OT: Cycling

[mcpat]

Jonas put up unbelievable numbers and Tadej was still on a different level. It might have been the most dominant performance I’ve ever seen. Remco proved to be a real grand tour threat. I missed Sepp and I’ve regressed in what was my hope that the sport had cleaned itself up. The bigger problem today is that I think there are clean riders and that makes it harder to watch things that defy belief.

 

[dicemen99]

Not a cycling guy, but did watch the women's road race this morning. The gold medalist didn't even come to the Olympics for the road race, she is a track racer who just started cycling in Central Park as a hobby (she was a rower).

She pretty much crushed one of the all-time woman road racers. Do we have a new cycling superstar here in the US? What say you cycling enthusiasts? Is this a big deal?

 

[PSUbluTX]

Wow, Remco crushed the Olympics! The first man ever to win both the TT and the road race gold.

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

Not a cycling guy, but did watch the women's road race this morning. The gold medalist didn't even come to the Olympics for the road race, she is a track racer who just started cycling in Central Park as a hobby (she was a rower).

She pretty much crushed one of the all-time woman road racers. Do we have a new cycling superstar here in the US? What say you cycling enthusiasts? Is this a big deal?

Faulkner has had a fantastic season with her pro team, winning a few races and a stage of the Vuelta Femina after a strong showing at Strade Bianche.

It’s hard to say what her ceiling is because at 31 she’s “older.” But women tend to peak later and she has less miles in her legs. Think she could definitely contend for monument wins in the future if she continues to improve.

 

[PSUbluTX]

Faulkner has had a fantastic season with her pro team, winning a few races and a stage of the Vuelta Femina after a strong showing at Strade Bianche.

It’s hard to say what her ceiling is because at 31 she’s “older.” But women tend to peak later and she has less miles in her legs. Think she could definitely contend for monument wins in the future if she continues to improve.

I enjoyed her post-race interview. Said the plan was to give it a shot if she was in medal contention and to bail and save energy for the track event if a medal wasn’t possible. She said she knew that if she could get 10 seconds on the leaders at the end she would win. She ended up with a lot more lead time than that.

 

[Random4598375]

Not a cycling guy, but did watch the women's road race this morning. The gold medalist didn't even come to the Olympics for the road race, she is a track racer who just started cycling in Central Park as a hobby (she was a rower).

She pretty much crushed one of the all-time woman road racers. Do we have a new cycling superstar here in the US? What say you cycling enthusiasts? Is this a big deal?

That was a poor showing from the other three racers, including Vos, who should have known better. Faulkner attacked about 3km out, and the other three sat around looking at each other expecting someone else to start chasing and drag them back up, but none of the three did, and then they refused to work together. Great job by Faulkner, but the other three? Woof, they blew it.

 

[PSUPTB86]

That was a poor showing from the other three racers, including Vos, who should have known better. Faulkner attacked about 3km out, and the other three sat around looking at each other expecting someone else to start chasing and drag them back up, but none of the three did, and then they refused to work together. Great job by Faulkner, but the other three? Woof, they blew it.

Thought she made an error by going so soon especially after she did most of the work to catch the lead pack of two. I was amazed that no one responded. Qudos to Faulkner for making the move.

 

[dicemen99]

That was a poor showing from the other three racers, including Vos, who should have known better. Faulkner attacked about 3km out, and the other three sat around looking at each other expecting someone else to start chasing and drag them back up, but none of the three did, and then they refused to work together. Great job by Faulkner, but the other three? Woof, they blew it.

Why wouldn't one of the three just taken off after her when the other two refused to work together? Especially after she had done ALL the work catching up to the lead?

That doesn't make any sense unless they knew she was faster and more powerful up the climb. So, no mistake individually, what you're saying is the only way they had a chance is if they attacked 3 on 1.

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

That was a poor showing from the other three racers, including Vos, who should have known better. Faulkner attacked about 3km out, and the other three sat around looking at each other expecting someone else to start chasing and drag them back up, but none of the three did, and then they refused to work together. Great job by Faulkner, but the other three? Woof, they blew it.

Not sure they had the legs. Vos was cooked. She tried to pull in the front group and couldn’t put time in Faulkner and Kopecky.

And when Kopecky pulled in the chasing group they weren’t catching the 2 leaders. Kristen was just the strongest when it came down to it.

 

[Random4598375]

Why wouldn't one of the three just taken off after her when the other two refused to work together? Especially after she had done ALL the work catching up to the lead?

That doesn't make any sense unless they knew she was faster and more powerful up the climb. So, no mistake individually, what you're saying is the only way they had a chance is if they attacked 3 on 1.

