple in the studio) does make the whole thing smooth and more interesting - because you feel that it's not improvised, that they're prepared and have actually something to convey

Kelly, "you know", he's just 70 years old and it shows (hears..?). time to step down from the main chair.

[spud]

hidden behind the paywall at Velonews is the headline about how "Faulkner used her VC skills to win gold" at the Olympics. Cue retching noises...as if I didn't get enough of her 3 sentence bio on repeat on Peacock's broadcast - "Central Park.7 years. VC" ad nauseum.

[petal666]

Australia going 3:40.7mins in the 4k teams pursuit, I remember when they first went under 4 minutes.

[maquisard]

I was about to remark the same, incredible performances. The track is probably the purest demostration of advancements in aerodynamics, equipement and training.

Atmospheric conditions not dramatically favourable either. QNH of 1013hPa locally. If low pressure moved in they would go with even greater speed.

[Karvalo]

Really surprised to see the Danes surpassed so quickly. The Italians were always going to be quite mercurial, but Denmark seemed to have a really strong program to build that team. But two quite scrappy and poorly paced rides so far, and looks like even if they got everything right the Aussies would still be out of sight. Crazy strong.

Dutch team sprint also quite incredible. Difficult to imagine how any human team could ever go faster.