General Race Thread 2023 spoilers

breezy1985 · 01-02-2023 8:44pm

Delighted for Eddie and it shows they have confidence in him but it's a pity it's not in a race that suits him better.

All it takes is 1 very good day to get into top 10 in some of these GTs so he could get up there.

mewso · 02-02-2023 12:40am

Fully caught up on todays racing. De Lie is an impressive rider. Always good to see a sprinter who can punch. Biniam a class above today (what a start to the season for Intermarche) but I continue to wait for Fred to win a race. It's coming. As for Eddie I would like to see him get leadership in a week long race first like Paris-Nice or Tirreno just to see how he matches up. This Valenciana will be a measure of sorts I suppose with two summit finishes tomorrow and saturday. Still fun to see how he goes in the Giro. Never mind Remco or Roglic he should target beating the likes of Vlasov or Thomas as a starting point. After that who knows.

retalivity · 02-02-2023 11:45am

FFS

https://twitter.com/GreenEDGEteam/status/1621087721623281665

Paddigol · 02-02-2023 12:12pm

Sssssaaake!!!!!

mewso · 03-02-2023 2:55pm

Healy out of Besseges too.

dahat · 03-02-2023 9:17pm

De Lie is a beast, savage performance to win today given the course.

mewso · 03-02-2023 10:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120198195#Comment_120198195

Very impressive again. They've had some amount of crashes in Besseges. Apparently pictures of Ferron hanging off the bridge were trending. As serious as that whole crash was in his case it was very much like telling someone to stand up when they are drowning in waist high water.

griffin100 · 04-02-2023 1:07am

I see in an effort to make the Tour of Saudi watchable the organisers have riders racing on dirt roads through the desert. Makes it a bit more interesting.

Mefistofelino · 05-02-2023 3:19pm

Men's elite CX WC on at the moment. Vulgar display of power from the top lads.

Anyone notice Canada's van den Ham straightening his dislocated finger after his opening lap crash and getting straight back into the race?

Ceepo · 05-02-2023 4:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120204937#Comment_120204937

What a cracking race. Delighted for MVDP, saying that I wouldn't have minded VA winning

Anyone notice Canada's van den Ham straightening his dislocated finger after his opening lap crash and getting straight back into the race?

I thought that's what he was doing, but I didn't want to double check incase I was right... Yuk

Mefistofelino · 05-02-2023 5:13pm

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall for the marketing team meeting for the World's:

"We've a top class event here, lads. Gonna need top class course banner sponsors. Who've we got?.

Shimano

Nice one. Who else?

Cofidis. And Wurth

Ok. Anyone else?

Errr - "Big Bobble Hats"?

retalivity · 05-02-2023 7:51pm

https://mobile.twitter.com/DanDeakins/status/1622276312361582593

...

Macy0161 · 07-02-2023 12:55pm

I also like them both, but also happy to see MvP win. But the pair of them are just a class apart. Can't wait for the cobbles now!

breezy1985 · 07-02-2023 1:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120205915#Comment_120205915

It's like some movie where the post credit scene will be the 2 of them checking into the same nursing home.

Love the picture. Even has a Dutch flag in the back of both.

MrMojoRisin' · 10-02-2023 7:52pm

https://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/cycling-ireland-cuts-u23-irish-team-plans-amid-financial-pressure/

No Tour De L'Avenir for Archie Ryan this year, Cycling Ireland doesn't have the funds to send a team. He'd surely be a favourite if he went. Wondering in what races this year will it be possible to watch him?

Squidgy Black · 10-02-2023 7:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120225636#Comment_120225636

It’ll depend on what races Jumbo decide to call him up to the WT squad for, last year he did Slovakia. But I’d say the rest will just be smaller races with the development squad, or the likes of Isard for u23s

Dr. Bre · 10-02-2023 8:26pm

Rohan Dennis retiring at the end of the year

retalivity · 10-02-2023 9:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120225784#Comment_120225784

Only 32, but has given the impression that his heart has not been in it for a long time, similar to Dumoulin.

breezy1985 · 10-02-2023 9:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120226108#Comment_120226108

Much more of an absolute prck than Dumo. I won't miss him one but.

Dodge · 12-02-2023 1:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120225636#Comment_120225636

He wouldn’t have been favourite as long as the team time trial was in it. He’d have been 2nd last year without that. Shame for him of course, but he’ll still have an increased jumbo schedule

Paddigol · 13-02-2023 11:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120225636#Comment_120225636

Such a pity. I'm not going to hammer CI on this because I just don't know what the position is re finances and fixing historical issues etc etc. But its a shocking indictment of the lack of interest from the very top (i.e. Govt.) that cycling and athletics in this country are so poorly funded, especially when you consider the money poured into greyhound racing and horse racing over the years. Yet we produce some exceptional athletes, all off the back of volunteer coaching and athlete self-sacrifice. Imagine what we could do with proper facilities and investment. I hope when he's winning Tour stages and being feted on his return home Archie Ryan remembers the lack of interest from politicians and tells them where to go when they look for photo ops.

breezy1985 · 13-02-2023 11:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120235099#Comment_120235099

It always drives me nuts around Olympics time when people start to shout about how x or y can win way more medals or how "minnows" qualify for tournaments in soccer ahead of us.

It's all about money.

retalivity · 13-02-2023 1:35pm

Pog starting his season today in Jaen in Spain. Looks interesting enough, they seem to be marketing it as the Spanish Strade Bianche. So "Calle Blanca" I guess? "Autopista Grava"?

mewso · 13-02-2023 4:11pm

Good looking race for a remote day :) Busy week of racing ahead. Looks like at least 3 stage races kick off during the week and I think all on Eurosport.

