General News Thread

[yaco]

You seem to have 2 or 3 WT riders each year who retire with heart issues - Many seem to be in their 30's - It makes you wonder.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

You seem to have 2 or 3 WT riders each year who retire with heart issues - Many seem to be in their 30's - It makes you wonder.

Leaving clinic issues aside considering the section of the forum we are in and taking this on face value, Cycling is a pretty intense endurance sport so it's not so surprising that riders retire with heart issues, especially in the days when we have better tests for these issues. I know a few local amateur riders who have had to find easier forms of exercise thanks to heart issues.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

You seem to have 2 or 3 WT riders each year who retire with heart issues - Many seem to be in their 30's - It makes you wonder.

Leaving clinic issues aside considering the section of the forum we are in and taking this on face value, Cycling is a pretty intense endurance sport so it's not so surprising that riders retire with heart issues, especially in the days when we have better tests for these issues. I know a few local amateur riders who have had to find easier forms of exercise thanks to heart issues.

This is my initial thoughts - Its a fact that some elite athletes damage their hearts through exertion - heard of a number of endurance athletes, especially ironmen/triathletes who suffer from this issue.

 

[Unchained]

Thank you cyclingnews for not reporting that the middle East is the stronghold of pro cycling.

 

[Tarnum]

Jens Voigt is currently doing the Everest Challenge to raise money for cancer research. https://www.ammado.com/community/jensieeverestchallenge

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

ASO buys the Eschborn-Frankfurt race.

 

[KubaWinter]

Does anyone know if any of the professional teams is going to ride on the new Dura-Ace? It was so hyped last year, but up to know everyone is on the old model.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

Does anyone know if any of the professional teams is going to ride on the new Dura-Ace? It was so hyped last year, but up to know everyone is on the old model.

I think we will see the odd bike in the peloton testing it during the early season and once teams are happy with it then it will become more widespread around mid season, this is usually how it works with new groupsets.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Re:

Does anyone know if any of the professional teams is going to ride on the new Dura-Ace? It was so hyped last year, but up to know everyone is on the old model.

The bigger teams will(SKY, Quickstep, etc), along with Campag and discs when the UCI figure that one out(axles, rotors, caliper mounts, blah, blah)..

 

[RedheadDane]

This is pretty neat.

http://www.aquabluesport.com/press-release-8.html

 

[ice&fire]

Vuelta a Andalucia stages have been presented.
http://ciclismo.as.com/ciclismo/2017/01/11/mas_ciclismo/1484149277_352129.html
Stage 1: Rincon de la Victoria - Ganada (Monachil at 19km from the finish)
Stage 2: Torredonjimeno - Mancha Real (MTF, 6kms of climbing)
Stage 3: Lucena ITT (12km)
Stage 4: La Campana - Sevilla (sprint)
Stage 5: Setenil de las Bodegas - Coín (rolling terrain)

The stage to Granada should be at the end of the race
It will run from 15th to 19th of Feb and it will be live on Eurosport.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah, thats a pretty weird design, but very interesting 3 first days! I hope Bala will be able to do well again this year, but I fear his injury will put him a bit back of his schedule. Do you have any idea to when they will release the profiles?

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Yeah, thats a pretty weird design, but very interesting 3 first days! I hope Bala will be able to do well again this year, but I fear his injury will put him a bit back of his schedule. Do you have any idea to when they will release the profiles?

No idea. The website for the race still had the profiles for last year this afternoon.

 

[Gigs_98]

The Österreichrundfahrt 2017 will start with an uphill prologue on the Schlossberg in Graz. The start will be on the Hauptplatz and the finish next to the bell tower of Graz. Not an overly exciting stage but and understandable decision, since cycling races are mainly there for advertisement and the scenery on the Schlossberg is incredible.
http://www.oesterreich-rundfahrt.at/index.php/news/332-oesterreich-rundfahrt-2017-startet-in-graz

 

[Valv.Piti]

Comunitat Valencia is one heck of a weird race. 37 TTT and only Mas de la Costa to compensate gain that lost time back. It will be good to watch a rather long TTT for a change tho.

