Cycling 2014

[Mr A]

Deignan finishes 7th in Tour of Poland after finishing 12th in final time trial. Good stuff.

[Mr A]

6th for Bennett in London. Missed the bit where he was dropped.. he was in the front group for a fair bit.

[Dodge]

6th for Bennett in London. Missed the bit where he was dropped.. he was in the front group for a fair bit.

Gilbert attacked strongly on a small hill and 4 could go with him. Bennett tried to bridge but didn't have the legs. Still a good ride for him on his way back from mid season break. Should be more points for him in the UCI European tour too (although not sure how it works tbh)

In world ranks, Ireland now in 18th. Deignan with 38 points after Poland.

[Mr A]

Have to wonder how much the puncture and chasing back on took out of Bennett. Mind you he a had a sticky bottle and magic spanner to help him catch up again!

[Mr A]

CN piece on Deignan: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/deignan-excited-about-vuelta-a-espana-selection

Cycling Tips piece on Martin: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/08/dan-martin-ready-for-vuelta-i-am-probably-in-the-best-shape-i-have-been-in/

[Mr A]

Martin went close at the Vuelta today, just pipped by Matthews by the sound of it. Form seems to be there though.

[Mr A]

Report and video of last ten km here: http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/video-missed-dan-martins-vuelta-stage-win-bid-heres-the-final-10-mins/

He vows to keep attacking: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/08/martin-metres-from-first-win-of-season-at-vuelta-a-espana-pledges-to-try-again/

[Macy]

Just for info - ITV4 have an hours highlights package, usually at 7pm (10pm if there's football). Imlach and Roger Hammond in studio, Liggett and Graham Jones commentating, and Matt Rendell in Spain.

TG4 have 2 hours live coverage, and then the half hour highlights similar to the Tour.

[Mr A]

Bad day for Martin as he coughed up a minute on the steep finale. Possibly sprinting in flat stages cost him energy.

[Stuttgart88]

Just saw Quintana's crash yesterday on Eurosport. Ouch.

[Mr A]

Brammeier 4th in Tour of China. http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-of-china-i-2014/stage-6/results Should hold on to that as there are no more mountains.

Hopefully he continues his good form into the Tour of China II next week.

[Mr A]

Tour of Britain starting this weekend. Piece on it and Roche here: http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/roche-s-form-good-ahead-of-tour-of-britain-1.1918232

He has signed a deal for next season but we still await an announcement. The team he'll have backing him in Britain does not look overly strong. http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/races/tour-britain/

[Mr A]

Super stuff from Martin to move up several places despite a major crash (piece starts with previous stage): http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/dan-martin-s-vuelta-diary-falling-into-a-ravine-is-not-good-for-the-nerves-1.1921036?page=1

Disappointing for Bennett as the first sprint at the Tour of Britain didn't really happen for him: http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news/detailview/news/bennett-takes-12th-place-at-the-start-of-the-tour-of-britain/

[Mr A]

3rd for Bennett today behind Renshaw and Swift. Another good day for the Sean Kelly Team as Mark McNally retains the Mountains Jersey.

Another gutsy ride by Martin sees him move up to 6th. Rest day tomorrow.

[Dodge]

Irish team for Worlds. Martin, Roche and Deignan in the elite race. Bennett is reserve. Strong team

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/cycling-news-item/irish-team-for-cycling-world-championships/357

[Mr A]

As well as Deignan in the Indo and Martin in the Times doing Vuelta diaries, Bennett is now doing a daily piece for Sticky Bottle. http://www.stickybottle.com/blogs/sam-bennett-diary-a-drunk-called-at-4am-not-a-dope-tester/

[Mr A]

Purito punched Deignan, what a ballbag. http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/philip-deignan-rodriguez-split-my-lip-with-a-punch-on-climb-30571873.html

[Mr A]

3rd for Roche today on the big mountain finish. Should have a shout of a decent overall result now. Only saw twitter but at one stage it looked like he had the stage.

[Acornvilla]

Watch a few of the bigger races and stages throughout the year, especially keep an eye out for the Irish lads, but I wouldn't have an in depth knowledge or interest in Cycling. However, one of my housemates is mad into it, is trying to cycle competitively a bit around the country, asked me to make a poster of someone he's a fan of. Might I post it up here, and you lot can take a guess at who it is. Let me know if I'm on the right track :P

2150

[Real ale Madrid]

That looks like good old "AC" himself - Alberto Contador or "Accidental Clenbuterol" depending who you are taking to. Tell your mate he needs a new hero!

[Acornvilla]

That looks like good old "AC" himself - Alberto Contador or "Accidental Clenbuterol" depending who you are taking to. Tell your mate he needs a new hero!
Hah, I actually said something along similar lines, to him when he made the request.

