Le Pro Cycling Thread

[wlu_lax6]

American Sepp Kuss is leading the Vuelta. First time an American has led a grand tour in 10.years.

Also the Maryland Cycling Classic is tomorrow. A decent international set of riders.

[Rex]

Sepp survived the time trial, that’s big for him….I still doubt he’ll finish it off, only because he has all 3 GTs in his legs and the others don’t. Would be really impressed if Remco pulls this off, one man against three.

[wlu_lax6]

Today was a strange one for Jumbo. But Sepp's teammates dropped him on a climb. It was just 1,2,3 in the GC. Also for Jumbo. And his teammates left him. Roglič and Vingegaard who Sepp rode for at the Tour and Giro. So 8 seconds lead on Vingegaard going into tomorrow's last mountain stage. This is not surprising based on the Netflix tour. Not sure the Jumbo guys are actually racing like a team.

[DaveInSeattle]

Today was a strange one for Jumbo. But Sepp's teammates dropped him on a climb. It was just 1,2,3 in the GC. Also for Jumbo. And his teammates left him. Roglič and Vingegaard who Sepp rode for at the Tour and Giro. So 8 seconds lead on Vingegaard going into tomorrow's last mountain stage. This is not surprising based on the Netflix tour. Not sure the Jumbo guys are actually racing like a team.

Yeah...was watching it live this morning, and I was suprised that they attacked on that last (BRUTAL!) climb. I thought that they were supporting Kuss so he could win the GC.

[Rex]

I kind of get it for Vingegaard and Roglic. They’re measured on how many GTs they win, and so it doesn’t make very much sense to punt one if it’s right there for the taking. And I think Kuss is on record as saying that he doesn’t want to be gifted the win. That doesn’t mean it isn’t BS. I mean, the reason why Kuss is fading in the last week is that he busted his ass to win Roglic the Giro and Jonas the Tour, while those guys sat one out.

[Rex]

As for Jumbo, they’re basically Manchester City now, right? Might be cheating, and it probably doesn’t matter?

[wlu_lax6]

Sounds like the team got their act together last night and rode for Kuss today. Should carry the red into Madrid.

[Rex]

Such a weird race. But yeah, it looks like Sepp will win it

[Steve of phpBB]

Sounds like the team got their act together last night and rode for Kuss today. Should carry the red into Madrid.

Vingegaard ended up coming in a few seconds behind Kuss and Roglic. Was that intentional?

[wlu_lax6]

Sounds like the team got their act together last night and rode for Kuss today. Should carry the red into Madrid.

Vingegaard ended up coming in a few seconds behind Kuss and Roglic. Was that intentional?

I think so.

https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/roa ... rs-jersey/

[wlu_lax6]

This has been top of the cycling news the last week or so...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moriah-wil ... r-manhunt/

Also this lady is still on the lam
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anna-moria ... armstrong/

Captured
https://www.velonews.com/news/gravel/de ... osta-rica/

Tried to make a run for it.
https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/g ... der-trial/

[rass]

This has been top of the cycling news the last week or so...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moriah-wil ... r-manhunt/

Also this lady is still on the lam
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anna-moria ... armstrong/

Captured
https://www.velonews.com/news/gravel/de ... osta-rica/

Tried to make a run for it.
https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/g ... der-trial/

Convicted

[wlu_lax6]

Joe Dombrowski (who I think I raced against in a local MTB race when he was a kid) has retired. 14x Grand Tour racer (22nd in the Giro was his best finish), won a Tour of Utah and lots of other laurels.

[DaveInSeattle]

This has been top of the cycling news the last week or so...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moriah-wil ... r-manhunt/

Also this lady is still on the lam
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anna-moria ... armstrong/

Captured
https://www.velonews.com/news/gravel/de ... osta-rica/

Tried to make a run for it.
https://velo.outsideonline.com/gravel/g ... der-trial/

Convicted

How they caught her: Kaitlin Armstrong’s trail had gone cold. Then she answered a yoga ad, feds say.

After Kaitlin Armstrong was accused of killing professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson over a disastrous love triangle in 2022, she fled to Costa Rica with a fraudulent passport, hiding out in a touristy beach enclave for more than a month while an international manhunt sputtered.

But even fugitives sometimes need jobs.

Armstrong eventually answered an ad seeking a yoga instructor. Unbeknownst to her, it was placed by the U.S. Marshals Service, investigators revealed to CBS’s “48 Hours” this weekend. It was authorities’ last resort to lure her out of hiding, and Armstrong’s response led them right to a beachside hostel.

[mister d]

[someone who watches a lot of true crime but is also very stupid] "That's entrapment."

[Rex]

Everything’s coming up USA these days. Two guys on the podium in a major race? I don’t remember that ever happening.

[DaveInSeattle]

Everything’s coming up USA these days. Two guys on the podium in a major race? I don’t remember that ever happening.

And he just won again...

"Matteo Jorgenson alleviated Visma-Lease a Bike's despair on a dark day, winning the Dwars door Vlaanderen after attacking the late breakaway.

His victory was a bright spot on a dark day for the team that saw Wout van Aert crash out of the race and possibly see his Tour of Flanders hopes vanish in an instant."

Looks bad for van Aert...possible collar-bone.

[DaveInSeattle]

Update on van Aert:

Update on Wout van Aert from Team Visma | Lease a Bike: "Unfortunately, Wout van Aert suffered several fractures in the crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen today. A broken collarbone and several broken ribs were diagnosed in hospital. It is unclear how long his recovery will take. He will definitely miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and the Amstel Gold Race."

Ouch...

[DaveInSeattle]

Another big wreck...this time in the 4th stage 4 of the Itzulia Basque Country.

Evenepoel, Vingegaard, Roglič All Abandon in High-Speed Spill at Itzulia Basque Country

Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard, and Primož Roglič all crashed and were forced to abandon Thursday in a horrific high-speed spill on stage 4 at Itzulia Basque Country.

Three of the peloton’s biggest stars were among several racers who fell in a sweeping descent with about 35km to go in the stage.

One rider’s front tire appeared to slip out and caused a chain reaction behind. Roads were dry and it was not obvious what might have provoked the high-speed chain reaction.

“We came down the first steep climb, and the road was really bumpy and we were fighting for position,” said Lidl-Trek’s Mattias Skjelmose, who avoided the crash. “Unfortunately we came a little bit too fast, and there were some bumpy roads. Some guys crashed, and a lot of guys followed. It was really unlucky, and I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault.”

Evenepoel bounded off the pavement and fell into a wooded area. He later appeared walking and cradling his right arm.

Overnight race leader Roglič, who started Thursday after falling in a heavy spill Wednesday, also fell into a what appeared to be a drainage ditch. He was later spotted walking to a team car, and drove away with a Bora-Hansgrohe team staffer.

Update on Vingegaard:

A Team Visma | Lease a Bike statement said: "It was a nasty crash, but fortunately he is stable and conscious.
"Examinations at the hospital have revealed that he has a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. He remains in hospital as a precaution."

[DaveInSeattle]

More injuries from that crash:

Remco Evenepoel has a broken right collarbone and right scapula.