Pro Tour/ Euro/Whatever road thread

Fucking brilliant stage of the Giro today: torrential rain turning the Strade Bianche into lethal mudlsick roads from hell. There was a crash on a descent before they even made it to that section which took out pink jersey Nibali and Basso and several others. It was caused by Gerdeman (sp?) - not because he was there, but because he'd divebombed off the front in extremely dangerous conditions and the chasing pack just overcooked it. Garzelli, Cunego, Vinokourov, Gerdeman and someone else ended up out in front after the crash, with the favourites initially not working as it would breach etiquette. But they soon hit the mudtracks and a chasing pack (including Evans) made it back to them and then the race was on. Vino and Evans kept attacking and Cunego looked pretty handy. In the end Evans led over the cobbles and then led out the sprint and just powered away from Cunego. Nibali put in a massive effort to limit his losses to about a minute and a half - he was hampered in the chasing by having to keep waiting for Basso. Sastre lost a tonne of time. Millar is improbably up to third in the GC. If you get the chance to watch this, do so - this is epic suffering. The riders are just caked in mud and shaking their heads in disbelief most of the time.

god it was brilliant. i hope the tour's first week is as good as this!!

epic

just watching the last k, was everyone too fucked to attack Evans for the win i guess?

that was pretty brutal.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/ba/fullj.cac0f5df1b2204a6ed037f807b819e8a/cac0f5df1b2204a6ed037f807b819e8a-getty-95689688cg021_tour_of_calif.jpg

manx missile takes stage 1, Haedo looked good though and appeared to briefly overtake Cav in the sprint, but he pulled a little something extra at the finish.

Cav is the only HTC rider not running Dura-Ace Di2, still preferring the manual operation of Dura-Ace 7900.

his teeth _do_ look better

hahahaha

cf. Saturday's finish in the Giro. ToC riders are pussies

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/05/15/1/bettiniphoto_0052609_1_full_600.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jd6bDxaaCw

So glad I'm watching this on Eurosport

Oh Ed, you must have missed last year's race when the ToC was wet and snowy in the mtn. passes. Weather is not restricted to Europe imho.

Cav averaged 26+mph for 4 hours.... including 2 mtn passes... D-:

Tour of California Stage 1: Nevada City to Sacramento

ROUTE DETAILS
Day: Sun, May 16
Start: Nevada City
Finish: Sacramento
Miles: 104.2
KM: 167.7

Total Time: 4:04
Stage placing: 47th
GC placing after Stage 1: 47th
Body Weight: 154lbs ( 70kg)
Average speed: 25.7mph
Average heart rate: 122
Max heart rate: 176
Average cadence: 89
Average watts: 200 (278 normalized)
Max watts: 1008
TSS: 226

Jakob took today fairly easy. He knows the tough stages are yet to come and today was going to be a day for the sprinters. The day certainly started off fast as smaller domestic teams tried to establish a breakaway in the opening miles. All the pressure was on HTC today as they have the best sprinter in the race with Mark Cavendish and in the end he proved he certainly was the fastest man.

As the race entered the final finishing circuits around the state capital in Sacramento the race was well under control by the sprinters teams. This is where Jakob sprung to life and helped his team sprinter, Juan Jose Haedo, move up to the front. Jakob recorded his highest CP20 value in the final 20 minutes of racing at 327w (348w normalized).

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/BMSLOALT7VKLQBWIMZKPRTRM7U

Amusing to see Evans and Vinokourov in the sprint finish today

Jakob took today fairly easy.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OvfK9eklqkw/S_C9X_4ZIgI/AAAAAAAAAEY/QEnEC3SNevU/s1280/Podium%20Look%20TOC%20Stage%201%20037.JPG

jakob OTM

Ogling The Mammaries?

Gila>>>>>>California in this regard

3:56 Dave Z. at the front now. Levi next. Then Rogers. Tuesday May 18, 2010 3:56 Patrick O'Grady
3:57 We're getting conflicting info - race radio says 5km to go. Tuesday May 18, 2010 3:57 Patrick O'Grady
3:57 Twenty seconds still. Tuesday May 18, 2010 3:57 Patrick O'Grady
3:58 Rogers seems to be having trouble holding the wheels as Zabriskie hammers. Tuesday May 18, 2010 3:58 Patrick O'Grady
3:59 Three kilometers to go.

a normal break would be toast, but that is some tt shit right there

I rode the 113 mile stage 3 of the ToC and let me tell you... a pro tour stage is much harder than you can imagine. Aside from having to make 2x10minute stops (pee-pee, + replenish water bottles and food), I hustled my ass off to finish in 6h26m. Winner David Zabriskie beat me by 2 hours = T_T

Having to climb 3 miles @ 10% after 100 miles is some next level suffering ime.