[Macy]

That looks like good old "AC" himself - Alberto Contador or "Accidental Clenbuterol" depending who you are taking to. Tell your mate he needs a new hero!
He's a great racer. Better than someone just staring at their stem/ power meter all climb, or the wheel suckers that make up the rest of the top 4 of the current Vuelta.

[Real ale Madrid]

He's a great racer.

He's a drug cheat. He is NOTHING great.

[Dodge]

He's a drug cheat. He is NOTHING great.

You can be both. You can't honestly say Contador is purely a result of doping.

[Stuttgart88]

He's a drug cheat. He is NOTHING great.
Given the recent Ryder Hesjedal conspiracy theories I love this comment from Contador yesterday:

"Thursday's stage is completely different and we have to get the motor running at top speed again" :)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/29150370

[Real ale Madrid]

You can be both. You can't honestly say Contador is purely a result of doping.

Thats the point really - you can't say anything with any degree of certainty. How good a bike rider is Contador - haven't a clue - how good was Lance Armstrong ? How good was Riis ? Basso ? - we don't know or will ever know how good these guys really are.

[Macy]

Saying he is a great racer isn't the same as saying he's not a drug cheat. He could be a drug cheat, and a boring wheel sucking racer like Valverde! Froome is clean as far as we know - he's a rubbish racer with his boring power meter based timetrials up mountains.

[Real ale Madrid]

Saying he is a great racer isn't the same as saying he's not a drug cheat. He could be a drug cheat

But sure if he wasn't a drug cheat - then how would you know if he was a great racer or not. Would you be following him at the back of the peloton or at secondary races ?


Froome is clean as far as we know -

Oh wow - going to have to leave that one for another day! :)

[Macy]

But sure if he wasn't a drug cheat - then how would you know if he was a great racer or not. Would you be following him at the back of the peloton or at secondary races ?
We don't. But to a degree, unless it's completely outlandish (which nothing from Contador has been since his ban), you have to take it at facevalue to some degree. Otherwise there's no point watching it at all.


Oh wow - going to have to leave that one for another day! :)
Not sure what angle you're going with, but if you look back at other threads/ discussions, it's pretty clear I am a Froome sceptic.

[Real ale Madrid]

Otherwise there's no point watching it at all.


For me - cycling has turned very depressing the last year or two - and now with Irish cyclists all riding with teams connected to doping or past dopers - I'm finding it very difficult to watch at all to be honest - I wouldn't respond to comments on cycling normally but the assertion that AC is anything "great" is not right I think - just a personal opinion.


Not sure what angle you're going with, but if you look back at other threads/ discussions, it's pretty clear I am a Froome sceptic.

Fair enough - I didn't realise. Maybe the phrase is "Froome is clean - as far as we can prove".

[Dodge]

I don't want to put words in macy's mouth here but he means great as in exciting/a great tactician

I don't think anyone can deny that tbh

[Macy]

For me - cycling has turned very depressing the last year or two - and now with Irish cyclists all riding with teams connected to doping or past dopers - I'm finding it very difficult to watch at all to be honest - I wouldn't respond to comments on cycling normally but the assertion that AC is anything "great" is not right I think - just a personal opinion.
Pretty much what Dodge said. If you're going to watch it, which I do (and will continue to do), then I want to see attacking racing, different tactics, cross wind attacks etc. I don't want to see a mass time trial using power meters, or GT's won on time bonuses.

I accept that people don't have time for the sport due to it's past. What I don't accept is the way some people who'll dismiss cycling, then following athletics, tennis, even top level football that do sod all about doping.


Fair enough - I didn't realise. Maybe the phrase is "Froome is clean - as far as we can prove".
But he's never failed a test....

[Real ale Madrid]

Pretty much what Dodge said. If you're going to watch it, which I do (and will continue to do), then I want to see attacking racing, different tactics, cross wind attacks etc. I don't want to see a mass time trial using power meters, or GT's won on time bonuses.

....

No issue - but the original point I was making re. Contador is how do you know how good he is at anything on a bike - tactically, attacking wise, whatever; as everything he does is skewed by his past.



I accept that people don't have time for the sport due to it's past. ....

People have an issue with its Present as well - I see Maxim Iglinsky just got popped for using EPO - I think he just finished 96th in the Eneco Tour ....on EPO. Chapeau to anyone that finished ahead of him.


What I don't accept is the way some people who'll dismiss cycling, then following athletics, tennis, even top level football that do sod all about doping.
....

Off topic to what we were discussing but I completly agree - the latest US Open tennis winner is a testament to the hypocracy in relation to all sports - not a beep from anyone after he won.

[Acornvilla]

No issue - but the original point I was making re. Contador is how do you know how good he is at anything on a bike - tactically, attacking wise, whatever; as everything he does is skewed by his past.