Mefistofelino · 13-02-2023 4:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120235638#Comment_120235638

Live on GCN now. Looks nice.

Pog dropping wattage bombs at the mo

retalivity · 13-02-2023 5:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120236456#Comment_120236456

Day 1, destroys everyone. Nice to see him back!

dahat · 13-02-2023 6:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120236456#Comment_120236456

Well that was a vulgar display of power.

Mefistofelino · 15-02-2023 2:45pm

Vino looking to "sweat the asset" already

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-set-to-ride-giro-ditalia-before-tour-de-france-stage-record-attempt/

Cav hasn't started two GTs in the same season since 2013

at1withmyself · 15-02-2023 10:03pm

I'd be assuming he'll ride till the first rest day as a couple of chances for stage wins and then retire before it hits the high mountains. Could be a good training block for him.

CramCycle · 15-02-2023 11:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120245984#Comment_120245984

100% if he feels he can make it through he might but I'd say that, he will be going to the tour with a plan not to make it past the first week.

Mefistofelino · 16-02-2023 12:07am

The run to the first rest day is far from typical. Two ITTs, two flat stages and five mountain & hill stages.

retalivity · 17-02-2023 10:02am

I got my days messed up with the Ruta del Sol, watched highlights of stage 1 thinking it started yesterday, didnt realise theyve had 2 stages completed already, and Pog has won both of them. The power he has on the final cobbled climb yesterday is unreal, and is now 2/2 in the race and 3/3 for the season. Would not bet against him winning today as well, with another steep ramp finish. He looks in prime shape to target the belgian/ardennes classics.

Ceepo · 17-02-2023 12:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120251638#Comment_120251638

He certainly looked awesome the past few days. I'm not so sure he could ride the likes of MvdP WvA off his wheel as easy in some of the classics though. It will definitely be interesting to watch

retalivity · 17-02-2023 5:44pm

Some finish in the algarve.

Mefistofelino · 17-02-2023 7:53pm

Ganna's sprinting style is awful. It's like someone headbanging while on a tightrope.

cunavalos · 18-02-2023 6:33pm

I don't know if it has been withdrawal symptoms but some of the early season racing has been very entertaining.

It is not often we see yellow jersey wearers attacking the peloton but we had it in 3 different stage races over the last week and makes for great viewing before the start of the classics season.

One thing we haven't seen in either sprint finishes or GC is any team exert an element of control which leads to more exciting racing. ( To borrow a phrase from Chris Horner - "a lot of knucklehead moves"). Granted things may change as we enter the likes of the Belgian Classics as well as Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Addriatico.

retalivity · 20-02-2023 1:07pm

Pan-flat boring stage 1 of the UAE tour turned on its head with the wind.

Sam was in thr front group but got dropped. Merlier, Cav, Ewen, Kooij, Bauhaus in a select group with Remco 1min ahead of hte peloton, 7k left

mewso · 20-02-2023 1:27pm

Blimey how did that decide that?

retalivity · 20-02-2023 1:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264855#Comment_120264855

No idea how that was called.

Dodge · 20-02-2023 1:38pm

The overhead still they showed had a little bit more of Merlier’s tire overlapping their line. Unscientific and the camera placement wasn’t great though

But it looked a dead heat to me

mewso · 20-02-2023 1:46pm

Here it is.

CantGetNoSleep · 20-02-2023 1:50pm

Think they gave him the win because the shadow was a bit in front

retalivity · 21-02-2023 7:34pm

Pog skipping Strade Bianche to take on Vingegaard at Paris-Nice instead is surprising

mewso · 22-02-2023 12:05pm

Seems like he wants to change things about this year. I certainly don't blame him for skipping UAE. I suppose once you choose Paris-Nice over Tirreno then Strade isn't really an option. Doubt if it had much to do with Vingegaard. We still get the cyclocross big 3 at Strade.

CrowdedHouse · 22-02-2023 4:36pm

World Cup Cross back in Dublin this year

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/uci-cyclocross-world-cup-is-coming-back-to-ireland-this-year/

breezy1985 · 22-02-2023 5:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120275719#Comment_120275719

That's brilliant.

Although the earlier slot in with the Italy race makes me think we won't be seeing the big road racers involved.

mr spuckler · 22-02-2023 6:27pm

I see Eurosport is to cease broadcasting on free to air and become part of a rebranded pay per view offering. It says that BT Sport goes away in July but Eurosport timing sounds less clear.

Eurosport, which has been a staple on British pay-TV since 1989 when it was part of the channel lineup when Rupert Murdoch changed the UK market with the launch of Sky, will be “rolled into the new brand at some time in the future”.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/feb/21/eurosport-bt-sport-disappear-tnt-rebrand-tv

edit...this thread felt like the best home for this given it's general race related!

CantGetNoSleep · 22-02-2023 6:40pm

No doubt they will try to kick out those of us who have been subscribers for years and get us signed up to some new package at three times the price just to add on crap that we will never watch

breezy1985 · 22-02-2023 6:46pm

I currently have Eurosport but what's the story with GCN.

Are they part of this umbrella too or could I just switch to them ?

Weepsie · 22-02-2023 7:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120276157#Comment_120276157

Eurosport isn't FTA is it? There German version was at one point. It just happens to be included in a lot of basic enough packages.

General Race Thread 2023 **spoilers**

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General Race Thread 2023 spoilers