General News Thread

[E_F_]

Have they chosen a name for the one-day race?

Dunkerque-Roubaix

 

[RedheadDane]

Have they chosen a name for the one-day race?

From the article:

For 2025, the six-day version of the Four Days of Dunkirk will be five, with an extra standalone day tacked on. The one-day classic, called Classique Dunkerque – Grand Prix des Hauts de France, will take place starting in Dunkirk (go figure). Classified as 1.1, this event will allow riders to earn between up to 125 UCI points in a single day

 

[Berniece]

On an ITT, such as the Nice one, Tadej Merckx excels

We’ll see, I don’t see any proof that he would do better than Evenepoel the TT phenomenon

 

[tobydawq]

Have they chosen a name for the one-day race?

I'm quite sure it will be Four Days of Dunkirk - One Day Classic.

 

[rallybanana]

I'm quite sure it will be Four Days of Dunkirk - One Day Classic.

The extra day of Dunkirk

 

[AmRacer]

We’ll see, I don’t see any proof that he would do better than Evenepoel the TT phenomenon

Go to Specsavers.

 

[Berniece]

Go to Specsavers.

If you don’t have any argument besides TDF stage 21, I’m good… that’s like me saying, Vingegaard will win due to his stellar TT in the TDF 2023

 

[Krzysztof_O]

If you don’t have any argument besides TDF stage 21, I’m good… that’s like me saying, Vingegaard will win due to his stellar TT in the TDF

Evenepoel beat Pogacar by a small margin in the first TdF ITT (still rather a fresh effort early in the race). The TT was hardly difficult with one hill and if you add more vertical meters it would give Pogacar a decent chance.

 

[Berniece]

Evenepoel beat Pogacar by a small margin in the first TdF ITT (still rather a fresh effort early in the race). The TT was hardly difficult with one hill and if you add more vertical meters it would give Pogacar a decent chance.

In that ITT, Evenepoel gained time on the uphill section, as well as the flat sections. He only lost time downhill.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

In that ITT, Evenepoel gained time on the uphill section, as well as the flat sections. He only lost time downhill.

As for Evenepoel gaining on the uphill section, it doesn't necessarily mean that he was simply better uphill (the Tour showed he actually wasn't). A possible explanation is that Pogacar went too hard on flat early in that TT (he faded a bit at the end relatively to Remco and Primoz). BTW If you add more uphill vertical meters there will be also more downhills.

All in all: more vertical meters mean more uphill and more downhill and less flat (where Remco is the strongest).

 

[Berniece]

As for Evenepoel gaining on the uphill section, it doesn't necessarily mean that he was simply better uphill (the Tour showed he actually wasn't). A possible explanation is that Pogacar went too hard on flat early in that TT (he faded a bit at the end relatively to Remco and Primoz). BTW If you add more uphill vertical meters there will be also more downhills.

All in all: more vertical meters mean more uphill and more downhill and less flat (where Remco is the strongest).

Why would there be equal amounts of downhill? That's only if the finish is at the same location as the start. If they wanted they could only go up, and never downhill.

It could indeed be that Pogacar didn't pace himself properly, and Evenepoel also lost some time when he thought he had a flat, but it's still farfetched to think that the guy that won 2x WC ITT, 1 OG ITT, 1x EC ITT, 1x NC ITT, and an ITT in every GT, would lose to someone with not the same track record.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Why would there be equal amounts of downhill? That's only if the finish is at the same location as the start. If they wanted they could only go up, and never downhill.

It could indeed be that Pogacar didn't pace himself properly, and Evenepoel also lost some time when he thought he had a flat, but it's still farfetched to think that the guy that won 2x WC ITT, 1 OG ITT, 1x EC TT, 1x NC ITT, and an ITT in every GT, would lose to someone with not the same track record.

I suppose it the ITT championships there will be more or less the same amount of downhills and uphills, it's usually like that anyway. But that's not even my main point.

I don't think anybody doubts that Remco is stronger that Tadej on a typical ITT course (flat, rolling).
It's also true that Tadej is a better climber and probably a better descender.
There's really nothing outrageous in my way of thinking. If you start from a flat ITT and make it more and more difficult ending with an ITT up Alpe d'Huez it's obvious that at some point it will start favour Tadej more. Where exactly, it's hard to say of course.

 

[Berniece]

I suppose it the ITT championships there will be more or less the same amount of downhills and uphills, it's usually like that anyway. But that's not even my point.

