Pro Cycling (inc Tour de France) 2008

[Dodge]

12.43: Daniel Martin (Garmin Chipotle) has unfortunately had to retire from the race. He has been unwell since the start; that’s disappointing for the Irish champion, who has been flying this year and wanted to perform well here.

Ah nuts...

[Bluebeard]

Cavendish again. It will be interesting to see if he can manage Connemara tomorrow. According to Cycling Weekly he's pulled out of the Tour of Britain, replaced by Kim Kirchen - that will disappoint an awful lot of folk, especially on the London stage.

Shame about Dan Martin pulling out. The interview on the highlights show was clearly uncharted territory for him - he'll need to practice! Ciaran Power making the top ten on the stage was good news though.


Was it as bad as the awful one with Pat Carey at the start?

Much as I am no fan of the man, even Cullen wasn't as bad as Carey.

[Dodge]

Team Columbia ended up winning 4 of 5 stages and the overall.

In the Vuelta Roche was 11th in today's stage. He was involved in a breakaway earlier too. He seems to be finishing the season well.

Deignan is 33rd overall in the Tour of Germany

[Macy]

Team Columbia ended up winning 4 of 5 stages and the overall.
They just played the last stage perfectly - one up the road so Dowling's team had to at least keep it close enough, then the one two on the last lap.

Actually turned out to be a very good route - first three stages for the sprinters, but only really the last day tough enough to make people bail out.

[Dodge]

Decent route, but they could've dine without going up hills with moss in the middle of them. Few too many accidents IMO

[Macy]

Decent route, but they could've dine without going up hills with moss in the middle of them. Few too many accidents IMO
I thought the worst bit was that ford on Saturday - you could see Cavendish going "wtf".

[Dodge]

Didn't see any of saturday's stuff...

Thank god

[pete]

Only saw a bit on TV but that production seemed to be very good. Are they selling that package to other stations? Only saw a few minutes last night but circuit in Cork city looked well & crowds fairly good.

Really shows up Irish roads for the sub standard they are. Nothing Irish cycling can do about that but does look very poor on TV.

[Dodge]

TV package was outsourced. Sold to a good few countries (Britain, Germany and France anyway)

[Macy]

What dodge said. I think ESPN as well, but not 100%. I suppose it makes sense when it's sponsored by Discover Ireland, and the tour organiser was saying they punch above their weight in terms of international TV coverage and that's important for the future. Can hardly go wrong with the team they had though.

As for the roads, it's either go for flat stages or go over back roads for hills/mountains. The fact is most of the roads up our big hills are nothing more than local access or to TV masts.

[Dodge]

What dodge said. I think ESPN as well, but not 100%

It was the TV station Versus in the US. Same channel that shows Le Tour

In the roads defence (which sounds weird BTW), some of the best races in Belgium are over similar terrain.

[Dodge]

Jaysus

Roche 5th in Vuelta stage today (sprint)

Deignan 8th in Germany stage today

[Bluebeard]

Roche was 9th yesterday - he's now up to 14:). He seems to be having a great Vuelta. Fingers crossed for a good showing int the time trial today to keep him up the table.

EDIT: Roche departs on his TT at 15h32, Irish time.

[Bluebeard]

Roche finished 65th in the TT, 3.22 down. Drops to 33rd down 3.16.

Deignan was 46th in the Deutshland tour, and is 26th at 7.01 minutes.

[Dodge]

Thats not a bad TT from Roche. Only 3.22 on some very fast lads. Contador had a great TT and looks to be the favourite for me. I'd love Roche to get a stage win. Reminds me of a Stuart O'Grady type "sprinter". if he gets to tht level, he'll be doing very well

[Bluebeard]

Thats not a bad TT from Roche. Only 3.22 on some very fast lads. Contador had a great TT and looks to be the favourite for me. I'd love Roche to get a stage win. Reminds me of a Stuart O'Grady type "sprinter". if he gets to tht level, he'll be doing very well

Contador did very well alright - can't see Leipheimer enjoying that lead over the hills.

I'd love to see Roche nick a win too - it will give him a great boost going into next year with AG2R, it would set him up nicely for a good shot at the Tour and a high rating in the team.

[Bluebeard]

Deignan finished in 25th overall and 8th in the Yound Riders category in the Deutschland Tour on Saturday, then 25th in the Vattenfalls Cyclassic the yesterday.

Meanwhile Nicolas Roche was an excellent 18th in yesterday's stage of the Vuelta, and 18th overall, just 9 minutes down. He is showing some excellent form, and I really do think he's going to grab a stage win in it this year - I just don't know when.

[Dodge]

That 18th place is easily Roche's best performance in the mountains. Seriously good. He's still eligible for the young riders isn't he? Must be high up in the young riders classification (if there is one?)

