Le Pro Cycling Thread

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 9:58 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:56 am Having all these mountains early in the Tour is really blowing things up.

Do they do the stages in different orders from year to year?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:06 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 9:58 pm
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:56 am Having all these mountains early in the Tour is really blowing things up.
Do they do the stages in different orders from year to year?

Oh yeah. And it’s not just the same stages every year. It’s a different path and they sometimes finish going one way and sometimes the other at the same finish area. They have some classics that appear regularly but I don’t know that anything gets used every year. Maybe the last one? For example one of the most famous is alpe d’huez but I don’t think they ride that this year at all.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:09 pm

I don't think any stage is in all TdF other than the final day Champs Elysees.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:11 pm

They often take the first stages abroad. This year was the Spanish Basque county, which led to my joke about having to stop for customs as they crossed the Spain France border on day 3 or 4. Last year's start was in Denmark.

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:26 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:09 pm I don't think any stage is in all TdF other than the final day Champs Elysees.

Next year ends somewhere other than the Champs Elysées for the first time since like 1908. Due to Olympics being in Paris.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 5:01 am

Towns bid for the right to host starts and finishes too

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:15 am

Square Rob wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:26 pm
govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:09 pm I don't think any stage is in all TdF other than the final day Champs Elysees.
Next year ends somewhere other than the Champs Elysées for the first time since like 1908. Due to Olympics being in Paris.

Tour de France 2024 to end with hilly 35km time trial to Nice

The 2024 Tour de France will finish on the French Riviera with a tough stage 20 summit finish at the Col de la Couillole and then a final hilly 35km individual time trial from Monaco to Nice expected to create a nail-biting finish.

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:14 am

Will be a really good day today. Puy du dôme is neat and its beautiful country with lots of hilltop towns surrounded by green fields. Also, Clermont Ferrand is one of my favorite big towns in France.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 8:23 am

Square Rob wrote: ↑Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:14 am Will be a really good day today. Puy du dôme is neat and its beautiful country with lots of hilltop towns surrounded by green fields. Also, Clermont Ferrand is one of my favorite big towns in France.

HDTV and the Tour go perfectly together.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 12:48 pm

That Puy De Dome climb was BRUTAL....

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 4:32 am

Race today ends in Issoire, a town we have one of our major plants and one at which I spend a fair bit of time. It’s also one of the towns I was given a choice of living at but désodés against. Some really beautiful countryside with rolling hills. The old town is also neat with lots of crooked streets and weird alleys. Regional cheese is really good there (better than the regional wine by far), and the best dish for me is truffade. Think a gratin, but they slice the potatoes really thin and fry them first, then layer them with local cheese and bake. So fucking good but a major gut bomb.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 11:47 am

Square Rob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 4:32 am Regional cheese is really good there (better than the regional wine by far), and the best dish for me is truffade. Think a gratin, but they slice the potatoes really thin and fry them first, then layer them with local cheese and bake. So fucking good but a major gut bomb.

Nico Roche, the commentator on the International Feed, spoke at great length yesterday about truffade and how good it was.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 11:58 am

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 7:25 am

The feed on peacock is totally different today. Different announcers and everything.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:46 am

You might have turned on the international feed.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:48 am

Rex wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:46 am You might have turned on the international feed.

Well huh. I did pick the one I hadn't been watching on previous days. Thanks!

(I don't know enough about this stuff to know which feed is better so I just wanted to go with what I knew)

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:59 am

I've heard the international feed is better. Had no idea you could access it on Peacock.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:59 am

A_B wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:48 am
Rex wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:46 am You might have turned on the international feed.
Well huh. I did pick the one I hadn't been watching on previous days. Thanks!

(I don't know enough about this stuff to know which feed is better so I just wanted to go with what I knew)

Go with Phil and Bob unless you find them annoying or hate all the commercials & canned segments. International feed is just the undistilled race.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:01 am

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:59 am I've heard the international feed is better. Had no idea you could access it on Peacock.

Peacock premium has both. It makes a big difference in the Olympics (not least because the international feed is live). As for the TDF, I’d say that the Phil & Bob show has its charms. Though going to commercial break every 3 minutes isn’t one of them.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:03 am

Rex wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:01 am
govmentchedda wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:59 am I've heard the international feed is better. Had no idea you could access it on Peacock.
Peacock premium has both. It makes a big difference in the Olympics (not least because the international feed is live). As for the TDF, I’d say that the Phil & Bob show has its charms. Though going to commercial break every 3 minutes isn’t one of them.

Yeah but they usually do the last 30 minutes or so with very few interruptions. It's just on a third screen in my office so I'm not exactly glued to it.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:28 am

I am fucking pumped to see what happens on this climb.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:53 am

There's a dude with his pants around his legs running up the hill.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 10:02 am

A_B wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:53 am There's a dude with his pants around his legs running up the hill.

