Watching the peloton - Professional Road Racing thread 2026

Jeremy McCreary said:
Is this the same Visma that looked so weak and disorganized in the TdF? Seems like night and day.
Click to expand...
But think about it, in the Tour they had a single aim; get Johannes to the top step of the podium in Paris, once Johannes dropped out all plans changed into chaos. Here, from the get go they are stage hunting, a much simpler proposition, and have the right weapons to do it. In the mountains Kuss i imagine will continue this tactic -unless he feels he has a shot at second, which he does, so that may well complicate tactics later on.
 
Upway Certified Pre-Owned E-Bikes Upway E-Bikes Mobile
Jeremy McCreary said:
Really? Still seems pretty exciting to me, but I don't mind shifting more attention to the podium race.

And I never tire of watching Pogi win.The question just shifts from "will Pogo win?" to "how's he gonna do it this time?"
Click to expand...
Apart from maybe blue ocean sailing having a race over 21 days is so exciting and complex. With no challenger to Pog it loses a whole layer of tension and interest. When 2 or 3 riders are neck and neck everything is elevated. Its not just about the spectacle, it feels really flat when it's only individual stages at stake.
 
Urtopia E-Bikes Urtopia E-Bikes Mobile
Rás Cnoic said:
But think about it, in the Tour they had a single aim; get Johannes to the top step of the podium in Paris, once Johannes dropped out all plans changed into chaos. Here, from the get go they are stage hunting, a much simpler proposition, and have the right weapons to do it. In the mountains Kuss i imagine will continue this tactic -unless he feels he has a shot at second, which he does, so that may well complicate tactics later on.
Click to expand...
LaPorte, Van Aert, and Brennan really change the complexion of the team. Visma might have had a shot at more stages if those first 2 riders weren't late scratches from the Visma squad.

It's nice to see Brennan off to a good start, but we still need to see how he holds up over 3 weeks. He said last year he hopes to get a shot with the 2027 TdF. You have to think if he doesn't completely fall apart here, that he's making a good argument for that so far. I'm sure the organizers are licking their lips at the thought of a young British rider taking one of the opening stages next year.
 
Pro racing seems kinda like Pokémon
Each Pokémon character has a mix of powers, strengths, and weaknesses. You face them off with these more or less fixed traits in mind.

Ditto for pro riders. As I get to know some of their traits, it's fun to guess how they'll act and interact as a race evolves.

No illusions about my odds here. Veteran commentators do this all the time with at best limited success. But that element of surprise is a big part of what makes this sport interesting.

You could say that Tadej takes some of the surprise out the top spot in the GC. But he does add back surprises of his own. As does the race swirling around him.

I'd say we're even.
 
Last edited:
Jeremy McCreary said:
Really? Still seems pretty exciting to me, but I don't mind shifting more attention to the podium race.

And I never tire of watching Pogi win.The question just shifts from "will Pogo win?" to "how's he gonna do it this time?"
Click to expand...
Because you're a Tadej fan. I find him boring and predictable.

That may be because I grew up a Red Sox fan living 40 miles from NYC.
 
Rás Cnoic said:
Apart from maybe blue ocean sailing having a race over 21 days is so exciting and complex. With no challenger to Pog it loses a whole layer of tension and interest. When 2 or 3 riders are neck and neck everything is elevated. Its not just about the spectacle, it feels really flat when it's only individual stages at stake.
Click to expand...
Right. A race is about winning. When the winner is decided 3 days into a 21 day race, it's become officially boring.
 
The MTB worlds started yesterday in Italy. The Men & Women's XCO takes place Sunday afternoon, no official start list yet up on the UCI site. I'm not sure how seeding worked but I'm guessing that's why MVDP competed last weekend to get a good starting position. So I don't know if Pidcock is racing or where he'll start.

In my ignorance of the Workds I did not know that there was an EMTB XC race yesterday. Must see if I can find a clip, be interesting to watch and see the bikes they use. Plus find out about battery regulations, size etc.

www.uci.org

2026 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - XCO/XCR/XCC/E-MTB/DHI

2026 UCI MTB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - XCO/XCR/XCC/E-MTB/DHI - competition hub, schedule, results and live
www.uci.org
 
Rás Cnoic said:
The MTB worlds started yesterday in Italy. The Men & Women's XCO takes place Sunday afternoon, no official start list yet up on the UCI site. I'm not sure how seeding worked but I'm guessing that's why MVDP competed last weekend to get a good starting position. So I don't know if Pidcock is racing or where he'll start.

In my ignorance of the Workds I did not know that there was an EMTB XC race yesterday. Must see if I can find a clip, be interesting to watch and see the bikes they use. Plus find out about battery regulations, size etc.

www.uci.org

2026 UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - XCO/XCR/XCC/E-MTB/DHI

2026 UCI MTB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - XCO/XCR/XCC/E-MTB/DHI - competition hub, schedule, results and live
www.uci.org
Click to expand...
I see five on the start list so far:

Riley
Blevins
Amos
MVDP
Pidcock

There should be more after today's race.
 
