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Post by Radchenister on Dec 14, 2013 10:29:33 GMT
www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/cycling/welsh-cycling-stars-luke-rowe-6398871Watch out for big 'G' this year - he's paid his dues last year after some bad luck, getting snarled up in the classics and earning legendary status with his Rule #5 TdF ride (doing most of the race with a broken pelvis and having to be lifted onto his bike with a winch at times). Both he and Richie Porte stand a good chance in the Tour Down Under, it's just over a month away, so put 19th Jan 2014 in your diaries!
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Post by Whitestar1 on Dec 14, 2013 10:32:48 GMT
I like the Geraint,he's most certainly up coming! wish him all the best!
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Post by Radchenister on Dec 14, 2013 10:39:06 GMT
A useful link to the UCI calendar, perhaps we'll try and track events a bit more closely this coming year (?), helps keep us motivated and stimulates us to get out riding ourselves: www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI2/layout.asp?MenuId=MTI1ODM&LangId=1The UCI World Tour Series (i.e. the main races - GTs shown bold) 21.01.2014 26.01.2014 Santos Tour Down Under 09.03.2014 16.03.2014 Paris - Nice 12.03.2014 18.03.2014 Tirreno-Adriatico 23.03.2014 23.03.2014 Milano-Sanremo 24.03.2014 30.03.2014 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 28.03.2014 28.03.2014 E3 Harelbeke 30.03.2014 30.03.2014 Gent - Wevelgem 06.04.2014 06.04.2014 Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres 07.04.2014 12.04.2014 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco 13.04.2014 13.04.2014 Paris - Roubaix 20.04.2014 20.04.2014 Amstel Gold Race 23.04.2014 23.04.2014 La Flèche Wallonne 27.04.2014 27.04.2014 Liège - Bastogne - Liège 29.04.2014 04.05.2014 Tour de Romandie 09.05.2014 01.06.2014 Giro d'Italia08.06.2014 15.06.2014 Critérium du Dauphiné 14.06.2014 22.06.2014 Tour de Suisse 05.07.2014 27.07.2014 Tour de France02.08.2014 02.08.2014 Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian 03.08.2014 09.08.2014 Tour de Pologne 11.08.2014 17.08.2014 Eneco Tour 23.08.2014 14.09.2014 Vuelta a España 24.08.2014 24.08.2014 Vattenfall Cyclassics 31.08.2014 31.08.2014 GP Ouest France - Plouay 12.09.2014 12.09.2014 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 14.09.2014 14.09.2014 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 05.10.2014 05.10.2014 Il Lombardia 10.10.2014 14.10.2014 Tour of Beijing
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2013 12:57:32 GMT
Provided Thomas gets off Sky's standard training program he's a good chance in the classics again.
Think of the GTs the Giro will be the most interesting, the amount of top level riders say they are going for that rather than the Tour is quite startling. Really looking forward to the cobbled classics and Ardennes week.
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Post by Radchenister on Dec 14, 2013 13:25:42 GMT
Although Nibali says he's after the TdF, which would give Froome a run for his money if he (Nibali) has enough in the tank as I presume he at least needs to make some sort of show at the Giro but may get drawn into over cooking himself. Contador may surprise us yet at the TdF but I'd bet more confidently on Nibali if he went for it fully, he's more of an accomplished bike handler than Froome and I'd love to see him fly down the descents, denting Froome a bit, who may have the edge on the ups and TT though? www.cyclingnews.com/news/nibali-confirms-he-will-target-the-tour-de-france-in-2014
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Post by Whitestar1 on Dec 14, 2013 19:27:41 GMT
Provided Thomas gets off Sky's standard training program he's a good chance in the classics again. Think of the GTs the Giro will be the most interesting, the amount of top level riders say they are going for that rather than the Tour is quite startling. Really looking forward to the cobbled classics and Ardennes week. I really don't want to miss that. Is Sky planning to dominate these events next year?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2013 1:10:05 GMT
Provided Thomas gets off Sky's standard training program he's a good chance in the classics again. Think of the GTs the Giro will be the most interesting, the amount of top level riders say they are going for that rather than the Tour is quite startling. Really looking forward to the cobbled classics and Ardennes week. I really don't want to miss that. Is Sky planning to dominate these events next year? More trying to avoid being abject failures again. If they let the one day riders actually train for one day races rather than over train them with GT style prep as they did last year then there are a few Sky riders who could do really well.
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Post by Radchenister on Dec 15, 2013 7:58:15 GMT
He's already out in Majorca with Froome, or at least he was last week.
No team gets to dominate early season - too many variables for even the Sky egg heads to compute, it's not just the training IMO, as you need that anyway, it's more mindset and the way the races sit in the scheme of things.
You could see why they aren't (or weren't?) prioritising the early races, or perhaps more accurately, that they don't fit with Sky's OCD-esque rigidity, as they can be a lottery the 1 day races. You also have the CX boys to contend with; loonies who actually enjoy slippery sliding in the cold, wet and muddy.
Still young though is G, he has a few years to stab at them and as we know with say Paris Roubaix, just surviving is part of winning it. That race is obviously THE one that needs the gods to smile on you more than any other.
I'm half way through David Walsh's book and it does portray Sky as being more adaptive now, after having to shuffle the priorities and roles during the TdF, when at one point Froome looked alone and devoid of a team.
They might loosen up a bit and enjoy the classics but obviously aren't going to drop aiming for a hat-trick in yellow. Depends who on the team is hungry as well though and of course, other teams are upping their game as well.
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Post by Phil on Dec 15, 2013 21:17:02 GMT
I'm really looking forward to the season starting up again, I've missed having it on while I work, not to mention the inspiration it gives me to get out.
Would be great to see G get a chance to properly aim for the Classics, I think he's too important to Sky's Le Tour aspirations though. Looking forward to seeing how Quintana fairs this year in the GT's as well, although not sure how the TdF will suit him though.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2013 21:51:58 GMT
Quintana is most likely being team leader at the Giro with Valverde doing the Tour. Contador probably doing Tour and Vuelta. Porte and Nibali Giro and Tour with Evans to the Giro. Purito probably Giro and Vuelta as well. Of the three GTs the Giro is looking the most interesting for me, apart from Yorkshire and the pave in the Tour anyway.
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Post by Whitestar1 on Dec 17, 2013 10:14:41 GMT
Quintana is most likely being team leader at the Giro with Valverde doing the Tour. Contador probably doing Tour and Vuelta. Porte and Nibali Giro and Tour with Evans to the Giro. Purito probably Giro and Vuelta as well. Of the three GTs the Giro is looking the most interesting for me, apart from Yorkshire and the pave in the Tour anyway. Contador will have a lot to prove for 2014. He did seem to be a little less his usual flair last year.
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Post by Radchenister on Jan 10, 2014 23:18:15 GMT
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Post by Radchenister on Jan 10, 2014 23:23:30 GMT
Peter Sagan's pre TdF calender:
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2014 23:32:27 GMT
Bankers on wheels.
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Post by Radchenister on Jan 10, 2014 23:34:14 GMT
Crossed with Nuns - I think it's 'haute irony chic' !
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