Now a duo. What a shame for Alaphilippe, he looked so strong. But a direct duel between Van Aert and van der Poel, that's pretty much the dream scenario. May the best one win.
Pro Cycling 2020 **Giro d'Italia 2020 **
- Thread starter RedFish
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Nerve wrecking. Please please please let it be Van Aert.
Although whoever wins it, it’ll be deserved.
Although whoever wins it, it’ll be deserved.
As long as they don't stop and let someone else win!
Feck off. Ugh.
God damnit. Van der Poel managed that sprint brilliantly, well done to him. I feel sick now though. Feck.
Same. Immense respect for VDP and I would want him to win in a lot of situations, but not right here mano a mano against Wout. Losing that much speed wasn’t in Van Aert’s advantage, VDP is a lot more explosive from the get go imo.
Fecking sucks. Feels like a punch in the face, and then so close. Meh. Would’ve wanted to see it with Alaphilippe there because there would’ve been more speculation and probably attacks on the Pater too.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
He might be a pretty good cyclist..... but that fecking cross tattoo is brutal.
Yeah it's terrible. I felt sorry for him at the TdF but overall he's a pretty boring guy. Pogacar seems to be the same, overall the top GC guys are all pretty full and friendly to each other.As for the Vuelta, pretty shocking that barely any contenders outside Mas and Carapaz. Froome unsurprisingly completely done, if he comes back next year as a contender it'd be a miracle.
Also, I don't understand Dumoulins role at Jumbo. First they burn him for no apparent reason at stage 8 at the Tour and yesterday Kuss needlessly paces after he was dropped and probably adds another 30s into his deficit.
What a race today, epic circumstances. Van der Poel got blown right into a ditch because of the blasting wind Great winner too with Lampaert, thoroughly deserved after top 10 finishes in Gent-Wevelgem and the Ronde.
Great winner too with Lampaert, thoroughly deserved after top 10 finishes in Gent-Wevelgem and the Ronde.If it's any comfort, I'm wondering why VDP is considered Dutch at all. To my knowledge, he was born and raised in Belgium and still lives there, and he sounds entirely like a Vlaming. If finally Noord-Brabant and Nederlands Limburg would join Belgium, he'd be the perfect citizen!
For starters:
And it surely doesn't help that he has been riding with the Dutch tricolore for half of his career, be it on the road or at the cyclo-crossing
I don't mind him at all though, and surely like him a lot more than most of the Dutch professional athletes (although I also really like Dumoulin). But he's still a Dutchman. Van Aert lives in the city next to mine so easy to explain why I'd preferred him!
So Kapellen is also pretty close to you.For starters:
And it surely doesn't help that he has been riding with the Dutch tricolore for half of his career, be it on the road or at the cyclo-crossing
I don't mind him at all though, and surely like him a lot more than most of the Dutch professional athletes (although I also really like Dumoulin). But he's still a Dutchman. Van Aert lives in the city next to mine so easy to explain why I'd preferred him!
(Certainly on a Canadian scale!)Anyway, I was just trying to be clever; I did assume VDP has a reason to ride under the Dutch flag.
This is so good! Stelvio has butchered the entire peloton. Spectacular scenery as well. This stage might be the best race of 2020 so far.
Amazing stage so far.
The Stelvio is one of the most beautiful mountains there is.
The Stelvio is one of the most beautiful mountains there is.
Good man! How does it compare to in real life or say other platforms like Fulgaz?
Zwift or Alpe d'Huez? I've never ridden the latter, but Zwift is nothing like real riding to me, feels like it's just a period of time where you're just solely putting out watts. Definitely more challenging, but useful when I'm time poor.
Zwift is great for training IF you follow your plan and have the right tools. I mean it's pretty perfect wattage control.... so it's not 'true' substitute as you can never control wattage that perfect in real life nor is as good for casual riding. It's a great tool to keep you ticking over if you can motivate yourself to do it.
The Alp d'Zwift is generally accurate.... but people have mega time compared to Huez which would make you think it's not. Basically ignore leaderboards for Zwift, they're bonkers, full of tweaked setups and well obviously just cheaters. I've done it at 280watts.... got me a 1hr run up, about the same effort it took me to just about beat the hour on it and similar climbs in real life at around 290-300watts...I wasn't at peak when doing d'Zwift so gassed a little at the end the one time I fit in and was motivated to go for it
The Alp d'Zwift is generally accurate.... but people have mega time compared to Huez which would make you think it's not. Basically ignore leaderboards for Zwift, they're bonkers, full of tweaked setups and well obviously just cheaters. I've done it at 280watts.... got me a 1hr run up, about the same effort it took me to just about beat the hour on it and similar climbs in real life at around 290-300watts...I wasn't at peak when doing d'Zwift so gassed a little at the end the one time I fit in and was motivated to go for it
How do you cheat on Zwift - by entering the wrong weight I assume to boost your w/kg? But you can't manipulate wattage, can you?Zwift is great for training IF you follow your plan and have the right tools. I mean it's pretty perfect wattage control.... so it's not 'true' substitute as you can never control wattage that perfect in real life nor is as good for casual riding. It's a great tool to keep you ticking over if you can motivate yourself to do it.
The Alp d'Zwift is generally accurate.... but people have mega time compared to Huez which would make you think it's not. Basically ignore leaderboards for Zwift, they're bonkers, full of tweaked setups and well obviously just cheaters. I've done it at 280watts.... got me a 1hr run up, about the same effort it took me to just about beat the hour on it and similar climbs in real life at around 290-300watts...I wasn't at peak when doing d'Zwift so gassed a little at the end the one time I fit in and was motivated to go for it
Feels like "doping" - in fact "doping" to win a virtual race seems even sadder than the real thing.
Huh, do you need a power meter to be on Zwift? I always assumed most amateur cyclists don't have them. I just have the basic sensors on my bike like speed, rpm but not power. I'm clearly missing out.
Same, on my bike I just have a GPS computer that reads speed, distance and things like that, but my smart trainer reads power as well (in addition to speed, cadence etc).
Kelderman in trouble.
TGH being dragged along by Dennis. Hindley in Virtual Pink.
TGH being dragged along by Dennis. Hindley in Virtual Pink.
Weight is key to it, height, miscalibrated trainer and meters... in fact my power meter and my smart trainer are well off... that because I use the power meter in the real world, I go from that despite the Tacx being about 10-15w more generous.... why? I don't know, i've calibrated them both as much as possible.... but if I dropped my character by like 10kgs AND used the Tacx, I'd save like 8 minutes up the Alp d'Zwift..my PM would likely call it about 290w.... Tacx 300w.
It's obviously gonna have some crazy numbers given it's a worldwide thing and everyone uses in the cycling world.... but some of the times are monumentally bonkers.
It's no more sad than any kind of cheating in everything else competitive. It's the way we are really.
Tao yesssss! Get in my son.
The patches have finally shown up!
It’s raining in the Hell of the North today. Feck this Roubaix would’ve been so awesome. No amount of Giro or Vuelta can replace that.
Roubaix would’ve been so awesome. No amount of Giro or Vuelta can replace that.L'angliru is such a beast, beautiful climb. Love the Roglic-Carapaz battle, going back and forth. Still, having just recently begun to follow cycling again, it amazes me how time gaps outside ITTs are literally nothing these days. Gaps between main conteders on something like the Angliru used to be 1-3 minutes, these days its a lot if its 10-30 seconds.