2019 Season Thread

by Azabache Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:23 am

Hi All, starting this in readiness for 2019! Two comments:

1. the story about Testogel possibly being ordered by that doctor is manna from heaven for the BBC who have already joyously reported.

2. the Varnish verdict just announced today (17th. Jan.)....unfortunate? Or what a stirrer deserves?

by Lowlandbrit Fri Feb 08, 2019 5:58 pm

Glasgow will be hosting the first combined cycling world championships in 2023. Taking place in August, putting it between the Tour and Vuelta, so that could lead to some interesting scheduling decisions.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:53 pm

Adam Yates won the mountain stage of the Tour of Valencia - targetting the classics this year?

by Lowlandbrit Sun Apr 21, 2019 4:43 pm

Van der Poel is ridiculous.

by Lowlandbrit Sat May 11, 2019 3:54 pm

Giro starts today in Bologna. Dumoulin, Roglic and Simon Yates the three big favourites.

by Lowlandbrit Mon Jun 03, 2019 9:41 am

Richard Carapaz becomes the first GT winner from Ecuador, ahead of Nibali and Roglic.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Mon Jun 03, 2019 9:42 am

A shame Dumoulin crashed out and Landa was on the same team as Carapaz really - not the most enthralling Giro ever

by Lowlandbrit Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:52 pm

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:A shame (..) Landa was on the same team as Carapaz really - not the most enthralling Giro ever

Oh well, on to the Tour where Landa will be the guy going for the win for Movistar. He'll be competing with the likes of Movistar's Quintana, and Valverde (Movistar) is always a wildcard too.

by **LondonTiger** Wed Jun 12, 2019 2:25 pm

Froome breaks a leg (literally) and ruled out of TdF

by dummy_half Wed Jun 12, 2019 2:54 pm

Confirmed as a fractured femur. Likely to be at least season over...

Apparently Froome was reconning the ITT course of this afternoon and crashed into a wall.
At least Ineos still have two potential GC riders in Thomas and Bernal. Might though make for a more aggressively raced Tour if the other guys think there is more of a vulnerability in the Sky (Ineos) Train.

by Lowlandbrit Wed Jun 12, 2019 4:55 pm

Ineos definitely have other people with the talent to win, but there's plenty of examples of people who found it a lot harder with the spotlight on them from the start.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed Jun 12, 2019 7:08 pm

Perversely might actually help them by taking away the Thomas/Froome leader debate...

by No name Bertie Thu Jun 13, 2019 4:22 am

According to Brailsford telemetrics show Froome went from 54 km/hr to 0 km/hr into a brick wall (side of a house). From what is being described this would usually be a life threatening accident. Reports suggest he has a broken femur (which they called an open wound - that is the bone broke through the skin), broken hip, broken elbow, broken ribs, knocked unconscious. With that much damage one might expect damage to internal organs, collapsed lung, internal bleeding. Fortunately medics arrived early on the scene to stabilise him, then he was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital for immediate "phase 1" operation. Wife is now at his side in hospital in intensive care. I assume he will survive and I assume his helmet protected his head. Doesn't sound good career wise given his age.

by **LondonTiger** Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:44 am

The accident sounds pretty horrific.

Don't get me started on some of the trolling I have seen on "social media"

by Azabache Thu Jun 13, 2019 10:56 am

I hate to be a Jonah but I've had an uneasy feeling for a while that this remarkable run might come to an unfortunate end. Virtually all of the great riders-and a lot of the journeymen-had horrific spills, often involving fractures.

At random, witness Bernal recently (facial I recall), Nibali's horror on that Olympic descent, Contador at the Tour (recovered to win that year's Vuelta!), Wiggins's collar bone early in a Tour, Pettcchi was never the same again, Vinokourov, Cavendish, Hinault, Merckx.........

Makes Armstrong's 7 consecutive wins even the more remarkable, notwithstanding the drugs issue. (He didn't have a magic "liquid bone repair" formulation supplied by Dr. Ferrari I trust!)

Let's hope that Froome recovers; if not, his remarkable record stands.

I haven't seen any "trolls", not having social media, so am happy to avoid reading nasty comments. And at least, so far, the BBC and that Dan Something reporter have kept a decent silence.

