UCI WorldTour and other pro cycling nonsense 2011

BMC is going to have one killer equipe o_O

wow yeah

I don't see how this BMC team is going to be any less of a cluster**** in the classics for Thor than Garvelo was this year. That said, BMC rode really well in those races for no reward this year, so I suppose Thor could feel like he's the one to put them over the top.

I think Thor's main source of butthurtedness was when Vaughters instructed Thor not to chase with VanSummeren up the road in this year's Paris-Roubaix. Kinda struck me as a non-team player, but if you look at all his big victories this year, he pretty much was on his own in those. I bet BMC splits up Gilbert and Hushovd on all the spring classics and grand tours so that they just rack up wins all season long. 2013 Worlds could be interesting though with Cadel/Gilbert/Thor triple attack.

I bet BMC splits up Gilbert and Hushovd on all the spring classics

Doubt it - there's no point putting all your eggs in one basket. Better to have two of them to combine against Cancellera.

Gentleman's bet on this then? I think it's a conflict of interest and puts riders' egos at stake to have two "A" riders targeting the same race (Lance/Bert, FrAndy, etc.).

I'm not saying they'll both ride ALL the spring classics (even given his impressive performances over hillier terrain in the TDF, I wouldn't expect Hushovd to win any of the Ardennes classics), but I don't think they'll ask Gilbert to sit out Paris-Roubaix or Flanders (which I would obviously expect Hushovd to ride).

“I seek safety. It’s important to be at a team where I fit in socially and feel at home,” Hushovd told Norwegian journalists.

well, he was rooming with dave z right?

supposed to go to a garmin party next week- if i see dz i'll ask him if he scared thor away

I seem to remember dz "welcoming" thor to roomying with an "epic Pink Floyd The Wall" session....

hunt3r braggin itt

maximize scarce opportunities innit

@joaoisme:
Last year Thor shared a room with me at the first camp. This year he's got @dzabriskie. Man that is a rough start for the big man.

@dzabriskie:
Going to miss the Pinkfloyd concert tomorrow...wonder if my roomate Thor is up for a deep dark Wall session...
about 3 hours ago

― i love you but i have chosen snarkness (Steve Shasta), Monday, November 29, 2010 6:18 PM (8 months ago)

BMC Drama already:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/9375/Evans-on-Hushovd-Australian-says-he-doesnt-want-to-ride-with-a-sprinter-in-next-years-Tour.aspx

Hushovd isn't a real sprinter any more though is he? He can't compete with Farrar, Greipel, Cavendish and the likes. He broadened his game, and is there for the classics and stage wins in big rounds.

Regardless, remarkable way to welcome a new team-member publicly.

Given this year's tour hushovd is now firmly with the punchers and barrodeurs. Maybe rhiis bid for Cav?

http://cdn3.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/08/14/2/20110814ispa_001_600.jpg

lol I do that all the time

That Radio Shack is a pretty good Pro Continental team... they are 2/2 on their season goals so far!

wth

thor und gilbert in one team

Just finished reading David Millar's book. Well worth it, fantastically written by him and James Whittle. Pretty frank and open but there are still a few too many code names for my liking.

http://shacktracker.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/

live video, worth watching the follow cam through garden of the gods. scary actually. beautiful place to ride tho.

feel kinda ghoulish waiting for the first guy to blow the big left hander.

ok, now i've learned from paul and phil that colorado is "tropical" and that garden of the gods is a nat'l park.

I have the sound off. How are your palm trees doing, Hunt3r?

nice but its a been an esp lovely year for the bananas and mangos really

jens in the house

Are you going to go out and watch any of the race this week?

i might, my schedule kinda shitty. if i gotta choose between riding and spectating-- im riding.

there's plenty of ambient sound in this simulcast ed.

I agree with your choices.

Ambient sound was particularly good at the Vuelta today. I feel my whinge fest has achieved something.

fast freddy waht r u doing

Pretty frank and open but there are still a few too many code names for my liking.

ed have you read any of the press around the book - millar suggesting that every team had a 'l'equiper' type character who'd sort you out with ur pharma needs, he felt that it was appropriate to show it was a more universal thing (tho i think there were some legal issues too).

fast freddy waht r u doing

― if you hipster on your fixie tonight, dont forget, wear black. amen. (Hunt3r), Monday, August 22, 2011 1:42 PM (7 hours ago)

He was mentoring the local specialized junior devo team and kept winning races so he decided to un-retire. He's still fast as fock, not on the TT bike obvs but just wait, I bet he has a few respectable performances.

He dropped me so hard on a hill a few months ago... it was pretty bad.

Hadn't read much press, tend to avoid too much of it until I have read the book, but I get the point.

The Vuelta is heading up high today

xpost yeah rodriguez did great, i didn't think he looked super on the bike but a v. good time. not a ton of sprints for him to contest is what i was getting at.

"that is an interesting point, the wind has done a complete turnaround of 380 degrees" #philsfacepalms

xpost yeah rodriguez did great, i didn't think he looked super on the bike but a v. good time. not a ton of sprints for him to contest is what i was getting at.

― if you hipster on your fixie tonight, dont forget, wear black. amen. (Hunt3r), Tuesday, August 23, 2011 5:45 AM (7 hours ago)

Yeah, if you're like me and curious as to how an ex pro tour sprinter goes uphill... it's way faster than I ever imagined. He made mincemeat out of most of the local guys in the final 2-300m.

i think i've stated it before but i read somewhere that a protour autobus apparently does 1200-1300 VAM, so i figure a retired sprinter with actual effort still would be wayyyy faster than me.

"rainstorms could turn these roads into a treacherous ski rink." #philsfacepalms

Delayed in Detroit airport, worth paying for wifi to watch or is it done?

done. never underestimate the incentive of a contract year.

Done indeed but there are iPhone and android apps, pretty neat, live video, power data and other stuff

OK so I am watching p&p waffle on pre presentation and I am insanely jealous of you and think I should move to Colorado.

dude u r in detroit it will get better

It certainly will, I left my bike with lbs for a tune up, I am unreasonably excited about riding this weekend.

dont get hit by any earthquakes now, and i'll try to stay away from the ski rinks. ~ski rinks~

lol "~refreshing~?"

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/08/news/video-christian-vande-velde-looking-for-a-way-to-win-in-colorado_189953

Wow Wiggins!

yes that was enormously impressive. yr spindly little climber types aren't so hot when a mountain stage finishes with cross and headwinds!