C.Sörensen, Didier, Porte (Saxo Bank)
Gerdemann, Russ (Milram)
Wiggins, Barry, Cummings, Possoni (SKY)
Goss (HTC-Columbia )
Caruso, Horrach (Katusha)
Bookwalter (BMC)
Codol, Donati (Aqua e Sapone)
Dupont, Efimkin (Ag2r)
Bertogliati, Ochoa, Serpa, Wurf (Androni Giocattoli )
Jufre, Stangelj (Astana)
Voeckler, Gaudin, Trofimov (BBox)
Amador, Arroyo, Jeannesson, Kiryienka, Losada (Caisse d'Epargne)
Sastre, Gustov, Wyss, Tondo (Cervelo TestTeam)
Moncoutié, Fouchard (Cofidis)
Pozzovivo (CSF-Colnago)
Cheula, Mayoz (Footon-Servetto)
Millar, Martin (Garmin)
Bono (Lampre)
Agnoli, Dall'Antonia, Kiserlovski, Vanotti (Liquigas)
Bakelandts, De Greef, Lloyd (Omega Pharma)
Cataldo, Pineau (Quick Step)
Kruijswijk, Ardila (Rabobank)

^^this lot currently have a 15-minute break on the pink jersey group. who let them get away??

This is immense, watching this with Italian commentary for added realism.

sastre, wiggo back in the game, who'd have thunk it!

porte in pink?

Definitely.

Watching Vino being interviewed on his bike on Rai. He is utter battered, can barely string words together. (Tbf only seconds over the line but he didn't look happy)

What a crazy day. That must have been awful for the likes of Evans and Basso: the longest stage of the race, non-stop pouring rain, and knowing that you're about to drop right down GC and there's nothing you can do about it.

that was a great stage - TDF is going to have to go some to beat this. (will be at stage 4 this year - Cambrai to Reims)

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/imageBank/g/giro_2010_st_11_EVANS_FINISH.jpg

that's a broken man right there - great photo btw

ok that photo is hilarious and amazing

looks like a dude that ~seen thru time~

srsly just lookin at his stupid face is making me lol here in the library

loooooooool aw be nice to him

The difference between that and the strade bianche one upthread is incredible.

Saw the highlight of ToC in the bar this evening and I can't get over how wide the roads are and it seems to change the sprints a lot. So much more room to work with. I think Cav was tricked into going to early.

so Floyd Landis huh

oh boy

just came here to post that

criminy

2002: I was instructed on how to use Testosterone patches by Johan Bruyneel
during the During the Dauphine Libere in June, after which I flew on a
helicopter with Mr Armstrong from the finish, I believe Grenoble, to San
Mauritz Switzerland at which point I was personally handed a box of 2.5 mg
patches in front of his wife who witnessed the exchange. About a week
later, Dr Ferrari performed an extraction of half a liter of blood to be
transfused back into me during the Tour de France. Mr Armstrong was not
witness to the extraction but he and I had lengthy discussions about it on
our training rides during which time he also explained to me the evolution
of EPO testing and how transfusions were now necessary due to the
inconvenience of the new test. He also divulged to me at that time that in
the first year that the EPO test was used he had been told by Mr Ferrari,
who had access to the new test, that he should not use EPO anymore but he
did not believe Mr Farrari and contin
ued to use it. He later, while winning the Tour de Swiss, the month before
the Tour de France, tested positive for EPO at which point he and Mr
Bruyneel flew to the UCI headquarters and made a financial agreement with
Mr. Vrubrugen to keep the positive test hidden.

2003: After a broken hip in the winter, I flew to Gerona Spain where this
time two units (half a liter each) were extracted three weeks apart. This
took place in the apartment in which Mr. Armstrong lived and in which I was
asked to stay and check the blood temperature every day. It was kept in a
small refrigerator in the closet allong with the blood of Mr Armstrong and
George Hincapie and since Mr. Armstrong was planning on being gone for a few
weeks to train he asked me to stay in his place and make sure the
electricity didn't turn off or something go wrong with the referigerator.
Then during the Tour de France the entire team, on two different occasions
went to the room that we were told and the doctor met us there to do the
transfusions. During that Tour de France I personally witnessed George
Hincapie, Lance Armstrong, Chechu Rubiera, and myself receiving blood
transfusions. Also during that Tour de France the team doctor would give my
room mate, George Hincapie an
d I a small syringe of olive oil in which was disolved andriol, a form of
ingestible testosterone on two out of three nights throughout the duration.