Hopefully he hasn't knocked the speed out of himself

[Bluebeard]

I don't think thay've a Young Riders in the Vuelta this year - not where I've been checking anyway. Currently, he's the fourth highest placed under 25 yo anyway, after Hernandez (6th), Gesink (9) and Cornu (14), just under 7m down on Hernandez.

Still a lot of racing left.

[Dodge]

yeah, didn't see one in cyclingnews (today) but hadn't really looked too deep into it.

[Dodge]

Roche currently in 20th place in GC

Dan martin was 4th in today's 3rd stage of the Tour of Britain, He's now 8th overall in GC

The An Post Sean Kelly team leads the team standings with 2 2riders (no Irish) in the top 10

[Macy]

Yeah, Dan Martin did well yesterday in a stage that blew the race apart. ITV4 coverage is brutal though, but presumably the good cycling production teams are at the Vuelta.

[Pauro 76]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7605378.stm

Sorry to cut across topic but there may be a bit of a comeback from a certain L. Armstrong. Interesting...

[Dodge]

Yeah, Dan Martin did well yesterday in a stage that blew the race apart. ITV4 coverage is brutal though, but presumably the good cycling production teams are at the Vuelta.

What channel showing the Tour of Britain macy? Seen a bit on Sky SPorts news last night but don' think they're showing it

Pauro, Lance ahs his own thread. its big enough to have its own one IMO (although I'll merge into this one when it dies down)

[Macy]

What channel showing the Tour of Britain macy? Seen a bit on Sky SPorts news last night but don' think they're showing it
ITV4 - highlights at 8pm. The bloke who does the BBC commentary for cycling is the main commentator, who in fairness isn't the worst, but the camera work is terrible and the editing and production poor. About the only saving grace is Ned Boulting really. Tour of Ireland coverage way better.

Actually ITV probably have the highlights on line, but whether you can access them from an Irish ip is a different thing/

[Dodge]

Don't have ITV4. If Martin wins a stage, I'm sure I'll get to see it

[Pauro 76]

What channel showing the Tour of Britain macy? Seen a bit on Sky SPorts news last night but don' think they're showing it

Pauro, Lance ahs his own thread. its big enough to have its own one IMO (although I'll merge into this one when it dies down)

No probs Dodge, wasnt sure where it was....

[Bluebeard]

Roche 16th today in the bunch, stays 20th overall. Tomorrow is a last good chance for a break away or uphill sprint finish before two nasty end of stage hills over Friday and Saturday

[Macy]

Martin had a go off the front yesterday, but got pulled back. Finished in the front group though, along with the yellow jersey. Today will probably be quiet enough with tomorrow a hard enough stage that I'd be expecting him to attack on. Columbia again btw with the stage win.

[Dodge]

Seems like Columbia is winning every stage on every (non grand) tour at the moment. Dominated ireland, dominated Germany, Cavendish winning in the US...

[Bluebeard]

Roche lost 3m23 yeaterday finishing 57th. He slips to 23rd overall 12m37 down.

Rest day today. Nothing that would particularly suit Roche until Tuesday or Wednesday. Hopefully he'll make it through the next couple of days in the mountains without too much agony, and snatch a win then.

[Dodge]

Roche lost 3m23 yeaterday finishing 57th. He slips to 23rd overall 12m37 down

Did you see the highlights? very strange day. A split in the pack happened out of nowhere really. Valverde was in the 2nd bunch and Astana and Euskadel powered on, almost team time trailling it to the finish. valverde was left on his own as his team couldn't keep up with him and the gap just kept growing and growing

[Macy]

Didn't see the highlights, but was it as good as when Astana (albeit a different version) did for Moreau last year? Valverde seemed to be having a bit of go, saying he went back for a rain jacket and then got caught the wrong side of the split...

[Dodge]

No, wasn't anything underhand IMO. There was a break away and Astana and Euskadel's tempo just sort of pulled them away. Obviously those towards the back weren't expecting it to hapepn like that. Caisse d'Epargne had absolutely no help and it took a while for them to realise what was going on

[Macy]

No, wasn't anything underhand IMO.
Maybe being harsh on him tbh, but you'd think have enough cop on to stay near the front and send someone else back. That's what the domestiques are for ffs.

[Bluebeard]

Maybe being harsh on him tbh, but you'd think have enough cop on to stay near the front and send someone else back. That's what the domestiques are for ffs.

I'd have to agree, based on what I heard - didn't see the highlights. Going to the back for a cape when you are in the running for the race - silly, and probably why a lot of people think that he'll never win a Grand Tour. Then going on a counter-attack by himself without the support of the team. And Caisse d'Espargne have some quality cyclists.