Looking ahead, Ineos still have a strong hand. I'd love to see Bardet win it for the long-suffering French, but, on the evidence of the Dauphine, he still has a TT weakness.

by Lowlandbrit Thu Jun 13, 2019 3:46 pm

No name Bertie wrote:Fortunately medics arrived early on the scene to stabilise him

Apparently there just happened to be an ambulance crew about ten metres away having something to eat before the race.

by Guest Thu Jun 13, 2019 3:57 pm

That’ll be a nice surprise for Froome when he wakes up.

“What’s the prognosis, Doc?”
“You won the Vuelta in 2011”

Cobo officially stripped of Vuelta.

by Azabache Thu Jun 13, 2019 4:10 pm

I initially wondered what on earth you were talking about, but have now caught up with this news.

Yeah-a nice surprise, better than a vase of flowers!!

by No name Bertie Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:05 pm

BBC reporting a 6 hour operation went well and that Froome has regained consciousness.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/48628284

by No name Bertie Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:13 pm

And here is the source for the BBC report - Team Ineos:
https://www.teamineos.com/article/chris-froome-medical-update
https://twitter.com/TeamINEOS
https://twitter.com/chrisfroome

by **LondonTiger** Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:49 pm

Just John wrote:That’ll be a nice surprise for Froome when he wakes up.

“What’s the prognosis, Doc?”
“You won the Vuelta in 2011”

Cobo officially stripped of Vuelta.

Hmm. Wake up after 6 hours of surgery to that news. The shock alone could cause issues.

Wonder how Wiggins feels seeing Froome now beat him to the title of First Briton to win a Grand Tour?

by Azabache Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:42 am

I haven't heard recently as to how their relationship is!

Both completely different characters of course; with different roots, career backgrounds,
and probably aspirations as well....

by No name Bertie Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:42 am

It is now being reported that Froome sustained a fracture to the neck. Sometimes a fractured neck leads to neuronal damage and paraplegia. There is no indication that Froome is going to be paralysed - so despite the severity of the accident - in many ways it seems he avoided something more serious.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/48646238

by dummy_half Tue Jun 18, 2019 4:44 pm

Froome certainly beat himself up badly - some suggestions that his life was at risk through loss of blood at the scene (compound fracture of the femur can damage the femeral artery, which is very serious).

Tour field looking increasingly questionable: Dumoulin withdrew from the Dauphine and has had a minor surgical procedure to remove a gravel fragment that was embedded in his knee. Now missing some training in the Alps to allow recovery
Geraint Thomas has just crashed out of the Tour of Switzerland - Some suggestion that he may have fractured a collar bone. Might not keep him out for long, but impacts his racing programme.
Adam Yates withdrew from the Dauphine with illness - again, might not be serious in the long run, but impacts his training / racing programme.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Tue Jun 18, 2019 4:55 pm

dummy_half wrote:Froome certainly beat himself up badly - some suggestions that his life was at risk through loss of blood at the scene (compound fracture of the femur can damage the femeral artery, which is very serious).

Tour field looking increasingly questionable: Dumoulin withdrew from the Dauphine and has had a minor surgical procedure to remove a gravel fragment that was embedded in his knee. Now missing some training in the Alps to allow recovery
Geraint Thomas has just crashed out of the Tour of Switzerland - Some suggestion that he may have fractured a collar bone. Might not keep him out for long, but impacts his racing programme.
Adam Yates withdrew from the Dauphine with illness - again, might not be serious in the long run, but impacts his training / racing programme.

Somehow Movistar will still manage to mess it up!

by dummy_half Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:23 am

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:
dummy_half wrote:Froome certainly beat himself up badly - some suggestions that his life was at risk through loss of blood at the scene (compound fracture of the femur can damage the femeral artery, which is very serious).

Tour field looking increasingly questionable: Dumoulin withdrew from the Dauphine and has had a minor surgical procedure to remove a gravel fragment that was embedded in his knee. Now missing some training in the Alps to allow recovery
Geraint Thomas has just crashed out of the Tour of Switzerland - Some suggestion that he may have fractured a collar bone. Might not keep him out for long, but impacts his racing programme.
Adam Yates withdrew from the Dauphine with illness - again, might not be serious in the long run, but impacts his training / racing programme.