Seen him 2x now. I think his "pants" are just a speedo in the first place. Definitely saw cheeks on the screen.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:57 pm

Rex wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:59 am
A_B wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:48 am
Rex wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:46 am You might have turned on the international feed.
Well huh. I did pick the one I hadn't been watching on previous days. Thanks!

(I don't know enough about this stuff to know which feed is better so I just wanted to go with what I knew)
Go with Phil and Bob unless you find them annoying or hate all the commercials & canned segments. International feed is just the undistilled race.

I've been going exclusively with the international feed this year. Much respect to Phil, but I don't enjoy Bobke's commentary.

Also, there's no commercials, and the onscreen graphics are better...including the gradient on the climbs is a great addition.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:58 pm

A_B wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:28 am I am fucking pumped to see what happens on this climb.

The climb is INSANE. I can't imagine trying to do that.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 1:33 pm

Fucking motorcycles.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Mon Jul 17, 2023 12:03 pm

Unless one of them has a bad day (a "jour sans" in the parlance), its all going to come down to the time trial tomorrow between Vingegaard and Pogačar.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:59 am

Vingegard just won the Tour. Absolutely crushed it on the time trail.

No idea why riders make the decision to change bikes before a climb like that. Just seems to crush any rhythm or momentum.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 11:00 am

Agree with that, though I think Tadej would have needed a motorcycle today.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 1:17 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:59 am Vingegard just won the Tour. Absolutely crushed it on the time trail.

No idea why riders make the decision to change bikes before a climb like that. Just seems to crush any rhythm or momentum.

The math on that is pretty well calculated. As is nearly all thing in the pro peloton.

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:52 pm

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 1:17 pm
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:59 am Vingegard just won the Tour. Absolutely crushed it on the time trail.

No idea why riders make the decision to change bikes before a climb like that. Just seems to crush any rhythm or momentum.
The math on that is pretty well calculated. As is nearly all thing in the pro peloton.

But every rider that was doing it yesterday ended up losing more time. Can’t believe UAE stuck with that plan given the results that were happening over and over through the day. The bike is lighter but doesn’t have the same big gear. If your legs are there you can maintain faster speeds on the TT bike. The climb was tough but not that long and Vingegaard powered through. Pog was losing roughly 15s per time check, but the rate of time he lost was greatest after the bike change.

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:59 pm

I’m back in France now and wishing I could take today off work to go watch but honestly can’t because I have two weeks off in two weeks. Have an old intern that worked for me that lives in Meribel which is one of the most beautiful ski villages in the world and which is at the foot of the HC climb that ends todays stage.

Maybe I finagle a trip to our plant in Alsace to watch the penultimate stage…

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:03 am

Square Rob wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:52 pm
wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 1:17 pm
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:59 am Vingegard just won the Tour. Absolutely crushed it on the time trail.

No idea why riders make the decision to change bikes before a climb like that. Just seems to crush any rhythm or momentum.
The math on that is pretty well calculated. As is nearly all thing in the pro peloton.
But every rider that was doing it yesterday ended up losing more time. Can’t believe UAE stuck with that plan given the results that were happening over and over through the day. The bike is lighter but doesn’t have the same big gear. If your legs are there you can maintain faster speeds on the TT bike. The climb was tough but not that long and Vingegaard powered through. Pog was losing roughly 15s per time check, but the rate of time he lost was greatest after the bike change.

On Lance's podcast they were all over this today. Basically they were curious how these teams could not understand the power output that these guys could do on a TT bike versus a climbing setup.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 8:53 am

They went from a half lane road up a mountain and now are on a frigging four lane highway.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 10:19 am

Pog cracks on the BRUTAL climb up to Courchevel....

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 10:23 am

Oh geez....and to end with a 17% ramp right at the end.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 10:45 am

That was wild to watch. Pogi (I've been following his whole career since earlier this month so I can call him that) just had no answer. He was really struggling. It almost seemed like for a bit after Vingegaard separated he kept looking back to see if Pogacar had made any response.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Jul 25, 2023 10:04 pm

Great piece in the Times comparing the times of the pro's going up the climbs with amateurs on Strava.

Watch Amateurs Race Against the Tour de France’s Top Climbers (Sort Of)

Amateur athletes rarely get a chance to measure themselves against professionals. But with cycling, many pros and amateurs do the same thing after a ride — they upload it to an app called Strava, where anyone can see and track their speed and location.

While they are not technically racing together (and with good reason), the data does allow us to see just how much faster the pros are than the rest of us.

Below, we present a virtual race of sorts, in which we take some of this year’s fastest Tour de France cyclists who posted their rides to Strava and pit them against a few hundred amateurs who rode over the same climbs in the Pyrenees or Alps and posted their results online.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Jul 31, 2023 9:53 am

Sad news.17 year old rising star died ...sounds like hit by a car while training. Kid made the US team for the World Championships that start late this week.
https://usacycling.org/article/in-memor ... gnus-white

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Tue Aug 08, 2023 8:36 am

Important: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/8782844/v ... poo-house/