I think that the directeur sportif has got to take some of the blame. Back in the Tour, Pereiro was off on a potentially great escape, and then got called back to help Valverde, who lost a load of time that day. Poor work from the management then as now.

[Bluebeard]

Dan Martin up to 3rd in the Tour Of Britain tonight, 14 seconds behind leader Geoffroy Lequatre (Agritubel) and 8 behind Steve Cummings (Barloworld). Scotland tomorrow - a couple of decent climbs. A good break tomorrow could be the winning of it, as Sunday's stage is almost the perfect bunch sprint set up finish in a city that a certain young man could consider the nearest one to home, should he have been in the race.

[Dodge]

BTW on the Valverde thing, Team mate Oscar Pereiro's comment;
"A man of his category and experience should not lose the Vuelta on a stage like this. Once again, a stage race slips through his fingers because of a crappy mistake,"

[Bluebeard]

BTW on the Valverde thing, Team mate Oscar Pereiro's comment;
"A man of his category and experience should not lose the Vuelta on a stage like this. Once again, a stage race slips through his fingers because of a crappy mistake,"

Former tour winner relegated to super super domestique. I wonder when his contract is up...

[Bluebeard]

Roche was 16th yesterday and still 17th in the Vuelta - today and tomorrow are his last realistic chances to win a stage, I reckon.

Phil Deignan is 110th in the tour of Poland, but a grand total of 28 seconds back - not a particularly suitable tour for him though.

[Bluebeard]

Big break in the Vuelta today, Roche the highest placed in it and it's likely to stay away. Unfortunately Bettini and Van Aermaet are also in the break, but Roche does at least have a team mate, and currently, with the break over 8 m clear, Roche has broken into the top 12!

[Real ale Madrid]

Came home from work early today - caught the last 5 mins of the stage on local TV - Roche was only just edged out on the line into second by the Spanaird Imanol Erivti. Great performance from him. Up to about 12th overall i think!

[Bluebeard]

Came home from work early today - caught the last 5 mins of the stage on local TV - Roche was only just edged out on the line into second by the Spanaird Imanol Erivti. Great performance from him. Up to about 12th overall i think!

Just heard - was called out at the precisely wrong moment. I heard it was the tiniest of margins. Hopefully he might go one better tomorrow and win one, though I'd say the likes of Gerolsteiner in particular, and also Cofidis will be marking him tight tomorrow to preserve their 9th and 10th place.

EDIT: Just got the GC for the day - he's 13th - 51s off 11th place, 1m 42 off 10th. It's unlikely he'll be let get that back, sadly.

However, he's also up to 11th on the points table 4 points behind Mosquera in 10th and 6 behind Rodriguez and Zabel in 8th - if Bettini retires tomorrow for the extra couple of day's prep for the World's as he was expected to do today, and Roche has another good day tomorrow, he could shoot well into the top 10 there!

13th would be an amazing result for a young pro in a grand tour.

[sorbothegreek]

Don't want to sound overly nostalgic but I have to say that after watching highlights of yesterday's stage, it was like a throw back to ‘the good ol’ days’. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Daniel Martins arrival on the scene has coincided with Roche’s improvement. Hopefully the two of them can drive each other on in the years to come a la Kelly & Stephen. He’s definitely got a classic win in him in the next couple of years.

[Bluebeard]

Roche finished 13th in the end, only 6 or 7 seconds down on 12th. His team mate Seba Hinault has said that Roche is a man for the grand tours (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/sep08/sep20news). He's moving to AG2R next season too, and based on what we saw in the Tour Du Limosin and the Vuelta, it seems as though they work well together.

[Bluebeard]

Deignan has signed for the new Cevelo Test Team with Lloyd & Freeman from An Post, following Hushovd and Sastre, and a few other notables. So, Roche will not be hooking up with his fellow Irishman at AG2R after all.

[Dodge]

Good move for Deignan. Sastre signing with them probably guarantees a tour spot for the team. Roche's magnificent performance in the Vuelta will probably make him an automatic starter for Ag2r too.

The World Championship team has been selected. Dan martin goes in the u23 event as he'd have a chance at medalling (although the course isn't very hilly). The elite RR team is Deignan, Roche and Roger Aiken.

[Bluebeard]

Neben (US) wins the Women's Time Trial World Championship. Best placed Irish was Olivia Dillon at 39th.

Of course, Neben's great World Championships win will be overshadowed by the same someone who had to spoil Contador's Vuelta moment...

[Dodge]

In a brutal week for cycling, good news for Dan Martin with Garmin becoming a ProTour team. With the likelihood that Phil Deignan's (and more importantly Carlos Sastre's) new team also receiving Pro Tour status, it will mean 3 Irish cyclists with protour status next year.

[Macy]

Brutal week for cycling? Another positive week for cycling I thought.