Cycling

[Baz]

That breakaway group looks too far ahead to me, 30+ of them, and only GB working in the peloton. 1min looks a long way away.

[Paul]

Very nervous now

Wiggins is taking it on now - go Bradley

[Paul]

Big crash

Should give GB a chance to catch up

Cancellara down and now out

[Baz]

Can't beleive there's only occasional time checks. The crash happened 5 mins ago, and still no time check.

10km left and still 1min back, GB are out of it.

[Baz]

Feel really sorry for the GB guys. the lack of effort from the other teams in the peloton, plus the mistake of allowing the group to attack and break away on the last circuit of Box Hill has really cost them.

Great win for the Kazaks. Awful coverage on TV, who decided to cut away from the leaders with 400m to go?

[Paul]

Time trial apart this was the only event I cared about so very disappointed with the result but a good race to watch.

Like Baz I know it was the lack of help from Germany in particular that made the difference. Surprising none of the sprint teams were prepared to have a real go at.

I think GB should have sent Froome out with the breakaway. It would have confused things, could have helped to control that group or even set Froome up with a medal chance.

[den]

Agreed that the refusal by other countries to take on some of the workload cost the Brits, but I also wonder, because they had no radios, whether the Brits were always aware of the size of the lead.

It's easy from here though!

Edited July 28, 2012 by den

[Paul]

I've read people wondering about the radios thing and lack of other information which is standard in pro cycling. It probably does make a big difference but if wheeled out now would sound like excuses.

It was the same for every rider and they are all very serious pros so there can be no excuses. If the radios made such a difference the tactics should have been adapted to allow for it.

[den]

I've read people wondering about the radios thing and lack of other information which is standard in pro cycling. It probably does make a big difference but if wheeled out now would sound like excuses.

It was the same for every rider and they are all very serious pros so there can be no excuses. [/b]If the radios made such a difference the tactics should have been adapted to allow for it[/b].

That's what I was getting at Paul. Getting Cavendish through is fine and has worked before, but surely if the leaders are getting into an uncatcheable position, then the tactics have to be changed.

One question for you, when todays tactics of getting Cav through have been successful, have the team had the advantage of Radios? I don't know the answer to that.

[Paul]

I can't say when team radios were introduced but all pro riders will be in touch with their team manager and support crew throughout a pro race.

Every rider has an earpiece these days.

There has been some form of communication between riders and cars for decades. Even if it was just a bit of card held up with times on - which appeared to happen today.

Riders will have every scrap of information available and to give an example last Sunday Wiggins was given a clear instruction on the lines of "go now" one kilometre out to lead Cav to the line.

The information will contribute to managing the breakaways and keeping pace with them but once a sprinter is delivered to the front it comes down to his ability to accelerate out of the peloton which is riding at perhaps 50-60kph having ridden 150-200km!!!

Edited July 28, 2012 by Paul

[Baz]

That's what I was getting at Paul. Getting Cavendish through is fine and has worked before, but surely if the leaders are getting into an uncatcheable position, then the tactics have to be changed.

One question for you, when todays tactics of getting Cav through have been successful, have the team had the advantage of Radios? I don't know the answer to that.

I think they have, but more importantly I think in the world championships they had 8 members not 5, that would really have helped, as would some effort by some of the other teams too. In the end it was 32 in the breakaway vs 4 for GB pushing the peloton along. If a GB mistake was made, it was allowing so many riders to jump clear on the final assent. Paul is right maybe allowing Froome to go across the gap may have changed things, but hindsight is a wonderful thing, and they stuck to the plan that has won them the TDF and the world champs.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

How did a group of people riding bikes become such a complicated sport/event ? I know nothing about cycling but what I've seen so far doesn't make me want take any further interest in the event.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

How did a group of people riding bikes become such a complicated sport/event ? I know nothing about cycling but what I've seen so far doesn't make me want take any further interest in the event.

It's just tactics...most sports have them.....I'd find it boring if it was just a matter of who can ride the fastest as normally you could just predict the top 10......the more you get into it, the better cycling becomes.....and we're good at it.

[Paul]

How did a group of people riding bikes become such a complicated sport/event ? I know nothing about cycling but what I've seen so far doesn't make me want take any further interest in the event.

For the vast majority cycling is simply about enjoying riding in whatever style suits the individual. You're right pro cycling has evolved into a complicated event often with individual prizes for time-trialers, sprinters, climbers etc all taking place within the same race. It isn't as complicated as it sounds and if you look around on Google for an explanation of how the TDF works this will give you a good grounding as to how every major cycle road race is constructed. It's not unusual for people not to understand a sport and find the apparent complexity a turn off. I don't understand the rules of rugby and so rarely watch a game.

