Ship of Fools: Back on the bike

Thread: Back on the bike Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

To visit this thread, use this URL:
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=028111

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :

As our hosts appear to have cleaned out the old cycling thread as part of their spring clean, I'll start a new one here in the Circus.

I'll open with two points : one for the race fans and one for more casual riders.

(1) Personally, a persistent (though mild) cold has left me weak and confined me pretty much to the house for the past two weeks. So I haven't been on a bike of any kind for a while, but hope to do so again soon.

(2) In the big-time, cyclists from Australia and from Canberra in particular can take pride in the performance of "our boys" in the Giro d'Italia. Micheal Rogers has won two stages and Michael Mathews also two (including his part in Orica GreenEdge's win the team time trial. Adn both Mathews and Cadel Evans have held the overall lead (the pink jersey) for several days - though neither will be on podium at the end.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

On the route of the other Tour, Holme Moss is already awash with weekend cyclists trying, and mostly failing, to get up the the highest climb on the British stages in the French tour. (I got as far as the last left hand hairpin bend before the summit. Not bad for someone in his 60s with an arthritic foot.)

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :

[hostly cycling cap on]

Hey all.

By some quirk of Ship history, the cycling thread has usually resided in All Saints and has contained discussions of cycling as a part of daily life and talk of cycling as a sporting endeavour together in the same place.

After some discussions back-stage, it has been decided that it might be best to split this into two separate threads: A sporting one here in the Circus (this thread!) and a daily life one in All Saints.

So we're hoping that you'll all help facilitate this shift by keeping posts in the Right Place™.

Thanks! [Smile]

Imaginary Friend
Circus Host

[Hostly cycling cap off]

Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on :

So - what do people think of Team Sky leaving out Brad from their team for Le Tour? Wiggins left out - bbc I'm dissapointed as I was looking forward to seeing him in action again, and seeing how he matches up to Froome now. It is a shame for the British public, as 3 days in England for the tour without the most famous British cyclist is probably not what Yorkshire would have wanted.

So - I'm still hoping that Froome wins it, but more than that, would love Cav to win the first stage so that he can wear Yello for the first time.

Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :

Given the drama llama that was the 2012 Tour, I can't say I'm completely surprised. Given Wiggo's performance this year, though, I kinda am, especially with the collective freakout over the stage 4 cobbles. We saw the man ride pavé to a completely respectable finish at Roubaix. He's been on top form this season, winning against a pretty good California field without his usual support—lots of young guys like Joe Dombrowski, names we'll all know in the next couple years, but young. Even with his squad making rookie mistakes at could-have-been crucial moments, Wiggins still won.

Though I do have to wonder if that would actually help the dynamic any, though. I don't know if Wiggins really can be a domestique and bottlefetcher anymore. Three legitimate GC candidates—Froome, Wiggins, and Porte—one one team is bound to create a few problems in the group dynamic. If Froome crashed out, got sick, or fell off the back in crosswinds, who would take over? Porte, the current #2? Or Wiggins, a past winner, champion time trialist, and someone who probably wouldn't mind having another yellow jersey? Also, Wiggo's days on Sky are numbered. He's said he's going to be focusing on the track in the 2016 Olympics; at 34, he's not exactly a rising star (though, for a world-class road racer, that's not exactly ancient history either), and Sky might be wise to focus on talent they'll be keeping around for a bit longer, rather than an expensive and contentious rider who might be jumping ship if Oleg Tinkoff waves enough cash and the promise of being the GC man next Tour in his direction.

We've already had one insanely controversial and contentious (though exciting!) grand tour this year; I think Sky doesn't want to be the focus of a second one.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

OK political question born out of me researching saddles. Looking at an article about saddles on the Cervelo website this quote jumped out at me:

One interesting area of research I can share with you that is important to virtually every cyclist is saddles. Saddle discomfort isn’t often talked about, possibly because it can involve areas of the anatomy that typically aren’t frequently or freely discussed in polite company. Nevertheless, as one of the three contact points between the bike and the rider (the other two are feet and hands), the saddle, if it’s uncomfortable, can really ruin your riding experience. After hearing from athletes about their sometimes painful saddle experiences, it wouldn’t surprise me if uncomfortable crotches were a reason some potential cyclists give up riding. Thirty percent of the pro women I know have had some kind of genital surgery. Others have ended their riding careers because of saddle discomfort.

