Did you see the sub zero (-20 C) playoff game between KC and MIA?!
- Nov 5, 2013
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From a purely rider's perspective, I understand why most of the riders are against days like today. Having to watch Peacock, it was actally interestig to hear Vande Velde and Van Garderen's takes, as their view as a rider was that it shouldn't have been a stage, but their view watching it today was that it was a fantastic race to watch. I understand that their lives are dedicated to riding at the hightest level 24 hours per day. Everything is monitored, and everything is controlled. I'm sure the mental exhaustion with that life is overwhelming, and adding in other variables in their races is unwelcome mental stress. I'm guessing their perspective is that it is already overwhelming in many ways, why add to that?
From a purely fan perstpective, it was fantastic to watch. I follow races like Tour Divide, and love to ride and watch tough gravel courses and races. I look at what the Tour used to be, when they had a place to ride to that day, and it was over whatever surfaces were in between the start and finish. They also smoked cigarettes, and stopped to take lunch. Seeing the course from TV, it didn't look particularly dodgy, though there did appear to be some deeper gravel in some of the sectors. I know there is a tension between what the public wants, and what is asking too much from the riders, but I don't think today was it, based on the actual events. Some people are significantly overreacting (there aren't gravel stadiums or cobbled stadiums...there are gravel race tracks, and dirt race tracks, and they adapt vehicles to those conditions, like you can adapt a bike to those conditions. Funny how the most recent seems to have major grudge against anything gravel. Not to mention the use of the death of a cyclist as evidence a completely different race, on a completely different surface , has some relevance to today's stage, is performative and disgusting IMO). People certainly need to check their Roman Arena attitude about some things in sport, but today didn't approach that.
Today's stage was one of the most interesting races this year, nobody got hurt by the dirt today.
From a purely fan perstpective, it was fantastic to watch. I follow races like Tour Divide, and love to ride and watch tough gravel courses and races. I look at what the Tour used to be, when they had a place to ride to that day, and it was over whatever surfaces were in between the start and finish. They also smoked cigarettes, and stopped to take lunch. Seeing the course from TV, it didn't look particularly dodgy, though there did appear to be some deeper gravel in some of the sectors. I know there is a tension between what the public wants, and what is asking too much from the riders, but I don't think today was it, based on the actual events. Some people are significantly overreacting (there aren't gravel stadiums or cobbled stadiums...there are gravel race tracks, and dirt race tracks, and they adapt vehicles to those conditions, like you can adapt a bike to those conditions. Funny how the most recent seems to have major grudge against anything gravel. Not to mention the use of the death of a cyclist as evidence a completely different race, on a completely different surface , has some relevance to today's stage, is performative and disgusting IMO). People certainly need to check their Roman Arena attitude about some things in sport, but today didn't approach that.
Today's stage was one of the most interesting races this year, nobody got hurt by the dirt today.
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- Jul 3, 2022
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Just when you think Remco might be maturing, he says something like this.
- Oct 30, 2023
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Oh yeah. There is a tadej and I. They are the mean girls of cycling
- Oct 30, 2023
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Alternative ending: pogi loosens from Vingo because there is no Jorgensen there to shield some watts for Vingo. And Vingo bridges across to the mvp group where mvp and bling are waiting for him. They march on to stage victory (probably Rui costa whose wheelsucking makes Vingo blush)
- Jul 3, 2022
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- Nov 5, 2013
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Somebody would frame pump the sh!t out of Philipsen, if he were riding against Cinzano.
OR (alternate ending): Philipsen woudl be riding FOR Cinzano!!
Yup. We've figured it out. The only thing pro cycling needs to become bigger than the Premier League is to remove gravel stages from the 2025 Tour de France.
- Aug 24, 2009
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Not everything, no. But this stage was.
- Feb 24, 2015
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- Mar 19, 2009
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With all that vomit out of the way, do you feel better now? Why bother watching cycling if this is the way you feel?
- May 5, 2010
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But isn't that one of the things that makes cycling so great? The variation.
They didn't. The stage was planned months ago. And I really don't see how a fatal crash on a descend - which probably happened because of equipment failure, that could happen anywhere - is a reason why there shouldn't be gravel.
That part I agree with.
Don't do it because "that's how it used to be done", do it because... why not?
Armchair Cyclist
Moderator
- Mar 22, 2010
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So what did you see yesterday that you wouldn't see in a cobbled race?
How many injuries were sustained in gravel sections?
How many mechanical issues yesterday had an impact on anyone's GC chances?
Please compare those answers with those for a typical road stage.
It's perfectly reasonable to prefer not to have such conditions: there is no reason behind (nor is your argument enhanced by) such exaggeration with plainly inappropriate comparisons. Road riders on gravel roads is not comparable with footballers on roller skates: the world roller skating champion is not a footballer.
Riding on gravel is something that thousands of mature responsible people, including members of my bike club and probably yours, do every weekend with no particular risk: it is not comparable with insertion of explosives in bodily orifices.
And the attempt to bring Drege's death into the matter is below you: it was not arranged at less than 24 hours notice, and other cycling events in conditions far more similar to those surrounding that tragedy continue without any criticism from you. Stages 11, 14, 15, 17, 19 and 20 have far more in common with stage 4 in Austria: are you suggesting that they have no place in this race? Is Drege's memory insulted by not cancelling them?
