Dennis abandon

[The Hegelian]

Clinic reasons?

 

[Ripper]

Clinic reasons?

I seriously doubt it. RD is a hothead and a snowflake. I hope it's nothing terrible and I hope it's not a serious mental health issue.

 

[Merckx index]

At an impromptu press conference at the team bus today, a reporter did suggest that people will think it might be doping if the explanation is not forthcoming.

 

[Ripper]

Re:

At an impromptu press conference at the team bus today, a reporter did suggest that people will think it might be doping if the explanation is not forthcoming.

That is what you would expect from a reporter, but in this case it does not really make sense for the reasons already noted.

 

[The Hegelian]

I think it has to be on the table: rest day only a day before, TT coming up which is the big target......a bit of panic about blood numbers or something seems to me to a very plausible (albeit obviously speculative) theory.

What to you do if you're worried about being popped/glowing etc?

You abandon; it's the only safe option.

 

[brownbobby]

Re:

I think it has to be on the table: rest day only a day before, TT coming up which is the big target......a bit of panic about blood numbers or something seems to me to a very plausible (albeit obviously speculative) theory.

What to you do if you're worried about being popped/glowing etc?

You abandon; it's the only safe option.

But surely you’d do it with the complicity of the team, citing a simple illness or similar...rather than creating this kind of controversy and attention?

I’d be very surprised if any cyclists at Dennis’s level are running any kind of doping programme without the full knowledge and support of the team

 

[The Hegelian]

Re: Re:

I think it has to be on the table: rest day only a day before, TT coming up which is the big target......a bit of panic about blood numbers or something seems to me to a very plausible (albeit obviously speculative) theory.

What to you do if you're worried about being popped/glowing etc?

You abandon; it's the only safe option.

But surely you’d do it with the complicity of the team, citing a simple illness or similar...rather than creating this kind of controversy and attention?

I’d be very surprised if any cyclists at Dennis’s level are running any kind of doping programme without the full knowledge and support of the team

Yes, but maybe bare panic is just bare panic.

We/ "the clinic" always assume a super smooth uber conspiracy, but if you read the actual testimonies of riders who dope, it is usually rather ad hoc.

I personally believe that a lot of blood bags still go down on the rest days....and a lot of strange things happen after.

 

[DanielSong39]

He's lost ~1-2s/km on his time trials which makes me think it's one of these:
- His transformation caused him to lose that much power
- The sauce he's on had some nasty side effects (which also caused the abandon)
- His e-bike at Bahrain-Merida doesn't have as much juice as the one at BMC

If he claims to have lost 40W I believe it, he's been so much slower at the time trials this year.

 

[rick james]

Clearly his Anglo Saxon licence has run out and got our the race before he got done for doping.

 

[samhocking]

Team provide him with a slow Merida TT bike, the wheels are slow and the team failed to get him a faster TT suit delivered in time for today so he quit is what I heard. Think it's acceptable to quit if the team are not helping you succeed like that. That's what is assumed to be the issue from a few other riders and journalists anyway.

 

[macbindle]

Team provide him with a slow Merida TT bike, the wheels are slow and the team failed to get him a faster TT suit delivered in time for today so he quit is what I heard. Think it's acceptable to quit if the team are not helping you succeed like that. That's what is assumed to be the issue from a few other riders and journalists anyway.

That's just the cover story

 

[DanielSong39]

Only way wheels can supply 40W is if it's electric

I don't think even the best wheels on time trial bikes can give you 40W over the road bikes they use

 

[samhocking]

Team provide him with a slow Merida TT bike, the wheels are slow and the team failed to get him a faster TT suit delivered in time for today so he quit is what I heard. Think it's acceptable to quit if the team are not helping you succeed like that. That's what is assumed to be the issue from a few other riders and journalists anyway.

That's just the cover story

I've no idea. Most journalists seem to be saying he didn't receive a skinsuit for today so quit. The bike and wheels being slower than at BMC he's already discussed this season.

 

[MikeS369]

Any pro that abandons a race over opinions about equipment is a unprofessional pu55y. You are paid to ride your bike. Sometimes you get great equipment sometimes you don't. STFU and ride your bike to the best of your ability. That's what people with true character and integrity do.

Don't know if that is the case here. I hope not.

