Team Visma LAB

[zlev11]

WVA is ridiculous on his own but the "train" couldn't even drop Pello Bilbao today. i dont want to keep comparing them to Sky because it doesn't mean they're clean either, but Sky had times where they had Froome, 3 domestiques, and 3 or 4 other GC guys hanging on for dear life. it's really not even close.

 

[therealthing]

Sound familiar?

Primož Roglič on Tour de France domination: 'I have nothing to hide. It's me.'

Journalists asked Primož Roglič if he is racing this Tour de France clean. 'You can definitely trust me,' Roglič said.

www.velonews.com

 

[kingjr]

Of course it sounds familiar. The range of things you can say in response to that question is limited.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I mean "are you a clean rider/are you doping" is the most stupid question you can ask any rider, what's the point of even asking it, what is he supposed to say, "nope, I'm juiced to the tits"?

 

[luckyboy]

No reporter can say things they suspect because it's libel and they'll get sued. If you're asking questions like that then at least it shows that it's something the media is thinking about, instead of just going through races just never questioning anything.

 

[Amazinmets87]

I mean "are you a clean rider/are you doping" is the most stupid question you can ask any rider, what's the point of even asking it, what is he supposed to say, "nope, I'm juiced to the tits"?

I think the question should be asked simply to have the rider in question on record claiming to be clean. After it has been asked once the issue shouldn't be breached again.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Even Sky didn't have a sprinter dropping pure climbers and pulling an entire group of them half way up a HC summit finish.

Smells a bit Hincapie to me.

 

[Parker]

Sound familiar?

Primož Roglič on Tour de France domination: 'I have nothing to hide. It's me.'

Journalists asked Primož Roglič if he is racing this Tour de France clean. 'You can definitely trust me,' Roglič said.

www.velonews.com

What would you say if you were a clean rider?

 

[Fergoose]

There is nothing unusual in a top funded team slaughtering the opposition when riding in this controlled tempo fashion. It is a little suspect that JV targets stage wins with WvA as well as yellow (rather than focussing all resources on one cause).

The most suspect thing I saw today though was Roglic doing a Froome-esque soft pedal in the closing 100ms. I think he was clearly strong enough to take the stage and UK commentators immediately speculated that he had given Pogacar the win, before taking the remark back.

The thing is, such is the history of cycling, if I was clean and winning, I'd consider throwing a stage as well, purely to avoid getting a media grilling and sly remarks about my performance.

 

[MartinGT]

Even Sky didn't have a sprinter dropping pure climbers and pulling an entire group of them half way up a HC summit finish.

No, but Wiggins once won a sprint in the Dauphine though.

I am not saying that WVA is pan y agua.

But I have seen on my timeline Sky / Ineos fans calling out WVA who completely ignore the fact Kwiato and co dropping pure climbers like they were going out of fashion. Or one year 'Gee' doing E3 no bother then being a GC contender.

 

[roundabout]

So, what's up with the whole 'but Sky', 'but US Postal' line of arguments? A guy who won bunch sprints is 24th on GC after working and the retort is 'but Hincapie'. Really?

Today, for example, they were 40 seconds faster on the Selle de Fromentel, 40 seconds faster on the Biche and 2:35 faster on the Grand Colombier than on the Ain stage 1 month ago. And that 2:35 improvement had the guy who won 2 bunch sprints pulling for practically 1/2 of the climb.

 

[fmk_RoI]

if I was clean and winning, I'd consider throwing a stage as well, purely to avoid getting a media grilling and sly remarks about my performance.

So, given the question was asked, you're saying he's not cleans?

 

[SafeBet]

He's not.

My bad. I checked the standings before all the riders came in.

 

[topt]

Sound familiar?

Primož Roglič on Tour de France domination: 'I have nothing to hide. It's me.'

Journalists asked Primož Roglič if he is racing this Tour de France clean. 'You can definitely trust me,' Roglič said.

www.velonews.com

God you people, he should have said Yes, I am doping

 

[topt]

There is nothing unusual in a top funded team slaughtering the opposition when riding in this controlled tempo fashion. It is a little suspect that JV targets stage wins with WvA as well as yellow (rather than focussing all resources on one cause).

The most suspect thing I saw today though was Roglic doing a Froome-esque soft pedal in the closing 100ms. I think he was clearly strong enough to take the stage and UK commentators immediately speculated that he had given Pogacar the win, before taking the remark back.

The thing is, such is the history of cycling, if I was clean and winning, I'd consider throwing a stage as well, purely to avoid getting a media grilling and sly remarks about my performance.

hm, but if Roglic is doping I ll guess Pogacar is doing it also, so the best thing for Pogacar would also be to let Roglic win

 

[Red Rick]

I really WANT van Aert to be credible, but I just can't get this into my head. Can somebody explain to me the physiology of someone almost beating Ewan in a bunch sprint and climbing like about the 15th best in the Tour?

If you want me to tell you it's credible you have sadly come to the wrong place.

 

[Red Rick]

God you people, he should have said Yes, I am doping

I honestly don't understand why anyone reads that sort of crap.

Testing won't catch them but ASKING NICELY MIGHT

 

[Libertine Seguros]

They literally won the Tour with their closest equivalent (Thomas).

and with a guy who used to climb worse than any sprinter that isn't Guardini or Quaranta

There's also Eddy Boss in 2012 to think about. And van Baarle.

 

[simoni]

Van Aert isn't the first rider to apparently be able to do everything at once but he's probably the most successful, certainly in the modern era.

I can't believe that doping has changed fundamentally since the highs of sky, if he's on. anything it'll be much the same, so we're left with the option of him being a once in a generation talent. But we've already got another couple of those knocking about at the moment....

Aggghhhh....nothing makes sense any more!

 

[GuntherL]

The decline of Ineos is as remarkable as JV's rise. I have no explanation.
The performance of Sunweb could be explained by ketones. They didn't use them last season as far as I know.

 

[Bolder]

I think a lot of performances/non-performances this year can be attributed to coronavirus. It's likely that some riders took advantage of less testing, but it's also likely -- maybe even certain -- that lockdowns affected some riders more than others. WvA was ridiculous yesterday but it was just as odd to see Bernal being dropped and Porte hanging in there...

 

[fmk_RoI]

The decline of Ineos is as remarkable as JV's rise. I have no explanation.

Oh come on. You're clearly not even trying.

 

[hrotha]

it was just as odd to see Bernal being dropped

It is not at all odd to see a top contender failing to perform at the expected level at the Tour.

 

[F_Cance]

Bij Jumbo-Visma krijg je antwoord op iedere klotevraag die je stelt

Columnist Thijs Zonneveld snapt de kritische vragen bij de dominantie van Jumbo-Visma, maar heeft nog nooit iets verdachts gezien bij de ploeg. ,,Je krijgt antwoord op iedere klotevraag die je stelt. Ook als je vraagt om inzage in vermogensgegevens of aangevraagde medische attesten.”

www.ad.nl

Bootlicker nr. 1 already starting to defend them

Of course using the kill it all argument:

To make accusations or to undermine the credibility of a team, you need more than just establishing that someone is cycling fast. Positive tests, witness statements, documents, dubious values, tampering with the rules.

 

[GuntherL]

Oh come on. You're clearly not even trying.

Please enlighten me.