New to cycling world, Can anyone help out?

[The Hitch]

Do you think race organisers have a duty to counteract this through stage design and if so, any ideas how should they do that? Sometimes it seems all the GC guys want it to come down to a wattsfest as they just mark each other on the mixed type stages and save their energy for the big MTFs (Saxo TdF 2013 crosswinds one of the big exceptions obviously).

The mountain stages of the 2012 Giro showed no stage design is immune from the virus.

However, better stages do of course increase the chance that something good can happen. Unfortunately you can only do that for 1 or 2 stages in a gc. Cobbles stages, can definately do that, and certain types of hilly stages in the right place can as well. Cobbles should be in TDF a lot more. Any time they visit Belgium there should be either a Roubaix stage or at least a Belgian cobbles stage. And I refuse to believe Crostis Zoncolan wouldnt shake up even the dullest grand tour (or to put it in other words, the 2012 giro)

Of course there are ways to organize mountains and mountain stages to try and make them exciting but that doesn't always work. A long tt in the middle of a gt followed by a multi mountain dolomite stage is a formula that hasn't been tried enough.

But one other thing that gets overlooked are new stages, at least ones that havent been used much. New mountains, hills roads.
Those can throw in a surprise, when half the riders and staff don't really know what the gradients, winds, turns, road surface etc are like. Uncertainty helps make a stage better, more difficult to control and plan.

Eg the tirreno stage this year, which btw a few years ago absolutely would NOT rank as one of the moments of the season since it was only in total about 20 minutes of action, 15km, had the hills which took a lot of people by surprise. Shows how far weve sunk that 15k of action is sung about as if it was ****ing Mortirolo S Cristina.
They do that next 10 years, even if it always rains, you wont get as good a stage because people will be ready. This year though the bookies had Cav favourite for the stage.

 

[RedheadDane]

Hey, ianstannard, of course I don't know exactly where you live, but I'm going to suggest the obvious:

If it is in any way possible for you then go watch the opening stages* of the TdF when it comes to GB. I can promise that you won't regret it.
Just remember to keep an open mind, in fact if you only cheer for Sky I'm afraid you might be somewhat disappointed...

*Or just one of them.

 

[ianstannard]

if you only cheer for Sky I'm afraid you might be somewhat disappointed...

I figured that out... supporting opqs and Sky now, lol. Is this even normal?

 

[LaFlorecita]

I figured that out... supporting opqs and Sky now, lol. Is this even normal?

Who you support is not something you choose, man. It just happens.

 

[Afrank]

Just watch the races and support whichever rider in the race excites and impresses you. If it ends up being sky riders, like Stannard (who just happens to be on the front in Omloop right now) then support them.

 

[happytramp]

Just watch the races and support whichever rider in the race excites and impresses you. If it ends up being sky riders, like Stannard (who just happens to be on the front in Omloop right now) then support them.

Yeah, was just going to say. Now would be a good time to see Stannard in action.

 

[gunara]

Just watch the Omloop, ianstannard, and see how it does for you.....
I've only had serious interest in cycling in the last few seasons, too. Had I kept only supporting a team, and not riders, like you do, I'd be cheering only for world tour mountain domestiques and certain Caja Rural breakaways after 2013, and it'd be no fun Glad I'm not

 

[RedheadDane]

I figured that out... supporting opqs and Sky now, lol. Is this even normal?

This isn't about being normal.

 

[kingjr]

I figured that out... supporting opqs and Sky now, lol. Is this even normal?

If you want to be normal better dont be be a cycling fan.

 

[gregrowlerson]

This isn't about being normal.

Exactly. Your favourite rider and race interests can be rather illogical. Last season my most exciting stage was in the Tour, the stage into Le Grand Bornand. It was the most disappointing of the entire race for most fans, but with me being a fan of Andreas Kloden (now retired) I was on the edge of my seat, hoping for a stage win (he placed second, like he did nine years earlier).

