The Classics

[TheoG]

3 minutes ago, Eldron said:

The geometry is too slack for high speed road racing. A cyclocross bike would probably be better than a gravel bike but not as good as a modified road bike. The vast majority of the course is still tarmac (around 50kmm of cobbles in 257km of racing).

 

 

Thanks, that make sense.  I suppose a quick bike change before and after each cobble section is also not an option ...

[Eldron]

Just now, TheoG said:

Thanks, that make sense.  I suppose a quick bike change before and after each cobble section is also not an option ...

I wouldn't think so. In a TT or normal road stage the team car is right behind so the change is pretty quick. The narrow roads and chaos at PR makes a planned change almost impossible (and the longest cobbled section is only 3.7km).

[lechatnoir]

4 minutes ago, Eldron said:

The geometry is too slack for high speed road racing. A cyclocross bike would probably be better than a gravel bike but not as good as a modified road bike. The vast majority of the course is still tarmac (around 50kmm of cobbles in 257km of racing).

 

 

IIRC GCN tested something like this and found on nasty cobbles an MTB was fastest, but like @Eldron said, there are 257km of tarmac. Makes sense to just suffer the insufferable on a not-built-for-cobbles bike in the hope it stays in one piece. margins are too small for faffing with bike changes or bikes inappropriate for the bulk of the race

['Dale]

3 hours ago, TheoG said:

Thanks, that make sense.  I suppose a quick bike change before and after each cobble section is also not an option ...

Just before the cobbles are of the best opportunities for positioning and then attacking whilst on the pavé.

 

 

['Dale]

Hmmm

['Dale]

The new rainbow jersey's Cannondale

Pic: @twilcha

['Dale]

And Elisa on the recce, soon to proudly display her rainbow jersey.

Pic: @twilcha

['Dale]

History. Today. 
 

 

['Dale]

After the third sector of cobbles at Tilloy, Lizzie Deignan has a lead of one minute.

[Rowl]

Absolute carnage.

 

Great to see the ladies have a go at it.

['Dale]

It’s slippery out there. Drizzle here and there. 140 seconds to Deignan, race leader. 

[justinafrika]

I very much appreciate how hard these women are going and their level of professional effort.   This piece from cyclingnews highlights a disgraceful injustice.

 

Edited October 2, 2021 by justinafrika

['Dale]

SD-Worx contributing to the chase. A few Trek-Segafredo working to block where possible. 

[Frosty]

(I wonder) How often has #13 won a race.

[splat]

She's looking good!

[Frosty]

1-2-3-4-5 down