General race thread 2021 **spoilers**

breezy1985

Race thread for any races that don't have race or stage specific threads.

Anything from World Tour down to amateur welcome. No 24hr spoiler needed

happytramp

Excellent. Cheers.

breezy1985

Pog extended his lead with a few bonus points today after coming second to Vingegaard it LJV on the stage.

I'm sure we will hear all about what a disappointing day it was for Bennett in the Irish papers later

Oymyakon

Another monster performance from Morkov and Bennett. Easily done in the end. Dekker, Ewan and Viviani depserately fighting for Sam's wheel.

CramCycle

Dekker is fairly confident coming up with Caleb Ewan but an epic result again for our man Sam, a full bike length again.

mewso

Good stuff from Sam. Morkov is some leadout man.

cunavalos

And the win has helped Sam move up to 103rd on GC

CramCycle

cunavalos wrote: »

And the win has helped Sam move up to 103rd on GC

RTE headline: Bennett loses out on top 100 place in tour despite crossing the line first :pac:

retalivity

Bit late to the party and ive criticised the middle eastern racing before, but there is something beautiful about the long stretches of straight pristine road in the middle of the desert.
And that climb to Jebel Jais or whatever it was called the last day looks savage, didnt think there was any climbs of that size near Dubai

griffin100

Oymyakon wrote: »

Another monster performance from Morkov and Bennett. Easily done in the end. Dekker, Ewan and Viviani depserately fighting for Sam's wheel.

The two wins this week, and especially the one today, show a real maturity in Sam's racing. He didn't even try and hit the front today until the very last second. Even two years ago he would probably not have had the patience or confidence to do that and would have gone earlier. Should be a good GT year for him.

Bambaata

mewso wrote: »

Good stuff from Sam. Morkov is some leadout man.

I love watching back in slow motion seeing how it unfolds. Morkov has such a calm and confident demeanour. He is the best leadout rider for years by a country mile. Whats even better is, as Sam eluded to, they are really gelling now. The tension in those finales must be crazy yet you often see Morkov look back, ease a fraction and move slightly to ensure Sam is in the perfect potion, even with everything going on to still know to let Sam go the sheltered side and do a little blocking to the other sprinters is a thing of beauty!

sy

Class finish, bet Bora are a little sick after these two wins. As pointed out by Bambaata, it was a real lesson in how to sprint. Positioning was perfect, Sam going on the sheltered inside, Morkov easing up making the others come around him on the windy side. His cool glance back near the finish to check if Sam had his wheel was so cool and calculating. Great to see Viviani coming back after his recent heart surgery.

Finnrocco

Awful finish surface though, hate cycling on those "cobbles"

CramCycle

Look at the gap he managed in those two wins as well, coming out of the group and making over a bike length over such a short distance with enough comfort to raise your hand before the line. It is fantastic.

happytramp

Just watched that... A real throwback to the way kittel used to win... Just opened up with such power that nobody even came close.

a_squirrelman

Really nice, he's on fire.

MangleBadger

Bambaata wrote: »

I love watching back in slow motion seeing how it unfolds. Morkov has such a calm and confident demeanour. He is the best leadout rider for years by a country mile. Whats even better is, as Sam eluded to, they are really gelling now. The tension in those finales must be crazy yet you often see Morkov look back, ease a fraction and move slightly to ensure Sam is in the perfect potion, even with everything going on to still know to let Sam go the sheltered side and do a little blocking to the other sprinters is a thing of beauty!

MY heart was going just watching it on my laptop

Eamonnator

It looked to me me as if Viviani was going for 2nd place from the start of the sprint.

breezy1985

I know its been a good few months now but I still get confused watching sprints because I keep expecting Sam and Mick to not be in team kits

Raymzor

breezy1985 wrote: »

I know its been a good few months now but I still get confused watching sprints because I keep expecting Sam and Mick to not be in team kits

Good thread. At least Sam is less obvious to the others in the bunch. I miss seeing the a national jersey.

breezy1985

Even when Sam doesn't win DQS can't stop winning. Ballerini took Omloop.

In the women's race Anna VDB was again brilliant

She's something else to watch when she's away like that, like it's absolutely nothing in terms of effort for her and perfectly still on the bike.

breezy1985

Deleted User wrote: »

She's something else to watch when she's away like that, like it's absolutely nothing in terms of effort for her and perfectly still on the bike.

That clip from the worlds is one of the greatest ever shots of a cyclist

velo.2010

KBK on now. Van der Poel only attacked 85km from the finish!

De Bhál

velo.2010 wrote: »

KBK on now. Van der Poel only attacked 85km from the finish!

I just turned it on here. He is one of the best but no way he can pull this off...is there

velo.2010

De Bhál wrote: »

I just turned it on here. He is one of the best but no way he can pull this off...is there

I think he said he was doing a job for his sprinter teamamate today... softening up the opposition?

velo.2010

Victor Campenaerts has his bars and shifter hoods turned in so much that they're almost acting like TT bar extensions. I can foresee the UCI having a look at any attempt to undermine their new rules on forearms on the bars/grabbing the computer etc.

velo.2010

velo.2010 wrote: »

I think he said he was doing a job for his sprinter teamamate today... softening up the opposition?

I think so, and using it as a training. He's missed 6 days racing this week in the Emirates. If he doesn't pull it off they've still got Merlier. Losing KBK won't keep him awake at night.

