no breakaway. it still baffles me. that's why a rainy-muddy Roubaix is needed. so that teams get scattered and can't control like yesterday. Modern Adventure had a chance of their life to be in the breakaway, and the mad speed of the peloton didn't allow it. tehy tried, as did the pro-conti teams, but to no avail.
Yes, you could say that safety, fairness, and media accessibility are all about preventing external factors from influencing bike races.
I also agree with the distinction between, for example, stage races and major one-day races.
Although this might be considered an anecdotal generalization, I distinctly remember that in the “old days,” more happened in the final 20 km of major races than we see today. I especially remember the 2019 World Championships well, and there we had an example of a race where there was really a lot of things happening in the leading group within the last hour of the race, including a major favourite who unexpectedly dropped out. I can’t recall seeing major races with similar scenarios in the last four or five years.
As for the distance between motorcycles and the leading riders, it’s something I study quite closely in every race I watch (because it means so much for the watts that need to be pedaled). And it’s safe to say that when a motorcycle photographer films or photographs a rider from the front, it’s practically always at a distance of less than two seconds. I would estimate that Pogacar and Van Aert had a motorcycle in front of them within that distance for several minutes over the last 20 km. How much help the chasers received is less clear (probably somewhat less), but I have abandoned the assumption that everyone receives equal help from motorcycles over time. That is not the case. And the idea that drag from motorbikes is just the reward for riding aggressively is also depricated.
If you have a couple of motorcycles in front of you, it’s like sitting at the back of a group with dozens of riders. Good luck to the lone chaser 50 meters behind them.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Great list, but you forgot:
✅The moment you realize Jonas does NOT in fact have an answer for Pog on <insert mountain here>.
😜
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Poor Quentin Jauregui is catching some strays at the end of this thread.
It was an interview given at the height of emotion, a lot of misfortune and pain and whatever else all coming out in one glorious day of redemption; I personally find it a bit silly to be parsing Wout’s words from the heat of the moment.
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This could be ok at any other races, but yesterday Pogacar was at 5 meters to be the first no belgian to win the 5 monuments. This is something really historic. It was no a race more. And he has really difficult to win Roubaix. It is dfifficult to forgibe by cyclint history he didnt play the best tactics to got it. He said days before it doenst matter, this is just like a game, I d love to win, but it is just a game.
it is for me hard to see that in the cyclist that maybe more has given to cyclist in maybe 40 or 50 years, becouse it is like a disrespect to cycling.
You lose, nothing to say, but yesterday race was history,. not a game.
You can spam as many of these as you’d like; one of my favorite parts of the post race high is watching these. There were some really great ones from back when Mathieu pulled of his Amstel at the last second…
Everyone likes to beat on Pogacar fans. Give more reactions/likes.
I think moderators can talk better about this but I found the thread very polite compared for example to MSR and guess what, Pogacar won.
But of course some people have a free card to discredit Pogacar (and sometimes taunt Pogacar fans) because "he is so dominant, he is so bad for cycling".
Can someone help we understand one thing: I was confused by it at the time, but thought maybe there will be explanations after, but i only got more confused. Van Aert punctured pretty close to the same time as Pogacar did (maybe 2-3min after) how was he so far behind him (i mean that can be explained by Pogacars change being more planned and all, but still) Pogacar had such a super easyy stroll back, while van Aert was really struggling to come back and he himself admitted he was worried his race is over there cause it was really hard for him to come back, so it wasnt any finessing or something like that. Did the entire group just wait for Pogacar and stepped on it when he was back and leave van Aert behind? Or did Pogacar himself drive it, despite being allowed back for more or less free? I guess the cars played a huge role aswell? I guess Pogacars change was so quick that he never left the convoy, while van Aerts was more messy and he was on open road... anyway it didnt strike me as particularly fair in the moment, but maybe im reading it wrong. I dont have access to a vod right now to watch it again and my memory might be blurry
Anyone can make out exactly what and how that happened: Pogacars puncture being a complete nonevent (just the last one mind you) while it was almost race losign for van Aert despite it happening at around the same time.
Anyone can make out exactly what and how that happened: Pogacars puncture being a complete nonevent (just the last one mind you) while it was almost race losign for van Aert despite it happening at around the same time.
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140 riders to finish within the time limit. Must've been a soft edition then, ridden at leisurely pace.
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Pogačar‘s puncture cost him just ten to fifteen seconds, with it being more planned and not on a cobble section so no trouble picking up speed again. This allowed him to catch the cars again soon after (next cobble sector iirc) from where on it was easy to come back. Van Aert‘s was in the middle of a cobbled sector and wasn‘t prepared like Pog‘s Slow puncture, so he lost that extra ten seconds. The real gap he has to close is the one to the back of the caravan, which was like five seconds for Pogačar and 15+ for Van Aert. Five seconds can be closed with just one surge while 15 is too much for that so it took a long time to get back. I didn‘t rewatch it though so this may be slightly inaccurate but I think that‘s the general issue.
The UAE car is the first car in the race. Pogacar gets a flat, the car stops and al the other cars are behind. One minute later Van Aert gets a puncture so it took a lot longer for the Visma car to get to Van Aert..
As you can see in the picture, Pogi is getting his bike while Visma is still passing them. So Pogi was still in reach of the cars to get back easily. That is because he was the number one car. 5-10 seconds earlier makes a big difference.
- Aug 29, 2009
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yeah, but it doesn't explain the difference. When van Aert punctured, Visma was #1 car, because UAE was still coming back from behind.
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Not to be overly nitpicky here - but still slightly - but Juniors are actually a few years older than 10.
(Besides, is 20 years really "several decades"?)
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He did chose a weird headline, but he was so hyped for the big guy to win and said it was the best PR he has ever watched!
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Forgot to check again yesterday, but it was not a replay - Ballerini somehow indeed ended up in the ditch twice.
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So apparently, "al dente" Pogi had a flat tire so could n't sprint and it's all Visma's and Alpecin's fault for not stopping when Pogi had to change bikes. There you go!
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Breakaways just meant favourites are gping quite easy for more than one hour and keeping the team. Yesterday was a full gas race form the begining and everybody was at the end at his place according to strenght , skills for the race and luck. There is no problems with breaks, but the race has more level like yesterday
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Did not realise this. Big big asterusk now on van aerts win.Forgot to check again yesterday, but it was not a replay - Ballerini somehow indeed ended up in the ditch twice.
Ballerini have me the impression that he was on serious good shape this spring. And yet he managed to get 0 results. A shame as the team was not so good in general. Bettiol has been a disaster
The UAE car passed before WvA got going again. I don't know what other cars passed / were in that convoy but it seems to me WvA all cars aheard, while Pog got going while some cars were still passing, so more of a ride in between the cars for Pog. And also just a quicker bike change, due to Pog's change 'announced' by a slow flat while WvA had a quicker complete flat, also on cobbles vs. Pog on asphalt.
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