State of the Peloton 2025

[meat puppet]

IMHO nationality was less important an issue in the sky thing than was and continues to be asserted.

If a dutch, french or belgian team came on and literally said they reinvented the wheel in terms of prep, got jiffy bags and salbutamol puffers pinned on them, and won the tour several times with a never-was badzhilla survivor, there would have been irritation, vitriol and carnevalistic criticism too. I would have criticized them all the same.

Sky era was different also in the sense that professional physiologists were scrutinizing performances both online and in cycling media. W/kg was not a badge of honor. Also anti doping was still a thing and perhaps some critics thought sports organizations cared.

Now it's something else, although the performances are way worse, racing more boring & unbelievable.

Movement for incredible cycling used to be a joke courtesy of the mpcc. Now UAE and visma (until this year) embody it.

 

[Ripper]

You know, I have been thinking of the past quarter friggin' century of pro bike racing. It is like, every now and again where we get to a point of - this is silly, it needs to get better, it cannot get worse. Then a pause. Then like some group says the proverbial "hold my beer" ...

 

[Rob5091]

Today at the Tour (stage 7) we had the peloton doing 54 km in the first hour. Not bad considering the hour record by Ganna is 56.79 km.

 

[Shakes]

Today at the Tour (stage 7) we had the peloton doing 54 km in the first hour. Not bad considering the hour record by Ganna is 56.79 km.

Wind was in the back today no?

 

[YellowSocks]

Not only is it kinda impressive that you're still this hung up on the Sky criticism, it's also factually incorrect because people are in the Pogacar Clinic thread every day and the "is UAE too much" thread is active as well

Come one. Six or seven regular posters on these threads. It's like you invited your whole neighborhood to your birthday and nobody came. Sad but at least we'll have enough to drink.

 

[Rob5091]

Wind was in the back today no?

If there was, I don't think it helped much.

 

[Red Rick]

Mur de Bretagne time was actaully super slow, like significantly slower than the record.

In all, today is probably the least ridiculous stage TdF Pogacar has won since 2023.

But it's the utter predictability that's just so boring.

 

[YellowSocks]

But it's the utter predictability that's just so boring.

He said this morning he wanted this stage, so there was nothing to expect. At least he warns you, so you can organise your day.

 

[Red Rick]

He said this morning he wanted this stage, so there was nothing to expect. At least he warns you, so you can organise your day.

Tbh he often says he doesn't wannit then takes it anyway. But today is fair I guess.

I didn't even watch live either, as I was on my bike, busting my ass 6 hours per day decade

 

[Rob5091]

MvdP (aka Matti Lambo) nearly opens up an old can of worms ...
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/i-...tour-de-france-as-grand-tour-fatigue-sets-in/

I sometimes wonder how everyone else recovers like that every day.

Ice baths - whatever happened to them? - ketones, turtles blood, warming down, a good massage (remember Pogi's masseur said Pogi was good to ride again after just an hour?), good genes and of course the good stuff found at the bottom of Vino's bag.

 

[Rob5091]

If Almeida makes it to the finish of Saturday's stage, I want whatever he's on! (TUE's aplenty I reckon)

 

[Rackham]

MvdP (aka Matti Lambo) nearly opens up an old can of worms ...
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/i-...tour-de-france-as-grand-tour-fatigue-sets-in/

Ice baths - whatever happened to them? - ketones, turtles blood, warming down, a good massage (remember Pogi's masseur said Pogi was good to ride again after just an hour?), good genes and of course the good stuff found at the bottom of Vino's bag.

I bet MvdP wishes he could have those recovery powers...

Seriously though, when the man who makes other riders look like amateurs in Paris-Roubaix starts asking questions like this... maybe the peloton is starting to recognize this is all becoming a bit too funny and comical for its own good.

And I just can't regarding actual tactical discussions about Visma and UAE. I mean we're talking peak Festina versus Telekom 1997 equivalent here, aka who even cares? These riders have glowing eyeballs and limitless energy.

Tactics? Haha! It's about going the hardest all day everyday.

 

[zlev11]

Paul Kimmage: Revealing the links between the Team Sky masseur and a convicted doping doctor at the Tour de France

It was late last Sunday evening when Sebastian Krause arrived in Lille. He had taken a flight from Munich, and a train from Paris and left first thing the next morning in a car to Dunkirk.

www.independent.ie

oh yeah this is that good ***

A text message from Rozman to Schmidt on June 9, 2012, a month before Team Sky would dominate the Tour de France.
“Do you still have any of the stuff that Milram used during the races? If so, can you bring it for the boys?”

