• 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 @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2023, March 20-26

Page 73 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Because you love it?
Yes, I love riding my bike. I like to watching cycling (in-person or streaming) because I find it so entertaining and engaging. Your original comment about folks should go elsewhere for “entertainment” seemed to suggest we ought to be more serious or devout, none of this giggling in the pews during the church service. I was raised Catholic, so none of that for me please!

We all are entertaining ( read as satisfying) ourselves whether it be through die-hard fandom that accepts no slights or simply by taking in the spectacle of bike racing in all its forms.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Sandisfan and noob
Imagine the scene is some random household today in front of the TV:

"But daddy, why isn't Rog riding with Evenepoel?"

"Well my child, he's a mean, heartless, negative rider with anti-entertainment blood flowing through those veins".

...

I tell you, if I was that kid, I'd become Rogla fan number one after today. He brings the cool factor in hurting feelings.

Let me correct that for you:
"But daddy, why isn't Rog riding with Evenepoel?"
"Well my child, he's afraid to be dropped by remco if he takes over, or that he looses the sprint".

"but daddy, doesn't roglic has the fatest sprint?"
"Well, he doesn't think so... apparently"

"but daddy, he is the leader, so he should be the strongest rider no?"
"well... if he was would he ride like this?"
 
Carols, Blanco because the moment Remco attacks and can't drop Roglic, he should stop. use his brains. ergo --> this stage would have become nothing fun.

Previous climb stage? same story Remo pulls to long, not using brains. should have stopped
The Vallter stage? same thing, Remco pacing way to long should not have attacked and just wait for the final km.

In all these cases, its about using brains to wait for the sprint and do as little as possible. This is the fancrush of the supporters of Roglic.

The others who fancrushing (like me) enjoy people going for the win. try things, play around. If it doesn't work it you are called stupid, if it works out its called brilliance. But at least i enjoyed/went up in the stage.


While some are saying you race to win, that is true in some form. But in fact sports is a play used to entertain people. The sponsorship are because people watch a sport because it is entertaining.
Just imagine if MSR without any climb at the end, just 300km and a sprint. People are now already skipping the first 275km
To your first point: yes he should have stopped. And then picked other spots to attack, that, you know, might have a better chance of success than just towing him to the finish. I still loved his attack from far out—that why I enjoy watching him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Carols
Let me correct that for you:
"But daddy, why isn't Rog riding with Evenepoel?"
"Well my child, he's afraid to be dropped by remco if he takes over, or that he looses the sprint".

"but daddy, doesn't roglic has the fatest sprint?"
"Well, he doesn't think so... apparently"

"but daddy, he is the leader, so he should be the strongest rider no?"
"well... if he was would he ride like this?"

I mean the gap is literally 10 second between them... so if Rog is supposed to ride off with Evenepoel on the flat just to prove a point about being 'the strongest', then what was Friday's MTF all for?

The gap is there, it's small, but it's in Rog's favor. There's no doubt Evenepoel is insanely strong & Rog didn't have to go prove anything today. Tomorrow will be the final showdown & yeah, stage racing is also about 'the next day', i.e. keeping strength for what's next & firing your bullets when it matters. In 24 hours no one will care about Stage 6.
 
But Roglic might still get a little confused if he got a card from Evenepoel, say... next month, that started with "Happy Birthday".

isn't just about to add some context? "This will be your view in every race i ride with you until the 29th October!"
or
"I was just in a hurry to get there in time "

Comedy is the best relief,. Roglic is using that in his press statement, so why not do it yourself :).
 
  • Haha
Reactions: noob
isn't just about to add some context? "This will be your view in every race i ride with you until the 29th October!"
or
"I was just in a hurry to get there in time "

Comedy is the best relief,. Roglic is using that in his press statement, so why not do it yourself :).

I can just see the exchange:

Roglic (gets card from Evenepoel):
"Happy Birthday, Primoz.
This is mah BUTT!"


Roglic (contacts Evenepoel):
"Uh, Remco... it's not my until October."

Remco:
"Early b-day present! :innocent:"
 
I guess I'm just less generous towards those who rub me the wrong way with how they ride. But I realize there is no rational explanation for it, although fandom, and I'm talking about sport in general, implies a suspension of reason to some extent. There is no "reason," for example, why I should wish rider x to win and rider y to lose miserably, when personally I know neither. Perhaps rider y is a lovely chap, while rider x an unsupportable douchbag? Maybe they are both fine chaps, so why would I prefer one over the other?

