Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Pog is on a other level, but I can't help but think this style of riding might be detrimental for his TDF form.

Pog wining at will is still better than the Sky era wins.

I think if he wins by 10 minutes it will be because he backed off to save himself for the tour. IMHO he has it in him to take much more. He has set himself up now to be able to start his recovery for the tour. If he takes easy in the final week he get the best part of 6 weeks recovery for the tour.

To put it in perspective... other than the pog, the other contenders at the giro would not be expected to factor at the tour. The big GC names at the moment are on another level, and he is the only one of them at the giro.

vosadrian wrote: ↑

Tue May 21, 2024 9:45 am

I think if he wins by 10 minutes it will be because he backed off to save himself for the tour. IMHO he has it in him to take much more. He has set himself up now to be able to start his recovery for the tour. If he takes easy in the final week he get the best part of 6 weeks recovery for the tour.

To put it in perspective... other than the pog, the other contenders at the giro would not be expected to factor at the tour. The big GC names at the moment are on another level, and he is the only one of them at the giro.

Fair point but I still think that it was a bit uncouth of him to take the first TT stage from Ganna and then the mountain stage from Quintana

I don't get this idea that in elite sport where the aim is to win, a competitor would give up a win to be nice to another competitor. I get the idea that you would sacrifice a win to bank some energy... or that you would work with another rider and gift them a win for your own benefit of the time gained by working with someone.... but just to be nice????? Its not the school playground here where everyone gets a turn! If I was a competitor who was gifted such a win, I would not get much satisfaction from that.... even if it did benefit my team/sponsors.

I say the Pog should take everything he can... but keep an eye on the future races and managing his form to make the most of the long season.... which will mean sacrificing some winning.

Whilst they don't get to the top of the Stelvio, they stop (for the moment anyway) and veer left at the Umbrail Pass down to Prato allo Stelvio (did that descent in 2016 - BRILLIANT).

Who'll get the win, and will Pog finally ease off ...

https://inrng.com/2024/05/giro-ditalia- ... more-44532

Lol, why cant he do both,i think the pog can ease off and still win.
I would like to see storer win, he has been trying so hard, I cant see it though.

MichaelB wrote: ↑

Tue May 21, 2024 3:03 pm

Whilst they don't get to the top of the Stelvio, they stop (for the moment anyway) and veer left at the Umbrail Pass down to Prato allo Stelvio (did that descent in 2016 - BRILLIANT).

Who'll get the win, and will Pog finally ease off ...

https://inrng.com/2024/05/giro-ditalia- ... more-44532

I rode to Prato, but I went over the top of the stelvio to get there when I did, then rode all the way back up

Snow on Umbrail.

https://twitter.com/SBSSportau/status/1 ... 1kbvw&s=19

Wow, that's crazy weather, and a bugger really. Was looking fwd to watching then fly down Umbrail, but sensible decision.

Great sportsmanship from Pog to give jersey to 2nd place !

From the BTP (Beyond the Peloton) newsletter, Pogs figures for the final climb

Pogačar, riding a steady but hard pace (470w/7.2w/kg avg for the final climb), reels in the last man standing, Pellizzari. Pogačar doesn’t attack, but we can see that when Pellizzari tries to latch on, he is immediately in trouble and can't hold the wheel.

sheesh !!

We have seen Pogacar beaten, so this is the exciting factor. At this stage the Giro appears to be sealed, but recover fir the tour is open.

Ben O’Connor not happy with giiro race organisers… and it did seem chaotic.

Plenty of fellow dinosaurs in online comments sections having a go at Ben O'Connor, but he's spot on in my opinion. There's no reason whatsoever to risk career ending crashes in conditions like that.

AUbicycles wrote: ↑

Thu May 23, 2024 2:28 am

We have seen Pogacar beaten, so this is the exciting factor. At this stage the Giro appears to be sealed, but recover fir the tour is open.

Ben O’Connor not happy with giiro race organisers… and it did seem chaotic.

He's is very hot n cold in his performances, so I'm not sure what to make of him at the moment.

Foo

ldrcycles wrote: ↑

Thu May 23, 2024 8:48 am

Plenty of fellow dinosaurs in online comments sections having a go at Ben O'Connor, but he's spot on in my opinion. There's no reason whatsoever to risk career ending crashes in conditions like that.

You forget the one important saying = Ride too the conditions!

Foo

I do not see the point of forcing them to ride in appalling conditions. It is pretty hard to ride to the conditions when you are racing and can't feel your hands anymore due to the cold I expect.
I didn't disagree with Ben's comments but thought it was pretty brave and ill advised to be making them so publicly. Some of those dinosaurs will be vengeful dinosaurs probably.

warthog1 wrote: ↑

Thu May 23, 2024 9:03 am

I do not see the point of forcing them to ride in appalling conditions. It is pretty hard to ride to the conditions when you are racing and can't feel your hands anymore due to the cold I expect.
I didn't disagree with Ben's comments but thought it was pretty brave and ill advised to be making them so publicly. Some of those dinosaurs will be vengeful dinosaurs probably.

Yes, Yes, Yes.
I suspect that he is spot on - but i think that he should not have said anything to a Journalist.

Better to keep those opinions to oneself, and share them with others in the same boat and then escalate his concerns with his team and with the “Union”. ? Adam Hansen and others.

No doubt that O’Connor will get a lot of pushback for his comments- but realistically if the dinosaur commentators were not there then how can they possibly be qualified to cast a verdict ?

Jebus, the last two Stages have been bloody fast.

Foo

elantra wrote: ↑

Tue May 21, 2024 12:45 pm

Fair point but I still think that it was a bit uncouth of him to take the first TT stage from Ganna and then the mountain stage from Quintana

As opposed to sitting up last night? For Thomas? Nah, he needs to stamp his authority on the TT, keep Visma on edge. And by squashing Quintana he's letting them all know he'll do what he wants. Post stage he said that as a youngster he wasn't all that thrilled with Quintana's old strategy of waiting for the last few km's to attack. I like that attitude.

As for this I won't ride if I don't feel like it shizzle.....sooks.