Jump to content

2024 Pro Cycling Season


G650

Recommended Posts

1 minute ago, G650 said:

Man this emotion from Jonas is choking me up.

I felt that. Real shit. I can’t imagine the crazy scope of emotions from injuries like that to clawing Pogi back and eventually starting that sprint and gutting it out for a stage win. That has to be huge for the confidence of Jonas. He still has a bit of a team problem, though. 

  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

 

 

 

Let those nuts hang, JV. 
 

We’re watching a cycling version of the tortoise and hare tale. Pogi keeps needlessly burning matches with that racing on instinct in the moment trying to be something akin to The Cannibal or The Badger. High risk, high reward, but also potential for high consequence. Jonas racing with intent and measured effort, with consideration that’s it’s a three week race with a hard third week. Gangster level confidence. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s a great rivalry with a ton of respect and for that I won’t hate Pogacar. The new Evinrude guy just got suckered into speaking up when he don’t know shit about fuck. 
 

In my triathlon group this morning during our run we were talking about Jonas not getting suckered into going out with Pogacar a few days ago and I said everyone of us would have said fuck the plan and went out. Jonas has incredible discipline and hasn’t stopped the poor mouthing about his fitness and now he has them where he wants them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Clintonaldo said:

 The new Evinrude guy just got suckered into speaking up when he don’t know shit about fuck. 
 

 


He's young. It's his first tour. We all did and said stupid stuff when we were young. He's still second in the GC and lives to fight another day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tadej isn't as strong as he thinks he is, and Jonas is no where near as weak as expected. Tadej claims his training was optimized for the Pyrenees stages - we shall see. The Pyrenees always get written as these irregular climbs with ever changing gradient compared to the more steady alpine climbs. Outside of Hautacam, I don't think that's true. The Tourmalet is relentless but regular, as is Pla d'Adet and Plasteu de Beille. Unlike today, you're not going to find long stretches of double digit percentage gradients. 

Is Tadej fading or did he bonk? Jonas is certainly surging. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, G650 said:

Man, fuck thieves. Teams are going have to start hiring security or stand security watches on these big races since the organizers don’t seem to be helping with this. 

  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Hornius Emeritus said:


I was impressed with Wout, too.  He had to be hurting bigtime after that crash yesterday.

Yeah, very close for him. His form is definitely improving even with that knock.

 

Bini has been such a great story too. And Jasper only got 6th, big daylight in the points competition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/6/2024 at 2:28 PM, idigTexas said:

Nice seeing a young rider from a country with no TdF history on a team that hasn't had much success doing well.  Two Three down, 33 32 to go...34 33 if he wants the record outright.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Hornius Emeritus said:


I was impressed with Wout, too.  He had to be hurting bigtime after that crash yesterday.

He needs to quit trying to sneak up along the barrier.  He got pinched off again today trying to do that, and probably wins if he takes a better line...easier said than done, of course.    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
22 hours ago, Clintonaldo said:

It’s a great rivalry with a ton of respect and for that I won’t hate Pogacar. The new Evinrude guy just got suckered into speaking up when he don’t know shit about fuck. 

I think those comments were pretty deliberate by Evenepoel.  Trying to get Jonas to make emotional/poor racing decisions because it's needed for Evenepoel to have a chance.  It won't work.

17 hours ago, Txzen said:

Is Tadej fading or did he bonk? Jonas is certainly surging. 

Great question.  Listened to a race recap podcast and they noted Pogacar eating on the podium afterwards wasn't common.  I have no idea if this is true or not.  If so, might indicate he didn't get his fueling right that day.

Edited by Bodhi
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Bodhi said:

I think those comments were pretty deliberate by Evenepoel.  Trying to get Jonas to make emotional/poor racing decisions because it's needed for Evenepoel to have a chance.  It won't work.

Great question.  Listened to a race recap podcast and they noted Pogacar eating on the podium afterwards wasn't common.  I have no idea if this is true or not.  If so, might indicate he didn't get his fueling right that day.


In his book, Lance talks about how, during the Tour, despite eating like 9000 calories per day, he's still lose 12 .lbs or so.  The body starts cannibalizing muscle.   Lance concludes that it's not a healthy endeavor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, G650 said:

Can't help himself

Pretty much. 
 

Headed to some of my favorite areas this weekend. The Tourmalet from the Luz side is glorious - long regular slopes with incredible views. 
 

The Hourquette is a lovely climb, the road seemingly carved in the side of the mountain with great views all along the way. Because I enjoyed it, one can gather its not that difficult (relatively). 
 

Then Pla d’Adet. The first few K are double digit agony, but it evens out soon after. Once can see the top of the climb almost from the start, but it seems to take forever to get there as the road turns away from the end so many times you never seem to make progress. 

Spoiler

IMG_3736.thumb.jpeg.85073108a21acb790ba2cfb9206273de.jpeg

view from the first main bend at Pla d’Adet. Far in the distance, the finish is atop the green ‘bump’. 

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Txzen said:

Then Pla d’Adet. The first few K are double digit agony, but it evens out soon after. Once can see the top of the climb almost from the start, but it seems to take forever to get there as the road turns away from the end so many times you never seem to make progress. 

  Reveal hidden contents

IMG_3736.thumb.jpeg.85073108a21acb790ba2cfb9206273de.jpeg

view from the first main bend at Pla d’Adet. Far in the distance, the finish is atop the green ‘bump’. 