Your interest in the sport can grow and change over time. I've been a fan for a little over a decade, initially just watched the Tour, then about five years ago started taking an interest in the Giro and Vuelta plus some week long stage races. In the last two seasons I've watch the Tour Of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, so I'm slowly branching out. Road cycling has a lot of different races, and a lot of different styles of cyclists, so there can be something for everyone.

 

[RedheadDane]

Let me give you an example as to why I personally find it somewhat silly to support riders solely based on what team they're on.

A few years ago Andy Schleck was the darling of everyone in Denmark, while Alberto Contador was the evil enemy who had attacked when Andy lost his chain.
Then the big "Leopard Trek Exodus" happened and around the same time Contador signed with Riis, within a year most people shifted their support; now Alberto Contador was the cool guy who had an awesome attacking style, while Andy Schleck was a whiner who complained about downhills.

I think it was at that point, I write think because it wasn't really a conscious decision, I decided that this is just too silly! And decided that I would just support everyone, cheering for whoever I thought deserved it on the day. (though admitted; I still cheer for Danes whenever possible, but it doesn't end my day when they lose.)

And, yes; cheering for 'whoever I think deserves it on the day', may cause me to basically cheer for several people at the same time.
Imagine this situation:
On a MTF stage a large breakaway has spent most of the day in front, as the start going up the final climb more and more fall from the break and are caught by the favourite group, but one rider - some relatively unknown rider from a wildcard team - stubbornly manages to stay in front.
Then one of the favourites attack and starts taking time on his rivals while slowly getting closer to the guy in front.
In such a situation I'd be cheering for them both! I'd be cheering for the guy in front to stay clear and take the stage win, and I'd be cheering for the favourite guy to take time on the other favourites. To make matters even more confusing; I'd also cheer for the other favourites to try and catch the first favourite, just because it (hopefully) would mean a lot of attacking and counter-attacking.

Is that logical? Naah!

Is this?

 

[Afrank]

Good post RedheadDane, I agree. I cheer for riders in the same way. While I'll always have a soft spot and be more inclined to cheer for some riders then others, I'll usually cheer for the rider that impresses me the most on the day. The rider who does something to make me jump out of my seat and yell GO! GO! GO!

 

[contessador]

Great posts on this thread. ianstannard, you inspired the regulars here by asking good questions. Picture of Nibali that RedheadDane posted says it all riding his heart out in that blizzard.

Afrank is so right about the jumping out of your seat while watching and screaming for someone. It can be a surprising moment. Just when you don't think you like someone or are cheering against someone, things can change based on what you see them do. And I don't mean winning the race, necessarily. Contador, Cavendish, and Nibali are all names and on teams I once cheered against - now they are three of my favorites. But I have too many favorites to name all. Plus, this year I am sure new names will get added on the list.

 

[ianstannard]

Are Sky good in the classics? They have won one of the races with Stannard and failed in the KBK race. Did Stannard get lucky?

Also, why did Lotto did poorly in KBK? Are they usually good in the classics?

 

[Flamin]

Are Sky good in the classics? They have won one of the races with Stannard and failed in the KBK race. Did Stannard get lucky?

Also, why did Lotto did poorly in KBK? Are they usually good in the classics?

Sky have a decent team in depth but usually lack a top rider to finish it off. In Omloop they did very good and it paid off even though Stannard wasn't the strongest rider in the race.

Luck is often some kind of a factor, but Sky did pretty much everything right so they deserve credits for it. Stannard did well, launching his attack right after EBH and Terpstra got caught, which is usually a moment when riders start looking at each other and the pace drops. After that, he did most of the work holding off Terpstra and Vanmarcke. So yeah, he completely deserved to win.

In KBK I don't think they really cared much anymore after winning Omloop.

Regarding Lotto, they're not great but they should do better than what they showed this weekend. Haven't read any interviews from them about what went wrong though, so I don't know what exactly happened.

 

[ianstannard]

Edvald Boassan Hagen has been criticised a lot before the season. Would you say that he has improved a lot or it was just luck he finished 3rd in Omloop?

 

[Flamin]

Edvald Boassan Hagen has been criticised a lot before the season. Would you say that he has improved a lot or it was just luck he finished 3rd in Omloop?

