Recent content by scholar

Sorry. I realized shortly after I'd replied that I might inadvertantly have taken something more seriously than it was intended. Thanks for the clarification!

No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm observing that the level of unity on this question currently goes beyond that of those who voted on a matter as uncontroversial as the claim that Merckx is the greatest cyclist of all time (which strikes me as a no-brainer). I wasn't trying to relate...

Wow. A higher proportion of respondents (so far) have answered 'absoutely not' than agree that Merckx is the greatest cyclist of all time.

Take it to the clinic ;-)

Almost certainly another top-ten today.

They could always try starting it somewhere other than Paris.

Don't we more or less have that already? 'Take what you like as long as you've got a TUE for it'?

I've just finally read the first post in the thread. I'd always presumed the title was ironic. Then again, perhaps it was and its poster was a fairly sophisticated troll.

Yeah, absolutely. My guess is that those who are practising 'legalized doping' (use of TUEs for non-therapeutic purposes that nonetheless conforms to the requirements of the official paper trail, or other not-yet-explicitly-banend methods akin to transfusions before they were outlawed) think of...

I'd be happy to see either of them win it (not least because I find it hard to imagine a situation in which either could win that wasn't also a really interesting race). My preference, though, as far as I have one, would be for Vanmarcke.

The last km and a bit are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeHQoBVjxvA&t=35m25s : it looks to me like at least as much power as surprise and confusion, with no one able to come past him. Agree with every word. I'd nonetheless be interested to see what happened if he went onto the velodrome...

I love this thread. The ambiguity of the achievement that it represents (except, possibly, for lead-out men). The ability to drop off the leaderboard simply by winning a race. The different stories behind the different numbers. The incredible achievement combined with some kind of failure.

I remember his win from a (relatively select) bunch at Romandie in 2012. He's not explosive, no, but he does have the ability to put out a lot of power in an aero position -- such that no one was able to come round him on that day. Obviously, there's a big difference between a Romandie stage and...

Agreed, as far as his chances are concerned. But having him up-front from early on would be useful in ensuring that neither ?tybar nor Terpstra had to pull, wherever it is that they bridge. And he could be useful for either (or both) of them.

Yes, particularly to the last bit, as he showed in PR 2013. Then again, I'd be interested to see what Terpstra could do if Vandenbergh went up the road before the Kwaremont and ?tybar latched onto Cancellara/Vanmarcke etc. It could mix things up interestingly. With Tommeke out I wonder if...