On the other hand, I can think of one occasion that sealed my distaste for Roglic's modus operandi, which is a better version of Valverde's (who I never felt enthusiasm for, for basically the same reason) in the mountains; it's when he stomped that guy at the P-N, denying him what would have been more than a hard-earned victory, when Primoz didn't need the win, being as he was already in the race lead and having gained more time on his direct rivals. After that I simply had no sympathy for his cause, despite recognizing he admirably deals with the misfortunes that have befallen him, starting with crashing in that very P-N, irrevocably losing the lead. It's just one of those things.

And Remco didn't do the same thing to Gesink at Vuetla 23?
 
Let me correct that for you:
"But daddy, why isn't Rog riding with Evenepoel?"
"Well my child, he's afraid to be dropped by remco if he takes over, or that he looses the sprint".

"but daddy, doesn't roglic has the fatest sprint?"
"Well, he doesn't think so... apparently"

"but daddy, he is the leader, so he should be the strongest rider no?"
"well... if he was would he ride like this?"
See if this was a one-day race then you’d have a good point. If they were 2nd and 3rd in GC and the leader was behind, then you’d have a good point too. As it is though, it’s simply up to Remco to make time on Roglic - and he deserves full credit for being willing and able to put him under pressure from so far out - which means the idea that Roglic is a coward for riding defensively to not lose time is just a bit ridiculous
 
Ah, well, there are also the long game interests, like at least not making enemies in the peloton that could come back to haunt you in a moment of misfortune. Ironically I believe that did come to pass when Roglic subsequently crashed in that Paris-Nice and not only did nobody wait for the fallen leader, as I think would have happened had Primoz gifted the win the previous stage (like a real prince such as Indurain doubtless would have done), but they absolutely drilled it to capitalize on his misfortune.

So, yes, the team got paid for an unnessecary stage win, but lost the payout for winning the whole stage race. Thus I say it's never a good idea to become too greedy.

They waited. It's just that Roglič crashed more then once on that stage. At some point you have to draw the line. And even then a cyclist from another team helped to chase. To the extent they both almost crashed.
 
To your first point: yes he should have stopped. And then picked other spots to attack, that, you know, might have a better chance of success than just towing him to the finish. I still loved his attack from far out—that why I enjoy watching him.

I've been a Remco advocate since I saw him win both the under 23 RR at 18 and the ITT in Worlds the same year. Jaw dropping! Knew he'd be SOMEBODY! He needs to learn how to ride smart not just powerfully and drop some of the prima donna image :)
 
1. I don't believe there are many succesful athletes who chose being entertaining over winning. The "entertainers" type included, mostly it's just the way they know the best TO WIN.

2. I don't believe today race would have been more entertaining had Roglic cooperated. There wasn't enough available scenario to suggest it (no 3rd man in play etc.). Hard to beat that tantrum & trolling scene for entertainment anyway, what more can you ask.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Carols and noob
"Riek s, post: 2811454, member: 13518"]

In all these cases, its about using brains to wait for the sprint and do as little as possible. This is the fancrush of the supporters of Roglic.

The others who fancrushing (like me) enjoy people going for the win. try things, play around. If it doesn't work it you are called stupid, if it works out its called brilliance. But at least i enjoyed/went up in the stage.
____

I missed this since I put you on ignore but it was quoted in another post.

I'm 72, my first fancrush was on Jacques Anquetil. There have been Many different types of riders since that stole my heart. One doesn't choose a favorite it just happens. To this day my all time favs are Il Pirata followed by Eddy, Hinault, LeMond, Contador and Nibali. But one day in 2018 there was this guy Primoz who I'd noticed before but that day he was in 4th place in Le Tour and he took on the Sky train and beat them. He stole my heart :). He's a much more regimented rider now :( but every once in a while the panache is allowed to show (team car not yelling at him ) and has become Very Successful. All my favs have retired and he rides on winning and winning, and winning. I'm happy :). That doesn't mean I don't appreciate Pogi, or Vingo or Remco. I do lean towards stage racing, this is a endurance sport. Being GOOD day after day after day is the epitome of cycling to me. I enjoy one day specialists but it's not the same, just about anybody can be good for one day!

Fans that denigrate other riders without a Really Good reason (riding smart isn't a good reason) because they're beating their fav turn me off so Goodbye again.[/QUOTE]
 
Last edited:

TRENDING THREADS