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39 minutes ago, Bishop Briggs said:

Bahrain McLaren don't have a strong enough roster to support Froome in the Tour, especially if Cavendish has a couple of lead-out riders for the sprints. There are nine flat stages so there will plenty of opportunities for the sprinters.

Its squad has lots of sprinters and is more suited to classics and individual stage wins in GTs. I'm not convinced that Bahrain McLaren can compete in both the Giro and the Tour. The best line-up would be Froome, Landa, Poels, Teuns, Cavendish, Bauhaus, Cobrelli plus another climber or domestique. 

Quickly looking at their roster you can definitely split two teams from it (Spanish & British cores) Landa,  Bilbao, Garcia & Valls against Froome, Cav, Davies, Williams & Wright. I'd imagine the Italians would be more interested in the Giro (Capecchi, Caruso, Colbrelli, Battaglin,) but without a leader Theuns? Leaving a core of Slovenians with other nationalities. You'd imagine Froome would want Poels, Mohoric & Tratnik from that, probably leaving the rest pretty much for a bun fight

That the three GT's are coming one right after another, will force teams to use their entire squad. Perhaps making them the most open than they have been, since the Glory Days, where teams weaknesses will become their Achilles Heel.

 

Edited by kiddy
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8 hours ago, kiddy said:

Sir Wiggo splits from his wife, no doubt their divorce will be agreed in a jiffy.

The curse of the h**s strikes again - https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/cycling-legend-sir-bradley-wiggins-22029298

"Cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins has Rangers fans in a spin after posing in an iconic strip while battling lockdown boredom."

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14 hours ago, Bishop Briggs said:

The curse of the h**s strikes again - https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/cycling-legend-sir-bradley-wiggins-22029298

"Cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins has Rangers fans in a spin after posing in an iconic strip while battling lockdown boredom."

What chances them getting him peddling round Snake Mountain on that old bike they bought off the liquidator?

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New 30 for 30 documentary screened on BT Sport on Monday. It's a two parter called Lance, and I watched the first part during the night, and have to admit it was much better than I expected. As well as Armstrong, it has all the other main riders from US Postal and Bruyneel. Part one ends as he wins his first tour. Part two next Monday night.

 

 

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Watched the second part of Lance, it's the closest he has ever came to showing any contrition imo. I still don't think he is sorry for what he did though, only sorry he was caught. I think he does regret the way he shat all over folk like Emma O'Reilly.

Still a lot of unanswered questions. It's still highly suspicious that he got away with it for years, but as soon as he retires Landis gets caught. He still has a deep hatred for Landis, yet even though George Hincapie also gave evidence against him, they now host a podcast together.

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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, die hard doonhamer said:

Froome to leave Ineos after this season and join Israel Start-Up Nation.

Ineos would not let him go if Brailsford thought that he can still win the TdF. Bernal is now the team leader with Thomas number two.

It's possible that a deal will be done in the next few weeks or so to allow Froome to leave in August and lead ISN in the Tour.

Alternatively, Brailsford may choose to send Froome to the Vuelta with Carapaz defending his Giro title.

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Ineos would not let him go if Brailsford thought that he can still win the TdF. Bernal is now the team leader with Thomas number two.
It's possible that a deal will be done in the next few weeks or so to allow Froome to leave in August and lead ISN in the Tour.
Alternatively, Brailsford may choose to send Froome to the Vuelta with Carapaz defending his Giro title.
Bernal & Carapaz are the future of that team. Covid has put paid to Froome's Tour ambitions IMO. Thomas will only ever be a one time, GT winner.
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Bernal & Carapaz are the future of that team. Covid has put paid to Froome's Tour ambitions IMO. Thomas will only ever be a one time, GT winner.
Agreed. Froome leaving also leaves a spot where they could sign a new super domestique which fuels the rumours of interest in De Plus from jumbo visma who is currently roglic number one lieutenant in the mountains. Also De Plus is young enough he could develop into a GT leader in the future.
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I know he's the reigning champion and the future, but I did think it a little off (and totally against the Team Sky/Ineos script) that Bernal said he was only interested in the TdF and only as undisputed leader. Over the past few years they've been very cagey and played the political game very well, with a leader and a super domestique who can step up and they've been at pains to say that they have two cards to play, that they are only interested in the team winning and so on. Seems very bold from the young Columbian and I wonder if his popularity in the team will suffer? Could a few Ineos riders jump ship with Froome?

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I know he's the reigning champion and the future, but I did think it a little off (and totally against the Team Sky/Ineos script) that Bernal said he was only interested in the TdF and only as undisputed leader. Over the past few years they've been very cagey and played the political game very well, with a leader and a super domestique who can step up and they've been at pains to say that they have two cards to play, that they are only interested in the team winning and so on. Seems very bold from the young Columbian and I wonder if his popularity in the team will suffer? Could a few Ineos riders jump ship with Froome?
One thing Brailsford has excelled at was signing and letting riders go at the correct time. You can bet that he already has at least 3 riders in mind to replace Froome and probably has an idea if any will leave. Froome's most trusted ally at sky/ineos recently was poels who left and then Ellisonde, who also left. Thomas probably has another year or so as super domestique come leader at whichever tour carapaz and bernal don't fancy. Unless there's a major shift, ineos will remain a GT rather than a classics team. I'm pretty certain that's why you never heard them being linked with the vdp and evenepoels of the world, despite easily having the budget to attract them if they really wanted to.
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  • 4 weeks later...

Absoloutely horrendous crash right on the finish line at the Tour of Poland.  Dylan Groenewegan sprinting to the line, shut off Fabio Jackobsen in the last 5 meters. Jackobsen ploughed into the barriers & took out a spectator/official standing adjacent. Can only hope there are minimal injuries.

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That looked horrendous. Hope they are all OK. [emoji852]

Absoloutely horrendous crash right on the finish line at the Tour of Poland.  Dylan Groenewegan sprinting to the line, shut off Fabio Jackobsen in the last 5 meters. Jackobsen ploughed into the barriers & took out a spectator/official standing adjacent. Can only hope there are minimal injuries.
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Absoloutely horrendous crash right on the finish line at the Tour of Poland.  Dylan Groenewegan sprinting to the line, shut off Fabio Jackobsen in the last 5 meters. Jackobsen ploughed into the barriers & took out a spectator/official standing adjacent. Can only hope there are minimal injuries.
It was appalling from Groenewegan. Where the hell was Jakobsen going to go other than into the barriers? I hope that somehow it's not as bad as it looked.
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3 hours ago, printer said:

That looked horrendous. Hope they are all OK. emoji852.png

It was worse than horrendous. Jacobsen is in an induced coma with life threatening or life changing injuries. His face was smashed up (broken jaw and palate) and he has internal bleeding. Just pray that he survives. 

Groenewegen can expect severe sanctions in addition to disqualification - a lengthy ban, possible dismissal from his team and even criminal charges. I'd be surprised if he competes again this year. He certainly won't be welcome in the peloton whilst Jacobsen fights for his life.

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I've been watching cycling for 10 years and ridden on the road and racing since I was about 14, that was the single worst crash I've ever seen. Groenewegen was at fault, but that could be down to a lack of racing in the last 6 months. The race organisation and UCI signing off on a downhill sprint as the opening stage was utter madness, that finale was far too narrow for a bunch sprint. 

Ned Boulting shared this really heart tugging piece about Fabio Jakobson, hopefully he recovers:
https://www.theroadbook.co.uk/2020/08/05/to-fabio-ned-boulting/

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