WorldTour and Pro Cycling Nonsense 2012

http://www.cyclinginquisition.com/2012/03/braid-spotting-and-glenn-danzing.html

so out of touch, i didnt even know of the pointy sideburn thing

boasson hagen's foot!!!

Sky are looking immense in early season stage races. Maybe the other super teams are keeping they're powder dry or focusing on one days (although they aren't exactly lacking there a 1st and a third in two semi-classics). Only Omega Pharma seem to be showing the same breadth.

BMC seem to have pinned all they're early season hopes on Gilbert and come up short. Radioshack had Cancellara win Strade Bianche but otherwise haven't shown (he does look dangerous for the cobbles).

Sky are really starting to look like a top quality outfit.

Still think having a dual focus at the tour could turn into a bit of a shit show.

Sky *are* looking good, yes - win for EBH today and Cavendish yesterday in T-A, Wiggins still holding onto yellow in P-N, but I think it's a bit too early in the season to say BMC's big name signings and the Radioshack-Leopard merger have backfired. Gilbert will be looking to the Ardennes and Hushovd to Roubaix; Cancellara looked very strong in SB and will be looking forward to Flanders/Roubaix. The Schlecks never do anything at this time of year and Evans's main goal will be the TdF too.

Horner into the lead in T-A. Leipheimer got caught up in a crash on a descent about 25km from the finish and was left trying to chase back on about a minute down (with three team mates to help him). Movistar were at the front and really driving it down the hills - after a while Leipheimer & co were taken out again, this time rounding a corner to be confronted by a police motorbike which had stopped to protect a Lampre rider who had already crashed.

Peter Sagan is seriously good.

shit sandwich for leipheimer, but thats bike racing as they say

Very impressive mountain trial by Westra, but Wiggins smashes it - takes the stage and the overall having led from day 2 (and only a second behind on day 1).

Wow! Just realised Wiggins won the green jersey as well.

Time trial win for Cancellara, Nibali wins the overall, Horner beaten down into second on the final day but that's still amazing for a 40-year-old who hasn't raced since that crash in the Tour.

How big is team anybody but Cav going to be tomorrow? I'm picking Sagan for the win (which on my record is a guaranteed loss).

might throw a cheeky fiver on haussler if he stays at 26/1

Cavendish dropped on Le Manie, stuck in a large second group with Sky men chasing at the front. Got the gap down to about 50 secs but couldn't close it and have sat up now. Many big names at the front.

Liquigas leading up the Cipressa - for whose benefit: Nibali or Sagan?

CRASH! Gilbert taken out. Meanwhile Hoogerland 10secs off the front.

Cancellara and Boonen looking strong. Not far to the Poggio now. All together at the front.

Is phinney near the front for bmg? haven't heard him mentioned at all but interested to see if he can get as far as poggio near the front as support

Ha bmc

Haven't heard his name

BANG! Nibali, Gerrans, Cancellara...

...and they just hold off the chase. Gerrans comes off Cancellara's wheel to nick it.

GERROOOOOOOOO

That was pretty awesome. Not 100% wrong 100m more and Sagan may have taken it. Awesome ride from Gerrans.

I am enjoying the misadventures of LOLBMC the super team.

I can't help feeling sorry for Cancellara. After dropping everyone in Flanders & Roubaix two years ago and thrashing everyone in all time trials I was bored of his domination so I quite liked him getting worked over last season. But now I feel sorry for him. He should be good for Flanders though.

busted collarbone in three places. poor fabs.

five nights of the track worlds, here in town and live on national tv too! and roubaix after the madison's done on sunday night!

Totally watching Paris Roubaix from the side of the road on Sunday. Not on the pave unfortunately but hey it'll be cool. Rode round the area this morning, it's such beautiful riding country, rolling, mostly smooth roads, courteous drivers, will ride it more.

cool

Expect fun tomorrow, it's been raining off and on all day, plus it's gusting nicely. We'll be in the town of st Quentin about 11am CET. Apparently the caravan is stingier than the TdF, but should be able to get some decent pictures at least, then Monday I'm going to head up and ride a few sections of pave myself, about 40km north.

Forecast is dry for tomorrow but if its been wet its going to make the gutters less attractive. I'm ready for a good race.

Is dry now, but cold, overnight frost in fact. Just heading out to st Quentin itself to take some pics.

COBBLESTONES

Not wet...yet?

possible rain at some point before the finish!

ouch

they must be into dubstep 'cause that was a sick drop to the cobblestones

I'm away from home without Eurosport and watching the football instead so happy for updates here, pretty please

remnants of the early break @ 70km, then small group of chasers including THOR and flecha at 40sec, then main bunch about 30sec later

sorry, ballan not thor

chavanel leads main bunch back to the ballan group, then attacks just after the feed zone! it's split everything to pieces.

THOR drops it going through a roundabout, just slips over due to the dust i think. looks a bit torn up.

Thanks for this running commentary

turgot of europcar has dropped the other riders from the break who get swept up, and has a handful of seconds. boonen hits it and takes pozzato with him. chavanel flats!

57km from the finish - boonen, pozzato, turgo, ballan (who's crossed from the bunch). they have 15sec maybe.

Boonen? Argh,

boonen's broken away and taken terpstra with him - the others have gone back to the bunch and they're not organised yet...

boonen with 30sec gap at mons-en-pevele, has disposed of his team-mate's services. this is p. audacious!

pozzato and stijn devolder trip over each other on a dusty corner, that might do for pippo i think. sky have four in the chase group, they might have to burn a couple of them i reckon...

Is EBH riding today?

flecha's trying to bridge from the bunch to boonen, who's still 30sec up the road. luca paolini slows to a crawl from the main bunch trying to clip back in, lol i know how he feels. chavanel has a few with him trying to come through the cars and rejoin the chase.

i know a bunch of ppl that will be going down for worlds, i will not likely be one of them

michael rogers to saxo/tinkoff - wasn't too keen on sky's scorched earth policy perhaps?

It looks like the Tour de France is coming through Epping Forest in 2014 and possibly within a mile of my flat