Cycling 2014

[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/uncatego...from-the-pain/

Roche diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-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/IrishCyc...ms+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-re...lothon-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...ur-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/bay...tage-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.

[Mr A]

Same Bennett interview: http://caferoubaix.com/2014/06/05/sa...our-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