The least consequential world championship road race ever - 2011

On Sep 26, 8:27*pm, Frederick the Great wrote:
In article
,
*Uncle Dave wrote:



On Sep 26, 4:45*pm, --D-y wrote:
On Sep 26, 6:25*am, Anton Berlin wrote:

In 1980 Anquetil predicted only only 15 riders would finish.

Yesterday, the entire peloton sauntered into the finish line more
gentler than an old man eases into a hot bath.

No one will remember this group training ride and sprint for the city
limit sign.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...rld-road-races

Careful, Anton, you're admiring Lance there. And IMS, you "don't like
Lance", either.

What was that expression you used IRT Cavendish's sprints-- handed
something on a platter, or something?

Not the case yesterday. A team ride that will be remembered in support
of Cavendish, and then he showed his sprinting abilities-- which
include being able to launch off the front of a very fast train, or
get close and make it happen by himself, from out of a scrum.

You don't have to admire the person, just the deeds.

Despite his being a Brit, I'd always seen him as something of a Cipo -
all gas and nothing much else - but the way he got himself into
position after losing his train was very impressive. *I might even
become a fan.

Milan-San Remo 2009 was not a clue?

I missed that. God knows why, I'm usually glued to the classics...

UD

On 27/09/2011 10:54, Simply Fred wrote:
Simply Fred wrote:
The sprint would have been a lot more fun for neutrals if Abdoujaparov
was still
around.

atriage wrote:
I always thought his 'talent' was overrated, I never saw him take out
more than ten riders in a single crash.

That would have been sufficient to take out the entire British leadout and some
of the Aussies too.


Not to mention a German or two.

--

On 27/09/2011 11:59, Uncle Dave wrote:
On Sep 27, 10:54 am, Simply wrote:
Simply Fred wrote:
The sprint would have been a lot more fun for neutrals if Abdoujaparov
was still
around.
atriage wrote:
I always thought his 'talent' was overrated, I never saw him take out
more than ten riders in a single crash.

That would have been sufficient to take out the entire British leadout
and some of the Aussies too.

He was a class act though wasn't he? He never had a team built around
him - I don't even recall that he had a decent lead out man - but he
was always in at the death. Almost literally on occasion ;-)


I certainly never heard anyone criticize him for lack of commitment, even when
he was bouncing along the ground after a big time stack he looked as if he was
still trying to get to the line first.

--

On 9/26/2011 4:40 PM, RicodJour wrote:


When was the last triathlon that had a 160 mile bike leg? The
difference between 100 and 160 is substantial...almost 60!



Mathematically challenged there Sparky ?

Bill


--

William R. Mattil

http://www.celestial-images.com

On Sep 27, 11:16*am, "William R. Mattil"
wrote:
On 9/26/2011 4:40 PM, RicodJour wrote:

When was the last triathlon that had a 160 mile bike leg? *The
difference between 100 and 160 is substantial...almost 60!

Mathematically challenged there Sparky ?

I dunno, Bill - are you humor-impaired? ~

As far as the math thing, the only reason that races are listed in
kilometers instead of miles is due to anti-Imperialist forces at work
in the UCI and other elitist anti-elitist organizations. It's a well
known fact. So when I list a race in miles, I am converting from the
metric (socialist math if there ever were one), and the rounding error
explains the 'almost'.

R

On 27/09/2011 03:03, --D-y wrote:

The problem isn't Cavendish's win

Oh yes it is, Anton! Come on, 'fess up...

Come on Anton we're waiting, everyone knows what *your* problem is, fess up and
you'll feel much better.

"Anton Berlin" wrote in message
...
On Sep 26, 6:49 am, atriage wrote:
On 26/09/2011 12:25, Anton Berlin wrote:

In 1980 Anquetil predicted only only 15 riders would finish.

Yesterday, the entire peloton sauntered into the finish line more
gentler than an old man eases into a hot bath.

The average speed of 2011 WC RR was 45kph, a new record for the race.
If you
think that's a saunter you must be some kind of super-cyclist...or
alternatively
a complete and utter tosser.

--
=======
If the course is so god damn easy they can all ride together - it's a
****ing saunter you stupid ****. 45 kph ain't **** - there are
triathletes out there that can do that all alone.
=======

Oh. Were you in there somewhere? I didn't notice. In the past, to be in
the Worlds, you had to be one of the few very best riders in your
country. In the past, the weakest climber/strongest sprinter would blow
any of us away on our local "HC" climb that we're so proud of. So to
blow riders off the back in the Worlds takes some doing. That was... in
the past.

When did it change?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

On Sep 27, 12:12*pm, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
wrote:
"Anton Berlin" wrote in message

...
On Sep 26, 6:49 am, atriage wrote: On 26/09/2011 12:25, Anton Berlin wrote:

In 1980 Anquetil predicted only only 15 riders would finish.

Yesterday, the entire peloton sauntered into the finish line more
gentler than an old man eases into a hot bath.

The average speed of 2011 WC RR was 45kph, a new record for the race.
If you
think that's a saunter you must be some kind of super-cyclist...or
alternatively
a complete and utter tosser.

--

=======
If the course is so god damn easy they can all ride together - it's a
****ing saunter you stupid ****. *45 kph ain't **** - there are
triathletes out there that can do that all alone.
=======

Oh. Were you in there somewhere? I didn't notice. In the past, to be in
the Worlds, you had to be one of the few very best riders in your
country. In the past, the weakest climber/strongest sprinter would blow
any of us away on our local "HC" climb that we're so proud of. So to
blow riders off the back in the Worlds takes some doing. That was... in
the past.

When did it change?

Right after Cavendish won?

Not to mention, I remember seeing the average speed for Worlds RR in
Colorado Springs, USA in 1986.
Not all that fast. That was a miserable cold wet day, where the day(s)
before had been bright and sunny.
The men didn't go that much faster than the women did (of course, the
men went further) but what was noteworthy was the combat occurring
among members of the bunch, which I saw from very close, on a climb on
the backside of the course. Sean Kelly fighting to keep his place is
the image I remember best, and fighting is not an exaggeration. "It's
not all about speed".
--D-y

Oh. Were you in there somewhere? I didn't notice. In the past, to be
in
the Worlds, you had to be one of the few very best riders in your
country. In the past, the weakest climber/strongest sprinter would
blow
any of us away on our local "HC" climb that we're so proud of. So to
blow riders off the back in the Worlds takes some doing. That was...
in
the past.

When did it change?

Right after Cavendish won?

Not to mention, I remember seeing the average speed for Worlds RR in
Colorado Springs, USA in 1986.
Not all that fast. That was a miserable cold wet day, where the day(s)
before had been bright and sunny.
The men didn't go that much faster than the women did (of course, the
men went further) but what was noteworthy was the combat occurring
among members of the bunch, which I saw from very close, on a climb on
the backside of the course. Sean Kelly fighting to keep his place is
the image I remember best, and fighting is not an exaggeration. "It's
not all about speed".
--D-y

You got a better view than I did! You're right about the weather, aside
from the daily 4pm thunderstorm that rolled in. I was at the velodrome
when everything got blown over & tossed. Was Eki really really really
young then, or really old now?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Anton Berlin wrote:
It wouldn't be the first time 9 contenders speculate disaster of
coming 2nd while a doubtful takes advantage. A lot of road races like
the LA one mentioned here would have a different outcome each time if
run 10 more times. The problem isn't Cavendish's win the problem is
that running the 2011 10 more times would probably result in the same
outcome every time. Cycling is getting god damn embarrassing.

That's what team radio has done to the sport. Everybody knows that.

Oh. Right.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com