Race Thread

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Baal is very muddy today.
 
Ryan Kamp also riding for his own team. Interestingly on Colnagos and Campagnolo. Felipe Orts still on BH's and Stybar gone back to his roots at the Fidea team with Ridleys.

I believe the Roodhoofts helped him, and will pay him a salary. Both Kamp & Orts are visible in races - why haven't teams offered them proper contracts.
A Spanish rider on a Belgian team would surely be a marketing win....instead we get too much insularity.

Also, I'll keep banging the drum for Zemanova - and Bentveld.....two top U23 riders not on WT teams.
 
I believe the Roodhoofts helped him, and will pay him a salary. Both Kamp & Orts are visible in races - why haven't teams offered them proper contracts.
A Spanish rider on a Belgian team would surely be a marketing win....instead we get too much insularity.

Also, I'll keep banging the drum for Zemanova - and Bentveld.....two top U23 riders not on WT teams.
Well that's strange then. As you say why haven't teams picked him up (and I guess Orts maybe as well)? But if they are paying the salary, even if he is not riding in the kit of one of the teams, why is he not on the some of the same equipment that the rest of the whole formation use. E.g. Why Colnago and Campag and not Shimano and Canyon or Stevens.
 
I have no idea what you're even arguing at this point.
And yet you are accusing me of defending the indefensible??? I have defended nothing and nobody, except those who think that restraint is a response that should be exercised.

My argument is that MVdP's response, while not ideal optically, was a justified response to fan behavior.
Anger is very often justifiable (and is so in this case): irrational expressions of, it are not. That is why I can't accept your "What are the riders expected to do" as if this were the only response open to him, and why I asked the question that you have ignored about those who face verbal abuse and physical threat in other jobs.
I would suggest that it goes well beyond being "not ideal optically": he is paid vast sums to have a shampoo associated with the highest of sporting endeavours, not to have it associated with aggressive spitting. It is incumbent on professional sportsmen to be alert to such things.
As the race organizers acknowledged, they not only booed him but threw beer on him.
If the race organisers threw beer on him, then we do indeed have a problem.
In any case, he got a slap on the wrist and we move on. Hopefully, those kinds of trashy fans are not permitted to sully races in the future.
In this much, we agree.
 
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Neither Wout nor Pidcock are racing CX Worlds with MVDP so I'd expect their form continues rising towards the Spring Classics and MVDP form falls off a bit perhaps? Saying that though, Wout's big objective this year seems to be Giro GC/Stages and Pidcock's entire season is focused on Tour de France.
 
Neither Wout nor Pidcock are racing CX Worlds with MVDP so I'd expect their form continues rising towards the Spring Classics and MVDP form falls off a bit perhaps? Saying that though, Wout's big objective this year seems to be Giro GC/Stages and Pidcock's entire season is focused on Tour de France.

No, Van Aert has said that his main goal are the cobbled classics and there will be no Giro GC just stages. He still has plenty of time to improve his condition ahead of the classics but I see no reason to believe Van der Poel won't arrive there in top shape either.

Pidcock quite disappointing today has to be said, Van der Poel once again looking magnificent.

Awesome podium for Ava Holmgren in the women's race.