Man, real bummer no Fabs or Boonen for the 2 big ones.

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http://www.instagram.com/cyclewise

When he rode away from the field at Big Bear in Tour de Cali back 5 years, it was "common knowledge" he was a juiced young man. Given the environment in the sport, the "industry standards" at the time, the fact that he's Eastern European, (yeah, it's a bias) I'm guessing the last couple of years he (and many others) have had to adjust to a new diet. Just a theory.

All that said, I'm bummed for him. He's always right there and rides his butt off. The commentators today kept saying how smooth he looked in the break. I thought he looked like he was deep in the hurt locker. But I was still surprised he popped. And so badly that I figured he's get caught and mess up my bet. Which REALLY HURTS.

Yeah, that's sort of my suspicion as well. It's hard to tell, but he was dominating much more seasoned riders for a few years, and now appears to have lost that edge. Could be a new "diet" or could be the distractions of fame and money. Who knows. I always forget how young he actually is too. Fabian didn't win his first monument until he was 25, and didn't really start tearing legs off people in the classics until he was 29.

Edit: Another few years though and he could be the next EBH.

to make official
http://www.trekfactoryracing.com/...gn-fabian-cancellara

sucks. I'm a sad fan.

Or there are just a better crop of riders right now compared to a few years ago and they have learned how to race against Sagan. An interview with one of his trainers essentially stated that they have much more competition now than a few years ago and Sagan now has to go up one more level as they have reached his level.

Today looked like a classic bonk, happend to me last weekend in a road race, last big climb 2 miles from the finish and i just 100% died right as the pace picked up, could barely finish the climb and staggered in. But leading into the climb i felt great at tempo but a hard kick will quickly find out any nutritional deficits.

I've wondered the same; he won so easily and was simply on another level. I *want* to think he was an early bloomer and contemporaries, which are many, have caught up. Degenkolb, Matthews, Phinney, Kwiatkowski, etc are all around the same age and coming into their own.

He's made a number of tactical miscalculations and no doubt teams regard him differently than those early years. He wasn't exactly beating up on TDF caliber teams at ToC or TdS either, nor did he bag a monument. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic that it's organic...

All that said, I'm sticking with Sagan to take the Ronde, and adding Stybar to win Roubaix.

Two performances stick out in my mind:

2013 Brabantse Pijl and pretty much all of the 2012 TdF

These were not against weak fields for sure.

I think this will be Stybar's year to potentially do the double, he's on some amazing form. The one who may spoil him is Vanmarcke. He seems to be on similar form to prior years, he just keeps having bad luck at the wrong times.

G-Dub picks:

1: Degenkolb
2: Cavendish
3: Kristoff

WC: Greipel
WC: Sagan

 
Hugely skeptical of G Thomas. Drops everyone uphill at PN, then drops the WC and Sagan yesterday. Sky is doing something. Not saying it's illegal, yet, but this just doesn't smell right.

Also, when guys like Sagan are so dominant since their teens, they never learn to race. They just crush people. Same thing in many sports. Basketball in particular. The Kentucky kids are overwhelmingly talented but many haven't really learned fundamentals because of it and will struggle with a team that is fundamentally sound- and talented of course. I see Sagan still not conserving watts and being in the wind too much. He's getting better but this is tough learning.

the Wevelgem forecast: 49° at the start, 50° at the finish, raining throughout.

I'm betting on a puncher; a Voelker-Gilbert-esq rider. somebody with legs and smarts
Vanmarke?

Yeah same here. I think the CIRC kind of outed sky without naming them. When they mentioned a team that abused cortisone TUEs to drop weight for the TDF I immediately thought of sky. No other team has been able to have riders drop weight, seemingly at will, so quickly without losing power.

perhaps more of a rouleur for this type of terrain, but close enough. Vanmarcke should be up there. He did well 5 years ago when the only person who beat him was Bernie Eisel. This may be the first feather to put on his cap.

A look back in the records seem to indicate that horrible conditions usually lead to smaller groups at this race

I'm telling you, Sky has developed plenipotent stem cell technology. Need a climber? There's a stem cell for that helps with lipid oxidation. Need a rouleur? There's a stem cell for packing on pounds of muscle without the fat.

Jest aside, yeah, Thomas is sketchy. THough as previously alluded to, so is Sagan.



especially that back-dated TUE

The one who really made me question it was wiggo last year. Goes into Roubaix talking about how much weight he put on to add power (never mind that he won the Olympic TT at his TDF winning weight) then one month later he's leaned out and crushing it up the climbs at ToC. Raises eyebrows for sure.

1: Vanmarcke
2: Degenkolb
3: Sagan

WC: Bouhanni
WC: Kristoff

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Also, for those who are wondering, Eurosport does apparently have VOD for cycling coverage that lasts up to one week. This is a screenshot taken a few moments ago. Milano - San Remo is there, but not sure why it's missing two of the Catalunya stages

Degenkolb, Stybar, Sep
WC: Demare, Kristoff

1. Sep
2. Vandenbergh
3. Roelandts

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Don't forget to attack!

short term power
prolly is like 5lbs up and down, heh.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

http://wp.me/pKeC5-9af

Good stuff from Tilford.

I might give your system with eurosport player a go.

I've lost a bit of faith in Sagan for tomorrow, I'm going to leave him out but I'd love for him to prove me wrong.

1. Cavendish
2. Degenkolb
3. Viviani

WC Demare
WC Trentin

I'd be surprised if Thomas was cheating. I find all the fuss about hidden motors on bikes pretty funny. I'd love to have 100W hidden in my bike somewhere

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http://www.thedeludedcyclist.wordpress.com

Sagan, degenkolb, vanmarcke. Wc's: Kristoff, stybar.

Regarding the juice discussion...I'm not too hopeful that we're watching 100% clean athletes today. Sagan may have changed his diet once he landed his big contract - if he's smart. The way he races, though, would suggest that he's not that smart. At any rate, pumped about some big races coming up...now that I've got tunnelbear:)

GW picks:
1. Degenkolb
2. Trentin
3. Vanmarcke

Random prediction: Cavendish drops his chain again.

Beinsports is live streaming the race and showing highlights later in the day.

Degenkolb
Viviani
Kristoff

WC: Sagan, Vanmarke

Seriously tough racing today with 50mph winds and rain. Peleton already in multiple pieces. It's a warzone today. This race is awesome!

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Don't forget to attack!

Soooo. Got the tunnelbear subscription and it can't connect to anywhere in Europe....too many of us trying to watch the race?