People have an issue with its Present as well - I see Maxim Iglinsky just got popped for using EPO - I think he just finished 96th in the Eneco Tour ....on EPO. Chapeau to anyone that finished ahead of him.



Off topic to what we were discussing but I completly agree - the latest US Open tennis winner is a testament to the hypocracy in relation to all sports - not a beep from anyone after he won.


I seen lots of people raise the issue on twitter including several tennis journos. It was glucose tablets he was banned for thou right, something which is allowed outside of competitions, just not during tournaments? His ban was cut in half after appeal, people generally seem to believe Cilic's story (Which was that he was taking them not knowing if they were banned..) I never followed the story super closely thou, so I might have gotten something wrong.

[Real ale Madrid]

It was glucose tablets he was banned for thou right, something which is allowed outside of competitions, just not during tournaments? .

He got pinged for taking Nikethamide - a stimulant which has been banned since the 70's. So its not allowed in or out of competitions.


His ban was cut in half after appeal, people generally seem to believe Cilic's story .

Cilic says that the Lozenge he was given were glucose ones containing traces of the banned substance - which is correct.

But what I don't get is why was anyone associated with him was purchasing said lozenges - as these particular type of lozenges are marketed at mountain climbers who are looking to increase endurance at high altitude over short periods of time. Now anything who follows doping in cycling or in any sport knows that sets off all sorts of alarm bells. I think Cilic knew exactly what he was doing and should have been banned for 2 years - at least.

[woodyirl]

Who in their right mind sights down with an 18 year old and advices him, he should take EPO.

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/slovenian-who-denied-eddie-dunbar-nations-cup-win-was-epo-positive/

Feel massively sorry for Eddie Barr. The kid has such a bright future in front of him. Hopefully he can fulfil his potential. A lot of team interested in him

[Mr A]

The Contador case was interesting because it was found that the clenbuterol probably came from a food supplement rather than as part of doping, but because Contador had to explain why it was in his system and had said it came from beef he lost. On the other hand Michael Ashenden was in no doubt that Contador was blood doping. http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2012/behind-scenes-contador-cas-hearing-michael-ashenden So justice was done, in a slightly roundabout and unsatisfactory way.

That said, if you think about doping too much you can't enjoy as much sport any more. One of the reasons I drifted back to cycling was the realisation that while it's imperfect and has a terrible history, at least cycling tries to clean up. Most sports simply don't want to know and ignore the problem. There's too much money involved to risk exposing the dark side.

[Mr A]

Heart break yesterday with Mullen within less than a second of winning the time trial U23 world championship. Roche was part of the Tinkoff team that came 5th in the team time trial at the weekend. Strong Irish team for the road race this weekend.

Meanwhile Bennett has extended with Netapp until end of 2017. http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news/detailview/news/sam-bennett-signs-an-early-contract-extension-to-run-to-the-end-of-2017-shane-archbold-reinforce/

[Dodge]

Michael O'Loughlin was 8th in the Junior Time Trial. Brilliant stuff

[Mr A]

Bad day for Roche in the ITT.

Meanwhile Darach McQuaid remains confident of bringing back the Tour of Ireland: http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/no-pro-tour-of-ireland-in-2015-but-mcquaid-still-very-confident/

[Mr A]

Eddie Dunbar the big hope for Ireland in Worlds junior race, currently live here: http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/live-tv-watch-irelands-junior-men-in-live-world-champs-action/

[Mr A]

Irish lads were prominent throughout but left behind towards the end. Nobody in top twenty anyway.

[Mr A]

Roche to Sky confirmed: http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17546_9496220,00.html#fkU4gtFxHLgTcJzt.97

[Dodge]

NetApp Endura's main man signed for Sky too. Should lead to extra opportunities for Bennett

[Mr A]

True, but more competition for leadership role for Roche. Don't like Sky, but then Tinkoff aren't always easy to like either.

[Mr A]

Piece on that Roche move: cyclingtips.com.au/2014/10/roche-commits-to-working-for-froome-explains-why-sky-was-best-move/ (http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/10/roche-commits-to-working-for-froome-explains-why-sky-was-best-move/)

[swinfordfc]

Dan is the man! :)

[Stuttgart88]

Just saw the finish. The speed he generated to get away from the pack was phenomenal. There was a brilliant view from the helictopter camera. The pack barely took any notice of him until he was gone, though it did look like they all left it to each other to respond. Cycling is funny like that sometimes. There were some top riders in that lead group too: Evans, Valverde, Costa, Sanchez.

[Mr A]

He timed it perfectly and executed it brilliantly. Caught the group by surprise and whoever chased knew they'd be dragging others back to Martin and would then get passed. He made it look very easy, a sign of his class. Am raging I did not have him backed, I had intended to do so unless the odds were very short.

[Mr A]

Deignan and Martin both going to the last Tour of Beijing. No start list yet so not sure whether Brameier will be there, I think not though.