Wout immediately confirmed for Brabantse Pijl and Amstel, could become interesting!

Stybar received emergency surgery to the heart because of arrythmia.. Won't be competing on Sunday.

Saw that about Wout, wonder if others cobblers like Peto will follow suit.

Scary stuff for Stybar. Hope he comes back.

I will pick the V's.

WvA, GvA, vDP

Yeah, the surgery itself these days is ridiculously easy. He can probably ride fine right now. But messing with those cardiac nerves seems like dark magic to me. Sometimes it's a miracle. But sometimes it goes south.

I had a buddy in his 20's who had it done a decade or so ago. They messed up and like overdid it, so while it fixed the arrhythmia, it also destroyed his ability to get a heartrate over like 130 bpm. Now he's got a pacemaker for the rest of his life - a kind of "sports" pacemaker that just kicks in when he's working out and needs a high HR. But his peak capacity is forever diminished.

As my ftp goes down and age goes up, heart-related awareness has definitely come to the fore.

WvA, Sagan, Alaphilippe
Asgreen, Matthews

A friend of mine died in the hospital while undergoing cardiac ablation. He was in his 60s - RAAM finisher and a national champion in indoor rowing. Just goes to show that none of these procedures are entirely risk-free.

My wife told me obesity and heart issues were the most common issues she dealt with at work.

I had ablation probably 10 yrs ago, allegedly state of the art at the time. Luckily one and done, understand some are freezing rather then heat on those pathways now. Funny thing is that first "burn" brought me out of that awake slumber - good thing I was strapped down.
Remember anesthesiologist immediately talking to me, felt 6 of those that felt like atom bomb of heat exploding and spreading out in chest. Worst pain ever

I stupidly tired to ignore the episodes I started to have, most self corrected after a bit but wife busted me on the 5th or 6th event (heart rate of 190 for hours, lying on the couch) and insisted a visit to Dr.
Bless her

Hyper aware of heart for years after, much less so now. Remember a couple times wondering, am I going to arrhythmia or flutter - almost talk yourself into panic, no, no its ok

Previous I had a low resting heart rate of 38 and after its never much below 55 - I've asked lots about why and get basically no response

all the best and full recovery to Stybar

when I did a stress test on the treadmill and went into arrhythmia the interns were all so excited and giddy. Told one you're trying to make me have a heart attack and he agreed.
it wouldn't self correct and they had to shoot me up with something to bring hr down

maybe a very motivated Sagan
https://www.cyclingnews.com/...nd-a-team-that-does/

Shot across the bow. I get that Denk is negotiating through the media but it’s harsh rhetoric for the rider who made that team what it is. At 31, Sagan will have plenty of suitors beating a path to his door. And I’d love nothing more than for him to take everyone out back to the woodshed on Sunday.

If anyone reading CN this AM, it is Tabloid drama.

Sagan v. Denk
Froome "If peope are writing me off..."
Boo-hoo-hanni "Get over it" (I'm paraphrasing)

The story about Nick Nuyens besting Cancellara was great

OK, you reset the bar for "going south." Good point.

OK, here we go.

Alaphillipe, WvA, MdVP
Stuyven, Lampaert

CN is brilliant at milking the tabloid angle.

Let's face it, typically bike racers aren't effervescent interviews. Gotta drum up something.

So....yeah.......I was feeling strong and so....yeah........

It’s flying under radar with tomorrow looming but Basque starts Monday: Pog, Rog, Yates, TGH, Carapaz and a good squad from Bora.

 
rvv: sagan, wout, gva

lampaert, kung

Wout
Ala
Sagan

Turgis
Kristoff

WvA Alaphilippe MvdP
Lampaert and Stuyven

Also, steephill is indicating a finish time right around 9:45 EDT / 15:45 CET. That couldn't possibly be right, could it? I seem to recall the race usually ending btwn 10:30 to 11 AM EDT.

If the projected 9:45 EDT / 15:45 CET finish is indeed correct, I guess I better get to bed early and wake up early tomorrow.

That seems like there must be some mistake... Has it ever been over by then?

I'm really struggling with picking DRVV.

WvA, MvdP, GvA,
Trentin, Lampaert

I really wanted to put Peto down, but I'm just not sure he's there (yet). Would love to be proved wrong

I always enjoy an upset so my picks are all barely plausible. Soren K Anderson, Valgren, Kung and even though I think he is a dick, Quinn Simmons

SKA is game.
This EF kid in the break looks super strong relative to the group. I bet he acts up.
Bad Asgreen. (Nickname o the day)