Cycling 2014

[swinfordfc]

Thats a good result for Martin considering he neing quiet till now!

[Mr A]

Last 10k:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbXDvRAE4fw

[Mr A]

Well that was crushing. Martin second going into final corner and with all the momentum.. and slips out and goes down. Could have won it, would certainly have placed highly.

Very cruel.

[swinfordfc]

watch it live - cruel - hope he alright for the giro!

[Real ale Madrid]

Michael Barry has a new book out tomorrow on Kindle - its pre-ordered. Can't wait to read about Sky's marginal gains methods!

[Mr A]

Kimmage had a bit to say about it on Radio One recently, it seems he has read it or at least knows about contents.. mentioned also that he respects Armstrong more than Rogers. Should be an interesting one!

[Mr A]

Roche does Romandie this week as he continues his Giro build-up. Hopefully will show a bit of form. He was originally slated to do the Ardennes races but Tinkoff didn't field him there.

Bit from CN: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/roche-to-lead-tinkoff-saxo-at-romandie

Edit: Came across a piece from a few weeks ago that to some extent explains the schedule changes: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/sport/eurosport-cycling/10772002/nicolas-roche-preparations-giro-ditalia.html

[Mr A]

Roche Writes from Romandie: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/race-return-tough-but-finding-form-ahead-of-giro-my-ultimate-goal-30230128.html

Will add these in through the week.

[swinfordfc]

Lost 4 secs today - now 24secs behind but up to 33rd place

[Mr A]

Stage 1 diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roche-all-our-hot-water-was-used-to-wash-the-snow-and-grit-off-our-bikes-30234359.html

Good ambition trying to catch Nibali on a descent!

Stage 2 diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/we-took-over-at-the-front-just-to-stay-out-of-trouble-30237460.html

Going off the front without meaning to. Nice one.

[Mr A]

Interview with Martin ahead of the Giro: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/giro-ditalia-2014-dan-martin-exclusive-video-interview

I'm hearing that there's a good bit of promotion around Dublin but in general the lack of hype about the Giro coming here has been abysmal compared to the efforts made by Tourism NI.

Still, looking forward to heading up for the stage finishing in Dublin- any of the rest of you going to it?

Only see the top ten from Romandie Queen Stage so far and Roche isn't there :(

[Mr A]

Not a good day for Roche, finished way back at almost 6 minutes. http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/spilak-beats-froome-romandie-majka-crashed/

[Mr A]

Deignan interview: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/sky-the-limit-now-for-fully-focused-deignan-267370.html

Roche Diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/i-cracked-and-had-to-watch-them-ride-away-from-me-30240740.html

[swinfordfc]

Roche just doesn't seem to have it - why is he carry extra weight a week before the giro?

[Dodge]

Roche just doesn't seem to have it - why is he carry extra weight a week before the giro?

Because his season isn't set around the giro? I doubt he'd do it if it wasn't visiting Ireland

[swinfordfc]

Because his season isn't set around the giro? I doubt he'd do it if it wasn't visiting Ireland

No - your right - he did say that the only reason he is doing the giro cause it's start in Ireland this year - but why have a right crack at it if your going to go through 3 weeks of pain like - it's better to be in top 5 of giro than a top 20 in Le Tour!

[Mr A]

I think he has aimed to peak for the Giro but it hasn't quite come off for him. Maybe he'll improve as the race progresses. Currently it looks like Majika could be Tinkoff's main man.

[Mr A]

Last diary from Romandie: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/cycling-diary-tour-de-romandie-stage-4-fribourg-30243835.html

Bennett will lead Netapp at the sprint heavy Five Day Four Days of Dunkirk this week. http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news/detailview/news/netapp-endura-to-compete-for-the-first-time-at-4-jours-de-dunkerque/

Long Martin piece: http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/giro-d-italia-long-on-martin-s-radar-but-stage-win-the-real-target-1.1783400 Martin also feels he's not in peak shape this year.