 

[HelgeBlendet]

The Österreichrundfahrt 2017 will start with an uphill prologue on the Schlossberg in Graz. The start will be on the Hauptplatz and the finish next to the bell tower of Graz. Not an overly exciting stage but and understandable decision, since cycling races are mainly there for advertisement and the scenery on the Schlossberg is incredible.
http://www.oesterreich-rundfahrt.at/index.php/news/332-oesterreich-rundfahrt-2017-startet-in-graz

Sounds like fun!
Not sure if they go around the Schlossberg first to add some distance or if they go the direct route via Sporgasse. Direct way would only be about 500-600m and about 60m of altitude to gain. About 300m on those cobbles. Should definitly be exciting to watch scenery-wise.

 

[Gigs_98]

The Österreichrundfahrt 2017 will start with an uphill prologue on the Schlossberg in Graz. The start will be on the Hauptplatz and the finish next to the bell tower of Graz. Not an overly exciting stage but and understandable decision, since cycling races are mainly there for advertisement and the scenery on the Schlossberg is incredible.
http://www.oesterreich-rundfahrt.at/index.php/news/332-oesterreich-rundfahrt-2017-startet-in-graz

Sounds like fun!
Not sure if they go around the Schlossberg first to add some distance or if they go the direct route via Sporgasse. Direct way would only be about 500-600m and about 60m of altitude to gain. About 300m on those cobbles. Should definitly be exciting to watch scenery-wise.

I think they'll take the direct way since that would be very similar to the prologue last year.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

For those who care, a chart of 2017 Cycling team frames, groups, wheels..with thanks to cyclingnews.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/worldtour-team-bike-guide

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Does this mean that not a single WT & PCT team will ride Focus this year?

 

[pastronef]

Re:

Does this mean that not a single WT & PCT team will ride Focus this year?

yep, no focus in WT and PCT


other than AG2R until 2016, I remember https://www.instagram.com/data3cisco/ were using Focus but it looks like the team wont continue this year

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Re:

Does this mean that not a single WT & PCT team will ride Focus this year?

Nope..more here but sponsoring even a PCT is very expensive.

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/01/road-bikes-of-the-2017-worldtour

 

[skidmark]

The already-reduced Tour Med (or whatever the new name is) has been cancelled: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/stage-race-cancelled-due-lack-police-motorcycle-support-307568

The conspiracy side of me is starting to connect dots between these cancellations (this, Criterium International, Qatar which is run by ASO) to see a platform for David Lappartient to run on for UCI president, about how Cookson is ruining cycling both in traditional and new markets... or it could just be that this is true. Sad either way.

 

[RedheadDane]

Okay, I know this isn't technically news, but I don't know where else to much this very (not) serious question:

Nobody started the mandatory Last team/major country to get a win threads yet?

BTW: I'm voting Denmark in the country thread because, yeah...

 

[Breh]

Abit too early.

 

[Red Rick]

For those who speak Dutch, nice little piece on the Tour of Congo, which happens to be vastly different from the well-organised European races.

http://www.vicesports.nl/diarree-hoeren-en-coke-de-nederlander-die-de-ronde-van-congo-won/?utm_source=sportsfbned

- Due to not enough rooms on a plane, not all bikes could be transported to the starting location, so the first stage would be ridden without the whole peloton being there, but the VIP who had to give the starting sign wouldn't show up for half a peloton, so the first stage was delayed
- For more stuff like that, no stages were ridden in the first 3 days of the race, so the race director was fired and jailed, though people say he'll probably organize the race again next year
- Due to chaotic scheduling, transfers are long and very hectic, and some bus drivers use cocaine to stay awake
- Several teams had to sleep in brothels rather than hotels
- It was considered relatively normal for a rider to get diarrhea at some point during the race
- The people were all super excited about the race going through their towns and villages, and in the finishing criterium the crowds were huge.

And the winner was Dutch. There is *** hope after all