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Armchair Cyclist
Moderator
- Mar 22, 2010
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The prime minister of Cuba and I were born on the same day: a statement I can accurately and grammatically make without claiming that he and I are in 'some club''. He is still waiting for the privilege of being introduced.
"Tadej and I are not happy with this" = "Tadej is not happy with this, and neither am I" Nothing wrong with the statement at all, not claiming anything.
- Apr 8, 2023
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It's a good thing social media's about as otherwise we'd be just moaning about all the sprint stages! (Hey! There's another on Tuesday - woopie! )
Gravel stages are like those TV shows that show real lfe crime. Nobody wants to see murder victims but people watch, so they keep on making them. As long as people like the excitement of a gravel stage then guess what? It was n't that long ago that public executions and the stocks and pillorys were public entertainment.
As has been written, it's the race to be at the front all the time that causes crashes not the chance of a mishap because of gravel. Vingegaard had a teammate with a bike so no problem. Infact there might have been fewer punctures then in a normal road race of similar length. Vlasov's crash, as could be seen on TV, was not on gravel and luckily for him he landed on grass.
As has been written here on many occasions, If the Tour actually planned a route that did not need these excursions into "one day Classics mode" to increase the numbers of viewers or shake up the GC, then they would not be necessary.
) Gravel stages are like those TV shows that show real lfe crime. Nobody wants to see murder victims but people watch, so they keep on making them. As long as people like the excitement of a gravel stage then guess what? It was n't that long ago that public executions and the stocks and pillorys were public entertainment.
As has been written, it's the race to be at the front all the time that causes crashes not the chance of a mishap because of gravel. Vingegaard had a teammate with a bike so no problem. Infact there might have been fewer punctures then in a normal road race of similar length. Vlasov's crash, as could be seen on TV, was not on gravel and luckily for him he landed on grass.
As has been written here on many occasions, If the Tour actually planned a route that did not need these excursions into "one day Classics mode" to increase the numbers of viewers or shake up the GC, then they would not be necessary.
- May 18, 2023
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As Evenepoel did himself.... in a credible way. Just in the nick of time ready for the Tour, after a heavy fall, broken bones, surgery and rehabilitation.
What Vingegaard did or is doing is even more impressive. If Vingegaard proves to be the strongest during the final week, he has made the right choice by not participating twice (in the attack). If not, it would prove a big mistake. If yes, one could have thoughts about his miraculous come-back.
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You are right, but not about the crash of Vlasov. It didn't happen on gravel but on asphalt, not in a crowded peloton, but in a group riding in one line.
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Watched back and I think this stage needed a gravel climb towards the end, from the GC perspective. Pogačar would have likely taken time on everyone. But at most 10s + bonus seconds at the finish. When Pogačar did attack and gapped Jonas, Laporte and Jorgenson were instantly on his wheel, while Jonas was dropping. Then Laporte dropped to help Jonas but couldn't close the gap. It was all down to Jorgenson to do it on his own and he did it brilliantly. If there was a climb there, I'm 100% that Jonas doesn't close this gap. What's likely is that Remco catches up to him and they TT to the end. Surely Jonas would have worked then. But I don't think they catch up to Pog.
- Jul 4, 2009
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Leaving aside the Tour de France as an institution, wouldn’t it be great with a stage race that includes a wide range of disciplines within road racing? Gravel, cobblestone, mountains, flat terrain etc. The winner would be the one that masters all those surfaces well.
I wouldn’t mind if the Tour became more of a race like this.
I wouldn’t mind if the Tour became more of a race like this.
- Oct 5, 2009
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Still much behind news since Troyers stages of yesterday.
Apart from I've now skimmed several over-interpretations of one or the other that I have seen enough here.
As for instance "Tadej and I" - I read nothing in this sentence other than exactly these words.
Give me a break.
Apart from I've now skimmed several over-interpretations of one or the other that I have seen enough here.
As for instance "Tadej and I" - I read nothing in this sentence other than exactly these words.
Give me a break.
- Jul 7, 2013
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The Tour delivers not only on the road.
Remco: We have to accept race tactics and race situations, but sometimes you also need the balls to race, and unfortunately maybe Jonas didn't have them today.
Jonas: It wasn't a lack of "balls", I just rode smart.
Remco: We have to accept race tactics and race situations, but sometimes you also need the balls to race, and unfortunately maybe Jonas didn't have them today.
Jonas: It wasn't a lack of "balls", I just rode smart.
- Dec 27, 2015
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If that is a direct translation of what Remco said to the Belgian media than that translation is very wrong.
- Apr 30, 2011
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- Nov 7, 2009
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Dude, WTF are you talking about? If there's one league whose concern with player safety is passing at best, it's the NFL. They're literally denying long-term injury claims from former players. That sport involves armored players hitting each other at full speed. You're comparing that with riding bikes on gravel.NHL is another collision sport known for brain damage and all sorts of other physical injuries.
Enough with the stupid drama. They rode on gravel for part of the course, just like Strade Bianche. Should we also get rid of monuments like Paris-Roubaix because they include non-paved roads?
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