Pro Cycling 2020 **Giro d'Italia 2020 **

RedFish

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World Tour kicked off today with the Tour Down Under. Discuss anything Pro Cycling here.


World Tour Calendar 2019

15-20 January: Santos Tour Down Under (Australia)
27 January: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (Australia)
25 February-2 March: UAE Tour (United Arab Emirates)
2 March: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite (Belgium)
9 March: Strade Bianche (Italy)
10-17 March: Paris-Nice (France)
13-19 March: Tirreno-Adriatico (Italy)
23 March: Milano-Sanremo (Italy)
25-31 March: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (Spain)
29 March: E3 Harelbeke (Belgium)
31 March: Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields (Belgium)
3 April: Dwars door Vlaanderen - A travers la Flandre (Belgium)
7 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres (Belgium)
8-13 April: Itzulia Basque Country (Spain)
14 April: Paris-Roubaix (France)
21 April: Amstel Gold Race (the Netherlands)
24 April: La Flèche Wallonne (Belgium)
28 April: Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium)
30 April-5 May: Tour de Romandie (Switzerland)
1 May: Eschborn-Frankfurt (Germany)
11 May-2 June: Giro d'Italia (Italy)
12-18 May: Amgen Tour of California (United States)
9-16 June: Critérium du Dauphiné (France)
15-23 June: Tour de Suisse (Switzerland)
6-28 July: Tour de France (France)
3 August: Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian (Spain)
3-9 August: Tour de Pologne (Poland)
4 August: Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic (Great Britain)
12-18 August: BinckBank Tour
24 August-15 September: La Vuelta Ciclista a España (Spain)
25 August: EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg (Germany)
1 September: Bretagne Classic - Ouest-France (France)
13 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Canada)
15 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (Canada)
12 October: Il Lombardia (Italy)
15-20 October: Gree - Tour of Guangxi (China)
22-27 October: Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey
 

RedFish

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Hey @Mrs Smoker

So I managed to miss 100% of the action so far. Doesn't matter, I'm not a big fan of the first few races. Now March, with Omloop, Strade Bianche, Paris Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, that's more like it :)
 

RobinLFC

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What a fecking talent, can't wait to see what's in store for him the upcoming years. He just became nineteen last week. Nineteen.
 

RedFish

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E'poel did well, should he pleased with that. I'm quite glad he didn't win tbh, I mean of he did it would be a . bit disheartening for the rest of the peleton if he found it that easy. I can understand the circle jerking from those of a Belgian persuasion though.
 

King_Eric

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This afternoon is the most beautiful cycling race of the year in my opinion, the Strade Bianche in Tuscany. It's remarkable that a race can evolve into being considered a classic in a mere 10 years, but this one has. Rolling hills scenery, steep climbs, gravel roads, riders falling off their bike because of fatigue and one of the most beautiful finish locations you can imagine (Piazza del Campo in Siena). Especially last year's race was great in that aspect, thanks to the weather. Heroics on a bike.


I rode the race (125km of it at least) myself last September and it's probably the hardest one I've done so far. My average speed was 22 km/h while in the complete 250km and 280km of the Tour of Flanders or Liege-Bastogne-Liege, I easily reached 25km/h.
 

RedFish

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This afternoon is the most beautiful cycling race of the year in my opinion, the Strade Bianche in Tuscany. It's remarkable that a race can evolve into being considered a classic in a mere 10 years, but this one has. Rolling hills scenery, steep climbs, gravel roads, riders falling off their bike because of fatigue and one of the most beautiful finish locations you can imagine (Piazza del Campo in Siena). Especially last year's race was great in that aspect, thanks to the weather. Heroics on a bike.


I rode the race (125km of it at least) myself last September and it's probably the hardest one I've done so far. My average speed was 22 km/h while in the complete 250km and 280km of the Tour of Flanders or Liege-Bastogne-Liege, I easily reached 25km/h.
I totally agree, it's beyond beautiful and truly unique.

No Kwiato or Bardet but Thomas and Nibali in amongst a strong field containing the likes of Benoot, Van Avermaet, Alaphillipe, Fulgsang. Will be a cracking race as it almost always is.

At work all day today so will have to catch the highlights when I get in.:)
 
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RedFish

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Alaphilippe - what a start to the year this guy has had. Quality.
He's a delight to watch. Talk about a nose for racing. Like Nibali, he can sense where to be at what point in the race and when to attack. He's got a fabulous team around him but yeah, he's a stand out.
 

Ainu

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He's the best rider in the world at the moment. Best climber of all classics racers and then goes on to floor the likes of Sagan in a flat sprint at the end of a long race like Milan-Sanremo. He could win any race he enters right now with that sort of form.

From a Belgian point of view, Naesen and Van Aert really impressed me. I'm still hoping for the dream combo of Naesen winning the Tour of Flanders and Van Aert winning Paris-Roubaix. :drool: Barring mechanical or injury setbacks, I'm fairly certain they won't be far off.

E3 tomorrow, always enjoy it. Just look at the last 10 winners, as good as any race in the world I'd say:

Filippo Pozzato
Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara
Tom Boonen
Fabian Cancellara
Peter Sagan
Geraint Thomas
Michał Kwiatkowski
Greg Van Avermaet
Niki Terpstra
 

RedFish

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He's the best rider in the world at the moment. Best climber of all classics racers and then goes on to floor the likes of Sagan in a flat sprint at the end of a long race like Milan-Sanremo. He could win any race he enters right now with that sort of form.