Is this institutional sexism on a grand scale, or do 30% of pro-male riders end up needing genital surgery, or is saddle design somehow left out of the priorities of high spec design ?

Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariston:
Given the drama llama that was the 2012 Tour, I can't say I'm completely surprised. Given Wiggo's performance this year, though, I kinda am.......

We've already had one insanely controversial and contentious (though exciting!) grand tour this year; I think Sky doesn't want to be the focus of a second one.

I do think it is a surprise though considering Sky is a British team and Wiggins is probably the biggest draw. There will be a lot of fans disappointed they will not be seeing him and I think it might backfire on Froome in terms of his general popularity. Not saying it should, but I think people would blame him.

Do you think the Giro was that controversial? Which bit? The only stage I can think off was the descent that was or was not neutralised. And it didn't really have a major affect on the results as Quintana would have won anyway. I thought it was a shame that it wasn't on terrestrial TV, even the highlights were on Eurosport and nothing on ITV4

Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on :

So now most of the squads have been announced for the tour there are only 3 Brits in the field for what is one of the bigger events for British cycling. Froome, Thomas and Cav. I feel sorry for Millar who has lost out on selection on his last year, and also for some of the sky boys like Swift and Kennaugh.

However, I am looking forward to watching the first 2 stages. Don't think we are going to go and do it live as not sure the 3 little ones would survive,,,

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

I've spent the evening watching the Tour de France riders ride through Millennium Square, Leeds on route to the team presentation. Biggest cheer was for Cav.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

Anyone watching the tour ? Yorkshire is looking both pretty, and uncharacteristically sunny. Voight might get King of the Mountains.

Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :

Saw that…and Cav go down. We'll see if he's able to keep going.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

Commentators are saying it looks like a broken collarbone. Meanwhile Froome came in 6th.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Anyone watching the tour ?

I saw them leave Leeds this morning, a great atmosphere even though the racing started later. Tomorrow will be Holme Moss, which should be even more crowded.

The official TDF website is showing no withdrawals, so no news on Cav yet. News is mixed. The TDF site says Cav brought Gerrans down, but one of the commissars said that Cav seemed to lean into Gerrand because Gerrans leaned first and hooked Cav's handlebars. So the real story is not out yet.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

I saw the incident in the coverage, and the showed it slow-mo too - but I don't think you can tell. Six of one, half a dozen of the other I think.

Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on :

Looked like it was a bit of both to me, although Cav has said that it was his fault now.

Enjoyed watching it on TV and especially watching them go up the 'cote de Buttertubs'. It looked at times like one of the big climbs in the alps! Glad that itv is giving it live coverage as well, if anyone had said 4 years ago that the tour would be live on terrestrial TV I would have laughed.

Let's hope that Cav makes it to the start tomorrow and that the weather holds.

Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :

Will jokes about the French names for English places, like the Côte de Bootertoobs, ever get old? Probably not in the next two days.

I also think the race commentators (in the States, Ligget & Sherwin) spent more time talking about the Black Sheep brewery than they did the bike race. Not that I can blame them, really.

As for Cav: latest news is dislocated collarbone and torn ligaments, with an announcement on whether he's continuing to be made tomorrow morning.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

Ooooowch

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

Oooowch indeed.

I have never broken my collar bone, but have suffered a shoulder separation in a fall very similar to that. I had my arm in a sling for a week. Within a week and a half I was lifting 50kg (against medical advice, do not try this).

It probably depends on the strength of the painkillers the doctors are allowed to prescribe and still be within the doping laws.