[Mr A]

Lineups for the teams with Irish riders:

Garmin Sharp

91 Ryder Hesjedal (Can)
92 Andre Fernando S Martins Cardoso (Por)
93 Thomas Dekker (Ned)
94 Tyler Farrar (USA)
95 Koldo Fernandez De Larrea (Spa)
96 Nathan Haas (Aus)
97 Daniel Martin (Irl)
98 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned)
99 Fabian Wegmann (Ger)

Team Sky

191 Dario Cataldo (Ita)
192 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor)
193 Philip Deignan (Irl)
194 Bernhard Eisel (Aut)
195 Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col)
196 Chris Sutton (GBr)
197 Salvatore Puccio (Ita)
198 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr)
199 Ben Swift (GBr)

Tinkoff-Saxo

201 Nicolas Roche (Irl)
Rafal Majka, Nicolas Roche, Michael Rogers, Chris Anker Sørensen, Pawel Poljanski, Evgeny Petrov, Ivan Rovny, Jay McCarthy and Christopher Juul-Jensen.

A bunch of changes for Tinkoff and indeed other teams due to slow processing of visas by the UK.

INRNG preview: http://inrng.com/2014/05/who-will-win-the-giro-2014/
Piece on Deignan: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/deignan-ready-to-reach-for-the-sky-30250515.html

Edit: Bennett 5th on stage 1 http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/4-jours-de-dunkerque-tour-du-nord-pas-de-calais-2014/stage-1/results Team report: http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news/detailview/news/sam-bennett-places-fifth-at-the-start-of-four-days-of-dunkirk/

[Stuttgart88]

Guardian interview with Dan Martin

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/07/daniel-martin-family-honour-in-giro-ditalia

[Mr A]

Roche's Giro Diary has started already: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roche-on-the-way-past-a-centra-shop-i-spotted-a-mural-of-dan-and-myself-30254969.html

[DannyInvincible]

Philip Deignan has been made team leader of Sky for the Giro after Peter Kennaugh's last-minute withdrawal.

[Stuttgart88]

Dan Martin down with what looks like a collar bone break :(

[Mr A]

Disaster. I think everyone feels devastated for Dan. Looking good for Deignan and Roche.

[BonnieShels]

Just saw the video. Freak crash. Devastated for Dan.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/27353152

[Mr A]

Deignan diary on Stick0y Bottle: http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/deignans-giro-diary-i-was-really-nervous-riding-in-front-of-people-ive-known-all-my-life/

Roche Diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/its-a-cruel-sport-at-the-best-of-times-but-dan-has-been-really-unlucky-30261882.html

[DannyInvincible]

Onlookers in Cushendall (https://twitter.com/journoclo/status/465150787019362304/photo/1):

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BnSMLI1IAAAs9JG.jpg

[Stuttgart88]

This was on the BBC website today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-27354787

Unreal.

[Mr A]

Roche Diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roche-its-strange-for-me-to-be-riding-the-giro-into-towns-where-i-have-raced-as-a-schoolboy-30265165.html
Deignan Diary: http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/deignans-giro-diary-i-dropped-back-to-the-cars-jackets-in-both-hands-and-in-my-mouth/

Took a spin up to Dublin yesterday and watched the race go by at Clontarf. A long way to go for about 8 seconds worth of seeing the race. Had a wander around the finish area later as well. Serious crowds out for it, impressive considering the premiership was finishing at the same time.

[Stuttgart88]

Roche said in Twitter that the Irish are best fans in the world, but where are they for the local club events, eh?

Anyway, Martin in Dublin for surgery. Deignan, who has had two similar injuries, is upbeat about Martin's prospects saying he won't lose too much fitness

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/martin-has-surgery-in-dublin-268250.html

But at the same time, surely Martin would also be looking to gain fitness for france from competing in the Giro.

[Mr A]

The Giro is too tough to set you up for the Tour- very few riders can do both well. On the other hand without those crazy mountain stages Martin may be able to build up to the Tour now instead.

[swinfordfc]

I cant see him back for the Tour but hop i'm wrong!

[Mr A]

Not a good day for Roche.. went in in 7th, isn't in top ten now, can't find full results.

A big crash held up a lot of riders and there were decent time gaps.