And a text message from Rozman to Schmidt on June 21, nine days before the opening stage of that Tour de France: “Call me ASAP, as soon as possible.”
A reply from Schmidt to Rozman a day later: “What say team?”
The text message from Schmidt to Rozman three days before the opening stage in Liege: “I also sent him now two tests from him in the same laboratory, Dresden, which are correct. With temperature history and a correct working sensor. I marked all, so he can see different. Have a good night. I will work some hours more, cheers.”
A series of messages between Rozman and Schmidt on July 6 — the day before Froome wins the stage to La Planche des Belle Filles, and Wiggins takes the yellow jersey.
Schmidt to Rozman at 20:51: “Hey, where is your hotel today and the name? Maybe I can come for a beer around 22:00”

Rozman to Schmidt at 21:30: “Hotel Ariane, 10 Rue de la Saone, Laxou. Call me before. I go for dinner now. See you.”
Schmidt to Rozman at 21:57: “20 minutes. I’m there.”
There was a lot more going on between them when Krause started trawling through the court documents and files, a sense that Rozman and Schmidt weren’t just drinking buddies but accomplices. It was there in the messages.
Schmidt had connected with a suspected drug dealer — codename Maestro Balthazar — who could supply his clients with banned substances like Aicar and TB500, and it was his friend, Rozman, who had put them together.
Rozman was also putting up money for another accomplice to buy blood doping equipment from companies in Vienna and Ljubljana. They paid in cash, often used burner phones, and learned to move cautiously at races. Check this message from Schmidt to Rozman: “I’ll be at the track on Sunday, but it’s better if people only see me in the group.”

On Thursday, we sent the team some questions: Were they aware Schmidt was in the team hotel a night before Froome’s stage win and Wiggins yellow jersey in 2012? Had they spoken to Rozman about the questions raised in the ARD documentary? Was Rozman still the team’s head carer at the Tour? How did Rozman’s link to Schmidt, as noted in the criminal trial in Germany, fit with the team’s previous declarations that they would not employ anyone associated with doping?
They did not respond.

so Rozman clearly coordinating with Dr. Schmidt while working for Team Sky at the 2012 Tour de France. Dr. Schmidt was at the team hotel the night before LPDBF. a more smoking gun has never been seen. on top of that, the team has been a shell of itself since Aderlass was busted in early 2019. yeah they finished 1-2 at the Tour again, it doesn't mean they stopped doping, but the team was nowhere near as dominant as they had been (remember the whole team falling apart halfway through the Tourmalet stage? i remember being shocked) and they won with a super talented rider for a change.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Paul Kimmage: Revealing the links between the Team Sky masseur and a convicted doping doctor at the Tour de France

It was late last Sunday evening when Sebastian Krause arrived in Lille. He had taken a flight from Munich, and a train from Paris and left first thing the next morning in a car to Dunkirk.

www.independent.ie

oh yeah this is that good ***






so Rozman clearly coordinating with Dr. Schmidt while working for Team Sky at the 2012 Tour de France. Dr. Schmidt was at the team hotel the night before LPDBF. a more smoking gun has never been seen. on top of that, the team has been a shell of itself since Aderlass was busted in early 2019. yeah they finished 1-2 at the Tour again, it doesn't mean they stopped doping, but the team was nowhere near as dominant as they had been (remember the whole team falling apart halfway through the Tourmalet stage? i remember being shocked) and they won with a super talented rider for a change.

They also appear to have fallen off the face of the earth at Dauphine, Suisse and now The Tour, immediately after these links emerged.

Does anyone have a transcript of this article? My usual paywalling bypass methods don't seem to work?

I have a recollection of seeing Thomas talk about this guy on one of his podcasts, but can't for the life of me remember when.

By the way, all those Kimmage guys were saying it was Christian Knees until I linked them to Kingjr's post on here, *** idiots, would've been funny if he'd written an article about the wrong guy.

