Cycling 2013

:eek:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/kimmage/questions-all-the-way-home-29418540.html

A man once said ‘not normal’

Been enjoyable reading in The Clinic on cyclingnews.com the last couple of weeks.

Some of the crackpots have been in overdrive. From Dan Martin being allowed to win a stage because he’s Irish to Orica Greenedge winning the TTT because the authorities were fiddling the clock there is plenty of amusement over there.

The Froome thread is well worth a read however, it’s hard to keep up as its so busy but it’s fascinating. One guy reckons Froome covered the last 6.5 km o Ventoux 30 seconds faster than Pantani did in 2000!!!

I can’t fucking keep up with that place. Froome wins a stage and there’s 15 pages or so within a few hours.

I did notice some good stats knocking about, mind. Is it 100% correct to say that Froome rode up Ventoux as quickly as guys who have admitted that they were charged up?

I bought the Sunday Times yesterday and Walsh wasn’t sounding like quite the Sky fanboy anymore.

[quote=“Thrawneen, post: 801814, member: 129”]I can’t fucking keep up with that place. Froome wins a stage and there’s 15 pages or so within a few hours.

I did notice some good stats knocking about, mind. Is it 100% correct to say that Froome rode up Ventoux as quickly as guys who have admitted that they were charged up?

I bought the Sunday Times yesterday and Walsh wasn’t sounding like quite the Sky fanboy anymore.[/quote]
What was he saying?

Didn’t really say anything negative, just wasn’t as gushing in his praise

I was on my third can of the day when reading it so I can’t recall specifics. I’ll try and pick out some quotes for you later. It wasn’t openly questioning Sky but he didn’t exactly say much to defend them.

Which I think is quite significant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THA59sKBkF0

Pretty good impressions of some of the pro peloton, the Voeckler, Farrar and Evans ones are especially good.

As an aside, does anyone else here read the Blazin’ Saddles blog on Eurosport? I used to enjoy it a lot, but it’s gone to shit lately and the pathetic efforts to defend Froome are sickening my hole.

Still fawning on twitter

Last Sunday confirmed it for me. Freakish.

26 man break 7’20" up the road from the peloton including Nicolas Roche. Looks like they have every chance of staying away today.

The break is over 12 mins ahead and on the final climb of the day. Roche is going very well and is in the top 3 on the road as the breakaway fragments on the climb.

How is Dan Martin getting on today?
Would I be right in saying the next few stages should suit him?

Martin is back in the peloton and they are 12 mins behind the leaders. One of the breakaway will win. There will be plenty of attacks within the peloton when they reach the climb and hopefully Martin can attack.

The peloton have reached the foot of the climb.

Roche is in a small group 38 seconds behind Rui Costa who looks set to take the stage.

Katusha attacked on the foot of the climb but Sky have taken charge now and plenty of GC contenders have cracked. Quintana, Ten Dam amongst others.

Contador has now attacked Froome.

Quintana seems to have got back on. Mollema hanging on too

Martin is in a group 1 minute behind the yellow jersey group.

Saxo have attacked Froome 5 times on the climb, Porte has cracked and Froome is isolated.

Rui Costa takes the stage, Roche faded badly to finish in a small group about 1’15" behind.

Saxo attacking Froome on the descent but he’s answering every call. Porte has got back into the group.

Froome and Contador have crashed, but Porte is taking them both back up to the small group.