Recent content by Rackham

  1. Rackham

    Team Visma LAB

    I dumped all over this team when they dominated massively so I'm not about to dump on them for finally appearing human - even if it's just in terms of structural pains at this point. But the writing on the wall is not good regarding Vinge's prospects this year. You don't casually swap a coach...
  2. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Cian Uijtdebroeks - From the wetlands to the top of cycling

    Ouch. Bad way to start his Movistar career.
  3. Rackham

    Cortina d'Ampezzo-Milan Winter Olympics

    In my book it's not just the overrepresentation of their media, economic influence and spin that's the issue - it's the attitudes they bring with them. Vonn encapsulates the most stereotypical slide into pathological individualism cranked up to narcissism levels. I saw Vonn's wall of text on...
  4. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Team Visma - Lease a Bike

    Isn't Ten Hag currently unemployed? Back in the ancient glory days of 2022 AD, Visma employed his genius to pioneer total cycling as the pro-cycling equivalent of Dutch total football. They could bring him back. Probably on the cheap. He could sit in the mini van with Broe.
  5. Rackham

    Cortina d'Ampezzo-Milan Winter Olympics

    I can think of less charitable comparisons as well. Anything involving self-delusion and pursuit of fame and fortune fits the bill, no matter the venue. Let's call a spade a spade here: a multimillionaire sports star like Vonn doesn't just decide to make a come back in time for the Olympics...
  6. Rackham

    Cortina d'Ampezzo-Milan Winter Olympics

    Clearly people care about story arcs and narratives more. Sport is secondary. Always was. Vonn had a very potent story crafted around her participation and the spectacular failure is of course a bigger story than "just another gold medal" for someone nameless by comparison. That's the blunt...
  7. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Team Visma - Lease a Bike

    Some interesting news today with Vingegaard's personal coach Tim Heemskerk leaving (he's been with Vinge since 2019). Mathieu Heijboer is stepping in to fill the role (he's also WvA's coach and of course still chief of performance for the team)...
  8. Rackham

    Cortina d'Ampezzo-Milan Winter Olympics

    Vonn's stunt is one of the embodiments of why I find myself increasingly losing interest in pro-sport. There's nothing to salvage there. No story, no 'lead by example', no nice flowery message of 'overcoming adversity' or whatnot. No, just an IQ desolation where pursuit of fame and more money...
  9. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    Only if it's Margot Robbie. And even then just to chat about Wuthering Heights because I'm a big fan. Cross my heart (& hope to die).
  10. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    If Rog had decked it like that you just know everyone would have smirked. Just shows how sympathies towards particular riders can sway the consensus regarding an event like this one.
  11. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    Actually it happens all the time. I've seen this argument made by others over the past 48 hours and I really don't see what it's all about (i.e. people claiming riding on someone's wheel is a massive faux pas and no-no). If you're out there on the road (or a dedicated cycling route like a voie...
  12. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    "Vingegaard crashed in training, here's why fans are a problem". ? Not directly mentioning the guy's name has no bearing on Visma blaming the 'fan'. Which they did by invoking broad sympathies from the cycling followers and community regarding 'safety' because of evil bad fans doing naughty...
  13. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    I disagree. Visma's post on X might have been written by a wouldbe law student but the implication is absolutely clear and leaves no room for interpretation. The 'fan' is blamed. And based on what we know, the amateur cyclist was riding behind Vinge on the descent. It would be pretty ironic...
  14. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    Well, I have a different take. I believe professional sports teams and the actors of sport need to be much more careful when taking to social media to project their own errors onto civvies (because at the end of the day Visma's rider crashed himself, not the fan). It's ugly when people start...
  15. Rackham

    Teams & Riders Jonas Vingegaard thread: Love in Iberia

    I fundamentally disagree on a human level with a multi-millionaire sports outfit kicking up a fuss about a lone amateur fan and his behavior - which was contradicted by the man himself - whilst Internet moral crusaders pick up their pitchforks and attempts to fight the "etiquette fight" on...