2026 Vuelta, Stage 6 is approaching the final Cat 1 climb. This includes a gravel section with gradients of up to 20%!!

Wonder what tires they chose for this largely GC stage? Recall seeing riders in the Strade Bianche spinning their rear wheels (from pedal torque) on slopes much shallower than that.
 
Great stage. Good on Mas, fantastic ride. Local hill knowledge there, always pays. And good for Movistar.

Onley made the rookie mistake that Remco, Seixas and many others have - feeling good, feeling I can stay with Pog - no, no you can't and you blow up losing over a minute. Hard to blame him he looked great then they hit the dirt road (great road btw) Plus, commentators didn't mention it but Onley went into a ravine and could have been killed just 2 months a go, you bet he nursed the brakes all the way down that mountain and who can blame him. It's a sign as well that Ineos would have had a luietenant to navigate the descent with him, in the old days, but they've got no mountain domestiques at that elite level or at least not today.
 
Rás Cnoic said:
then they hit the dirt road (great road btw)
Click to expand...

Looked like the usual "gravel" around here — hardpack with a thin loose layer on top. Thought for sure there'd be some rear wheel slip under power at 20% gradient.

But I never saw a clear example. Would love to see the tires that made this possible. Tadej's looked wider than normal to me but never saw the treads.
 
Jeremy McCreary said:
Looked like the usual "gravel" around here — hardpack with a thin loose layer on top. Thought for sure there'd be some rear wheel slip under power at 20% gradient.

But I never saw a clear example. Would love to see the tires that made this possible. Tadej's looked wider than normal to me but never saw the treads.
Click to expand...
its not much steeper then a few hills in Strade which hit 15-18% and with this being less gravelly then the white roads of Tuscany, it looked better for grip. I heard one of the aussie commentators say Pog had swapped his bike/wheels for knobbles before the climb but didn't get a close look at whether it was a gravel tyre or just normal road. Because Pog is normally on 30mm which on the wide rims is about 32+ he's got a decent set of tyres under him anyway. Though it was funny that after Mas warned him to take the descent slow and he ignored him, he went off half a km further down! He acknowledged it after the stage, pride before a fall...

Good to see a Norge winning today on the their national day of mourning, a 1, 2 actually for Norway & Uno X and always amazing that such a big lad like Van Aert can haul himself up a mountain like that, dropping several mountain goats in process and finish third on the stage. Mas adds a few more seconds to further hold second placce and good ride by Felix Gall. Kuss,

Roglic and Onley locked together but that helps Onley's white jersey hunt.
 
Rás Cnoic said:
its not much steeper then a few hills in Strade which hit 15-18% and with this being less gravelly then the white roads of Tuscany, it looked better for grip.
Click to expand...

Definitely saw some rear wheel slip on those climbs — not a lot, but no doubt more than anybody wanted. So figured there might be some here, too. Especially if riders were reluctant to go too aggressive just for a km of dirt.

Rás Cnoic said:
I heard one of the aussie commentators say Pog had swapped his bike/wheels for knobbles before the climb but didn't get a close look at whether it was a gravel tyre or just normal road. Because Pog is normally on 30mm which on the wide rims is about 32+ he's got a decent set of tyres under him anyway.
Click to expand...

That squares with the tires I saw under Tadej in the dirt.

Rás Cnoic said:
Though it was funny that after Mas warned him to take the descent slow and he ignored him, he went off half a km further down! He acknowledged it after the stage, pride before a fall...

Good to see a Norge winning today on the their national day of mourning, a 1, 2 actually for Norway & Uno X and always amazing that such a big lad like Van Aert can haul himself up a mountain like that, dropping several mountain goats in process and finish third on the stage. Mas adds a few more seconds to further hold second placce and good ride by Felix Gall. Kuss, Roglic and Onley locked together but that helps Onley's white jersey hunt.
Click to expand...

Lots of great racing today. Maybe not for the red jersey, but worth watching nonetheless. Uno X has had quite the season.
 
Pog out. Broken collar bone looks like, fast crash middle of peloton. head bleeding and loads of abrasions so brabably consussed as well. Shocking because you never see Pog crash like this and been taken away in an ambulance. Terrible moment.
 
Sadly, Tadej crashed out of Stage 8 today. Walked to the ambulance with assistance, but lots of skin damage, face included. Tried to get back on his bike, clearly against advice of medical personnel, but immediately thought better of it.

Still not clear what happened, but a piece of debris in the road may have triggered a chain reaction in the peloton. Half a dozen other riders down as well, but most if not all rode off.

Mas inherited the red jersey but refused to wear it on the podium, later saying, "I didn't earn it."
 
Leaves 6 riders in a battle: Mas, Roglic, Gall, Kuss, Onley, and Carapaz at 2,22 back. Loads of mountains ahead and the one TT at I tnink 36km and pretty flat. And of those 6 only Roglic has a decent TT. Mas is a minute ahead but that's not a lot if he's going to stay clear after the time trial. It might even put Skjelmose back in contention with his time T skills, though he's being dropped a lot on the mountains already. Lot of discussion going on and you can bet Roglic is suddenly laser focussed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back