General News Thread

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Walter Beneteau has died… Rest in peace.

Was a great rider, certainly among the best ten or 20 French pro riders in his best days as a rider.

Feels like yesterday when he rode in the breakaways of the biggest races in cycling. He‘ll be missed, and died too young…

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603346980180299777

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1603346980180299777

Tour de Romandie profiles out

 

[Kaptain Kool]

I guess Stage 4 is less horrible than usual for the worst WT stage race not called Tour de Pologne.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

An exciting rumour for next year's Dauphiné.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603716924382351360

 

[Red Rick]

An exciting rumour for next year's Dauphiné.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603716924382351360

Cool, didn't know it was actually viable for a WT race, and assumed it wasn't based on no race using it despite it being right there

Spoiler

See how far I have to reach to find negatives here

 

[Mayomaniac]

In 2 days the GD of the 2024 Tour de France in Italy will be unveiled, the presentation starts at 18:20 and will be shown on Rai 2.
Source: https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article...tenza-dall-italia-mercoledi-21-diretta-raidue

 

[Red Rick]

In 2 days the GD of the 2024 Tour de France in Italy will be unveiled, the presentation starts at 18:20 and will be shown on Rai 2.
Source: https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article...tenza-dall-italia-mercoledi-21-diretta-raidue

"Have the French disappointed Red Rick enough this year?"

"Non"

 

[tobydawq]

"Have the French disappointed Red Rick enough this year?"

"Non"

?

Now even a date of revelation is a problem?

 

[Red Rick]

?

Now even a date of revelation is a problem?

It is in anticipation of what is to come, relax.

 

[RedheadDane]

So, after Copenhagen this year, Bilbao next year, and somewhere-in-Italy in 2024, the French are probably like; "Err, could we have a Grand Depart at some point? Considering that it is our Grand Tour..."

 

[tobydawq]

It is in anticipation of what is to come, relax.

 

[RedheadDane]

And then in a plot-twist, the Grand Depart is in Tuscany, with a Strade Bianche style stage.

 

[tobydawq]

And then in a plot-twist, the Grand Depart is in Tuscany, with a Strade Bianche style stage.

Even then there would probably be a problem with pacing or whatnot.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

So, after Copenhagen this year, Bilbao next year, and somewhere-in-Italy in 2024, the French are probably like; "Err, could we have a Grand Depart at some point? Considering that it is our Grand Tour..."

Well I think Rotterdam or Amsteram wants the start in 2025...

 

[tobydawq]

I can see that Wielerflits make it a news item that Harrie Lavreysen - a track sprinter - did not get the award for Dutch sportsman of the year which instead went to the Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen.

Sometimes I wonder how far up their own asses cycling journalists can possibly be.

 

[Red Rick]

I can see that Wielerflits make it a news item that Harrie Lavreysen - a track sprinter - did not get the award for Dutch sportsman of the year which instead went to the Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen.

Sometimes I wonder how far up their own asses cycling journalists can possibly be.

I mean Formula 1 is a meme sport just like track with 1 million times the money. It has such an extreme financial barrier of entry the talent pool is extremely limited. If track sprinting not being competitive is the argument against it, then it should go the same for Formula 1.

The funny thing though is Verstappen has never showed up to pick up this award and has openly stated he doesn't give a *** about it, yet they keep giving it to him anyway

 

[Devil's Elbow]

UCI announced some pretty significant changes to the WT points/relegation system today:

• GTs, monuments, WC and Olympics worth more points
• Strade Bianche moved up to the middle tier of non-monument/GT WT races
• Stages worth more points
• The top 20 riders on each team now count for the three-year promotion/relegation ranking (instead of top 10)

And then the bad news:
- Automatic invites to all WT races for the first year after relegation, regardless of position on the yearly ranking (AKA the Sylvan Adams slipped us some money rule, AKA let's hand out even fewer wildcards)

 

[Samu Cuenca]

