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TDF 2021: when pigs fly

Tom K.

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Dunno about Pogi but Cav’s wins are faaar more due to the incredible team Deceuninck has than his own strength.
Cavendish is a legend, no doubt about that but Deceuninck as a team are simply a-ma-zing.
When you have 4 men lead-out and Declerq and Morkov are among them, it is kinda easy…

Pretty certain that Morkov would beat Cav every time in a solo sprint.

I'd put money on it.
 

Mike King

AKA Habacomike
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Not only is the sprinter field weak this year -- people are overlooking that DQS is the only team that has a half way decent train. And they are far more than have decent -- they are fantastic. Morkov -- Cav's leadout man -- has been riding absolutely beautifully. Nearly any of the top 10 sprinters in the field could have 3 wins this tour if they were behind the DQS train. Honestly -- Cavs physical performance is sorta meh so far. He's been good, not great. That said, his storyline is the one that excites me the most about this Tour.

You want to talk about fishy -- talk about Wout van Aert. I really enjoy watching him, but closing down Cav in a bunch sprint yesterday (he would've won if there were 50m more road) and then going solo 30km out for a win on a double Mont Ventoux today is far more ridiculous a physical performance.

Anywho -- it's all speculation. So I take it with the same approach as @Primoz. No use worrying about who is or isn't. Lance won 7 Tours against a doped peloton. Merckx and his ilk were all doped up too.
Give Lance his titles back!
 

jmeb

Enjoys skiing.
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Give Lance his titles back!

I’m not a huge lance fan but not like anyone else from that era clearly deserves them.

never met him but might this fall as he typically runs the Golden Leaf and there are only 500 of us in it this year.
 

dan ross

Making fresh tracks
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You have absolutely no idea how many middle aged riders go muy macho/ full gas (on recreational rides!) because it makes them feel accomplished, and then just plop onto the couch.

What is it about cycling that makes this so? I never had warm down issues when running- it seems that warm downs occur naturally. Is it going full tilt and then throwing the bike on the garage or the rack and sitting? Cycling seems unique in this respect -no warm down and an hour later I’m stiff and sore while the same amount of energy ( or more) expended while running has little of that.
 

cantunamunch

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Behavioral sink
What is it about cycling that makes this so? I never had warm down issues when running- it seems that warm downs occur naturally. Is it going full tilt and then throwing the bike on the garage or the rack and sitting? Cycling seems unique in this respect -no warm down and an hour later I’m stiff and sore while the same amount of energy ( or more) expended while running has little of that.

I don't have a workable answer for why it happens - but cycling seems to allow for other weird ultimately counter-productive habits like
- Off/on/off riding styles that have intervals of high muscle loading and low muscle loading. I call this 'begging for a cramp' riding.
- Gearing choices that give immediate speed in the first 20 -45 minutes but require stand-up mashing for even moderate terrain. Tall gearing makes average sized riders feel more potent while high-speed cruising in the first hour, never mind what the eventual speed average is over multiple rides and multiple hours.
 

jt10000

步步高升
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Apr 21, 2019
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New York City
Not from today.
BriefTenseHuia-size_restricted.gif
BriefTenseHuia-size_restricted.gif
 

Ken_R

Living the Dream
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Feb 10, 2016
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Denver, CO
Does anyone have any ideas about what new substance has hit the peloton this year? Pogachar dropping the whole peloton in the mountains casually riding a big ring??? Two.days.in.a.row? Really? 36 year old Cavendish who could not do much last few years suddenly "rediscovering" his form and winning TDF stages left and right from guys 10 years younger than him? Well-known breakaway specialists finding that they push their career-high wattage and suddenly cannot get away from anyone? Experienced GC riders finishing mountain stages in the grupetto??? This is just way too many miracles to my taste. This is reminiscent of the start of the EPO era when LeMond won the Tour one year and next suddenly could not keep up with the peloton...

I lost interest in road cycling a few seasons ago after being a fan for 15 years.
 

Rudi Riet

AKA songfta AKA randomduck - a USSS coach, as well
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What was the context of that Cavendish tantrum?

Cav explained it on his Instagram feed, but to summarize: he wasn't happy with the mechanical condition of his bike pre-stage and he let his feelings be known to the head mechanic of DQS. Cav is known for being hot under the collar on the best of days (especially during his peak form days), tho typically these days he's less volatile in public situations.

Needless to say he apologized for this public outburst on that Insta post.
 

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