They did have the DD guys running predictions and algorithms at le tour and they did pretty well at predicting the daily winners. They even picked up some of the more 'wildcard' stage winners on the right days as well so maybe they 'know' something about these guys. Think there is a podcast about it somewhere. Pretty sure you won't find Patrick Le F setting up the quick steppers like that but at the moment anything could be a good idea! Anyone else notice that all the recent press releases have stopped mentioning the Qhubeka connection and none of the rider quotes have the usual tag lines about doing it for more than racing. Wonder if that means anything.
Just some gate / staffing issues. It might rule out this weekend for recon' but should be solved in the short while. No need to trade that Rocky style enduro fitness regime for burgers & beers just yet.
Good videos. Going to watch those over and over again to get a handle on the course! Hate getting held up in those rock gardens because I didn't carry the momentum from further up.
Thanks for the info. Glad to hear that I was worried they were going to be a sweat fest. I could never actually get the airflow to be in the right place and that mesh on the back ripped first time I put them on so after that I had to nurse them on and off. On side was they were very cool in the heat of summer. My previous guards were 661 Rage ones and they were a ball ache.
Stepped up the knee game. Had the Leatt AirFlex Pro's but their build quality meant they didn't last long. Shame as summer is coming and they are alot more comfortable than these are going to be on hot Jonkers and Tokai laps.
Talking on the Cycling Podcast Willie Smit said he's trying to settle a contract with NTT / TDD for next year and has an offer for a pro conti team on the table which includes a start in next years Vuelta.
Was up there yesterday. Alot of work been done on the snakes from the bottom of Cobra down which has smoothed out the erosion and they've added in a load of rollers. Some of the natural fun has gone on the rock gardens and some of the other sports which is a shame but it's riding fast, well and pretty sure will settle in nicely. Rinkals is supposed to open this weekend according to the trail fairys I (almost) ran into fixing up Vasbyt. Apparently they are 'making Vasbyt a full flow trail' adding in bumps n' jumps and working on those big berms. Dh 1 & 2 are nice a rutted with rain gullys, roots and some roughness... pretty fun all around. Heading back tomorrow am for a couple of laps and to see how the rains have been for AM / DH0.
That looks hawt and I hope they will be pretty keenly priced. Available in 29 and 27.5. https://singletrackworld.com/2019/09/2020-nukeproof-reactor/ https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first-look-2020-nukeproof-reactor.html https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension-mountain-bikes/nukeproof-reactor-275-rs-review/
I would love TDD / NTT get back to some of the performances of the past but what is most annoying is silence around the glaringly sub par performances. There is a certain arrogance around it and a belief that a press release with the required corporate buzz words in is enough. They might learn from the approach of Matt White and their media team. I've heard one fairly vanilla interview with Doug Ryder all year. TDD is team that has encouraged people to get emotionally involved, courted fan support but then just papers over everything by rolling out the old 'look there are bikes, there are kids, it's good. Don't ask questions, how dare you. There are bikes, there are kids of course it's great, why would you want to be negative about bikes and kids? It's above cycling because of kids and bikes'. Really hoping that they can get it together and turn the ship around in the off season as it is a good cause and having team that grew from an African story and does cultivate local talent via the feeder team is well, well worth having.
100% he won a stage but that wasn't what I was looking at. He's recently said in an interview that he doesn't know how to get in a break because he came straight up and directly into a GC role. He was frustrated in the tour that he couldn't adapt at all. Honestly it's not weird that he has been a pro since 2015 and he's not been in a break in a World Tour? That doesn't take away from his 2 wins at Swiss and Austria. There doesn't seem to be much of the apprenticeship for lot of the younger riders to learn the craft. Bet your life most of quickstep have have been in a break and in the first 4 seasons as a pro I'm sure you'll find a break or two for older riders like Valverde. It does seem to go with a general trend that GC riders shouldn't chase stages even if they are out of the running for their GC ambitions. Yes they are different approaches to a race but jeez its not like TDD has been clogging up the GC in the last few years, maybe shake it up, take some of the pressure off.
Yeah, he nailed his colours to the post with his comments around the Tour / Cav' non selection. and there were strong rumors that he was quitting then. Wonder if he'll follow Cavendish to BM next year? Apparently his kids go to school in CT and he loves SA. "Team Principal, Doug Ryder said: “Rolf’s wide knowledge of the sport, which he was always willing to share, his skilled engagement with our partners and the implementation of systems and structures together with his belief in the core ideal of the team – in that we are changing lives through bicycles – sees him depart as a valued member of our team’s story." Now that is a lot of corporate waffle from DR. Not much warm and fuzzy there.
Apparently that is the first time he's been in a break in a World Tour race. Honestly, how can you create riders racers with out them actually racing. He's 23 years old. Surely he should be getting away and racing a bit, same with main cheese. Just go ride and race a bit.