Yeah, they needed to work together 3-on-1 to catch her. No one just took off to chase because that person would end up burning themself out dragging the other two back up and wouldn't have a chance to win. Most of the time in this case, a time trialer will try a move like that knowing that they're going to lose if it goes to a sprint, but the most common outcome is that the other three are able to bridge the gap to a single escapee and then ride right past the lone attacker as a group as long as they are still working together. This time, the time trialer attacked, and the other three just waited for one of the others to do all of the work, and none did. Maybe they were all completely spent and none of them could contribute anything to a chase, but 3-on-1 is a gigantic advantage on flat roads.

 

[backdrft76]

La Vuelta starts tomorrow morning on Peacock with a time trial. Roglic the odds on favorite, followed by Kuss, Almeida, A Yates, and Enric Mas.

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

Think Sepp has a very good chance of podiuming again if he has good legs. Visma sent the strongest team along with UAE.

The final time trial in Madrid is 24KM
and pretty flat and that really makes it tough for me to see Sepp winning again. But Roglic and Yates seem like the biggest threats otherwise. Then Rodriguez and Almeida.

 

[AndEEss]

Think Sepp has a very good chance of podiuming again if he has good legs. Visma sent the strongest team along with UAE.

The final time trial in Madrid is 24KM
and pretty flat and that really makes it tough for me to see Sepp winning again. But Roglic and Yates seem like the biggest threats otherwise. Then Rodriguez and Almeida.

Roglic is coming off of breaking one of the transverse processes in a vertebrae in his back.

I’m not going to write him off, but that, combined with his penchant for eating shit in a corner in just about every stage race he enters, makes me hesitant to pick him, ever.

 

[AndEEss]

Not a cycling guy, but did watch the women's road race this morning. The gold medalist didn't even come to the Olympics for the road race, she is a track racer who just started cycling in Central Park as a hobby (she was a rower).

She pretty much crushed one of the all-time woman road racers. Do we have a new cycling superstar here in the US? What say you cycling enthusiasts? Is this a big deal?

She’s on the team pursuit squad but that was a very recent (<1yr) addition.

She’s been a pro road racer for a while now. Was on Tibco in 2020. Won a stage at the women’s Vuelta, Giro, Suisse.

All of the women she beat knew exactly who she is; they weren’t caught unawares by some unknown American. She had legs and they didn’t.

Kristen Faulkner

Kristen Faulkner (born 1992-12-18 in Homer) is a professional road racing cyclist from United States, currently riding for EF-Oatly-Cannondale. Her best results are winning Olympic Games WE - Road Race and 2 stage wins in Giro d'Italia Donne.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

She’s on the team pursuit squad but that was a very recent (<1yr) addition.

She’s been a pro road racer for a while now. Was on Tibco in 2020. Won a stage at the women’s Vuelta, Giro, Suisse.

All of the women she beat knew exactly who she is; they weren’t caught unawares by some unknown American. She had legs and they didn’t.

Kristen Faulkner

Kristen Faulkner (born 1992-12-18 in Homer) is a professional road racing cyclist from United States, currently riding for EF-Oatly-Cannondale. Her best results are winning Olympic Games WE - Road Race and 2 stage wins in Giro d'Italia Donne.

www.procyclingstats.com

In position to potentially podium the TDFF right now too. Especially if Vollering isn’t able to recover after her crash.

 

[backdrft76]

USA's Brandon McNulty wins the stage 1 ITT and will wear the red jersey tomorrow. 🇺🇸

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

USA's Brandon McNulty wins the stage 1 ITT and will wear the red jersey tomorrow. 🇺🇸

Wild TT!

Thought Tarling was a shoe in but what a ride from McNulty! Sepp not his best but not a complete disaster. Lost about 30 seconds to most of his GC rivals.

Doesn’t portend good things for that final TT in Madrid though.

 

[PSUbluTX]

Roglic is coming off of breaking one of the transverse processes in a vertebrae in his back.

I’m not going to write him off, but that, combined with his penchant for eating shit in a corner in just about every stage race he enters, makes me hesitant to pick him, ever.

Roglic can't seem to catch a break. What's the over/under on how may crashes he'll have this Vuelta?

Primoz Roglic loses a tooth ahead of Vuelta start: "This started well, huh"

There's a lot of buzz around the three-time winner P

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[PSUPTB86]

Wild TT!

Thought Tarling was a shoe in but what a ride from McNulty! Sepp not his best but not a complete disaster. Lost about 30 seconds to most of his GC rivals.

Doesn’t portend good things for that final TT in Madrid though.

36+ mph is insane even if it was flat and short. It was windy and that should not be discounted for how great these times where. Cross winds in TT should seriously hurt times.

 

[PSUbluTX]

I stumbled upon this great Youtube video showing behind the scenes footage of Team Visma before and during the Tour this year. Very interesting to see and hear some of the conversations between teammates and coaches about strategy, performances, etc. Highly recommended for anyone who is a pro cycling fan.