 

Man, that is some truth. The start of Pla d’Adet is demoralizing. And I did it in my 20s when I still lived over there. My son graduates next year and I promised to take him to Europe to ride some famous climbs and scenic routes. The “Circle of Death” area is cycling Heaven and at the top of his wish list. That ought to be a different experiment this time at my age. 
 

I’ve been thinking about Stage 14, and here’s some questions hopefully we’ll see answered:

Will the team strength of UAE contribute to any measurable damage to Remco or Jonas?

Will Remco stay with Pogi and Jonas in the Pyrenees?

Can Pogi gap Jonas on the climbs to gain time on the descents and make it stick?

Will Jonas take back some time or pass and put time on Remco and Pogi? (The finish favors Tadej if it’s close) 

What an incredible route for today and tomorrow!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

Questions answered. If Jonas can’t answer in kind tomorrow, or at least stay with Tadej, he’s gonna need one of those days where he gains minutes on a single stage. Perfectly executed by UAE and Pogi. 

Edited by Whitewater Horn
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

Great stage today. 

Absolutely. Nice counter punch landed by Tadej.

 

Tomorrow will tell a lot. There can be a lot of minutes won and lost on Plateau de Beille.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had my route backwards - we climbed the Hourquette from Acuns (they descended it). We kept going around and went down the Aspin, which was beautiful, technical, and scary. 
 

Had no idea what Tadej was doing in the sprint yesterday and am convinced he’s burning too many matches…and then he did what he did today. Hell of a kick. But man, Jonas is incredible given how his Spring and lead up to the Tour went. 
 

Monster stage tomorrow. Visma may have conserved some helpers today for the route tomorrow. Maybe they try to crack him but I’m not sure that’s going to pan out. 
 

There are many climbs in this area I’d like to do again (and have had some second chances). Plateau de Beille is not one of them. I recall it not only unrelenting but mostly so heavily forested that you had no payoff for the work (unlike that great final climb today). Only at the end do you emerge from the forest to a plateau with some modest views. Not even a good cafe at the top, some rather ugly modern station (and I understand it recently burned so there’s not even that now).

I think the only thing that bears Tadej is Tadej. He races all heart, sometimes with reckless abandon. But if he can keep the tank topped off he’s got this one…I think!

  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Whitewater Horn said:

Man, that is some truth. The start of Pla d’Adet is demoralizing. And I did it in my 20s when I still lived over there. My son graduates next year and I promised to take him to Europe to ride some famous climbs and scenic routes. The “Circle of Death” area is cycling Heaven and at the top of his wish list. That ought to be a different experiment this time at my age. 

I have no good recommendations for lodging in the valley on the side we finished today. But on the other side, just near Argeles-Gazost, can’t say enough about Pyrenees cycling lodge. Hautacam just across the valley, Aubisque, Solour, Spandelles nearby. Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden just down the road. Other lesser known rides, like the Cirque de Troumouse, abound. Gorgeous area. 
 

Spoiler

IMG_3757.thumb.jpeg.c72f743611791cd42b067a6558aa1387.jpega room with a view…

 

  • Like 2
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

So, I REALLY want this to be on the up-and-up, but Tadej climbed time Plateau de Beille 3:39 quicker than Pantani did in 1998.

Things that make me say "hmmm...."

 

Yeah. Beat Lance's time on Pla d'adet too. It's pretty sus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, TexPx said:

Jonas staying this close after a horrific crash and hugely disrupted training and very weakened team. Hmmm.


Agreed. Jonas did it more than 2:30 seconds faster than Pantani in 1998. Although, who's to say if the disrupted training didn't actually HELP Jonas? There's no way to say with certainty.

Of course, with better equipment, better training, a deeper understanding of physiology and recovery etc ... better times are to be expected.  Still ...

Edited by Hornius Emeritus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

So, I REALLY want this to be on the up-and-up, but Tadej climbed time Plateau de Beille 3:39 quicker than Pantani did in 1998.

Things that make me say "hmmm...."

 

 

8 minutes ago, G650 said:

Yeah. Beat Lance's time on Pla d'adet too. It's pretty sus.

It’s pretty hard to know exactly what “on the up and up” is at this level of world tour cycling these days, and a rabbit hole of questions and doubt that can drive you crazy. A lot of these great performances certainly deserve examination and comparison to the filthiest era of the sport.
 

Knowing that this sport, as well as all other athletic competitions with high stakes, are always looking for competitive advantages,  both within and beyond the rules, I just can’t stop watching. I’m sure all manner of methods are employed, but watching these dudes go to battle like we’ve seen in this Tour so far messes with my “give a shit.”  I promise to stop watching the sport if irrefutable evidence is revealed of pro cycling being actively involved in human trafficking or kicking puppies. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Agreed. Jonas did it more than 2:30 seconds faster than Pantani in 1998. Although, who's to say if the disrupted training didn't actually HELP Jonas? There's no way to say with certainty.

Of course, with better equipment, better training, a deeper understanding of physiology and recovery etc ... better times are to be expected.  Still ...

I have no idea but it doesn’t seem like punctured lung, several broken ribs and a broken collarbone a couple of months before Le Tour could be helpful.

If Pog wins won’t this be the first time since Pantani a rider won the Giro an TdF in the same year?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...