Le Pro Cycling Thread

[DaveInSeattle]

I decided I just can't do the Peacock feed. Too many ads, and the pointless scroll across the bottom is maddening.

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

Pretty cool seeing that climb up to San Luca. When we did that walk a few weeks ago, I pointed out that one corner and said "that's gonna be brutal", and sure enough it was.

[wlu_lax6]

Big day of firsts. Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay became the first black African rider to win a stage in the Tour de France (and first Eritrean). Richard Carapaz became the first Ecuadorian to wear the race leader’s yellow jersey. Which is probably a good thing for EF Education as it seems like Vaughters has had some very lean years and always on the edge of sponsorship and actual having an invitation to the tour.

[Steve of phpBB]

I decided I just can't do the Peacock feed. Too many ads, and the pointless scroll across the bottom is maddening.

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

My son gave me his login for YouTube TV for the soccer tournaments - will that work for the TdF?

[A_B]

I decided I just can't do the Peacock feed. Too many ads, and the pointless scroll across the bottom is maddening.

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

My son gave me his login for YouTube TV for the soccer tournaments - will that work for the TdF?

I think youtube (whatever channel it is on, I assume NBC Sports) just uses the Peacock feed.

[DaveInSeattle]

I decided I just can't do the Peacock feed. Too many ads, and the pointless scroll across the bottom is maddening.

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

My son gave me his login for YouTube TV for the soccer tournaments - will that work for the TdF?

Work? It should...I'm assuming NBC is showing their feed on the NBC Sports channel. I've been watching it on Peacock.

But you'll still be getting the awful NBC feed...which has TONS of commercials, a continual pointless scroll across the bottom, and pre-taped segments. Peacock in the past had the far superior international feed, with no ads.

[DaveInSeattle]

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

Didn't last long...the FloBikes feed wasn't available on YouTube this morning.

[govmentchedda]

I decided I just can't do the Peacock feed. Too many ads, and the pointless scroll across the bottom is maddening.

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

My son gave me his login for YouTube TV for the soccer tournaments - will that work for the TdF?

Work? It should...I'm assuming NBC is showing their feed on the NBC Sports channel. I've been watching it on Peacock.

But you'll still be getting the awful NBC feed...which has TONS of commercials, a continual pointless scroll across the bottom, and pre-taped segments. Peacock in the past had the far superior international feed, with no ads.

There is no more NBC sports channel.

[A_B]

This descent look terrifying.

[DaveInSeattle]

This descent look terrifying.

They all do.

One of the things that they talked about a lot in the most recent Tour documentary on Netflix was about how much they are putting their lives on the line doing those mountain descents...especially after Gino Mader died during the Tour De Suisse. I'm sure Vingogaard is spooked from his crash earlier in the season.

[DaveInSeattle]

I decided I just can't do the Peacock feed. Too many ads, and the pointless scroll across the bottom is maddening.

So...I got a VPN (TunnelBear, for $9.99 a month...recommended by WireCutter) and went to the FloBike page on Youtube. And it worked. We'll see how long that lasts.

My son gave me his login for YouTube TV for the soccer tournaments - will that work for the TdF?

Work? It should...I'm assuming NBC is showing their feed on the NBC Sports channel. I've been watching it on Peacock.

But you'll still be getting the awful NBC feed...which has TONS of commercials, a continual pointless scroll across the bottom, and pre-taped segments. Peacock in the past had the far superior international feed, with no ads.

There is no more NBC sports channel.

D'oh! Had no idea...

I finally sprung for the FloBikes subscription this morning. Wanted to watch the Galibier climb without ads/pre-taped segments/continually news crawl. Need to make sure to cancel it at the end of the month.

[A_B]

Well Pogacar just did one of those "Fuck you jobu" moves. Yates paced him great and then Tadei hammered it. But Vingegaard made up time too so it wasn't a rout at the top.

[A_B]

Someone help me with tactics. So Pogacar went about 30 seconds up counting hill and descent, but Roglic and Vingegaard rode together. However, it seemed like Roglic was having to do most of the leading. Is that Vingegaard refusing to go around him or is he being rude?

Edit: Now that the chase has gotten a few more riders Vingegaard is leading them along. I don't know how they decide what do do.

[A_B]

And it turns out Vingegaard probably knew what he was doing. Caught Pogacar at the top and lost only 3 seconds. Also re: bonuses, is that to promote the main GC riders to attack and not just sit int he peloton?

[Rex]

The intermediate time bonuses are pretty unusual, and yeah, I think they are designed to encourage aggressive riding. Not that Tadej needs any encouragement to attack.

The storyline of this race seems to be Vingo getting stronger over time and Tadej getting a little weaker, both due to the amount of riding they’ve done in the last few months. This and the gravel stage on Sunday feel like a turning point.

[Rex]

Yeah, turning point. What a win.

[A_B]

Yeah, turning point. What a win.

Thinking same thing. Just wouldn't let him get away and deserved to win.

