Watching the peloton - Professional Road Racing thread 2026

[Jeremy McCreary]

yes I was careful not to give the stage winner!

As in previous race threads, I think the rules should be:

o Feel free to discuss race results at any time.

o Don't come here till you're ready to see them.

 

[stompandgo]

I've got no problem with that. Just because some of us haven't watched the race yet shouldn't prevent discussion.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Just started the Stage 3 replay. According to the commentator, Sweeney said that he was doing 600W when Vine just rode away uphill on his final attack for the Stage 2 win.

Yet, if you saw Vine on the street and didn't know who he was, world-class athlete would never cross your mind.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Psychology question
Riders are smiling and chatting away, looking very relaxed, during Stage 3's long 30-minute controlled start. Yet every single one of them has hours of suffering and severe mental stress ahead.

Mentally, how important are these chances to calm down and socialize ahead of the melee?

 

[stompandgo]

I can only talk about my experience as an elite amateur. Calm only came after I crossed the finish line. Friendly chat during staging, when we are all stationary, was just fine. Neutral starts or parade laps can be as dangerous as the race itself, so I stayed focused. Once the officials gave instructions, it was game on. I also never focused on the suffering and mental stress before it was happening.

 

[BlackHand]

Just started the Stage 3 replay. According to the commentator, Sweeney said that he was doing 600W when Vine just rode away uphill on his final attack for the Stage 2 win.

Yet, if you saw Vine on the street and didn't know who he was, world-class athlete would never cross your mind.

Yeah, I woke up at 5:45 this morning and put stage 3 on while doing housework. I guess I'm used to watching bike races at weird times...

 

[stompandgo]

Just started the Stage 3 replay. According to the commentator, Sweeney said that he was doing 600W when Vine just rode away uphill on his final attack for the Stage 2 win.

Yet, if you saw Vine on the street and didn't know who he was, world-class athlete would never cross your mind.

It was only a matter of time before the Grand Tour riders took over. Jay Vine, the only thing about him that would surprise me would be him winning a bunch sprint. His performance in last year's TdF was beyond belief. Day after day after day in the mountains he got to the front and ground the field to a pulp. If Luke Plapp had at least one other rider as capable as him in the break today, he would have had a good chance to win the stage and potentially take the leader's jersey. He wound up cooking off both of the other riders. Finally, has anyone seen Ben O'Connor?