Would work even better if any of the intermediate climbs have technical descents.

Yates and Sivakov out with covid.

Winner of the Vuelta isn't going to come down to the strongest legs, but the strongest immune system.

The Ineos guys, Sivakov and Hayter, didn't report symptoms. But omicron is so darn infectious, arguably it makes sense to get them away from Rodriguez and TGH (and everyone else). You don't want those guys sharing the team bus, at the minimum.

They could be down to just over 100 finishers if the COVID positive test rate stays where it is.

I want to agree, but just can't.

We are overall in a much better place, and the risk to these athletes is exceedingly low. Wout came back and smahsed Paris Roubaix. That said, I have a close friend who lost his Dad to what was seemingly a mild infection, until it wasn't. Other than being older, he was strapping.

I think pulling the plug the moment they test positive is the right abundance of caution. That small risk for lingering damage goes up if they continue to redline it every day. I would argue this for any infection, but epsecially for the still wierd and unpredictable.

Yet allowing riders who are symptomatic with another respiratory infection to battle through a few stages - and possibly pass it on to others - is okay?

Not necessarily OK. For example if Jumbo could have kept Affini from picking up something from Kuss, they might be regretting that situation. (Just speculating, I have no idea if they got the same non-COVID illness, or if Kuss raced with symptoms).

Also not all infections are the same. The current COVID variants seem insanely infectious - it tear through an entire bus all at once if not careful. While some are reasonably easy to contain.

Agree we're awfully close to just consdering COVID another of the set of mild illnesses. But I don't think cycling is out of line just yet in treating it differently.

Your thoughts are duly noted.

Now, what do you think Ala's crash does to Remco's chances??

Just because something is very infectious, it doesn't follow that it's automatically dangerous.

And to think that Yates had one of his best ever time trial performances yesterday, all the while he was gravely ill.

This Covid protocol nonsense needs to end. If they ain't sick... they ain't sick.


It was ridiculous how during the TdF there were riders who were allowed to stay in the race and were fighting through stages with heavily symptomatic respiratory infections that weren't Covid - but riders who were healthy and completely non-symptomatic had to leave the race when they tested positive for Covid!

Maryland Pro Cycling Classic this Sunday Sept 4. maybe its own thread - maybe just a couple, 3-4 posts here.

I ride these roads all the time (though I may be down to zero koms (already - we have ballers round here - 2 local riders racing - Chaz Turmon and Scott McGill (potential top 5 - great finish) by the race end).

web site link: https://www.marylandcyclingclassic.us/

euros are starting to arrive and do local rides / school visits - pretty fun!

early prediction: Dylan Groen.. I think the race is pretty hard for the first 50 miles but as long as the break isnt stacked - its a much easier ride back to the city circuits and finish.

the break could be stacked cuz - Powless, Simmons, Robin Carpenter, Kyle Murphy.....
US national team is composed of some incredible local-ish talent : our club's elite team has our 2 u23 national champs Liam Flanagan and Patrick Welsh and our road captain Spencer Miller and local Alpecin rider Eddie Anderson and only 10 miles from the course Scott McGill (and a few Tour de L'Avenir guys).
Fun times to be a local fan!

Isn't Michael Matthews going to be there? I think I read that somewhere.
If he is I can see BEX sending him in the break and then they dont need to chase.

Remco showing a bit of his immaturity complaining about motos when he clearly just slid out his front wheel.