General News Thread

[BlueRoads]

Tokyo Olympics are still in doubt, or maybe moreso than a couple weeks ago.

Tokyo Olympics: Asahi Shimbun newspaper says Japan Games must be cancelled

The liberal daily, an official sponsor of the Games, says public health should be a priority while the coronavirus is still spreading See all our coronavirus coverage

www.theguardian.com

Actually, if the huge majority of the public is against holding the games for health reasons I think the athletes themselves should pull out. I love the Olympics and I know for some it's their only ever shot at real glory, but how can you go there and say "my dream is more important than your fear for life?"
And the official decision whether it's cancelled or not seems to be an entirely political one as in internal power politics, so I think athletes should not hide behind that.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The biggest challenge will be knowing where they are.

Odds of anyone getting Van Moer'd?

 

[limak_]

Hm, Alaphilippe, van Aert, van der Poel, Pidcock, and Asgreen with the long shot?

This, apart from it might be a little bit too interval for Asgreen imo.

Btw, anyone knows if MVDP's planning to do both road and XCO Worlds? That could be a unique oppurtunity for him to hold WC titles in all 3 disciplines simultaneously.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This, apart from it might be a little bit too interval for Asgreen imo.

Btw, anyone knows is MVDP is planning to do both road and XCO Worlds? That could be a unique oppurtunity for him to hold WC titles in all 3 disciplines simultaneously.

Sorry, but this is an open goal, I have to score.

27 September 2014, Ponferrada:

31 January 2015, Tábor:

5 September 2015, Vallnord:

 

[RedheadDane]

Doesn't really change the fact that it would be a unique opportunity for Van Der Poel to have the World Championship titles in Road, MTB, and Cross at the same time.

 

[limak_]

Sorry, but this is an open goal, I have to score.

27 September 2014, Ponferrada:

31 January 2015, Tábor:

5 September 2015, Vallnord:

I obviously know and remember very well Pauline's case.

Then in what sense was that an open goal?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I obviously know and remember very well Pauline's case.

Then in what sense was that an open goal?

As RHD points out, it was about how I parsed your sentence. I read it as though van der Poel would have a unique opportunity to hold all three jerseys simultaneously, whereas she read it - and from your comment you intended it - as though van der Poel would have a unique opportunity to hold all three jerseys. Since the opportunity is not unique to van der Poel, I saw that as a point to correct by raising the PFP example (as she is the only example of this triple ever being done), but if you meant this would be Mathieu's one and potentially only opportunity to do likewise then obviously you are correct in that.

The open goal comment was based on my tendency when such comments are made that omit examples from women's cycling to bring them up, although usually those posts are about Marianne Vos.

 

[RedheadDane]

I saw that as a point to correct by raising the PFP example (as she is the only example of this triple ever being done),

Vos didn't?

 

[limak_]

As RHD points out, it was about how I parsed your sentence. I read it as though van der Poel would have a unique opportunity to hold all three jerseys simultaneously, whereas she read it - and from your comment you intended it - as though van der Poel would have a unique opportunity to hold all three jerseys. Since the opportunity is not unique to van der Poel, I saw that as a point to correct by raising the PFP example (as she is the only example of this triple ever being done), but if you meant this would be Mathieu's one and potentially only opportunity to do likewise then obviously you are correct in that.

The open goal comment was based on my tendency when such comments are made that omit examples from women's cycling to bring them up, although usually those posts are about Marianne Vos.

Actually, I used the term uniqe opportunity in two different contexts:

• it'll be a unique opportunity for MVDP himself; for three reasons (in descending order of importance): 1) WC road course seems to be just made for his abilities, 2) due to the Olympics, his focus on MTB is particularly strong this season, 1) he's already holding CX WC jersey
• it'll be a unique opportunity for this to happen for the first time in men's cycling

Either way, thanks for bringing up PFP's example, as her acheivement is surely worth reminding.

 

[limak_]

Vos didn't?

She's never been so dominant in MTB (although she won some high quality races), like in CX and road.

And I think she's never put so much focus on MTB as well.

 

[BlueRoads]

Track EC in Minsk won't happen, thankfully.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Doesn't really change the fact that it would be a unique opportunity for Van Der Poel to have the World Championship titles in Road, MTB, and Cross at the same time.

He'd be the first to win them in the same calendar year; however, I reckon he won't do the XCO Championships; it's a similar situation to 2019. He missed the XCO Worlds in Mont St Anne, when he was almost guaranteed a medal - in favour of the Road Worlds, on a course that suited him, and we know what happened.

 

[limak_]

He'd be the first to win them in the same calendar year; however, I reckon he won't do the XCO Championships; it's a similar situation to 2019. He missed the XCO Worlds in Mont St Anne, when he was almost guaranteed a medal - in favour of the Road Worlds, on a course that suited him, and we know what happened.