I don't think anybody doubts that Remco is stronger that Tadej on a typical ITT course (flat, rolling).
It's also true that Tadej is a better climber and probably a better descender.
There's really nothing outrageous in my way of thinking. If you start from a flat ITT and make it more and more difficult ending with an ITT up Alpe d'Huez it's obvious that at some point it will start favour Tadej more. Where exactly, it's hard to say of course.

That's true, I quickly looked up the route. There's even more downhill than uphill

The climbs aren't that long, or the long climbs not that steep. After seeing this I'm a bit less bullish, but I still expect him to win it.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

That's true, I quickly looked up the route. There's even more downhill than uphill

The climbs aren't that long, or the long climbs not that steep. After seeing this I'm a bit less bullish, but I still expect him to win it.

Remco is very good on such climbs, he likely won't be losing time on those (vs Pogacar or anybody else). No idea how technical are those downhills. On aero sections he'll obviously gain time. Still, the TT should be considerably closer between those two than in case of a dead flat TT.

 

[Red Rick]

Remco is very good on such climbs, he likely won't be losing time on those (vs Pogacar or anybody else). No idea how technical are those downhills. On aero sections he'll obviously gain time. Still, the TT should be considerably closer between those two than in case of a dead flat TT.

Not in TT position he is not.

Route favors Pogacar heavily and the only thing against him is his lack of results in ITT championships

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Terrible news from Switzerland

https://twitter.com/x/status/1839647782732288020

View: https://x.com/UCI_media/status/1839647782732288020?t=JgQRRK8tFM6MxFdvgTKAzQ&s=19

This has actually made me extremely angry, the details are tragic:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1839637313350979769

View: https://x.com/WielerFlits/status/1839637313350979769?t=18K3jwTj7eyzoPFj46yy4w&s=19


For me this is unacceptable

 

[Rob5091]

Sad news about her death - condolences to family and friends. A tragic end to a young life.

Pro-cycling really is the sport that eats it's own.

 

[search]

Very sad news indeed.

Sounds like they plan to continue the event, but it really makes you wonder how. I just saw Olivier Senn sitting there, announcing the death of a rider for a 2nd time in just over a year, and it's probably not only the race director coming over from the Tour de Suisse. How can you move on after this.

 

[RedheadDane]

Racing is continuing, as per her family's wishes.
However, the surrounding events will be toned down significantly.

'Racing will go on' - World Championships to continue after death of Muriel Furrer, respecting her family's wishes

Staffing increased on course after fatal incident, with UCI Gala cancelled

www.cyclingweekly.com

I just saw Olivier Senn sitting there announcing the death of a rider for a 2nd time in just over a year

Here it was Dennis Ritter who brought the news during the coverage of the U23 race.
He was also the one bringing the news about Drege during the Tour.

Can we have just one year without some sort of tragedy?

 

[awavey]

Dutch team have relayed the news sadly Bas van Belle passed away unexpectedly today as well

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...sma-star-loe-van-belle-tragically-passes-away

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Dutch team have relayed the news sadly Bas van Belle passed away unexpectedly today as well

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...sma-star-loe-van-belle-tragically-passes-away

Tragic for a cycling-mad family. Though the Dutch cycling association might be overstating it when they say: ‚Bas leaves a great void in the world of cycling.‘

 

[Sciatic]

I don't think chemistry works like that...

Meanwhile, the Four days of Dunkirk is getting shortened... to five days, with a one-day race added on top.

The 4 Days of Dunkirk is being reduced from 6 to 5 days - Canadian Cycling Magazine

Except....there's also a sixth day of being added to the 4 Days of Dunkirk The 4 Days of Dunkirk is being reduced from 6 to 5 days

cyclingmagazine.ca

They saved up some of the discarded days from De Panne (old joke, sorry).

 

[Sciatic]

The extra day of Dunkirk

That is some historical relevance for the “extra day” (added to the race) in the context of The Dunkirk—because a stretch of bad weather when the Luftwaffe couldn’t fly provided an extra day without bombing or straffing of the naval evacuation that was critical in allowing tens of thousands more British and French soldiers to escape.

 

[AmRacer]

If you don’t have any argument besides TDF stage 21, I’m good… that’s like me saying, Vingegaard will win due to his stellar TT in the TDF 2023

You don't have any other argument as well. Vinge was close to Pogi besides his injuries. So, Yes Jonas has and can again beat Pogi at TT's like Nice or real mtf.

 

[Berniece]

You don't have any other argument as well. Vinge was close to Pogi besides his injuries. So, Yes Jonas has and can again beat Pogi at TT's like Nice or real mtf.

Yeah, what a weak argument of mine that the 2x WC ITT would win next year