Lucky escape with the dog there.

De Bhál

I'm watching this on eurosport as my GCN racepass app doesn't seem to be working.

Anyone else's working?

I assume I'm doing something wrong but I find it not the best user experience moving around in app.


Edit. App has a message now from GCN saying there's issues

retalivity

As an aside, the GCN 19.99 offer for the year that ends today, is that UK only?

magicbastarder

no, i got it for 20 euro.

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/daniellloyd1/status/1366033219309731844

TheBlaaMan

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/daniellloyd1/status/1366033219309731844

Glad I kept my Eurosport Player access............cos the €20 I paid for GCN+ is F/A use this afternoon.

Anyone who cant see is missing a great race. Sorry.....

Eamonnator

Spring racing as it should be.
Marvellous.

Adam Blythe was superb on commentary today. I've heard him on ES before but today Adam was excellent, someone with current knowledge and calling stuff Hatch would never see in a month of Sundays and had real confidence for someone who isn't a professional journalist. He can talk ****e too but when the race is on he's brilliant.

TheBlaaMan

Deleted User wrote: »

Adam Blythe was superb on commentary today. I've heard him on ES before but today Adam was excellent, someone with current knowledge and calling stuff Hatch would never see in a month of Sundays and had real confidence for someone who isn't a professional journalist. He can talk ****e too but when the race is on he's brilliant.

Blythe is very good for his insight of tactics and knowledge of the courses - it might just save his bacon because it has to keep apologising for forgetting team names and riders names (perhaps excusable...)

devonp

tmrw Tues 2nd


Rory Townsend down to ride for Canyon DHB Sungod ?





https://www.lesamyn.be/category/2021/

griffin100

Deleted User wrote: »

Adam Blythe was superb on commentary today. I've heard him on ES before but today Adam was excellent, someone with current knowledge and calling stuff Hatch would never see in a month of Sundays and had real confidence for someone who isn't a professional journalist. He can talk ****e too but when the race is on he's brilliant.

Thought Blythe was great on commentary, very knowledgable and nice to hear from a recent pro who knows the peloton.

De Bhál

Le Samyn

2.5 km to go

Van Der Poel in the reckoning here for a win with about 5 others - bunch about 6 seconds behind.




Win for VDP's team mate Tim Merlier

Was watching earlier and got distracted with a the kids, came back and not a single DQS rider to be seen at the finish

Finnrocco

Did you see Van Dr Poels handlebar snapped, didn't see him crash so not sure how it happened, seem to only occur in last k?

It looked like he was thinking of galloping but obviously thought better of it

Finnrocco

Cavendish was in the front group, but was too far back starting gallop so had no chance of doing anything.

Was a real good chance for him to get a result

griffin100

Strade Bianche this weekend, one of my favourite races.

Looking forward to seeing how Tom Piddock gets on, he’s been really impressive this week, even if he does look like a school boy on the bike.

Eamonnator

griffin100 wrote: »

Strade Bianche this weekend, one of my favourite races.

Looking forward to seeing how Tom Piddock gets on, he’s been really impressive this week, even if he does look like a school boy on the bike.

Mine too.
I hope it rains, that would make it perfect.

Hopefully this year they join the coverage earlier than they have done in previous years. Not a Eurosport/GNC decision it's been down to the host broadcaster. So much had already happened when we got live images last year.

velo.2010

Finnrocco wrote: »

Did you see Van Dr Poels handlebar snapped, didn't see him crash so not sure how it happened, seem to only occur in last k?

It looked like he was thinking of galloping but obviously thought better of it

Zooming in on the image of the broken bars at the finish, it looks like the shifter clamp has crushed the carbon and its broken off at that point.

Thought Cavendish might be up the sprint, but he's still not quite there yet. Not a bad race from him though.

breezy1985

velo.2010 wrote: »

Zooming in on the image of the broken bars at the finish, it looks like the shifter clamp has crushed the carbon and its broken off at that point.

Thought Cavendish might be up the sprint, but he's still not quite there yet. Not a bad race from him though.

He will never again be there. He was nowhere today against 5th rate sprinters

griffin100

breezy1985 wrote: »

He will never again be there. He was nowhere today against 5th rate sprinters

It’s a final season for a sprinter who when he was in his prime was in a different league to every sprinter in today’s peloton. You have to wounder why DQS signed him.

Chips Lovell

breezy1985 wrote: »

He will never again be there. He was nowhere today against 5th rate sprinters

griffin100 wrote: »

You have to wonder why DQS signed him.

They didn't sign Cavendish the sprinter of ten years ago. They signed the Cavendish who rode in the break all day at Gent - Wevelgem and the Scheldeprijs last year.

And Cavendish did what he was supposed to do yesterday, which was be a team player. He was up there right to the end, covering moves. That's how Quick Step usually approach these races. They maximise their chances of winning by playing the most cards. It didn't come off for Cav yesterday, but equally it didn't come off for any of their other eggs in the basket such as Senechal.

Considering his contract cost them nothing, I'd say it was a pretty good piece of business.

breezy1985

griffin100 wrote: »

It’s a final season for a sprinter who when he was in his prime was in a different league to every sprinter in today’s peloton. You have to wounder why DQS signed him.

He was practically free and Vermarc and Specialised are probably happy to see him there for the UK market. Not a hope he will be contesting for anything though