That's why taking all 3 titles in the same calendar year is much more complicated thing. XCO and Road Champs being to close to each other. Ferrand-Prevot found a great way to solve this issue. Road title in 2014, then CX 2015 and XCO 2015. So when she took XCO title, she was still holding the road one from the previous season, because road champs usually take place until after XCO champs. I think that Mathieu needs to implement this tactics.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So the Tour de Suisse has changed the route of stage 6 and stage 8 because Nufen, Furka and Sustenpass are still not open.
Source: https://www.tourdesuisse.ch/en/news-en/kurzfristige-anpassung-streckenfuehrung-6-etappe-2/

This year it's pretty much a perfect storm, lots of snow in the winter and a cold spring. Last week I hear reports that they had tons of problems clearling the Timmelsjoch road, on some sections you still had 6-7m of snow, just look at this:

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So the Tour de Suisse has changed the route of stage 6 and stage 8 because Nufen, Furka and Sustenpass are still not open.
Source: https://www.tourdesuisse.ch/en/news-en/kurzfristige-anpassung-streckenfuehrung-6-etappe-2/

This year it's pretty much a perfect storm, lots of snow in the winter and a cold spring. Last week I hear reports that they had tons of problems clearling the Timmelsjoch road, on some sections you still had 6-7m of snow, just look at this:

That picture looks like Steven Kruijswijks worst nightmare.

 

[Red Rick]

So the Tour de Suisse has changed the route of stage 6 and stage 8 because Nufen, Furka and Sustenpass are still not open.
Source: https://www.tourdesuisse.ch/en/news-en/kurzfristige-anpassung-streckenfuehrung-6-etappe-2/

This year it's pretty much a perfect storm, lots of snow in the winter and a cold spring. Last week I hear reports that they had tons of problems clearling the Timmelsjoch road, on some sections you still had 6-7m of snow, just look at this:

That's about 3-4 Kruijswijks high?

 

[BlueRoads]

Track WC now in Glasgow.

 

[Red Rick]

Toestand Maurits Lammertink stabiel na aanrijding met scooter

Update Bij een aanrijding met een scooter is Maurits Lammertink (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) ernstig gewond geraakt. Zijn vrouw meldt aan Tubantia dat hij met hersenletsel naar het ziekenhuis is afgevoerd. De situatie van de renner is sinds woensdagmorgen stabiel. Hij is buiten levensgevaar...

www.wielerflits.nl

Maurits Lammertink got hit by a scooter in Hengelo while out for ice cream with his wife and 2 kids. He had a brain hemorrhage, but he's stable and no longer in critical condition.

 

[Red Rick]

Koen de Kort verliest drie vingers bij ongeluk met een voertuig

Koen de Kort is eerder slachtoffer geworden van een ongeluk in zijn thuisland Andorra, waarbij hij de derde, vierde en vijfde vinger aan zijn rechterhand is verloren. “Met verdriet moeten wij melden dat Koen de Kort eerder vandaag betrokken is geraakt bij een ongeval tijdens het besturen van een...

www.wielerflits.nl

Koen de Kort was involved in an accident driving an off-road vehicle. He lost the middle, ring and little finger of one hand, with the index finger being heavily damaged.

He was in his final season of his career. Sadly safe to say he won't be back with a number on his back.

 

[Netserk]

Two MTFs for next year's Catalunya have been announced.

Official source
Secondary source of profiles

 

[Netserk]

New route for Donostia Klasikoa — Clásica San Sebastián (the date is a week after the OGRR):

Clearly an improvement over the routes since 2014 (2018 route with the same final 100 km from 2014 to 2018) when they added that blocking loop in the end. After introducing Erlaitz in 2019 (2019 route), it's now the penultimate climb and likely the place for a winning move/selection.

 

[Netserk]

Lefevre poaches yet another sponsor from Lotto, this time it's Soudal that will be main sponsor for the QS team in 2023 (they will continue sponsoring the Lotto team in 2022).

Opschudding in Belgische wielerwereld: Soudal vertrekt na 2022 bij Lotto en wordt nieuwe hoofdsponsor van Patrick Lefevere

Soudal verlaat eind 2022 Lotto na acht jaar sponsoring, maar zou vanaf 2023 mee in zee gaan met het Quick-Step van Patrick Lefevere. Soudal zou vanaf dan ook mee hoofdsponsor worden. Tussen beide partijen zou een overeenkomst bestaan die stelt dat ze samen het nodige sponsorgeld bijeenbrengen...

www.nieuwsblad.be

 

[Mayomaniac]

Savio gets a new main sponsor for his team for the next season, the Spanish start-up Drone Hopper.
https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article...-bellini-aeronautica-spagna-nuovo-title-name-

 

[Red Rick]

Two MTFs for next year's Catalunya have been announced.

Official source
Secondary source of profiles

When Molina alone isn't enough of a joke.

 

[ice&fire]

When Molina alone isn't enough of a joke.

To compensate for that, the Vuelta a Valencia will have a 6km long MTF not yet disclosed but with 3km of unpaved road