The Thread about Nothing....

GROENEWEGEN!

classic1 said:

Watching Tour de France Unchained series 2 on Netflix.

My biggest takeaway so far is that the AG2R DS is completely retarded. A dead set spastic.

That was my big take from the show. Doesn't help that their team leader has more excuses than he has watts.

Van Aert also seems like a selfish [censored]. He could have dragged Jonas to a nice lead when they gapped Pogi but no, he has to feck off up the road. Similar deal on the cobbled stage where Jonas could have done with the help and Roglic had a few quick lay downs.

When Roglic did ski jumping, did he crash as much when he landed?

Anyone else think that Pogi is just messing with people and made it look like he had a semi bad day on the hilly stage the other day. He lost time to everyone on that second to last climb but wasn't riding like he does when he's stuffed.

1982 World Chomps in Goodwood, UK

Connie Carpenter's commentary sounds boring in this one, and I wonder if Bruce Jenner was practicing hairstyles for his transition 😉

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531Aussie said:

I've said this a 100 times. Maybe I've got something wrong with me, because it doesn't bother anyone else I know, but Birdie O'Donnell doing the full-on foreign accents on a lot names is torture. 😄 😄 :p That Richard Hatch c*nt is even worse. It's poser [censored]
It's as ridiculous as this video suggests

It's pretty hard not to pronounce words with the right accent once you've started speaking a language. Bridie probably speaks Italian and French as well, so she'd need to make a conscious effort to employ an Australian patios.

swampy1970 said:

Anyone else think that Pogi is just messing with people and made it look like he had a semi bad day on the hilly stage the other day. He lost time to everyone on that second to last climb but wasn't riding like he does when he's stuffed.

That wasn't the impression I got. He looked like he was trying a bit too hard after the race to make it seem like the stage went well for him. Besides, why would he waste a perfect opportunity to put some time into Jonas?

What he did on Stage 14 is what I suspect he wanted to do on Stage 11.

Stage 15 - Why would Matthews contest the intermediate sprint against the GreenJersey who is a faffillion points ahead?

531Aussie said:

Connie Carpenter's commentary sounds boring in this one, and I wonder if Bruce Jenner was practicing hairstyles for his transition 😉

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I met Connie Carpenter at the world's in Geelong.

paulambry said:

Stage 15 - Why would Matthews contest the intermediate sprint against the GreenJersey who is a faffillion points ahead?

Good question. He's now moved up to 18th in the green jersey battle, only 220 odd points behind Gimay. Late run for the 50 euro 10th place prize in the classification.

swampy1970 said:

Anyone else think that Pogi is just messing with people and made it look like he had a semi bad day on the hilly stage the other day. He lost time to everyone on that second to last climb but wasn't riding like he does when he's stuffed.

Hunger knock, caused by a bit of hubris is my reading. Sprinted on like 39x21. He was [censored]. Won't make that mistake again. I reckon he's missed Peiper to calm down some of his exuberance.

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They just passed the Casertelli memorial. Here's his bike.

Is anybody going "hmmm" about Pogacar?

Does the Giro and wins, then gets Covid but bounces back and looks like he's got the TdF sewn up.

I don't believe in freakish physiology.

It's rather difficult to suspend disbelief when figures of 7 watts per kilo are bandied about and records set during the peak doping era (Armstrong, Pantani et al) are falling by minutes rather than seconds.

There are freaks out there Ma. Definitely. Some people are just genetically blessed.

Having said that, those blokes are pro bike riders, so chances they are doped is pretty high.

I would like to think Remco is one of those freaks...up there with Lemond (VO2 max of 93) and Hinault (90 to 93, depending on who you quote). Or he started doping before puberty. His performances actually look credible to me.

Can remember a mate telling me about this freak skinny teenager kicking everyone's [censored] at VFL Park in the mid 90s, lapping the field, with fields containing international reps. Cadel Evans. Dad saw him win that Tour of Tassie up Mt Wellington, I think 98. Smashed Neil Stephens.

I've come across a few freaks. Used to train a little with Clively. 7th in a Vuelta as a 20yo. Out behind the moto I'd be hanging and blowing up all over the joint while Clively was breathing theough his nose. Saw lots of Dean Woods when he was a junior. Rode a state points score title I think in 1992 and he ripped everyone's legs off, went off the front for 20 laps and it was one big line chasing. Proud of that ride. Only 10 blokes out of a big field of 30 odd finished on the same lap, I was one of them but I digress.

Everyone knew Shane Kelly was going to be a champion from the time he was 14. Raced Brett Aitken as a junior. He was a freak. Danny Clark another. 40 years old and still winning six days and national events in Oz.

My takes from the Movistar documentary.

JJ Rojas is a cunning funt. The bit where he threatened to punch Dan Martin in the mouth and straighten his teeth was gold. Valverde is likeable. So is Carapaz.

Other than that the team is a [censored] rabble. The average team at the local council or a commonwealth department is more organised and aware of their role, goals and functions on a daily basis.