State of Peloton 2023

[pastronef]

so, in this "new" all-in cycling, Vingegaard should be less liked? no battles on cobbles, no fighting for win and putting a show like Pog, VDP and co.
almost Sky-like approach. and Sky was veeery disliked. Jumbo less so, and Vingegaard even less disliked. mprobably being Danish helps? who does not like the Danish cyclists?

 

[Rackham]

Yeah, Catalunya was an epic battle. Add to it a TdF champion who fights on cobbles against big boys from the north. Guys who fight for victories all season long, no prep. races. Interesting times, indeed.

Agreed. For example Flanders at the weekend is going to be an amazing fight.

BTW, the fact Vingegaard doesn't take the baking soda (used by Van Aert & Rogla) isn't a mystery, i.e. when that lactic acid kicks in & the watts need a boost, Vinge has his own personal solution:

 

[Krzysztof_O]

so, in this "new" all-in cycling, Vingegaard should be less liked? no battles on cobbles, no fighting for win and putting a show like Pog, VDP and co.
almost Sky-like approach. and Sky was veeery disliked. Jumbo less so, and Vingegaard even less disliked. mprobably being Danish helps? who does not like the Danish cyclists?

Well, he doesn't seem to be popular here at all compared to guys like Rogla, Remco, Pogi, Wout or...Chris.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

so, in this "new" all-in cycling, Vingegaard should be less liked? no battles on cobbles, no fighting for win and putting a show like Pog, VDP and co.
almost Sky-like approach. and Sky was veeery disliked. Jumbo less so, and Vingegaard even less disliked. mprobably being Danish helps? who does not like the Danish cyclists?

The fact that Vingegaard is Danish has definitely made me less of a fan. He's more boring than most of our other top riders, and I don't really want to see them dominate either, as I'm usually more attracted to underdogs when I'm choosing athletes to root for.

 

[noob]

The fact that Vingegaard is Danish has definitely made me less of a fan. He's more boring than most of our other top riders, and I don't really want to see them dominate either, as I'm usually more attracted to underdogs when I'm choosing athletes to root for.

I like him cause he's a Dane and cause he's a bit peculiar. But I lost interest when he dominated the tour and Rogla was so injured. It was a bit much. I tend to pretend to be a Dane when watching cycling. I think he has quite a funny riding style as well. Maybe one of few times I agree with Wiggins "it's not pretty" or whatever he said. (Also when he denies doping even if I know he has to I don't like it at all. )

 

[Cookster15]

Well, he doesn't seem to be popular here at all compared to guys like Rogla, Remco, Pogi, Wout or...Chris.

Well when Vingegaard actually performs outside of July he might become more popular. He was just humiliated by Pog at PN but no doubt will be in top shape come the TdF.

I also prefer underdogs which is also why I didn't like Skyneos. Riding with the might of Roglic, WvA and even La Porte in support doesn't inspire me to like Vingo. His nationality is irrelevant to me.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I like him cause he's a Dane and cause he's a bit peculiar. But I lost interest when he dominated the tour and Rogla was so injured. It was a bit much. I tend to pretend to be a Dane when watching cycling. I think he has quite a funny riding style as well. Maybe one of few times I agree with Wiggins "it's not pretty" or whatever he said. (Also when he denies doping even if I know he has to I don't like it at all. )

I would applaud it if riders took the piss when they were asked about doping and told some (mostly) fake and funny stories about how they prepare for races, instead of just using the usual scripts.

 

[noob]

I would applaud it if riders took the piss when they were asked about doping and told some (mostly) fake and funny stories about how they prepare for races, instead of just using the usual scripts.

That would be amazing! Or some real horror story so that no one will ever want to hear it again Dekker book still fresh in my mind because it was so graphic. I liked it though, because he didn't make himself the slightest likable.