Somehow Movistar will still manage to mess it up!

To be fair they did manage to win the Giro and only just miss out on getting Landa on the podium as well.

Anyway, news this morning is that Thomas has no particular injuries beyond road rash, so it's only going to be race sharpness that he's missing, not general fitness.

by Azabache Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:12 am

1. Is Quintana match fit?
2. Bernal looks accident prone.
3. Was disappointed in Bardet's performance at the Dauphine-then again, might be keeping his powder dry.....
4. All the best to Thomas, but I have an uneasy feeling that he's a one-time Tour winner.

by dummy_half Wed Jun 19, 2019 12:46 pm

Azabache wrote:1. Is Quintana match fit?
2. Bernal looks accident prone.
3. Was disappointed in Bardet's performance at the Dauphine-then again, might be keeping his powder dry.....
4. All the best to Thomas, but I have an uneasy feeling that he's a one-time Tour winner.

With you on that one. I think last year was a case where circumstances aligned for GT to be Sky's main man in the Tour, with his closest rivals coming off a brutal Giro and Quintana lacking form.

by Lowlandbrit Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:40 pm

First stage of the Tour will feature Peter Sagan riding a normal stage in his normal team kit for the first time since 2011.

by dummy_half Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:10 pm

Lowlandbrit wrote:First stage of the Tour will feature Peter Sagan riding a normal stage in his normal team kit for the first time since 2011.

It won't last - he'll be trading it in for green after a few days.

Just to get this straight though, this means Sagan has been either (or both) national or world champion every year from 2012 to 2018...Seriously impressive

by Lowlandbrit Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:19 pm

dummy_half wrote:Just to get this straight though, this means Sagan has been either (or both) national or world champion every year from 2012 to 2018...Seriously impressive

He won his first national championship in 2011. Last time was stage 3 of the 2011 Tour of Switzerland, which he won to take over the points jersey. Was riding for Liquigas and got edged out by world champion Thor Hushovd next stage.

Speaking of being both national and world champion, that painting in Alejandro Valverde's attic must be looking terrible.

by dummy_half Tue Jul 02, 2019 7:02 am

Lowlandbrit wrote:
dummy_half wrote:Just to get this straight though, this means Sagan has been either (or both) national or world champion every year from 2012 to 2018...Seriously impressive
He won his first national championship in 2011. Last time was stage 3 of the 2011 Tour of Switzerland, which he won to take over the points jersey. Was riding for Liquigas and got edged out by world champion Thor Hushovd next stage.

Speaking of being both national and world champion, that painting in Alejandro Valverde's attic must be looking terrible.

OK, I'd slightly mis-understood your earlier comment, thought you meant TdF stage rather than any stage of any road race. Sagan is definitely a bit special.

by No name Bertie Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:22 pm

Mark Cavendish not selected by Team Dimension Data for their Tdf 2019 challenge.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/48838998

by dummy_half Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:45 pm

Given his lack of form over the last couple of years, hardly a surprise that Cav hasn't made the DD team, especially as there are relatively few genuine sprinter's stages in this year's race - a couple of the early stages are definitely aimed at Alaphilipe and Sagan, with lumpy run-ins and uphill finishes.

The slightly better news for Cavendish is that he is now free of the Epstein Barr virus, and should be able to rebuild some fitness maybe leading up to the Vuelta.

by Azabache Thu Jul 11, 2019 5:36 pm

Hmmm-I might revise my view that Thomas is a one-time Tour winner after today's performance.

Rather impressive.

What's up with Bardet?

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:47 pm

EF Education initiating the echelon splitting to try catch out Ineos, and then missing the split, is the most TDF thing ever. Ineos honestly just by being competent win these things, Pinot a prime example today

by Azabache Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:55 pm

I can't wait for them to reach the real mountains on Thursday. We should know thereafter if Bardet, Quintana, Yates, Alaphilippe, Pinot et al can improve/sustain, or whether this is going to be another Ineos/Sky control Tour...

