• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

2020 World Championships - now confirmed for Imola, Italy.

Page 89 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
If he actually had emptied himself completely he wouldn't have been able to stay with that group until the end. He could have pulled until he didn't have anything left like you see during the TDF where guys like Gesink empty themselves until they can barely spin the pedals anymore. That's what "empty" looks like.

It would have been better to do one last big pull until he had nothing in the tank instead of holding on and doing these weak pulls.
If he did one last big pull (which was hard anyway in a descent with some rolling parts), he would have been dropped before the finish.
Now step into Roglic's shoes and think about how you would feel if you just sacrificed your country's chances for a podium or win by dropping out of the chasing group at the very last part of the race, having to explain this on Slovenian TV and in front of your team mates?
Get real I would say.
 
If he did one last big pull (which was hard anyway in a descent with some rolling parts), he would have been dropped before the finish.
Now step into Roglic's shoes and think about how you would feel if you just sacrificed your country's chances for a podium or win by dropping out of the chasing group at the very last part of the race, having to explain this on Slovenian TV and in front of your team mates?
Get real I would say.
Wait Slovenia has TVs and fans?
I thought only Belgium did.
 
If he actually had emptied himself completely he wouldn't have been able to stay with that group until the end. He could have pulled until he didn't have anything left like you see during the TDF where guys like Gesink empty themselves until they can barely spin the pedals anymore. That's what "empty" looks like.

It would have been better to do one last big pull until he had nothing in the tank instead of holding on and doing these weak pulls.

but thats what happened, roglic couldnt even sprint at the end...he couldnt even beat old man Fuglsang in the sprint haha
 
  • Like
Reactions: Carols

Even here Van Aert says clearly Roglic has no blame. But it's just people shifting their disappointment on somebody else. And in this case it's Roglic. Because... *** logic.
 
If he did one last big pull (which was hard anyway in a descent with some rolling parts), he would have been dropped before the finish.
Now step into Roglic's shoes and think about how you would feel if you just sacrificed your country's chances for a podium or win by dropping out of the chasing group at the very last part of the race, having to explain this on Slovenian TV and in front of your team mates?
Get real I would say.


What "chances" are you even talking about? He was barely able to hang on and was never going to win that sprint.
 

Even here Van Aert says clearly Roglic has no blame. But it's just people shifting their disappointment on somebody else. And in this case it's Roglic. Because... *** logic.


As if he would be stupid enough to trash his own teammate in the press, lol
 
Just stop it already - Jeez. Both the baiting (largebus) and the relentless unwillingness to accept that maybe Roglic couldn't go much harder (frisenfruitig). It's petty. The race yesterday was great during the last 30-40 km, and had a deserved winner who we will see racing full on for the next year. I think cycling fans can be happy with that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andy262
Comparisons with Devenys don't make any sense. Devenys wouldn't be the leader of the Belgian team, wouldn't have the TDF winner working for him and wouldn't resist in a select group of riders. Being a leader is different when a nation is counting on you and a teammate sacrificed himself for you.
If Devenys would be there and he would have closed gaps for JA, these same Belgian sore losers would have blasted him out. But at least it would be less ridiculous and if it would have hurt a belgian's chances they would actually make sense.
 
All I want to say is, if you honestly believe you and the Belgian cycling pundits are right, I pity you @frisenfruitig ..

Can't say I'm too bothered an internet stranger takes pity on me, what a pointless reply.


so now you are saying van aert is lying...jesus Jumbo is a snake pit i tell ya

I'm saying he's a professional who doesn't trash his teammates in public.

I just think that if he really was knackered and stuggling to stay with that group, he could have just as well tried to give the win to WVA. Yes, they are from different countries and on paper that should matter. But that kind of stuff happens all the time in cycling and I think this was a tactical mistake on his part.
 
What "chances" are you even talking about? He was barely able to hang on and was never going to win that sprint.
He was barely able to hang on (your words), so what exactly do you not understand about not being able to pull hard and chase back Alaphilippe when you are 'barely able to hang on'?


If he did no suicide pull and only pulled on the circuit (like he did!) after he got some relief in order to refind some strength, he had a chance to become 2nd if the speed dropped, or even 1st if they catched Alaphilippe before the last 2K by a suicide attack and riders not willing to counter (a bit of a Freire 1999 scenario).

If he did a suicide last pull, he would 100% be sure to end up 6th (or even worse: ending up anonymously in the Matthews group only half a minute down).

Tell me what YOU would choose if you were in the world's race fighting for glory: having a chance or sacificing your chances without knowing how far you could have gotten?
 
He was barely able to hang on (your words), so what exactly do you not understand about not being able to pull hard and chase back Alaphilippe when you are 'barely able to hang on'?


If he did no suicide pull and only pulled on the circuit (like he did!) after he got some relief in order to refind some strength, he had a chance to become 2nd if the speed dropped, or even 1st if they catched Alaphilippe before the last 2K by a suicide attack and riders not willing to counter (a bit of a Freire 1999 scenario).

If he did a suicide last pull, he would 100% be sure to end up 6th (or even worse: ending up anonymously in the Matthews group only half a minute down).

Tell me what YOU would choose if you were in the world's race fighting for glory: having a chance or sacificing your chances without knowing how far you could have gotten?

Those were his own words after the finish, said he did all he could for WVA. It doesn't seem to me like that is the case but you are free to disagree with me on that.
 
763.jpg

Second place in spelling too.
 
Last edited:
Only 2 examples come to mind eh, one of them being in some mickey mouse race, lol. I watch the Tour and the Ardennes and he's never been animating those races like real champions do, not one heroic victory in a race that matters for Valverde, relying on your sprint and following the best is of course fair game, but it's not exactly enthralling to watch, wouldn't you say so? Seeing Ala ride is like watching a porno, Valverde's riding on the other hand is like watching a Joe Biden speech.

No. Just no.

Porno's are far more predictable.
 
Roglic was dropped and came back. He didnt have much more to give. And tactically... to bury himself in that group, would have been stupid. What chances does he then have to win or even take a medal? Rarely is it that a small group can bring back a rider who has dropped them before. Especially when a rider in the group is a much better sprinter. Nobody wants to give their all to bring back a rider only to lose anyway. We see it in almost every one-day race, when a rider gets a gap like that. The group doesnt work..., either because there is no cooperation or that they simply doesnt have much more to give.

It was a solid race from Roglic nonetheless and from everyone in that group. Ala was strong and made the winning move.
 
Landa looked quite good!!!

Came in the second group with Nibs, even went on the attack at one point.

Obligatory looks good for the Vuelta remark.

I think Landa is close to the favourite for the Vuelta.

Reason being that he can put strong GT's together back to back. He did it Giro-Tour, most can only do Giro-Vuelta for GC. And the schedule is more congested this season.

Dumoulin has done this too (and is apparently riding the Vuelta), but having 2019 off might hurt him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TomLPC
I think Landa is close to the favourite for the Vuelta.

Reason being that he can put strong GT's together back to back. He did it Giro-Tour, most can only do Giro-Vuelta for GC. And the schedule is more congested this season.

Dumoulin has done this too (and is apparently riding the Vuelta), but having 2019 off might hurt him.
Roglic is also coming https://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/dumoulin-krijgt-in-vuelta-het-gezelschap-van-roglic-en-kuss/
Not sure if he would try to defend the title or ride for Dumo. My pick would be 2 leaders, this time for real.

Vuelta being shorter works well for the Tdf riders who would have more fatigue. I guess this might be one of the reasons why the Vuelta organisers did it and not replacing the stages from NL, to bait more of them.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: gregrowlerson

TRENDING THREADS