Watching the peloton - Professional Road Racing thread 2026

[Rás Cnoic]

Just finished AlUla Stage 5/5. Glad to see Pidcock get a GC win. *

The Tour's striking desert mountain scenery reminded me a bit of Death Valley in the US. Now I'm going to have to look up the geology.

As many have noted, getting to ogle beautiful scenery is one of the best things about watching pro cycling. And wanting to show off what they've got, race hosts tend to pick some pretty juicy settings. Win-win.

* Sorry, that was 2025.

Yes I love the Saudi desert scenery in this race, the Empty Quarter. Very Lawrence of Arabia.

 

[BlackHand]

As many have noted, getting to ogle beautiful scenery is one of the best things about watching pro cycling. And wanting to show off what they've got, race hosts tend to pick some pretty juicy settings. Win-win.

Just finished watching the last of the Mallorca Challenges. Beautiful scenery there too, though I bet the peloton was tired of looking at Remco's backside by the end.

Early indications are that Red Bull is going to be tough this year. I think their challenge might be trying to spread the wealth to keep everyone happy and healthy. Evenepoel, Lipowitz, Roglic, Pellizzari -

Plus Hindley, Tratnik, Fisher-Black and more to support them.

I wonder if the golden cassette and chain makes Remco faster

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

That's the point of the Irish Tricolour flag; Green (Nationalists) Orange (Unionist) and White being peace between the two. Designed by Thomas Francis Meager, leader of Young Ireland, the revolutionary group in 1848 (Or apparently gifted to him by a group of French women from the 1848 Paris Commune, sympathetic to Ireland's plight.)

Incidentally Meagher had an extraordinary life. Captured by the British after the failed 1848 insurrection he was sentenced to be executed but all the failed rebellion leaders were instead transported and imprisoned in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in the hellish prison for Irish revolutionaries. He escaped and made it to New York where he later became a Union General in the US Civil War, first with the Irish emigrants in the New York Militia (The Fighting 69th) then forming The Irish Brigade which suffered huge loses at Anietam and Fredricksburg. After the war he was made Governor of Montana territory and then drowned, or was murdered by Montana political rivals while crossing a river, nobody knows for sure which it was.

What a life!

View attachment 205393

What a life, indeed! Fit for the big screen — or least a TV miniseries. Have there been any films about or inspired by him?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Really like the solo commentator on the official AlUla Tour extended highlights on YouTube. For example,

Way with words but always crystal clear, relaxed delivery, insightful, very educational. Hope to hear him call more races.

When you think about it, an interesting job requiring a very special skill set on top of a vast knowledge of contemporary cycling.