General race thread 2021 **spoilers**

NamelessPhil

Dodge wrote: »

Don’t mind Kirby as his worst crime is just to waffle. No real harm.

Blythe and the GCN boys are great. As is Jose Been

Kirby can retire asap. He misses half the action because he's either waffling or laughing at his own jokes. Brian Smith does his best to put some shape on the commentary with Kirby but I swear I can feel his eye-rolling at some of Kirby's antics from here.

José Been and Magnus Backstedt are great, they know their stuff, have genuine insights into the racing and don't talk over each other.

Mefistofelino

breezy1985 wrote: »

I bet he wouldn't have been half as fawning in his praise if it was Hindley that Dennis was pulling up the road as he suddenly became the greatest mountain Dom ever

That title still belongs to George Hincapie- "The Eagle of Long Island"

dastardly00

Brilliant from Sam. Morkov came third; he probably would have come second if he hadn't have eased off before the finish.

Wow that was an incredible delivery from Morkov.

Dodge

Saw the stat yesterday that same had won 6 of the 9 sprints he’s contested so far. So 7/10 now

Today was a cake walk for DQT. I’ve no idea what has happened Bora and Ackerman

dahat

Ackerman looks well out of sorts this year and cannot be relied upon in terms of the TDF, Bora have a real issue with him.

It was such a dominant win for Sam, literally just disregarded everyone else and won the sprint as he liked.

breezy1985

dahat wrote: »

Ackerman looks well out of sorts this year and cannot be relied upon in terms of the TDF, Bora have a real issue with him.

It was such a dominant win for Sam, literally just disregarded everyone else and won the sprint as he liked.

Should have backed Sam 2 years ago. Pascal Ackermann might be the best thing to happen to Irish cycling in 30 years

mr spuckler

I didn't see the sprint but reading that Ackermann didn't even beat Morkov :eek:

It's amazing to see an Irish rider winning so consistently and being able to have such high expectations of him that he almost always delivers against.

breezy1985

mr spuckler wrote: »

I didn't see the sprint but reading that Ackermann didn't even beat Morkov :eek:

It's amazing to see an Irish rider winning so consistently and being able to have such high expectations of him that he almost always delivers against.

RTE R1 played the sprint commentary on the news tonight for a race as relatively small as Algarve.


If I was driving the car I would have crashed it

Dodge

breezy1985 wrote: »

RTE R1 played the sprint commentary on the news tonight for a race as relatively small as Algarve.


If I was driving the car I would have crashed it

Was on the 6-1 news on tv too

odyssey06

Dodge wrote: »

Was on the 6-1 news on tv too

Good to see but likely due to lack of other sports events on a friday

deise08

I'm being selfish here, but crappy that he's becoming popular with Irish news outlets. Before,.you were pretty safe watching bulletins now, you have definitely have to avoid if you haven't seen it but recorded it.

On a different note, and it's probably a very silly question. Would the likes of van der Poel be seen in the TdF? I know Wout was there last year purely from remembering him and demoulin and the time trial.

Or would that be a totally different sport? (brain fart, can't think of the right word.)

breezy1985

odyssey06 wrote: »

Good to see but likely due to lack of other sports events on a friday

Its not the first ever Friday for RTE and they didnt have Friday coverage for Dan, Nico or pre green Sam for a race like Algarve before

mr spuckler

deise08 wrote: »

I'm being selfish here, but crappy that he's becoming popular with Irish news outlets. Before,.you were pretty safe watching bulletins now, you have definitely have to avoid if you haven't seen it but recorded it.

On a different note, and it's probably a very silly question. Would the likes of van der Poel be seen in the TdF? I know Wout was there last year purely from remembering him and demoulin and the time trial.

Or would that be a totally different sport? (brain fart, can't think of the right word.)

Van der Poel is due to ride the Tour this year for the first time. Van Aert will also be riding, though I'm not sure if it will be a similar support role to last year or if he'll have more freedom to target stages, green jersey etc.

mr spuckler

dahat wrote: »

It was such a dominant win for Sam, literally just disregarded everyone else and won the sprint as he liked.

Just saw it now - that was incredibly easy. Seeing the others move onto Morkov's wheel after Sam opened his sprint said it all.

breezy1985

mr spuckler wrote: »

Just saw it now - that was incredibly easy. Seeing the others move onto Morkov's wheel after Sam opened his sprint said it all.

Mick is a bloody legend

MTB racing is live at the minute with MvDP and Pidcock involved

https://www.redbull.com/ie-en/live/men-xco-albstadt-2021-uci-mountain-bike-world-cup

Eamonnator

Deleted User wrote: »

MTB racing is live at the minute with MvDP and Pidcock involved

https://www.redbull.com/ie-en/live/men-xco-albstadt-2021-uci-mountain-bike-world-cup

Pidcock 5th
MvDP 7th, I think.

Pidcock started from the 11th row of the grid. He had a great race.

retalivity

Algarve looks interesting as well, Bennett, Morkov, Ackermann, Van Poppel all in the break 3m 30s ahead of the peloton

It's not something I watch a lot of, but gives me an appreciation of the skill set them two have. I'd not have been at all confident riding parts of that course.

Cracking finish to Algarve there.

mewso

Deleted User wrote: »

Cracking finish to Algarve there.

Great stuff.

Inquitus

Deleted User wrote: »

Cracking finish to Algarve there.

Local knowledge comes to the fore as the local lads in the Pro-Conti team mug Ineos and take the GC. Great finale!

retalivity

Great ride by Sam today. Getting in the break, then dropping the others (including morkov) on the climbs, then when finally dropped himself, gunning it on the front of the peloton to try and bring it back for Asgreen.
I wonder as he gets older would he transition into more of a roleur/classics rider, seems more able to get over bumps now than he did previously

Macy0161

retalivity wrote: »

I wonder as he gets older would he transition into more of a roleur/classics rider, seems more able to get over bumps now than he did previously

Might be a positive if the move back to a sagan less bora comes to pass!

mr spuckler

Great news

Tom Dumoulin to return to racing at Tour de Suisse
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tom-dumoulin-to-return-to-racing-at-tour-de-suisse/

mewso

Couple of Irish lads in action at the Wallonie today (Ben Healy, Rory Townsend). On Eurosport player at 14:30.

mewso

mewso wrote: »

Couple of Irish lads in action at the Wallonie today (Ben Healy, Rory Townsend). On Eurosport player at 14:30.

Archie Ryan was down to start the other day but don't see his name there now.

mewso

Deleted User wrote: »

Archie Ryan was down to start the other day but don't see his name there now.

I did spot he was promoted the main team for the Vuelta a Andalucia on the 18th. Maybe thats why hes off the list.

Dodge

mewso wrote: »

Couple of Irish lads in action at the Wallonie today (Ben Healy, Rory Townsend). On Eurosport player at 14:30.

Townsend finished 20th. Picks up 3 UCI points. Healy ended up 18 seconds down.