Recent content by Fergoose

I always do enjoy reading posters suggesting Thomas showed no aptitude on a bike until his late 20s OR that excelling in and focussing on other disciplines earlier in your career before having success riding tempo uphill later in your career makes you more suspect than a guy like Caruso. For...

I think 'Arab money' is an appropriate distinct term in cycling for four reasons. the money comes from supporters and participants in authoritarian regimes. They've grown up knowing the rule of law does not apply to them. they intentionally embed their nations name in the team, unlike Katusha...

The changes are closing the 2200hr to 0600hrs immunity from being tested and adding a new element to the biological passport for monitoring growth hormone. “At present, the ABP is there to detect two main substance classes. The hematological module of the ABP is used to detect blood doping...

A new testing regime for 2023 and Vingegaard takes a significant step back and can't close 15 seconds on Gaudu without seemingly blowing up and being overtaken by others, leading to loss of a jersey and almost certainly loss of a race. Yes, it's early season, its not a GT and Vingegaards tactics...

Top 7 within 9mins, top 10 within 13. Basically as expected so I'm happy to not assume anyone on GC was doping in a massive way or had access to advantages that others didn't. I'm not sure Remco would even have podiumed at the TdF if he'd been in this form.

I mean, if, as I've read here, he hadn't been picked to ride for several months I'd still argue his performance on that latest stage would exceed expectations. But yes, compared to some of his other performances it isnt inconsistent.

I always like to see a likely GT winner lose time on multiple stages to multiple combinations of riders when the time gaps are still small enough that you know the leaders jersey would not like to lose this time. This Vuelta is looking like a different sport to the TdF even if the climbing times...

Another strong day from Vine that came up short of his ambitions. Another day to his credit in terms of his reputation.

Jumbo's attack at the foot of the climb was the right thing to do but seemed messy and not sustained enough, then Roglic didn't have the legs. If Mas had ambitions of the overall he had to have a dig on the lower slopes. That said I cant remember ever seeing a stag with so many successful...

Remco looked to not be enjoying the heat today but recovered as he got higher up the mountain (where it will be cooler). The profile of the last climb looks bad for him as it is hardest at low altitude (where it'll be hottest). I expect him to get dropped badly again then limit his losses again...

There remains hope that Remco will be human after today. He did seem to recover mid climb beautifully (like Pog can do) and was remarked on for being very fresh at the end. But hey, he lost lots of time in a way that jeopardises his Vuelta victory. I can't believe it was sandbagging. His...

I don't know a thing about Remco as they seem to have stopped showing highlights of the classics on FTA where I am. I take it he is some kind of rouler or puncheur diesel with a good history in ITT? If not then hats off to QS for making Alaphillipe and Remco destroy ITT specialists in GT ITTs. :(

Nice move with his challenge fading from the breakaway on the final climb. Something like that definitely improves the image and casts doubts in the minds of guys like me. Hard to erase smoking GC guys going full tilt though.

Thanks. So it's more like 1 day of Padun plus 1 day of a Majka or Cummings (able to beat fresher top climbers on a stage almost straight after making an incredible stage winning effort). It's not quite the 2 Padun Dauphine days of smoking the entire GC on a level playing field. It still...

I made it nearer 40 seconds if I remember right. Apologies if I'm misremembering.