UCI announced some pretty significant changes to the WT points/relegation system today:

• GTs, monuments, WC and Olympics worth more points
• Strade Bianche moved to the upper tier of non-monument/GT WT races
• Stages worth more points
• The top 20 riders on each team now count for the three-year promotion/relegation ranking (instead of top 10)

And then the bad news:
- Automatic invites to all WT races for the first year after relegation, regardless of position on the yearly ranking (AKA the Sylvan Adams slipped us some money rule, AKA let's hand out even fewer wildcards)

I don't think counting the results of the 20 best riders is good news either. I can see why they want to limit the cases where teams are sacrificing some riders' chances, because they're not among their best riders, which might also hurt them in future contract negotiations, but it will also make it harder for ProTeams to compete with the WT teams.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

• GT GC points have gone up by about 30% across the board
• Monument points have gone up by about 60% across the board
• WC and Olympics points have gone up by about 50% across the board
• Strade Bianche points have gone up by about 20% across the board
• GT stage points have almost doubled for the winners with (relatively) far bigger increases for the positions below that, the top-15 now scores points instead of only the top-5
• GT minor classification points for the top-3 have mirrored this increase but still no points for 4th or lower
• For other WT and .Pro stage races, stage win points have not changed but major increases for the other positions. In addition, the top-10 and top-5 respectively now score points rather than just the top-3
• No change elsewhere

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I don't think counting the results of the 20 best riders is good news either. I can see why they want to limit the cases where teams are sacrificing some riders' chances, because they're not among their best riders, which might also hurt them in future contract negotiations, but it will also make it harder for ProTeams to compete with the WT teams.

All ProTeams who played any role in the rankings this year already had roster sizes similar to their WT competition. It makes it a bit harder for Uno-X to close the gap and that's about it, IMO that's worth it in exchange for improving the career prospects of the B- and C-list riders on the teams battling it out.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

All ProTeams who played any role in the rankings this year already had roster sizes similar to their WT competition. It makes it a bit harder for Uno-X to close the gap and that's about it, IMO that's worth it in exchange for improving the career prospects of the B- and C-list riders on the teams battling it out.

I'm not saying they don't have the same amount of riders, but their depth isn't necessarily the same. Of course depth is also a quite important criterion for a WT team, but sometimes it's easier to attract the sponsor money to afford it when you've already joined the WT.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

In general i think these rules will make the next three year cirlce more fair

Edit: fair is probably the wrong Word. But it will be a better picture of Which teams Are the better.

 

[Red Rick]

• GT GC points have gone up by about 30% across the board
• Monument points have gone up by about 60% across the board
• WC and Olympics points have gone up by about 50% across the board
• Strade Bianche points have gone up by about 20% across the board
• GT stage points have almost doubled for the winners with (relatively) far bigger increases for the positions below that, the top-15 now scores points instead of only the top-5
• GT minor classification points for the top-3 have mirrored this increase but still no points for 4th or lower
• For other WT and .Pro stage races, stage win points have not changed but major increases for the other positions. In addition, the top-10 and top-5 respectively now score points rather than just the top-3
• No change elsewhere

So UCI decided to end Arnaud de Lies career?

 

[Unchained]

I'm not saying they don't have the same amount of riders, but their depth isn't necessarily the same. Of course depth is also a quite important criterion for a WT team, but sometimes it's easier to attract the sponsor money to afford it when you've already joined the WT.

I am curious about a rider like Cavendish, is there some value that his race win points could bring to a smaller squad? Could a tiny team just buy 2,3 resulted riders and their accumulated points would elevate the team? I was always wondering if there was a nuclear option for a team that was on the edge of relegation just to make some pay to play contract signing and get the points to save them..
Personally I always enjoy watching a rider dig down and sprint for10th,11th or deeper placing even when the podium was established many minutes before they cross the line..

 

[pman]

You guys are usually on top of everything- any rumors on stage locations for the 2023 Criterium du Dauphine?