Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

General Race Thread 2023 **spoilers**

1246757

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    I would honestly not be surprised to see Qatar or some other ME state try and buy ASO outright, or get a big stake in it, and have a grand depart in Doha, Dubai etc.



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,113 ✭✭✭✭Dodge


    If the Giro can start in Israel, the Tour starting in Asia is the obvious enough next step.

    I’m stunned it hasn’t already happened tbh



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Sportswashing aside, they are the dullest races. Right everyone, lets get in to a giant amorphous blob and trundle through the desert. One day we will have cross winds and another we will have a hill, maybe the same hill on another day. Enjoy the miles and miles of desert where only for the counter on the screen, you may as well be looking at a large GIF file.



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,017 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    They won't care. It will get them into a room with the right people come TdF time.

    If it was too hard the riders wouldn't want to go to what is essentially a warm weather training camp.



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 8,781 Mod ✭✭✭✭mewso


    I agree with most of the points. For me it's just that regardless of the rights or wrongs it's so strange how there seems to be no awareness or mention of it on any level. I mean Blythe is actually out there doing interviews so Eurosport actually decides for one of their rarer moves, to send someone to the actual location of a race, that this is the time to do it. Then you have Jez Cox commentating and saying something along the lines of how great it is for the region to have racing. Yes for my sins I did watch yesterdays stage. I'm an addict (and Monday is a remote day for me :).



  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    They send someone because that because that will be the agreement for the rights. GCN or Eurosport will give them different packages and they will pick the best looking one. Most other races, the organisers won't take the hit to the bank.

    It's a bit like some of the drug scandals, you will see people giving out about Carlton being naive, but his hands are tied. One of the commentators used to laugh through his cup of tea when commentating on certian riders, and flat out say, we can't talk about that.

    One of the reasons TG4 is great because they will talk about stuff because they know, bar a few here, no one who is going to take them to task is listening or understands.



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    Eddie starts the season today in Valencia. Its been confirmed he's going to the Giro for Jayco as a leader



  • Registered Users Posts: 180 ✭✭seaviewphotos


    Delighted for Eddie, hopefully we'll see his full potential this year. It could be a very exciting year for Eddie.



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    3 ITTs though, in a stacked field with Remco, Roglic, Vlasov, Thomas, etc. Don't think he'll be anywhere in GC in that company and 70+ ks against the clock, he should have a few chances for stages in the mountains though.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭at1withmyself


    The Giro is always a funny one with injuries etc.. so if he's in good form and stays upright then I could see a top 5



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 24,017 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    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.



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 8,781 Mod ✭✭✭✭mewso


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,358 ✭✭✭Paddigol


    Sssssaaake!!!!!



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 8,781 Mod ✭✭✭✭mewso


    Healy out of Besseges too.



  • Registered Users Posts: 16,596 ✭✭✭✭dahat


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



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 8,781 Mod ✭✭✭✭mewso


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,748 ✭✭✭griffin100


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭Mefistofelino


    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?



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,496 ✭✭✭Ceepo


    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



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭Mefistofelino


    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"?



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity




  • Registered Users Posts: 9,249 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    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!



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,017 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭MrMojoRisin'


    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?



  • Registered Users Posts: 21,601 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    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



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,519 ✭✭✭Dr. Bre


    Rohan Dennis retiring at the end of the year



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


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



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,017 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


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



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 10,113 ✭✭✭✭Dodge


    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



Advertisement