 

[Red Rick]

Cycling is cleanz guys

The comedy is real

How Clean is Cycling? Analysing the Anti-Doping Fight - Lanterne Rouge

The sport of cycling has unfortunately been marred by doping throughout its history, both the acts itself and the speculation surrounding its prevalence in the peloton. But how does cycling stack up against other sports?

lanternerouge.com

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Cycling is cleanz guys

The comedy is real

How Clean is Cycling? Analysing the Anti-Doping Fight - Lanterne Rouge

The sport of cycling has unfortunately been marred by doping throughout its history, both the acts itself and the speculation surrounding its prevalence in the peloton. But how does cycling stack up against other sports?

lanternerouge.com

Gianetti was right regarding the next generation of honest cyclists. Human evolution is real as illustrated by young phenoms like Tadej and Remco. They don't need doping to win while older guys don't dope as it won't help them against youngsters anyway. Therefore the peleton is cleaner.

 

[BR2]

Gianetti was right regarding the next generation of honest cyclists. Human evolution is real as illustrated by young phenoms like Tadej and Remco. They don't need doping to win while older guys don't dope as it won't help them against youngsters anyway. Therefore the peleton is cleaner.

Also due to Covid they all learned to wash their hands correctly. At least I think so.

 

[Netserk]

Cycling is cleanz guys

The comedy is real

How Clean is Cycling? Analysing the Anti-Doping Fight - Lanterne Rouge

The sport of cycling has unfortunately been marred by doping throughout its history, both the acts itself and the speculation surrounding its prevalence in the peloton. But how does cycling stack up against other sports?

lanternerouge.com

Is it wrong? Headline aside, the piece is quite reasonable. Anti-doping in cycling has far sharper teeth than in soccer and especially the NBA etc.

 

[Fantastico]

Is it wrong? Headline aside, the piece is quite reasonable. Anti-doping in cycling has far sharper teeth than in soccer and especially the NBA etc.

I would argue that the conclusion in the last section ("The data above shows great progress from the beginning of the century until now in the fight against doping in cycling.") is not really backed up by the data. The data shows how much testing is done and which share of the tests is positive, but it does not show at all if this testing is successful with respect to detecting or avoiding doping.

 

[BR2]

I would argue that the conclusion in the last section ("The data above shows great progress from the beginning of the century until now in the fight against doping in cycling.") is not really backed up by the data. The data shows how much testing is done, it does not show at all if this testing is successful with respect to detecting or avoiding doping.

This. It is nice that in cycling there is at least an awareness of the issues, although I feel that has declined in the past years, and that so many tests happen. But are dopers actually caught by the current testing? If they are caught, does it get swepped under the carpet? We don't know and the article doesn't tell.

 

[zlev11]

the UCI should make Ibarguren go back to Quick-Step so these races stop sucking so badly. he's doing alright with random Movistar riders but they dont quite have the horsepower for these races to really mix it with Jumbo.

 

[Rackham]

the UCI should make Ibarguren go back to Quick-Step so these races stop sucking so badly. he's doing alright with random Movistar riders but they dont quite have the horsepower for these races to really mix it with Jumbo.

IMO Quick-Step don't care anymore since they're all about Evenepoel now. I think that's all that's happened, i.e. irrespective of whatever clinical practises these teams partake in, I suspect Quick-Step simply don't care about the classics season as much as they used to.

It's like a perfect alignment of planets for Jumbo this season: they've hired decent classics riders over the past couple of years, they're very well prepared & their rivals have fallen away for whatever reasons. I mean who knows, maybe Ineos no longer care either since the company itself seems more interested in buying Man Utd than their cycling team.

It's just when Jumbo's main rivals today in that chase group were FDJ & EF Education, I think it also says a lot about the poor form of everyone else.

 

[BR2]

IMO Quick-Step don't care anymore since they're all about Evenepoel now. I think that's all that's happened, i.e. irrespective of whatever clinical practises these teams partake in, I suspect Quick-Step simply don't care about the classics season as much as they used to.

It's like a perfect alignment of planets for Jumbo this season: they've hired decent classics riders over the past couple of years, they're very well prepared & their rivals have fallen away for whatever reasons. I mean who knows, maybe Ineos no longer care either since the company itself seems more interested in buying Man Utd than their cycling team.

It's just when Jumbo's main rivals today in that chase group were FDJ & EF Education, I think it also says a lot about the poor form of everyone else.

Of course there were several teams behaving pretty stupidly today. But EF and Groupama have had a great start to the season, I don't think they are a sign of how weak the group was, but of how strong these teams are this year.