 

[Ripper]

Paul Kimmage: Revealing the links between the Team Sky masseur and a convicted doping doctor at the Tour de France

It was late last Sunday evening when Sebastian Krause arrived in Lille. He had taken a flight from Munich, and a train from Paris and left first thing the next morning in a car to Dunkirk.

www.independent.ie

oh yeah this is that good ***






so Rozman clearly coordinating with Dr. Schmidt while working for Team Sky at the 2012 Tour de France. Dr. Schmidt was at the team hotel the night before LPDBF. a more smoking gun has never been seen. on top of that, the team has been a shell of itself since Aderlass was busted in early 2019. yeah they finished 1-2 at the Tour again, it doesn't mean they stopped doping, but the team was nowhere near as dominant as they had been (remember the whole team falling apart halfway through the Tourmalet stage? i remember being shocked) and they won with a super talented rider for a change.

Not to mention all the prep that would have occurred prior to Aderlass slamming the door on certain approaches. pretty dang damning.

And yet now, they would get their rears handed to them.

 

[zlev11]

Not to mention all the prep that would have occurred prior to Aderlass slamming the door on certain approaches. pretty dang damning.

And yet now, they would get their rears handed to them.

remember how Bernal was supposed to ride the Giro that year and then "broke his collarbone" and went to the Tour instead? i remember hearing that it was BS from a pretty reputable cycling journalist, that he never broke his collarbone. they knew Froome wasn't going to be good enough to win the Tour for some reason.

 

[Rob5091]

I don't know what MvdP found for his "recovery" but I assume Rickaert got some too. Good though for Rickaert who does n't get the spotlight often.

 

[Rob5091]

Paul Kimmage: Revealing the links between the Team Sky masseur and a convicted doping doctor at the Tour de France

It was late last Sunday evening when Sebastian Krause arrived in Lille. He had taken a flight from Munich, and a train from Paris and left first thing the next morning in a car to Dunkirk.

www.independent.ie

oh yeah this is that good ***






so Rozman clearly coordinating with Dr. Schmidt while working for Team Sky at the 2012 Tour de France. Dr. Schmidt was at the team hotel the night before LPDBF. a more smoking gun has never been seen. on top of that, the team has been a shell of itself since Aderlass was busted in early 2019. yeah they finished 1-2 at the Tour again, it doesn't mean they stopped doping, but the team was nowhere near as dominant as they had been (remember the whole team falling apart halfway through the Tourmalet stage? i remember being shocked) and they won with a super talented rider for a change.

Thanks for the post and link - shame it's behind a paywall!

I await someone asking Wiggins, Froome and the newly returning Brailsford some questions. If Lance asks Wiggins about it, then the circle feels somehow complete!

 

[search]

Does anyone have a transcript of this article? My usual paywalling bypass methods don't seem to work?

https://archive.is/UMfAa

 

[kingjr]

By the way, all those Kimmage guys were saying it was Christian Knees until I linked them to Kingjr's post on here, *** idiots, would've been funny if he'd written an article about the wrong guy.

 

[ppanther92]

Today at the Tour (stage 7) we had the peloton doing 54 km in the first hour. Not bad considering the hour record by Ganna is 56.79 km.

I don't think they where blowing tailwind with wind machines at Ganna though

But sure, second fastest Tour stage ever speaks for itself, even more so, since it was driven by a two men break as opposed to a larger group.

 

[Rackham]

mou on X was talking about Narvaez being up during the night and using Instagram at 4am.

So what was going on ? maybe some old fashioned riding on the rollers during the night like 'la grande époque' of EPO in the 90's?

It's a funny sport because that's the first thing that crossed my mind. So I'll be watching his performance today with interest.

 

[Tim Cahill]

If Froome and Wiggo get popped then Bauke will be the 2011 Vuelta winner.

Vuelta a España 2011 Stage 21 results

Juan José Cobo is the winner of Vuelta a España 2011, before Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins. The stage from Circuito del Jarama to Madrid was won by Peter Sagan.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[search]

mou on X was talking about Narvaez being up during the night and using Instagram at 4am.

So what was going on ? maybe some old fashioned riding on the rollers during the night like 'la grande époque' of EPO in the 90's?

It's a funny sport because that's the first thing that crossed my mind. So I'll be watching his performance today with interest.

I would guess most of the better paid riders have an agency taking care of their social media to some degree at least.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If Froome and Wiggo get popped then Bauke will be the 2011 Vuelta winner.

Vuelta a España 2011 Stage 21 results

Juan José Cobo is the winner of Vuelta a España 2011, before Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins. The stage from Circuito del Jarama to Madrid was won by Peter Sagan.

www.procyclingstats.com

Imagine both Bardet and Uran having a tour de France on their palmares