 

[rick james]

Only way wheels can supply 40W is if it's electric

I don't think even the best wheels on time trial bikes can give you 40W over the road bikes they use

You got any proof of that?

Interesting.

 

[Cookster15]

There are many candidates for the clinic. Dennis's hissy fit isn't one of them.

 

[King Boonen]

Team provide him with a slow Merida TT bike, the wheels are slow and the team failed to get him a faster TT suit delivered in time for today so he quit is what I heard. Think it's acceptable to quit if the team are not helping you succeed like that. That's what is assumed to be the issue from a few other riders and journalists anyway.

Bike seemed fine for Nibali in the Giro, while there will be slight differences in TY bikes I think this isn’t an isolated thing. Same with the skin suit, there’s something underlying here and this is the straw that broke the camels back.

 

[AustCyclingFan]

It's as though there's a twist and turn every stage.

TdF 2019 might be remembered as one for the ages

 

[Cookster15]

Only way wheels can supply 40W is if it's electric

I don't think even the best wheels on time trial bikes can give you 40W over the road bikes they use

You got any proof of that?

Interesting.

Pretty sure the latest wind tunnel tested aero (non TT) road frames are claimed to have similar gains. The best wheels are likely more potential watt savings than a frame.

 

[lartiste]

He has most probably mental problem ... . I am unsure why this is discussed in clinic section since there is no proof of roid rage or similar problem ... .

We do know he has genuine problems with explosive, angry responses to relatively innocuous challenges. He’s a hothead. Former teammates, managers, team staff – it seems everyone has a Rohan story. Each rider or team staff member I contacted in the last few hours said some version of the same: Yes, it’s a problem. This isn’t the first time. It’s a pattern.

“He needs help,” two former teammates told me, asking that I not use any specific stories they’d told. It’s a phrase that turns this story from one of bemused confusion — why would an elite athlete do that? — to one that feels quite sad.

https://cyclingtips.com/2019/07/inside-the-bizarre-tour-departure-of-rohan-dennis/

 

[proffate]

Professional teams know this and there is not a huge difference between the best and worst combinations of frame, wheels, helmet, and skinsuit... because rider aero position of their body and frontal profile outweighs equipment.

I don't believe all wheels are basically the same at this point. I do believe that some companies who don't employ aerodynamicists would like you to think all wheels are the same and/or only weight and depth matters.

You still see a lot of deep V sections, or generic "toroidal" which hasn't actually been tested in a wind tunnel. I can't find a single mention of the actual cross section of the fulcrum wheels on their site or anywhere else, although they do boast fancy features like "Wide Rim Technology" which makes me think they're probably just old-fashioned in terms of shape. The companies at the forefront have marketing terms for their rim shapes: Zipp had Firecrest (now NSW), Enve has SES, HED has "stability control technology". Specialized pays licensing fees to be able to use HED's patents for their Roval line. The carefully crafted shapes help with handling in crosswinds (especially important when you're in an aero tuck) but also increase the range of angles where the airflow stays "attached" to the rim, i.e. doesn't become turbulence.

Disc wheels likewise can be either flat or lenticular. Some wind tunnel data shows lenticular wheels to be a lot faster for certain wind angles (the lens shape is asymmetric so left or right wind makes a difference). The best wheels also depend on the frame, e.g. how much space there is inside the fork blades or rear triangle.

Also, I believe you're contradicting yourself by saying the helmet isn't important but position and profile are: the helmet is a key piece of the rider's overall body shape. The helmet needs to smoothly fill the gap between shoulders, arms, and back. Skinsuits likewise cover the entire body, so even a modest change in a textile's aerodynamic properties can make a big difference. The UCI banned wingsuits for a reason.

 

[proffate]

in fact this site calls out the V profile of the Fulcrum wheels: https://intheknowcycling.com/2019/04/23/aero-bike-wheels/

 

[Ripper]

Ummmmmm

Who cares about the aerodynamics of equipment in the case of RD?

I seriously doubt any 'clinical' activity is taking place, although he might need to see a healthcare specialist to help him figure out better coping mechanisms.

Honestly, unless something scary bad is going on (outside of cycling bad stuff, being bullied by his employer, etc), then it seems he's being an enormous hothead.

 

[Cookster15]

This should be moved to PRR. Not a Clinic issue. Hothead issue.

 

[rick james]

This should be moved to PRR. Not a Clinic issue. Hothead issue.

totally agree