Cycling 2009

[Stuttgart88]

Irish Times report here, great reading

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...254801736.html

Good man Phil, well done.

[Dodge]

Watched it last night on eurosport. Amazing win. Out powering Kreuziger is no mean feat.

Phil was superb today too. Finishing 13th to maintain his 9th overall. Dan martin (who had to work or Danielson all Vuelta) attacked today but was caught.

What price an Irish medal at the Worlds?

[Bluebeard]

Phil finished on Cobo's shoulder today and guaranteed 09th overall - best result since Roche was 9th in 1992, and marginally better than Nick Roche's 13th last year. This should really boost our world ranking. If Dan Martin is fit and up to it, we might have the best three man squad at the World's next weekend - with the course that is in it, I'd rate our medal chances in the road race far higher than 9 man Britain!

[Dodge]

Big rise in ranking for Deignan

Irish placings

40 - Martin
71 - Deignan
143 - Roche


Ireland remains in 16th place

I think the course is set up for Roche but as with all of these one day "classics", it all depends on getting in the right break. it really is a terrific team though

[swinfordfc]

Big rise in ranking for Deignan

Irish placings

40 - Martin
71 - Deignan
143 - Roche


Ireland remains in 16th place

I think the course is set up for Roche but as with all of these one day "classics", it all depends on getting in the right break. it really is a terrific team though

Where did you get these rankings from may i ask?
how come Roche is so low?

[Dodge]

Where did you get these rankings from may i ask?
how come Roche is so low?

From the UCI website

There's an explanation of how points are earnt there too but basically only a certain amount of races qualify, and only results count.

So while Roche might be involved in every break going, unless he finishes in top 5 he won't get a point. Before the Vuelta Deignan had just one point for a 5th place in a stage in the Giro.

[Bluebeard]

According to Cycling Weekly, David McCann finished 11th in the World TT Chanmpionship this afternoon. The race was run in three groups in order of expectation - seeing as McCann was in the first group to go out, he has punched well above his weight. Chapeau!

[Dodge]

McCann was in the 2nd of 4 groups, as was the American who finished 4th.

He thinks he could've finished top ten
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mcca...ets-slow-start

Cancellera was amazing. He start celebrating 200m from the line. In a fecking time trial!!

[Bluebeard]

World Road Race Championships:

1st Evans (AUS)
2nd Kolobnev (RUS)
3rd Rodriguez (SPA)

40th Phil Deignan @ 3m21
68th Dan Martin @ 8m22
DNF Nick Roche

Not bad. Dunno why Roche DNFed, but I had fancied his chances most.

Delighted for Evans. Imagine what he could do as the leader on an organised team. Great performance too from Hoogerland who finished 14th in the end. Near neighbours similarly had only 2 finishers, best in 52nd. Highest ranked surprise would have to be the Portugueser in 17th.

[Macy]

I'm surprised it wasn't commented on before, but Dan Martin finished 8th in Lombardy. Roche was also prominent.

[Dodge]

Final UCI rankings for the 2009 season

35 Martin
75 Deignan
144 Roche

Ireland finished the season ranked 16th


Best year for Irish cycling in a long, long time

[cestlavie]

I know P Deignan, he is a sound man, has had a great year after all the sickenss and injuries that he has had to endure. His move to Cervelo has worked out really well especially it being a new team.
In his own words he says D Martin is the real deal and is very impressed with him, he expects big things from D Martin in the future and so does Garmin Slipstream

[Bluebeard]

Didn't realise until this morning that Nick Roche won the Eurosport Trophy (had never heard of it before, tbh). According to this on Irishcycling.com, it's awarded to the French cyclist or cyclist on a French team who spends most time in breakaways in races and on high finishes on Eurosport screened races. Apparently Romain Feillu was second.

A nice finishing note for the best year of Irish cycling in over 15 years!

[kingdom hoop]

There was an hour-long interview with Nicolas on Setanta recently. I only caught the very end of it, but knowing the Setanta schedule I'm sure it'll be repeated some time.

[Macy]

Not directly related to Irish cycling, but Wiggins has moved to Team Sky. I'm not sure where that leaves Dan Martin - I guess in support of Vande Velde as undisputed leader. Vaughters talking about him being possibly the Tours/ Garmins surprise package next year though.

“In a way, this makes our mission very simple in the Tour de France,” he said, choosing to look on the positive side of things. “To get Christian onto the podium and to have Tyler Farrar win stages. Now, we are heading to the Tour with two American leaders on an American team.

“Also, each time Team Garmin has done the Tour de France, we have ended up producing the surprise of the race. I don’t think it is going to be any different in 2010. Maybe that will be Dan Martin, maybe that will be Dave Zabriskie…we will find out.”

link

[Dodge]

Worst kept secret in cycling. Brialsford came out several times with rubbish about not chasing cyclists under contract. Doesn't put Sky in my good books anyway

[Bluebeard]

I think that Team Sky will have a very poor rep after this, especially on the continent, though that will hardly worry those who who are cheerleading the Team Sky development. It sounds very much like the whole deal revolved around a threat of legal action - not entirely different to Daddy's way of operating, so to speak. I am disappointed with Wiggins, and have been since he started talking up the whole Wigan / Man U comparison.

Ironically, while I think Wiggins is potentially a very good cyclist, I cannot see him besting this year's performance in the tour, and certainly not with the team that Sky offer him - I would imagine Lovkvist to be a better long term bet. Brailsford has a lot more work to turn Team Sky into a top ten team on the road than I think he realises...