For anyone interested a bunch of riders put their ride data up on Strava from yesterday's stage. Don't know if there is much that can be pulled from it, but it's there.
The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
For anyone interested a bunch of riders put their ride data up on Strava from yesterday's stage. Don't know if there is much that can be pulled from it, but it's there.
Thomas was flying like a maniac in Tirreno already.Thomas was clearly more negatively impacted by lockdown than Bernal and Sivakov, I would not be surprised if Thomas thought racing would not resume. I would not use his level as a representation of what Ineos was doing.
Thomas was flying like a maniac in Tirreno already.
Yep, you might be right about that. And yet nevertheless, he managed to ramp it up quite well in time for Worlds.Thomas was clearly more negatively impacted by lockdown than Bernal and Sivakov, I would not be surprised if Thomas thought racing would not resume. I would not use his level as a representation of what Ineos was doing.
If it helped significantly why did Tour winners never just skip the spring?I suspect less time racing has helped some people to some degree. I definitely do not think it explains everything.
I suspect less time racing has helped some people to some degree. I definitely do not think it explains everything.
It's funny that you would mention disc brakes, and i'm obviously not saying this is the cause, but i do think there are factors that we are overlooking or that are being dismissed too easily. What about reduced press attendance, could that lead to reduced chaos and stress before a race meaning less wasted energy, more mental freshness? Ok, unlikely, but still, those are things nobody speaks of. Disc brakes could mean faster overall speed, (shorter brake distance, more control, less preemptive braking...). This in turn could mean average cornering speeds are higher, meaning less wasted energy accelerating after every turn, could this be the 2% energy saved over the course of a ride, that enable riders to start a climb more fresh?I can buy that on an individual basis. I'm sure some riders train and race more than what's optimal to reach certain peaks and taking some time off can help even if it's just mental (no pressure to be in perfect form for a while and just get on with things).
But it doesn't explain the overall accellerations we've seen, unless sports science has been completely wrong for the past couple decades.
Very strange all this, maybe it's the *** disc brakes or something.
I don't think is a new thing. To me it is more logical to think that it is related to low to no-testing out of competition. It doesn't make any sense that all of a sudden everyone is doing the same.I mean if there's something going on then everybody is doing it.
Because Chaves breaking the record by a lot also means Kelderman broke the record by a lot and going by his style it didn't seem much faster than the guys who held the previous record lol.
Quintana se mostró sorprendido, ante el amplio número de hombres que ingresaron dentro del grupo principal. “La selección en esta etapa finalmente se hizo poco a poco, por eliminación. Habría imaginado que en esta etapa reina de la Vuelta a Cataluña surgiría un grupo más selectivo llegando a lo más alto de Port Lainé, pero no”
I'm not sure how much of a shift in terminology there's been, but I definitely agree that, of late, commentators (both in English and in Spanish) are struggling to provide reasonable arguments/explanations for certain things we're seeing (other than the same adjectives that come to everyone's mind in the face of such displays, which they sometimes do voice, perhaps unconsciously in the heat of the moment). And I think it might get worse as we continue to witness these exhibitions week in and week out. I'm not sure if any of you follow Armstrong's podcast TheMove, but it's hilarious to see arguably the greatest crook in the history of the sport utterly speechless or straight out saying he's never seen (or faced) anything like it.Just a quick random observation that probably means nothing, so apologies in advance.
Is it just me, or does anyone else notice the increased use of words like "unbelievable" and "it's like he's riding a motor-bike" coming from the mouths of commentators? I'd post this in the Eurosport thread, but I'd prefer not to get a suspension.
It's almost like you could hear commentator's jaws drop to the floor when describing what took place today at E3 Harelebeke (sp?). Both guys in the booth were having a hard time describing what they were seeing. My point being is there was a time not too long ago when words like "unbelievable" and "motor-bike" were not used because of the inherent implications. One got the feeling that a commentator would receive a slap on the wrist for uttering those words. Now adjectives like "unbelievable" are being used in the commentary booth after what seems like a lengthy hiatus.
I know this will sound silly to a lot of people, but I don't think I'm wrong when saying that over the years some words seem to have been deleted from a commentator's vocabulary.
I don't think is a new thing. To me it is more logical to think that it is related to low to no-testing out of competition. It doesn't make any sense that all of a sudden everyone is doing the same.
Very low to No testing out of competition can be huge.
So, basically the entire peloton, even riders for whom it makes no sense at all to start doping now, is taking huge risks, not knowing when covid related issues would manifest, not knowing how long they would last, or when they would end. That basically means 100% of the peloton is taking the risk of getting caught with their pants down, the moment testing can resume as before. There is basically not one clean rider in the peloton, according to this theory, because everybody is going faster. Everybody.I don't think is a new thing. To me it is more logical to think that it is related to low to no-testing out of competition. It doesn't make any sense that all of a sudden everyone is doing the same.
Very low to No testing out of competition can be huge.
I'm not sure how much of a shift in terminology there's been, but I definitely agree that, of late, commentators (both in English and in Spanish) are struggling to provide reasonable arguments/explanations for certain things we're seeing (other than the same adjectives that come to everyone's mind in the face of such displays, which they sometimes do voice, perhaps unconsciously in the heat of the moment). And I think it might get worse as we continue to witness these exhibitions week in and week out. I'm not sure if any of you follow Armstrong's podcast TheMove, but it's hilarious to see arguably the greatest crook in the history of the sport utterly speechless or straight out saying he's never seen (or faced) anything like it.
Doping is taking huge risks?! Lol. And doping makes sense for practically everyone. Not a super advanced or a high risk program, but doping to some degree makes sense for neo-pros and juniors too. What's the downside? Do you think it will hamper their development?So, basically the entire peloton, even riders for whom it makes no sense at all to start doping now, is taking huge risks, not knowing when covid related issues would manifest, not knowing how long they would last, or when they would end. That basically means 100% of the peloton is taking the risk of getting caught with their pants down, the moment testing can resume as before. There is basically not one clean rider in the peloton, according to this theory, because everybody is going faster. Everybody.
I mean if there's something going on then everybody is doing it.
Because Chaves breaking the record by a lot also means Kelderman broke the record by a lot and going by his style it didn't seem much faster than the guys who held the previous record lol.
So, basically the entire peloton, even riders for whom it makes no sense at all to start doping now, is taking huge risks, not knowing when covid related issues would manifest, not knowing how long they would last, or when they would end. That basically means 100% of the peloton is taking the risk of getting caught with their pants down, the moment testing can resume as before. There is basically not one clean rider in the peloton, according to this theory, because everybody is going faster. Everybody.
Figures have been quoted in this thread that the myth of low to no-testing OOC is a myth - Yes, there was a reduction for parts of 2020 but it appears to be back to close normal in 2021.
Are you trying to tell me being able to train more and harder and recover better will hamper your development?Doping is taking huge risks?! Lol. And doping makes sense for practically everyone. Not a super advanced or a high risk program, but doping to some degree makes sense for neo-pros and juniors too. What's the downside? Do you think it will hamper their development?
And I would like to see support of the claim that not just 50 % of the peloton is going faster than without covid, but 100 %.
u cant straighten a dogs tailBanned for life USPS doctor Celaya hanging out with Euskaltel-Euskadi at Catalunya. Cool...