[Rex]

Another great plot twist. I gotta eat my words a little because Pogi was clearly stronger once it became one on one. But also, I think this was the first time that Vingo really missed Sepp Kuss. They have nobody to control the race when it gets in the mountains. The whole thing about Visma never winning a GC without him may have some validity.

[A_B]

Fucking hell the Cime de la Bonette is a nasty looking climb.

[DaveInSeattle]

Tadej is just dominating. When he decides to go, he's just eating up everyone. Felt bad for Jorgensen today...there was nothing he could do when Tadej passed him on the final climb.

[DaveInSeattle]

Not sure if anyone else cares, but Lance Armstrong should really STFU about anyone else potentially doping. And anyone saying "Oh Tadej Pogačar should ease up and let someone else win a stage" is a clown.

Also...just read that he's withdrawing from the Olympics.

Pogacar pulls out of Olympics with extreme fatigue

Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar has pulled out of the Olympic Games because of "extreme fatigue", the Slovenian Olympic Committee has said.

Pogacar completed victory in this year's Tour by taking Sunday's final stage, which was a time trial, to win the illustrious 3,498km race for a third time.

The Games start in Paris on Friday and the 25-year-old was scheduled to take part in the road race on 3 August.

"Unfortunately Tadej Pogacar has cancelled his participation because of a state of extreme fatigue," said Slovenia's Olympic cycling coach Uros Murn.

[DaveInSeattle]

Ahh...here's the likely reason he's backing out from the Olympics.

'The coach has damaged cycling for personal interests' - Urška Žigart's agent joins Pogačar in harsh criticism of Paris Olympics snub

The saga around Urška Žigart’s snub from the Slovenian Olympic road cycling squad for Paris 2024 has continued, with agent Alex Carera stating that the national coach "has damaged cycling” by not picking their best rider.

Žigart is both the Slovenian national time trial and road race champion - winning the latter by over 10 minutes - alongside being the highest-ranked rider. But she was left out of the two-rider team in favour of Eugenia Bujak and Urška Pintar, a decision that left her fiancée Tadej Pogačar “So gutted” and with “no words”.

[wlu_lax6]

Wild gimmick for the start of stage 6 of the Vuelta

https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/roa ... uperstore/

[Steve of phpBB]

Next year they’ll have the finish inside a store.

[Rex]

I'd keep an eye on the guys that ride into the pharmacy lane

[Rex]

Here you go, this is what it looks like to start a bike race in a grocery store. No sign of Guy Fieri.

[rass]

They made them turn?

[govmentchedda]

Hilarious. Carrefour is a sponsor?

[Rex]

I guess so. They sponsor a lot of bike races. Also funny: one of the teams is sponsored by Lidl.

[wlu_lax6]

I guess so. They sponsor a lot of bike races. Also funny: one of the teams is sponsored by Lidl.

They are German and have stores in every EU country. Less weird than some previous big name bike sponsors that were more U.S. based (US Postal, 7-11) or Once (The Spanish lottery that is a charity for blind/disabled).

There are some really weird sponsors
https://road.cc/content/feature/13-craz ... cts-231534

[DaveInSeattle]

I turned on the coverage of the Vuelta just in time to see US ride Brandon McNulty slide out on a descent and go UNDER the guard rail and down into a ravine. Gnarly stuff. Will try to find the video to post.

Looks like he's ok..back up and on the bike...

[DaveInSeattle]

I turned on the coverage of the Vuelta just in time to see US ride Brandon McNulty slide out on a descent and go UNDER the guard rail and down into a ravine. Gnarly stuff. Will try to find the video to post.

Looks like he's ok..back up and on the bike...

Here's the video:

[DaveInSeattle]

Wout Van Aert just slammed into the rock wall on a steep descent in the Vuelta. Rider in front of him slid out and went down hard, and Van Aert had no where to go.

He tried to get back on the bike, but couldn't bend his right knee. He's now sitting in the back of the team car, looking clearly concussed, and obviously out of the race.

[wlu_lax6]

I missed the original event. But the names were not unknown to me. Crazy.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/598627 ... th-charge/

[wlu_lax6]

Chris Froome breaks collarbone in UAE tour..tough thing during his last year of pro racing.

[wlu_lax6]

2026 Tour de France will start with the TTT in Barcelona.

[DaveInSeattle]

2026 Tour de France will start with the TTT in Barcelona.

Wow...they haven't done the TTT in years...

[DaveInSeattle]

Cool race, the Strade Bianche, this morning...start and finish in Sienna, with over 200km through the Tuscan countryside, with 18 sections of gravel roads.

Pogacar won, despite eating shit and going bouncing into the bushes. Tom Pidcock, who ended up second, waited for Tadej after his wreck, in a nice bit of sportsmanship. To be fair..I think Pidcock realized that Pogacar was going to reel him back in anyways, so he decided to conserve energy and try to win in a sprint.

Here's the wreck: