General race thread 2021 **spoilers**

breezy1985

Anna vdB seemed really happy in the post race interview. No going out on top ego stuff just happy with her career and ready to move on

Yeah she's a class act.

TheBlaaMan

When did AvdB opt to retire today instead of after Paris-Roubaix next weekend? I would have thought that she would relish that race, but perhaps if your head is in the future, you don't want to take any unnecessary risks at the last point of your career. She cant be faulted in any case, she has been an amazing rider to follow over the last decade.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117939198#Comment_117939198

Ya she decided back before PR got moved and she seems pretty happy to be done.

In a lot of races this year she was already acting like an on road DS

She's been done in the "I want to retire" sense all year. PR means nothing to her at this point, just a pity it didn't come earlier in her career. My wife when she saw her interviews earlier said she's getting a beer and a chips with Pawls mayo after the race.

Best win for me was Strade Bianche, seeing her soloing home in the **** weather, legs probably screaming at her but rock solid on the bike with no movement and an expression on her face that showed zero effort or fatigue.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117939876#Comment_117939876

Can't pick out a best win off the top of my head but this scene is iconic

https://youtu.be/R2Yyj9imM8A

I'd have this down as a highlight of her career even though it was a 2nd place and an epic mugging on the line by AvV. It was was one of the most exciting days for women's racing ... racing fullstop I've seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IECvB_Vx1Hw

mewso

An emotional win for the shark today.

Yeah great to see him take the overall away from Valverde too.

No ES/GCN coverage of Giro dell'Emilia today. I know they've shown it in the past and it's usually a great race. Actually just checking the usual places for races not covered on GCN even they seem in doubt as to whether there will be coverage or not.

Watching the CX there, winner sits up before the line and attempts to clear some of the filth off of his jersey so the sponsor could be seen. Didn't have much success 😀

retalivity

Lizze deignan with a great win today, attacking from miles out and making it stick. Cobbles were slippy as hell, think the forecast is meant to be bad tomorrow, could be carnage. Deignan didnt wear gloves, here's her handlebars at the end, her hands were visibly bleeding as she crossed the line.

EDIT - didnt see existing threads

https://twitter.com/Laura_Meseguer/status/1444334842167103491

Caught the highlights for Munsterland Giro, it was André Greipel's last race. No win for him but it was great racing over the last 20-30km

Was looking forward to the racing in Italy today but as usual when the weather is bad in Italy tv coverage shites itself. Seem to happen regularly in Italy but not so much in France or Belgium etc.

mewso

Yep it's the Giro all over again. Absolutely ridiculous in this day and age that rain causes these kinds of problems. Have to do some work now.

mewso

Ha Dan read my mind. I has assumed when we got pictures back we would see Remco on his own and sure enough...

Racing in Italy not on Eurosport today and it was bucketing down yet the they seemed have got the coverage in order as the Italian steam was grand compared to the poor luck they had yesterday. Another break with big names going racing. Pog punctured about 40km to go.

Eddie Dunbar is down to start Milan Torino tomorrow. They seem to have changed the course for this again given the line up it's not a sprinters course and most of the world tour teams there and racing the big hitters for Saturday.

TheBlaaMan

THis is great news for Ben Healy

https://twitter.com/EFprocycling/status/1445393631611863046?s=20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117981482#Comment_117981482

EF is a great team to end up in. He's another lad like Nico who seems to like putting on a green jersey when given the chance at nationals and worlds etc.

Was just thinking earlier given the decent year EF had that I'm glad they didn't go under when they had sponsor troubles a few years back.

mr spuckler

Fair play to the young Briton for making it to world tour level!

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ben-healy-to-ef-education-nippo-movistar-signs-lazkano-transfer-shorts/

"One of the few successful Britons to not come through the national development programme, instead, he raced in 2019 with Wiggle and then with Trinity Racing."

edit: this is a brilliant counterbalance to Roche's retirement news and Dan Martin's too. If Eddie Dunbar manages to get some proper race time next year we might not see that much of a drop-off in Irish participation.

Eddie at the Tour de Suisse this year was a great sight. Probably the best we've seen of him at WT level.

mewso

Eddie (probably domestique duties though) and Dan in action today as well as Pog and Rog. Good field for the Milano - Torino.

mewso

Actually weird one from Eurosport today. Unless I am missing something they don't seem to have the ITT in the Women's Tour despite having had the first two stages.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117983191#Comment_117983191

The live coverage was pulled by the organisers late last week, so ES and others are only showing delayed highlights.

Wow another day in Italy and another break off big hitters. Ineos the big losers here.

Weepsie

The Irish women pursuit team just won a bronze medal at the European track champs. They beat the GB team quite handily.

Germany v Italy for the gold

Weepsie

Also noting, the Irish and GB teams seem to be using their own bikes, whereas the 2 finalists teams have all got the same kit

Beasty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117985537#Comment_117985537

That was a brilliant performance. Hadn't realised Paul Manning has been appointed coach. Think that bodes very well for Irish track cycling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117985548#Comment_117985548

I think.... not overly familiar with the track set up here.... the felt bikes are Irish team issue, at least I've seen them ride them in the past and I have it in the back of my mind they may have rode the Argon 18 bikes at the olympics?

eeeee

Irish team are all on felt bikes, even at the Olympics