You can downplay Jumbo as much as you want
they are a completely dominating force, making riders that come to them often crazily strong.

 

[Rackham]

Of course there were several teams behaving pretty stupidly today. But EF and Groupama have had a great start to the season, I don't think they are a sign of how weak the group was, but of how strong these teams are this year.

You can downplay Jumbo as much as you want
they are a completely dominating force, making riders that come to them often crazily strong.

Don't get me wrong, i.e. I'm not downplaying Jumbo.

I just don't think Jumbo are doing much more than they usually do. This is a superteam which often superforms & go ahead and speculate as much as anyone regarding how they achieve their level, i.e. I'm not here to say they're not juicing like pros.

It's just Quick-Step are quite frankly sh*t compared to what they used to be & this is their turf (aka classics). Evenepoel is now their only focus IMO. Alaphilippe tried & tried & tried to punch away today but he's lost a few percentage points in terms of power, evidently. Lefévère will huff & puff in the media as always after a Quick-Step bad result but to me it seems clear his protégé Evenepoel is the only thing he really cares about this season.

I do find FDJ quite tasty though, i.e. I so want to see how Gaudu does in Itzulia next week.

 

[Andy schleck]

Well, he doesn't seem to be popular here at all compared to guys like Rogla, Remco, Pogi, Wout or...Chris.

Personally i like chris, mvdp but also Vingegaard.

 

[zlev11]

IMO Quick-Step don't care anymore since they're all about Evenepoel now. I think that's all that's happened, i.e. irrespective of whatever clinical practises these teams partake in, I suspect Quick-Step simply don't care about the classics season as much as they used to.

then why have Asgreen, Alaphillipe and Lampaert taken such a step back (starting with last years classics season) all at the same time? those three riders certainly care just as much as they always have about the cobbled races.

 

[Rackham]

then why have Asgreen, Alaphillipe and Lampaert taken such a step back all at the same time? those three riders certainly care just as much as they always have about the cobbled races.

Whether those riders care is immaterial I presume, i.e. team 'preparation' might have declined in quality as a result of different priorities.

Alaphilippe is coming back from a bad year, injuries & has been at the center of some public feuding with Lefévère. I'm not exactly diving into conspiracy theory here by suggesting Quick-Step might not care about his spring performances as much in 2023 as they once did.

I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever the Quick-Step team supporting Remco Evenepoel in the Giro will be firing on all cylinders. But think about it, i.e. Jumbo Visma themselves haven't always blown away every race they've been in, for example their performance in the Giro every year is absolutely lightyears away from the level of the TdF squad. Usually because they just don't care as much.

In that sense I'm very curious to see how well Roglič will be supported in May.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Is it wrong? Headline aside, the piece is quite reasonable. Anti-doping in cycling has far sharper teeth than in soccer and especially the NBA etc.

Absolutely. Fight against doping in cycling is >> in most other disciplines (some want to pretend there's no problem). It's also true that the other side is advancing quickly. It's like an arm race and dopers want to be one step ahead (and they usually succeed in that).

 

[Nick2413]

Absolutely. Fight against doping in cycling is >> in most other disciplines (some want to pretend there's no problem). It's also true that the other side is advancing quickly. It's like an arm race and dopers want to be one step ahead (and they usually succeed in that).

That’s why I’m not so sure aggressive doping controls do anything other than make it even worse. I guess it’s going to happen anyway, but if they were a bit more lax there would be less pressure to develop cutting edge doping techniques and just stick with the traditional stuff.

 

[houtdffan]

Gianetti was right regarding the next generation of honest cyclists. Human evolution is real as illustrated by young phenoms like Tadej and Remco. They don't need doping to win while older guys don't dope as it won't help them against youngsters anyway. Therefore the peleton is cleaner.

that's like Zomegnan saying the 2008 giro samples did not need to be retested for Cera despite Rico, SELLA, and the gang all coming back with glowing positives. He actually said the peloton was clean in the 2008 giro!

 

[noob]

I'm pretty darn sure through LR I found a podcast once about a ski doped who just got caught and that said everyone does it. That's why I liked LR. Oh well. I digress. No integrity left...