The professional cycling thread

[Big Nanas]

snotrag said:

He's safe. Ten minutes to spare (I don't think would have kicked them all out anyway).

That's a relief, but this is the first day! Has anyone heard any analysis about what's going on?

Edited by Big Nanas on Saturday 29th June 19:45

[silverfoxcc]

What an excellent opening stage

[johnpsanderson]

Big Nanas said:

snotrag said:

He's safe. Ten minutes to spare (I don't think would have kicked them all out anyway).

That's a relief, but this is the first day! Has anyone heard any analysis about what's going on?

Edited by Big Nanas on Saturday 29th June 19:45

They were saying he was vomiting so I would assume it’s a sickness bug. Although he wasn’t the only one in the gruppetto, Jakobsen was back there fairly early in the stage too.

[ChocolateFrog]

Wish they would leave the inclination graphic on all the time and not just on the official climbs.

Even if its 1 or 2 % either way it tells you something.

[ChocolateFrog]

johnpsanderson said:

Big Nanas said:

snotrag said:

He's safe. Ten minutes to spare (I don't think would have kicked them all out anyway).

That's a relief, but this is the first day! Has anyone heard any analysis about what's going on?

Edited by Big Nanas on Saturday 29th June 19:45

They were saying he was vomiting so I would assume it’s a sickness bug. Although he wasn’t the only one in the gruppetto, Jakobsen was back there fairly early in the stage too.

They said on the commentary that he wasn't sick but likely related to the heat and exertion.

[Castrol for a knave]

ChocolateFrog said:

They said on the commentary that he wasn't sick but likely related to the heat and exertion.

There was a 45 minute Kilometre 0 around the town. I imagine that cooked a few people, including Cav and Jacobsen.

Though an Astana rider did retire with illness....

[DeejRC]

Cav often comes in close to the time limit on horrible stages for him. It’s nothing new, he always has done.

[LM240]

DeejRC said:

Cav often comes in close to the time limit on horrible stages for him. It’s nothing new, he always has done.

Green jersey days (ie. at his peak), as you say he’d still be riding the grupetto. Make it over the mountains for the days that mattered.

If time limit is 30mins, no point trying to get in 10mins after finish when GC was irrelevant. Manage the exertion.

[Mark_S1000RR_2010]

I’ve been watching cycling for 40 years and apart from LeMond in 1990 riding with a very upset tummy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a performance as (literally) gutsy as Cav today. I thought there was literally no chance of him getting over the 1st climb, never mind making it to the finish within the time limit.

His co-équipiers should be very proud. You could see them shielding him, protecting him and at times just pure b******ing him to keep him pedaling.

[DeejRC]

More gutsy than G with a broken pelvis???! We will have to disagree there!

[Essarell]

Stage 2 looks interesting, looking like a winding route into Montecalvo then x 2 laps of Bologna?

[thepritch]

More ‘fans’ causing injuries yesterday. Just read Jan Hirt fell before the start yesterday after a fan’s bag got caught in his bike. 3 broken teeth. Still started but was in pain. The fan’s weren’t supposed to be in the area, having been cordoned off - they apparently climbs over fences or barriers.

Really hacks me off to read that. The riders have enough risk of crashing without fans being idiots. Even 10 mins ago a fan managed to hit a EF rider on the shoulder. Thankfully he stayed upright.

Edited by thepritch on Sunday 30th June 13:05

[ukbabz]

Explosive stage today, only caught the Eurosport highlights but to me it looked like Jonas wasn't working so equally with Tadej. A huge gauntlet thrown down from the top 2 and looks like Jonas has some decent form

[Alickadoo]

The first two stages of the TDF have been electric!

Wow! Another great stage and finish today.

[interstellar]

Is Tadej in yellow as he was first of the four that have ended up on the same time?

[ukbabz]

interstellar said:

Is Tadej in yellow as he was first of the four that have ended up on the same time?

They said on the breakaway that was the case, it's because he'd had a higher position on the last stage (normally has more than 1 day's worth of positions to change against).

[thegreenhell]

Yes, I think they use aggregate finishing position when the times are the same.

[JuniorD]

I was hoping Carapaz would get into yellow yesterday. I like EF a lot, as Ben Healy is my favourite.

[ChocolateFrog]

Ominous for the rest.

2 minutes after finishing and he looks like his heart rate is back to 40bpm.

[snotrag]

Yep that was pretty incredible. UAE looked like an absolute freight train on the way up, imagine having a team around you prepared to literally die on their swords for you like that.

Pogacar looked like he'd only done an hour of Z2 on zwift within 5 minutes of finishing. Thats a marker in the sand.