I was asked to ride the Vuelta a Espana that year in support of Roberto
Heras and in August, between the Tour and the Vuelta, was told to take EPO
to raise my hematocrit back up so more blood transfusions could be
performed. I was instructed to go to Lances place by Johan Bruyneel and get
some EPO from him. The first EPO I ever used was then handed to me in the
entry way to his building in full view of his then wife. It was Eprex by
brand and it came in six pre measured syringes. I used it intravenously for
several weeks before the next blood draw and had no problems with the tests
during the Vuelta. Also during this time it was explained to me how to use
Human Growth Hormone by Johan Bruyneel and I bought what I needed from Pepe
the team "trainer" who lived in Valencia along with the team doctor at that
time. While training for that Vuelta I spent a good deal of time training
with Matthew White and Michael Barry and shared the testosterone and EPO
that we had and discu
ssed the use thereof while training.

Again, during the Vuelta we were given Andriol and blood transfusions by the
team doctor and had no problems with any testing.

2004: Again the team performed two seperate blood transfusions on me, but
this time Bruyneel had become more paranoid and we did the draws by flying
to Belgium and meeting at an unknown persons appartment and the blood was
brought by "Duffy" who was at that time Johans assistant of sorts. The
second of which was performed on the team bus on the ride from the finish of
a stage to the hotel during which the driver pretended to have engine
trouble and stopped on a remote mountain road for an hour or so so the
entire team could have half a liter of blood added. This was the only time
that I ever saw the entire team being transfused in plain view of all the
other riders and bus driver. That team included Lance Armstrong, George
Hincapie and I as the only Americans.

2005: I had learned at this point how to do most of the transfusion
technicals and other things on my own so I hired Allen Lim as my assistant
to help with details and logistics. He helped Levi Leipheimer and I prepare
the transfusions for Levi and I and made sure they were kept at the proper
temperature. We both did two seperate transfusions that Tour however my
hematocrit was too low at the start so I did my first one a few days before
the start so as to not start with a deficit.

2006: Well you get the idea....... One thing of great signigicance is that
I sat down with Andy Riis and explained to him what was done in the past and
what was the risk I would be taking and ask for his permission which he
granted in the form of funds to complete the operation described. John
Lelangue was also informed by me and Andy Riis consulted with Jim Ochowitz
before agreeing.

There are many many more details that I have in diaries and am in the
process of writing into an intelligible story but since the position of USA
Cycling is that there have not been enough details shared to justify calling
USADA, I am writing as many as I can reasonably put into an email and share
with you so as to ascertain what is the process which USA Cycling uses to
proceed with such allegations.

Look forward to much more detail as soon as you can demonstrate that you can
be trusted to do the right thing.

Floyd Landis

UCI president Pat McQuaid said: "What's his agenda? The guy is seeking revenge. It's sad, it's sad for cycling. It's obvious he does hold a grudge.

"He already made those accusations in the past. I have to question the guy's credibility. There is no proof of what he says. We are speaking about a guy who has been condemned for doping before a court."

Hurrah for the UCI! Pat McQuaid is the man to clean up cycling.

ha btw my teammate wrote the WSJ article

Dr Ferrari performed an extraction of half a liter of blood to be
transfused back into me during the Tour de France.

sounds like some xmen shit

a bit annoyed at ESPN taking a part in the sensationalizing of this--they don't even cover cycling

Complain! I did this when Sky Sports News covered the original Landis accusations - sent an email.... hang on, may even still have it -

How come you didn't report anything about the Tour de France this year and last year you didn't even mention Lance Armstrong's record win, but as soon as you get a nice, sensationalist story about Floyd Landis taking drugs you have a change of policy? I always thought you were Sky Sports first and news later, but you have proved me wrong.

So I sent that - and now look! They went and bought a goddam team.

http://www.cycle-smart.com/blog/2010/05/20/pretty-boy-floyd

http://nyvelocity.com/content/toto/2010/toto-turns-184#comment-75298

Cutty/Hunter/Shasta etc.
Broadly speaking, what proportion of American cycling fans believe(d) that Landis was innocent and had won the 2006 Tour clean?
And what proportion think that Armstrong was clean during his Tour wins?

bye lance

"American cycling fans"

Very few believe any cyclists are clean.

with Floyd i remember watching 06TdF on TV Landis coming back with a massive effort on stage 17 the day after bonking on stage 16 and the announcer (Ligget maybe?) just ranting and raving something like: "This man is superhuman, I have never seen such a valiant effort in my life, he has literally clawed his way back into contention" and all this other hyperbole that in retrospect is pretty lol.

with Lance, I never thought he was clean* but could see how he was given a free pass because he was a superstar and worth million$$$ to procycling and the governing body is way too corrupt for him to catch any heat. *i've heard theories that the type of testicular cancer he had very early in his career can be associated with steroid/ growth hormone abuse.

with Big George, Levi, and DZnutz it's a little harder to process (too soon)... but i always felt a little bad for LeMond but that wanes whenever he starts getting whiny like a little bitch.