tombeej Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 My last word on the matter: I said a couple of weeks ago that if Astana were still pulling such superhuman performances in the 3rd week, with the whole team hammering the front and making the worlds best pro cyclists look ordinary, then I would be 100% convinced the team was dirty. Well, when I sat watching 5 Astana riders all driving on the front going up the Colle delle Finestre yesterday as many team leaders and best climbers in the business couldn't keep up, I go my answer.
Bianchisti Posted May 31, 2015 Author Posted May 31, 2015 We'll have to see who lines up in the tinkoff kit come TDF time.. I do believe he will def have a stronger team with him. As for the opposition. . I honestly believe he only has to worry about quintanna and froome. The stage those 3 have to worry about Nibs is the cobble stage.The way it stands it's got to be a 4 horse race. Should be great to watch for fans. To discount anyone before a peddle has been turned is way premature. Each one of these guys will have to take time at every opportunity which should make for great racing. The cobbles, the cross winds (Nibali probably the best in those conditions), slight TT. So it's not just about the big mountains. All 4 of them will have to be enterprising and race cleverly to milk any slight advantage they could possibly muster. Team directors and team support to play a vital role in addition to nutrition, recovery to build every edge as always. The best Tour in prospect for many a year I reckon. Only problem is I will miss that last week.
Mntboy Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 I've posted about this already on this thread, but to recap: It has been proven already that you can easily micro-dose on EPO and never test positive. And not only that, but the biological passport is also easily fooled. Which effectively means that the anti-doping authorities have no answer for this. A whole team can be micro-dosing and no-one will be able to catch them. Besides that: Apart from the xenon gas claims about the Russian Olympic teams, which they all took to dominate the medals table in the 2014 Winter Olympics, these are the new drugs in professional endurance sports, which are also now showing up in pro cycling: AICAR, GW50516, TP500 and GAS6. The are the new age drugs being used across the board in endurance sports and there are currently no known methods to detect them. Please read my post on this subject, which is a section from Christophe Basson's autobiography. It helps to explain what these drugs do. Like I've said before, EPO is old-school, and BB's are even older. We're in a new era, and the anti-doping testers are faaar behind. [Please click on the links above - they are worth reading]Thanks Tombeej. Very interesting and scary reading. With all these undetectable drugs it's becoming very hard to know who's credible and who's not. We are basically having to rely on individual and collective morality of each rider and team, some are better than others in that regard. A big question mark over the boys in baby blue including Nibali. I remember reading an excellent article by Dr Ross Tucker that essentially said that the numbers that could prove cyclists are racing clean are the same that could prove they're doping in reference to power ratio's and percentage effort. Hard to know for sure and always those of us wanting a fair race are hamstrung by there not being anyway to prove/disprove a riders guilt or innocence.
tombeej Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Thanks Tombeej. Very interesting and scary reading. With all these undetectable drugs it's becoming very hard to know who's credible and who's not. We are basically having to rely on individual and collective morality of each rider and team, some are better than others in that regard. A big question mark over the boys in baby blue including Nibali. I remember reading an excellent article by Dr Ross Tucker that essentially said that the numbers that could prove cyclists are racing clean are the same that could prove they're doping in reference to power ratio's and percentage effort. Hard to know for sure and always those of us wanting a fair race are hamstrung by there not being anyway to prove/disprove a riders guilt or innocence. The proverbial nail on the head.
'Dale Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Today's stage finishes with seven circuits, of 5 kilometres in length, around the centre of Milan. "The final circuit, 5.350km to be precise, is on wide, well-surfaced avenues. With eight tight-angle or acute bends, four curves, and two perpendicular crossings of tram-lines, it passes the Vigorelli velodrome and the Fiera Milano City conference centre. The home straight is 1km long, on asphalt 8.5m wide," says the organisation.
'Dale Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 After the first hour of racing the peloton is still all together and the average speed has been a relatively sedate 37.2kph.
Gen Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 After the first hour of racing the peloton is still all together and the average speed has been a relatively sedate 37.2kph.Aaah a Sunday stroll
Winstonian1984 Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Aaah a Sunday strollHell, I could ride with them
Mntboy Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Aaah a Sunday strollAt a 178km it's rather long stroll.
Bianchisti Posted May 31, 2015 Author Posted May 31, 2015 average speed has been a relatively sedate 37.2kph.Heading out for one of those. I should be broken in just under 2 hours.
Gen Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Right.. after watching the xco world cup I am watching a pinked out Bertie
Gen Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Jis these laps around Milan are tricky. . Rubber side down fellas
Gen Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 So how are BMC gonna make it work for Gilbert today?Aaaaw.. Gilbert has a flat[emoji24]
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