As for the French names for climbs, what is being called the Côte de Holm Moss has been jokingly referred to as the Col du Moss by cyclists round here for as long as I can remember,

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

It has been confirmed that Cavendish is out of the tour [Frown]

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

[Frown]

The DLR has a couple of carriages painted yellow and green for the Tour with Froome and Kav - I was with a student who was threatening to abscond when I saw them so didn't get a chance to take pictures

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

I have managed to get off Holme Moss. What a brilliant day.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

Watched the depart this morning, great atmosphere [Smile]

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Managed to be in three different places that the Tour went through yesterday ~ Epping, Stratford and Canary Wharf ~ some of the more than once, and didn't see any of it. Saw the preparations and had to plan alternative journeys, All the irritation, none of the fun.

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :

Inspired by watching the daily highlights of the Tour on Aust free-to-air TV, I actually got onto my own bike today for the first time in 2 weeks. Nice winter sunshine but slow riding for me. (Family duties/ vists and bad weather have kept me away and threaten to do so again.)

But the Tour is certainly livening up. Froome's bad luck has given an opportunity to Aussie Richie Porte to go for it himself, which he seems to be revelling in. But the huge mountains are yet to come.

And the narrow cobble paths in the wet (slippery layer of mud on top of the bumps) certainly made that stage one to reckon with. I was surprised there were not more casualties that day.

Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :

Just missed a bicycle race in Carlsbad, California yesterday after we left the area to go to LA. Right along the coast, road closed for several hours...

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

News from ITV commentators is that Cav is back in training.

Having suffered this same injury, this seems about right.

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :

IN the tour, Nibali looks as fresh at the top of each mountain finish as Armstrong used to do. Does anyone else think this is a bit suspicious? Or is it just that with Froome and Contador both having crashed out,he really is just so much better (fitter) than everyone else in the race?

Posted by Patdys (# 9397) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
OK political question born out of me researching saddles. Looking at an article about saddles on the Cervelo website this quote jumped out at me:

One interesting area of research I can share with you that is important to virtually every cyclist is saddles. Saddle discomfort isn’t often talked about, possibly because it can involve areas of the anatomy that typically aren’t frequently or freely discussed in polite company. Nevertheless, as one of the three contact points between the bike and the rider (the other two are feet and hands), the saddle, if it’s uncomfortable, can really ruin your riding experience. After hearing from athletes about their sometimes painful saddle experiences, it wouldn’t surprise me if uncomfortable crotches were a reason some potential cyclists give up riding. Thirty percent of the pro women I know have had some kind of genital surgery. Others have ended their riding careers because of saddle discomfort.

Is this institutional sexism on a grand scale, or do 30% of pro-male riders end up needing genital surgery, or is saddle design somehow left out of the priorities of high spec design ?

It would be fair to say the problem is unisex. Unfortunately for men, the saddle nose sits right under the nerves and blood vessels you don't want to lose in the perineum. Particularly the more forward you ride. I now on my tri bike ride a saddle with no nose and a cut out. (How does my saddle smell with no nose? - terrible) free dad joke.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Tukai:
IN the tour, Nibali looks as fresh at the top of each mountain finish as Armstrong used to do. Does anyone else think this is a bit suspicious? Or is it just that with Froome and Contador both having crashed out,he really is just so much better (fitter) than everyone else in the race?

Look at the overall average speed. Why is it lower than, say, six years ago?

For the answer ask anyone wearing a LIVESTRONG wrist band.

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :

And now once again, in the Vuelta d'Espana this time, an Australian rider is in the overall lead (Michael Matthews, who also won stage 3).

But Matthews is unlikely to stay in the GC lead for much longer, as the mountains loom ahead.

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :

A tough day at the office (to put it mildly) for riders in the Vuelta d'Espana, with No fewer than 4 cat-1 climbs in one stage.

And the pace was relentless: in the first 1 hour the peleton covered 42 km, including a 7 km climb. Don't try that at home, folks!

Then on the last mountain, Contador and Froome rode up the slope of >10% at a pace that looked to me as though most of us at home might find it challenging on the flat. Not bad for two blokes who had to retire hurt from the TDF! It was too much for the other GC contenders too.

Finally Contador jumped out with 1km to go to take the stage win. He deserves to be the race leader, and looks set to stay that way to the finish next weekend.

UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0