Recent content by proffate

  1. proffate

    6th AlUla Tour 2026 (27-31 January)

    Well to be fair, humans only get worse at learning as they get older. If he hasn't picked up tactics in the first 10,000 hours, the next 10,000 aren't looking very good either. And the more success you have, the more you're marked, i.e. the game only gets harder, never easier. Off the top of my...
  2. proffate

    Modern Adventure Pro Cycling Mega-thread

    Nice result at alula, a podium spot between two UAE riders. New second best team in the world?
  3. proffate

    Question Everesting

    Ronan's record is impressive but clearly achieved mostly via optimizing conditions as he was a low level pro and even his announced power numbers on the day were ho hum. He's a tech editor for a cycling blog (and a very good one imo) so it's not surprising he was able to maximize his result, but...
  4. proffate

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    I don't think Taylor Swift goes to starbucks very often, even if she wants a PSL. There are downsides to fame after all. Jonas only has his job because of public interest in his bike riding. He does not generate any useful economic activity *besides* the attraction of eyeballs. There is a...
  5. proffate

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    I don't think either party comes out looking very good after this incident, but Jonas: you are getting paid for being a famous billboard so it comes with the territory
  6. proffate

    The worst of race profiles

    Why does the rider version need to count up? As a rider in a live race what you probably want is a countdown to the finish and to any upcoming point of interest (climb, cobbles, feed etc). I know Garmins will give you a count down to upcoming climbs and a course finish but it's a bit more...
  7. proffate

    Teams & Riders Fausto Masnada - 'King of the Mountains'

    Career palmares looking awful similar atm.
  8. proffate

    Tour Down Under 2026 (Men's, Jan. 20-25)

    What finish did you watch? Welsford didn't really get to open his sprint at all but that aside Brennan was definitely moving quicker.
  9. proffate

    The Matthew Brennan Threat

    I never really got the idea that Sagan had any particular intention behind the bulking. He simply enjoyed a good steak and had a relatively muscular build. If he had needed to compete with the likes of MVDP or Wout or even Mads then he would have been forced to optimize more. Another similarity...
  10. proffate

    Teams & Riders Brothers in (crank) arms - Yates Discussion Thread

    He was reported to earn 1.6 in 2020 iirc. These numbers should be public like in other sports but alas. Putting words in my mouth. But obviously vlab did more than Jayco had managed to do in many years.
  11. proffate

    Teams & Riders Brothers in (crank) arms - Yates Discussion Thread

    Kind of lame not to repay the team when they set him up for victory last year. Won't say they delivered it on a platter but Wout obviously did more than carry bottles. If he actually cared about the 2026 giro so much, why not seek a transfer to another team? Feels like it's probably a case of...
  12. proffate

    Race Thread

    Do these riders use heated gloves? I think not, but why? There have to be ones that aren't that bulky these days. Or at least the chemical warmer packs? When I lived in a colder climate I found it useful to put extra layers over my wrists. Whatever the individual solution, it seems like...
  13. proffate

    Quinn Simmons is the new Quinn Simmons

    Skimo is different from alpine, a lot closer to Nordic. I think there is a greater risk to signing an indoor specialist like Jason Osborne or Jay Vine or Mike Woods (running=no translatable skill) who have the engine but take a long time to get the hang of pack riding, than someone who has a...
  14. proffate

    The 3 GT and 7 one-week races.

    Remco has a 10% chance of winning them all in his career. Carapaz has<1% of the same. And more importantly, Remco can generate pages of debate whereas Richie is just not that controversial. I don't think Yates belongs there and Roglic is just honorarily included for Abibi.