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Mon Jul 15, 2019 5:29 pm

Thing is, on the one real mountain stage we've had so far, Ineos really had little control on the final climb - Movistar were driving it, Jumbo up there too - plenty of teams as strong as Ineos this year with no Froome

by dummy_half Tue Jul 16, 2019 7:12 am

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Thing is, on the one real mountain stage we've had so far, Ineos really had little control on the final climb - Movistar were driving it, Jumbo up there too - plenty of teams as strong as Ineos this year with no Froome

It wasn't a big mountain stage though - a series of 2nd cat and short 1st cat climbs with nothing much over 1000 m meant it was well within the scope of many of the riders. Once you get into the Alps and Pyrenees, with the passes at 2000 m, it's a different game.

Ineos certainly showed their strength on the flat lands yesterday along with Bora and DQS - a minute and a half of 'free' time for Thomas, Bernal etc from Pinot's group, who probably worked harder in losing the time than the passengers in the front group did in gaining it. Only 43 riders made the front split, with eventually only 28 crossing the line together (several domestiques tailed off in the last couple of km).

by Azabache Tue Jul 16, 2019 10:37 am

Yes, by "real mountains" I meant the long, draggy beasts like the Toumalet.

That'll sort 'em out!

by Azabache Tue Jul 16, 2019 10:38 am

Tourmalet!

by dummy_half Wed Jul 17, 2019 7:56 pm

So tomorrow is a mountain stage, but only has 2 first cat climbs towards the end of the stage and ends with a 30km descent to the finish. I don't expect a serious GC shake up, and indeed fancy Alaphilippe to be able to defend his jersey, perhaps with a bit of a re-grouping on the run-in.

As for the stage win, it'll b a good climber/descender who is already out of overall contention - Nibali is 16 minutes down, so should be far enough back to be allowed some latitude. Otherwise, expect to see Tommy de Gendt or Steve Cummings looking to get in the break

by Soul Requiem Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:14 am

So Chris Froome is now officially a seven time grand tour winner combined with the numerous other podium finishes he must now rank as the greatest road cyclist since Hinault especially when you consider holding all three at the same time.

by dummy_half Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:34 am

Soul Requiem wrote:So Chris Froome is now officially a seven time grand tour winner combined with the numerous other podium finishes he must now rank as the greatest road cyclist since Hinault especially when you consider holding all three at the same time.

If we are only talking about Grand Tours, he's at a similar level to Indurain (who did the Giro-Tour double twice). If you consider the whole cycling season, he's still well behind several others, such as Sean Kelly.

by Azabache Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:54 am

Yes, he's a GT specialist (like He Who Must Not Be Ever Mentioned), but at least has not soley confined himself to the TdF.
The All Rounders, like SK, are very special beasts indeed!

by Soul Requiem Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:13 am

It depends how much stock you put into the rest of the cycling season to be honest, I consider the grand tours to be the pinnacle of road racing so success in them means more than the classics and world championships.

by Azabache Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:25 am

I know what you mean (the Spring Classics to me seem to be cold, muddy tortures with winning them a bit of a lottery), but there are many devotees out there; so expect some comments coming in!

by dummy_half Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:48 pm

Azabache wrote:I know what you mean (the Spring Classics to me seem to be cold, muddy tortures with winning them a bit of a lottery), but there are many devotees out there; so expect some comments coming in!

That's not a fair description of Paris Roubaix - it's not ALWAYS cold...

More seriously, the description only applied for Roubaix and arguably the Tour of Flanders. The likes of Liege or San Remo are more sensible races (even if LBL is probably the hardest day on the calendar).

by dummy_half Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:49 pm

Azabache wrote:I know what you mean (the Spring Classics to me seem to be cold, muddy tortures with winning them a bit of a lottery), but there are many devotees out there; so expect some comments coming in!

That's not a fair description of Paris Roubaix - it's not ALWAYS cold...

More seriously, the description only applies for Roubaix and arguably the Tour of Flanders. The likes of Liege or San Remo are more sensible races (even if LBL is probably the hardest day on the calendar).

by Guest Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:49 pm

Alaphillippe wins the TT. He’s in great shape, and beat Thomas by 14 seconds. Van Aert abandoned today

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