I'd say this is the level most people expect him to be on. Luck? No. And I had him on my favourites list, so it was not that surprising for me.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Sky have a decent team in depth but usually lack a top rider to finish it off. In Omloop they did very good and it paid off even though Stannard wasn't the strongest rider in the race.

Luck is often some kind of a factor, but Sky did pretty much everything right so they deserve credits for it. Stannard did well, launching his attack right after EBH and Terpstra got caught, which is usually a moment when riders start looking at each other and the pace drops. After that, he did most of the work holding off Terpstra and Vanmarcke. So yeah, he completely deserved to win.

In KBK I don't think they really cared much anymore after winning Omloop.

Regarding Lotto, they're not great but they should do better than what they showed this weekend. Haven't read any interviews from them about what went wrong though, so I don't know what exactly happened.

Sergeants said in a PR "The team hasn't lived up to the expectations. The goal was to finish high with Jürgen Roelandts. We should have been stronger collectively in the final. We're disappointed,”

after Omloop.

Rest of story on CN here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sergeant-calls-omloop-het-nieuwsblad-an-off-day-for-lotto

Haven't seen anything after KBK.

 

[ianstannard]

I'd say this is the level most people expect him to be on. Luck? No. And I had him on my favourites list, so it was not that surprising for me.

Is EBH good in sprinting and good in climbing too?

 

[Netserk]

The mountain stages of the 2012 Giro showed no stage design is immune from the virus.

However, better stages do of course increase the chance that something good can happen. Unfortunately you can only do that for 1 or 2 stages in a gc. Cobbles stages, can definately do that, and certain types of hilly stages in the right place can as well. Cobbles should be in TDF a lot more. Any time they visit Belgium there should be either a Roubaix stage or at least a Belgian cobbles stage. And I refuse to believe Crostis Zoncolan wouldnt shake up even the dullest grand tour (or to put it in other words, the 2012 giro)

Of course there are ways to organize mountains and mountain stages to try and make them exciting but that doesn't always work. A long tt in the middle of a gt followed by a multi mountain dolomite stage is a formula that hasn't been tried enough.

But one other thing that gets overlooked are new stages, at least ones that havent been used much. New mountains, hills roads.
Those can throw in a surprise, when half the riders and staff don't really know what the gradients, winds, turns, road surface etc are like. Uncertainty helps make a stage better, more difficult to control and plan.

Eg the tirreno stage this year, which btw a few years ago absolutely would NOT rank as one of the moments of the season since it was only in total about 20 minutes of action, 15km, had the hills which took a lot of people by surprise. Shows how far weve sunk that 15k of action is sung about as if it was ****ing Mortirolo S Cristina.
They do that next 10 years, even if it always rains, you wont get as good a stage because people will be ready. This year though the bookies had Cav favourite for the stage.

The problem with the 2012 Giro mountain stages was the pacing. Too back loaded, and with the hardest stage and hardest MTF as the last road stage. Who would take a chance on the Pampeago stage and attack from afar, when the next stage was so brutal?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Is EBH good in sprinting and good in climbing too?

A bit like Steven gerrard, good at most things but not a master at anything except a master at disappointing Maltiv.

 

[ianstannard]

I would also like to know some riders wear jerseys of their country. For example, Greipel wears a jersey with the German flag colours, why is that and how do they earn it?

 

[del1962]

I would also like to know some riders wear jerseys of their country. For example, Greipel wears a jersey with the German flag colours, why is that and how do they earn it?

The last winner of a countries road race wears the national jersey (assuming another jersey doesn't take precedence like race leaders), you will see Cav wearing the British one up until the next British Road Race championships

 

[RedheadDane]

Same thing goes for the winners of the countries' Time Trial Championships.
For example; Rui Costa will be wearing a Portugese flag during the ITTs.

Also; if someone wears flag-bands on his arms then he's former champ.

 

[hrotha]

Also; if someone wears flag-bands on his arms then he's former champ.

Or he's the current champ but rides for one of those teams.