Sounds disastrous though:

"Giro pretty much over for Roche and Rodriguez... and Niemiec... in terms of GC. It's Evans' to lose - but Uran, Quintana & Majka looming."

Edit: Roche lost 15 minutes.

Hope he's OK.

[Mr A]

Extract from Deignan's diary:


Swifty hit the kerb with his hip and was in so much pain afterwards that he ended up fainting in the shower on the team bus.

Some of the guys had to change bikes to finish the stage while Kosta crashed again when a car braked in front of him as he was riding back up through the cavalcade.

A few hours later though, everybody is in pretty good spirits at the dinner table and the mood was improved again when the team brought down an unexpected bottle of wine as a bit of a morale booster.

Pro cyclists are ducking mental cases. http://www.stickybottle.com/uncategorized/deignan-giro-diary-it-was-carnage-swifty-fainted-in-the-shower-from-the-pain/

Roche diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roche-diary-my-shorts-ripped-and-there-was-blood-streaming-down-my-left-leg-30278790.html


In the past, the fact I've been highly placed on GC has meant the overall contenders were wary of me going up the road in a breakaway. Now that I'm 15 minutes down, I will have a bit of leeway.

I still think my condition is pretty good. Okay, I won't be chasing the pink jersey any more, but every cloud has a silver lining and things could work out to my advantage yet.

[Mr A]

Nothing stage today.

Ras start list: http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Info/Teams+and+Riders/

SKT start with Wilson and Downey while Synergy Baku have McConvey- and there is of course loads of other Irish lads in county teams. Brammeier misses out with chicken pox of all things.

[Mr A]

Another good result for Bennett: http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/bennett-moves-into-second-place-in-the-uci-europe-tour-after-close-second-in-germanys-velothon-berlin/

[Mr A]

Roche on the attack today, let's hope it sticks.

Edit: Deignan in there too.

[Mr A]

Deignan had a right cut at it today and had 30 seconds at 3k but was cooked and faded away.

Bennett took 5th at 2nd stage of Worlds Port classic, another good result although he was a bit disappointed.

[Mr A]

Deignan was on the attack today again, but missed out on the winning attack.

Bennett meanwhile took fourth at Bayern Rundhart stage 1, and while he was disappointed the team seem delighted with him. http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news/detailview/news/bennett-takes-fourth-place-at-the-start-of-the-tour-of-bavaria/

[Dodge]

That's the attitude that will make Bennett a winner for years. He's not happy with placings in the top 5, top 10. He wants the wins

Same applies to Dan Martin

[Mr A]

Deignan on the attack again.. may be teeing up Cataldo though as he's up there too.

Looks like Roche will be on duty minding Majka for the remainder of the Giro. In fairness Majka did mighty work for him at last year's Vuelta.

[Dodge]

Deignan 3rd today. Ireland's first "podium" in the Giro since Roche was 3rd on a stage in 1989

Deignan's previous best Giro finsih was 5th in a stage in 2009

[DannyInvincible]

Some powerful riding from Philip the past few days. He sounded disappointed after today's stage despite the podium finish but did admit he could have done no more to challenge the acceleration of the Colombians.

[Mr A]

Roche 4th on the Zoncolan today.

[Dodge]

I know this doesn't mean much to most but yesterday's result means that 3 Irish cyclists have score world tour points. Helps for World Championship qualification etc

[Mr A]

Roche already had a 5th place- stage 14 I think.

[Dodge]

ha, I completely forgot about that

[Mr A]

Sam Bennett you beauty!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/bayern-rundfahrt-2014/stage-5/results

Wins the stage, takes the sprints jersey in Netapp's home race. Beat some decent sprinters there too.

Edit: Found video. Sprint at 1:39.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jg0wnC-64s

[Mr A]

Same Bennett interview: http://caferoubaix.com/2014/06/05/sam-bennett-would-be-fantastic-to-race-the-tour-de-france/

[bennocelt]

Sweet. See the Tour De France is finishing a stage in Mulhose, close to Basel. Brilliant, always wanted to get the chance to see the Tour, brilliant:)