From a Belgian point of view, Naesen and Van Aert really impressed me. I'm still hoping for the dream combo of Naesen winning the Tour of Flanders and Van Aert winning Paris-Roubaix. :drool: Barring mechanical or injury setbacks, I'm fairly certain they won't be far off.

E3 tomorrow, always enjoy it. Just look at the last 10 winners, as good as any race in the world I'd say:

Filippo Pozzato
Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara
Tom Boonen
Fabian Cancellara
Peter Sagan
Geraint Thomas
Michał Kwiatkowski
Greg Van Avermaet
Niki Terpstra
Let's see if he can maintain it and not drop off like GVA did after his phenomenal season 2 years ago. He's got more flair, and I infinitely prefer him to the BMC rider. I'm biased but I still rate Kwiato higher, though this season obviously Alaphillipe has outshone everybody. Alaphillipe is still only 26 too, so he's still to reach his peak IMO.

Nice start to the year for Roglic too, who has 2 overall's to his name already this season winning at UAE, and Tirreno-Adriatico, having won Romandie last year also. He's riding the Giro again, so look forward to see him in that.
 
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Ainu

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And another win for Quick-Step. Ok they're a Belgian team so I guess I should be happy, but even I'm starting to get a bit bored by this. Really wanted Van Aert to win this, but second place is great. He's ready for the Ronde and PR. The only problem is he doesn't ride for Quick-Step, which severely hurts his chances.
 

Ainu

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Stybar looked so confident in the run in. I don't think he had any doubt. Impressive!
Well he would be in that situation, the rest had to make tempo and he could always sit out of the wind. Still, he had to finish it off and he did. An ex-cyclo crosser like Van Aert, seems to be an excellent learning school. In that case, watch out for Mathieu van der Poel soon!
 

RobinLFC

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Van der Poel, such a phenomenon. His second WorldTour race ever and eaaaasily won today, so impressive. De Ronde will be a different beast altogether though, it was clear he couldn't follow the best of the bunch on the Kemmel last Sunday yet, & it's 100km longer than the race today.

Can't fecking wait for Sunday :drool: Feels like it's been a long time since there have been so much favourites to win the race. Personally hoping for Van Aert to pull it off, and if not him, Naesen. Should be a good one. Favourite race of the year after Paris-Roubaix.
 

Ainu

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Van der Poel, such a phenomenon. His second WorldTour race ever and eaaaasily won today, so impressive. De Ronde will be a different beast altogether though, it was clear he couldn't follow the best of the bunch on the Kemmel last Sunday yet, & it's 100km longer than the race today.

Can't fecking wait for Sunday :drool: Feels like it's been a long time since there have been so much favourites to win the race. Personally hoping for Van Aert to pull it off, and if not him, Naesen. Should be a good one. Favourite race of the year after Paris-Roubaix.
He's ridiculously good. Still, I feel he's not quite at the level to win the Ronde or PR this year. He undoubtedly will be in the future though. Van Aert and Stybar are clearly the strongest favourites for the Ronde and probably for PR as well. I really hope Van Aert pulls it off, but it's going to be tough up against Quick-Step. It should be a brilliant race.
 

RobinLFC

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He's ridiculously good. Still, I feel he's not quite at the level to win the Ronde or PR this year. He undoubtedly will be in the future though. Van Aert and Stybar are clearly the strongest favourites for the Ronde and probably for PR as well. I really hope Van Aert pulls it off, but it's going to be tough up against Quick-Step. It should be a brilliant race.
Definitely should be, yeah. I could see Quick-Step sending out Jungels from early on like they've done with Devolder and Gilbert in the past, and let the others solve it while the likes of Lampaert and Stybar freewheel along. Luckily Jumbo-Visma is quite strong as well this season because I expect nothing from the likes of Lotto and CCC, not even Bora to be honest unless Sagan feels 200%.
 

Ainu

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It's finally here, the biggest day in cycling in Flanders. :drool: Too many favourites to call it, hopefully it will be a race full of attacks. I think Van Aert can really win here today, he's so good on the short climbs. He'll have to get rid of the likes of Sagan though.
 

Red Stone

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This has to be one of the strongest pelotons ever in De Ronde? There's at least ten teams that should be aiming for a podium finish, and several of those teams have several riders that can do it. I hope it turns into an attacking race, rather than all the teams just watching each other the whole way. These spring classics usually deliver in that sense, and De Ronde is the best of the bunch.

Looking forward to seeing what Valverde can do. He has a team of strong rouleurs behind him and should be able to handle the hilly cobbles. My money's on Stybar or Van Aert, though.
 

RobinLFC

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Feck sake Van der Poel you moron.
 

RobinLFC

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His wheel broke while he was riding. What's he going to do?
Start with not putting your hand up with a flat tire and a teammate next to you to help you out. Never do that when you’ve lost your whole stability.

And be in a better position that you don’t have to hop over those things on the road in the first place actually, to begin with.

Looks like he’s getting back though luckily.
 

RobinLFC

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Alejandro Valverde what an absolute legend.

Van Aert looks like he’s not even breathing.
 

RobinLFC

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Fecking hell Bettiol?

Epic race once again. So many favourites in the front.
 

RobinLFC

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Belgians acting like cowards once again. Feck off Lampaert.
 

Ainu

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Disappointing race. Well deserved for Bettiol but I couldn't really enjoy it. Van Der Poel can
leave this race with his head held high. He'll win this at least once before the end of his career.
 

Red Stone

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One of the most frustrating finishes I've ever seen. Never ceases to amaze me that riders keep giving away the win instead of riding hard and having a chance. If I was in a situation where I'd have to choose between a 0% chance of a win and even a 0.1% chance of a win I'd choose the latter every time. Useless fecks.