Vuelta 2021 ????????

[J Wakefield]

8 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:

This year?? 

Appologies it was Swiss. Which makes Ineos season run from Giro that more impressive. 

[J Wakefield]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

Long Covid....

He'll get over it but it may take a few more months.

We finding some are not actually getting over it from a performance stand point when a athlete has had COVID. 

[Mountain Bru]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

Long Covid....

He'll get over it but it may take a few more months.

Yeah. But I also think that the parkour plays a big role in these equations. 

For Bernal to win, there needs to be minimum TT kms, and maximum high altitude mountain top finishes. The TDF he won had loads of high altitude climbing. And also long climbs with steady gradients. I don't think he can out-kick Roglic or Pogacar, but I think he might be able to do a higher watt/kilo for 40 minutes, so he needs to be able to use that to his advantage. He struggles with surges and covering attacks but can definitely freight train up a mountain better than most.  

Where for Roglic or Pogacar, max TT kms, and maximum short punchy finishes will serve them well, especially when they can use their ridiculous 1 to 2 minute power to take time by going full anaerobic at the end of stages and leaving the field behind them.  

 

[Mountain Bru]

4 minutes ago, J Wakefield said:

We finding some are not actually getting over it from a performance stand point when a athlete has had COVID. 

Thats so intense. So could it potentially be "career ending" if a rider gets covid and doesn't recover back to 100%? Does that change anything in the way you approach races or plan your calendar?

It almost sounds like it makes sense to limit the number of race days pre-tour just for the sake of covid risk mitigation

[Mountain Bru]

9 minutes ago, J Wakefield said:

Appologies it was Swiss. Which makes Ineos season run from Giro that more impressive. 

I think the feeling many of us have (including myself at times) that Ineos have had a poor season despite winning loads of races proves how important the TDF is. They've actually had a great season, and are sitting 2nd in the PCS team stats, only beaten by DQS, which is really impressive considering that DQS wins every second sprint. But they could only manage a somewhat unconvincing 3rd in the TDF (which is quickly forgotten), and therefore the general feeling is that they've had a sub-par year. 

[DieselnDust]

22 minutes ago, J Wakefield said:

We finding some are not actually getting over it from a performance stand point when a athlete has had COVID. 

That isn’t good for ones so young 

[J Wakefield]

Latest UCI standing as of 31/08/2021

 

[J Wakefield]

20 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:

Thats so intense. So could it potentially be "career ending" if a rider gets covid and doesn't recover back to 100%? Does that change anything in the way you approach races or plan your calendar?

It almost sounds like it makes sense to limit the number of race days pre-tour just for the sake of covid risk mitigation

Going to races with the protocols is safer than being in daily life with regards to Covid. 

But yes, it can be career ending depending on infection and also that the athlete may never return to previous condition due to damage. 

 

this actually goes for anyone contracting Covid and exercises.

[J Wakefield]

5 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

That isn’t good for ones so young 

Nope 

['Dale]

Day of the break? Who will have one foot on the podium after 4300 m of vert today? 

 

Out in front:

Matteo Trentin, Ryan Gibbons (UAE Team Emirates), Stan Dewulf, Clément Champoussin, Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën), Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Nick Schultz (Team BikeExchange), Romain Bardet, Chris Hamilton, Michael Storer (Team DSM), Floris de Tier (Alpecin-Fenix), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Soudal), Dani Navarro (Burgos-BH), Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel Euskadi)

['Dale]

...and Dan Martin announces his retirement at the end of the season.

[Mountain Bru]

21 minutes ago, 'Dale said:

Out in front:

Matteo Trentin, Ryan Gibbons (UAE Team Emirates), Stan Dewulf, Clément Champoussin, Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën), Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Nick Schultz (Team BikeExchange), Romain Bardet, Chris Hamilton, Michael Storer (Team DSM), Floris de Tier (Alpecin-Fenix), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Soudal), Dani Navarro (Burgos-BH), Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel Euskadi)

Padum is overdue a big performance.....

 

[Jewbacca]

Storer and Bardet again.... 

[Mountain Bru]

2 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Storer and Bardet again.... 

 

Good call, especially with Hamilton in the mix too. Should make for a cohesive breakaway with 3 DSM riders, 3 AG2R riders and 2 UAE boys. 

Gonna be interesting to see the dynamics between Storer and Bardet for the KOM jersey.  Storer is on 59 pts, Bardet on 54 pts. Wonder if they'll sprint against each other for points, or if Bardet will let Storer keep the jersey

[Mountain Bru]

31 minutes ago, 'Dale said:

Day of the break? Who will have one foot on the podium after 4300 m of vert today? 

 

Out in front:

Matteo Trentin, Ryan Gibbons (UAE Team Emirates), Stan Dewulf, Clément Champoussin, Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën), Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Nick Schultz (Team BikeExchange), Romain Bardet, Chris Hamilton, Michael Storer (Team DSM), Floris de Tier (Alpecin-Fenix), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Soudal), Dani Navarro (Burgos-BH), Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel Euskadi)

Are you watchin it live somewhere?

SS coverage only starts at 15:50 ????

[Jewbacca]

2 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:

 

Good call, especially with Hamilton in the mix too. Should make for a cohesive breakaway with 3 DSM riders, 3 AG2R riders and 2 UAE boys. 

Gonna be interesting to see the dynamics between Storer and Bardet for the KOM jersey.  Storer is on 59 pts, Bardet on 54 pts. Wonder if they'll sprint against each other for points, or if Bardet will let Storer keep the jersey

I believe Bardet wants the stage win, Storer the jersey, so if the legs play ball they will try to set it up that way. Gibbo and Trentin are interesting members there....