Jewbacca

One definitely can't really argue with that team, surely? I don't see a medal coming from it, but it looks like the strongest/best people in the disciplines are all there. I'm surprised Gayton has approved such a big team!! 😝 Good to see the youngsters well represented.

Agreed, but an alloy frame with a carbon fork, bigger tires and an upgraded (ssshhhh) carbon wheelset is good enough for most/every one of us tbh. But again, buy what makes you think 'rad, I'm amped to hop on this puppy' as it will inspire you to ride more than 'this is sensible and a bargain'... that bike will always be Meh Newer 105 stuff is really good. The 2nd gen hydro onwards. The initial 1st gen hoods and Sti's are bulky and look like juggernaught as well as having some weird lumps under the rubber. I'm busy with a project putting disc tabs on an old Nishiki lugged steel frame. It should be a fun bike to ride and if it works I will likely ride it more than my fancy carbon bike because it makes me way more excited. Radness trumps performance for me

Just buy whatever you like the look of that fits in your budget. Seriously, the toing and froing of the rim vs discs isn't going to make you ride the bike more or less. If it's going to sit mostly on the trainer, IMHO buy a crappy old Peugeot/Hansom steel road bike frame, bang a 2 x 10 cheap group set on and pedal away at home on a bike you don't care about with super cheap parts. My trainer bike doesn't even have brakes or a front wheel. Then just ride your other bike outside. OR..... you buy the bike you like the look of, adapt it to fit on the trainer and you will ride it outside more because you like it more than anything you were convinced was a 'better' deal/idea. It isn't. You will question that decision forever if you don't buy or build the bike you like. Rim or brake, both work, both will get you 465th on any STRAVA KOM where you live and neither will be 'better' than the other at the sort of level you're coming from. I'm not saying you're rubbish, but if you were good enough to really see the performance benefits in a huge way you wouldn't be asking. Me? I'd buy a disc brake purely because you can do dirty post rain rides, pop up and down spicy gravel segments etc without the risk of ruining your wheels while braking. This for me is the best part of owning a disc road bike. I can ride my 'good' (read only) carbon wheels without a worry from mud/debris when braking.

Add the loss of Kuss and the 'also returning from injury' van Aert and you have the two top domestiques 'MIA' while Vingo is also low on confidence, low on race time, unsure how his recovery has really gone etc.... Last season was 3 GT's and a whole lot of Spring wins. This year it could very well be zero GTs and less Spring wins... They won Omloop, Dwars Door and 19 other top tier wins... 21 isn't a poor season but it's not good by their standards

Isn't that what everyone is thinking? Pog has the lead. It's for everyone else to attack him and do the riding. This is one of the reasons his persistent attacks have been contrary to team orders. But ja, still a long way to go but yeah, it certainly doesn't look like Jonas 'is obviously in top form' after that and if he is, the Pog is on another planet currently

It's a reliable source... Pog is genuinely disobeying the team car constantly. It is entertaining, so it definitely adds to the spectacle and absolute unpredictability of the next week.

Inside source from someone on the UAE team staff is that the team car has been screaming at Pog to stop attacking all the time and defend. Apparently he just ignores them and they are pulling their hair out.

With a CAT1 climb straight from the start line, I can't help feel this would have been the stage for a Thomas de Gendt solo masterclass Hate to say it, but all the 'Vingagaard is obviously in top form' and 'Remco will get dropped really fast at the first sight of mountains' were all a bit premature. With 4 big mountain stages and a pivotal ITT on broken legs to come, the potential to ship minutes to one another at any moment is real. This is certainly entertaining

Roglic ded... eish

We don't really know who is in 'top shape' yet though. It's as clear as mud Drawing conclusions after 1 mountain stage 2 days into week 2 is folly. I can not ride for 4 months and 'fake it' for 50km and explode gloriously after that. We honestly have absolutely no insight into how Jonas is going to hold up into week 3 or just how much fatigue Pog is dealing with after his season so far. It is entertaining as hell though, which is the reason sport exists. To entertain us. Realising we all know less than Jon Snow and Manuel combined is a good place to just sit back and enjoy.

Are you Autistic?

We've only had 1 real mountain day, which Pog won and put all his time into the others. Let's not jump the gun

I think it's called the evolution of a career. I worked as a junior, then left to become the boss elsewhere, now I work for myself. But you stay where you are forever, other people can grow/evolve and try to fulfil their dreams over their career.

I'd love to meet you in person. Are you as abrasive in real life? These guys are the best of the best. Most of them grew up winning everything. Of course they have dreams.

Download the 'tap to chat' app? You then type in the number and country prefix and it opens a chat in whattsapp without saving the number?

One thing you should DEFINITELY have on the balance bike are pegs or foot rests so the kid can put their feet there when free wheeling and doesn't have them out to the side or dragging out the back. This will teach the kid to stand up while free wheeling and allow them to balance, turn and free wheel using their core and weight. Standing and turning early will mean a much easier transition to a pedal bike as they will be used to having their feet planted and used to the motion of using the bike in motion while connected. Otherwise, really, it's a pretty quick transition from balance bike to pedal bike. Don't sweat the other stuff

Yeah.. It's about 5 to 6km of flat and descent If the legs are good it's a good section to stay 10 to 20 seconds ahead of the guys who's legs you just ripped off Either way, I'm hoping there is a breakaway winner and a GC battle

AFTER smashing the record.......

This The world is a much better, easier place if you can convince yourself to be less judgy and mind your own business. People buy and sell used bibs, shoes, freebies etc and they probably buy and sell it without introducing themselves and use half messages! Not caring about it is empowering

Is that not the section between the Cat2 Neronne summit and the base of the Cat1 Peyrol climb? Neronne is steep, 9.1% If I were planning this for UAE it would be to explode up Neronne to try to isolate Vingo, then further thin the group up Peyrol and attack HARD on the descent into Saint Julien But I'm hella John Snow about these thing

Well, realistically, if there wasn't a classified the forums wouldn't exist at all. There is no way to monetize the forums, so they rely on the classifieds to fund them. I doubt anyone would want to keep this going for free as it is laborious and we are often idiots.

Exactly That needs to work both ways. It can't be 'To each their own' as long as it's how I expect it. People being offended when random unknown buyers or sellers from walk of life unknown don't treat them with the respect and decorum they feel they deserve - Butthurt - the act of being butthurt - Buthurtedness

Empower yourself by understanding that they don't care so neither should you. Evil... hahahaha Evolve, expect less. You'll be better off for it. If it's that common and still affecting you and your day, you need to move on as almost everyone else evidently has Self empowerment is rad. You can choose not to have an emotional response to things that don't matter. But by willingly partaking in the free market, you will 100% deal with lowballers, ignorers and people who text in half sentences and don't introduce themselves. It is as inevitable as needing to poo

Just don't reply? Matt isn't our dad who needs to protect us. I honestly don't understand why people get so butthurt by lowballers and people who don't follow through or answer. Water, ducks back etc... So much unnecessary butthurtedness