I've tried to find you a link but can't so using the TDF as a basis:

Yellow jersey worn by the rider with the lowest cumulative ride time at the end of each day's racing. This is the "general classification" often called the GC.

Green jersey is for the rider who accumulates the highest total of points in the race. Points are awarded at the end of each stage for 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. plus there can be intermediate sprints. Generally, but not necessarily, the green jersey is won by sprinters

Polka dot, King of the Mountains, jersey is worn by the rider who gains the highest points total on the designated climbs. Not all climbs carry points.

White jersey is for best young rider

Other than the above all teams wear their own colours except for the "rainbow" shirt which the current world champion gets to wear in the TDF.

The other are is the time-trial which I guess is self-explanatory

The very, very basic tactics are for the team to work to get their best rider(s) in to a winning position for the GC, green jersey etc. By following the rider in front you gain / save around 30-35% of your energy which is then needed towards the end of the day. The best riders follow team mates to allow them to rest for as long as possible. So in the case of Cavendish he will follow all day doing the minimum of work before being "launched" into the sprint, often from behind Wiggins, to race the last 200-300 metres. In the same fashion Froome protected Wiggins in the GC.

Tactically teams will often work together through the day and then race over the last few kilometres. Wthout this cooperation the riders would struggle badly to complete day after day of a stage race. (This is what happened to GB on Saturday) When attacking each other riders are often looking to tire the opposition by forcing them to ride harder than they wish. If a breakaway occurs leaving your best man behind a team mate will head off to catch the breakaway and attempt to slow the group down by disrupting the rhythm etc. alolowing his man to catch up. There's a lot more to it but those are some very basic tactics.

The other thing that can cause confusion is at the end of the stage all riders finishing within a certain time limit of the stage winner are awarded the same time. So if the 1st, 2nd and 3rd riders in any particular day's stage have no chance of winning overall you will often find the actual race leaders being careful to stay close to each other and finish within the time limit, thus the race leaders do not lose time over their opponents. In the TDF this year for example, for a while Wiggins was careful to at least equal or better Cadell Evans times as Evans was one of the main threats to Wiggins. It is actually possible to win the TDF without winning a stage.

As regards radios etc. this is nothing other than teams looking to gain every advantage they can as happens in every professional sport. This year the Sky team used "power meters" in the TDF. The idea is for the rider to be able to monitor and maintain his own individual power output - there's some theory or other about power output measured in watts or something being the best gauge of overall performance, I don't even begin to understand this. The idea though is the rider should maintain a constant power output matched to his ability thoughout the day as opposed to working at his limit for a period and then needing a rest. No doubt all the riders will have them next year. Most amateurs have a small computer that monitors their cadence, the revolutions per minute of the pedals. The majority will try to ride at around 75-90 rpm, I ride at 85-90 on a constant basis

Edited July 30, 2012 by Paul

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Sincere thanks for taking the time to write that Paul. If I'd have read that before the Tour De France I would have understood a lot more than I did. I love watching the TGF, as a spectacle it's hard to beat, but the actual racing strategies have left me scratching my head. As for the races in the velodrome, WTF are they all about.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Paul]

Sincere thanks for taking the time to write that Paul. If I'd have read that before the Tour De France I would have understood a lot more than I did. I love watching the TGF, as a spectacle it's hard to beat, but the actual racing strategies have left me scratching my head. As for the races in the velodrome, WTF are they all about.

You're welcome. Ahead of the TDF each year on Channel 4 / ITV4, depending on who has the broadcast rights, there is a usually an item on their respective websites eplaining the finer points. Once you have grasped the basics listen very carefully to the commentators, these guys are very, very good and give plenty of explanations as to what is happening in the general commentary.

I regard the Velodrome as one of life's mysteries......................not a clue!!

Edited July 30, 2012 by Paul

[Paul]

I'm off to cycle the Way of the Roses from Wednesday next week which runs from Morecambe to Bridlington via Settle, Pateley Bridge, Ripon, York and Driffield. As I've already ridden the Morecambe to Settle area on many occassions I plan to pick up the route in Gargrave, overnight in York, overnight in Bridlington and then head home. May have to catch a train home from York on the return as I really want to get to the Shabby Singh meeting and have the feeling this is a four day rather than three day trip.

Anyone done this route? Comments would be good.

[Audax]

I agree, Paul's posts are illuminating, I've taken the time to read quite a bit on cycling, Tour de France books but have never understood some of the deeper nuances of the sport.

On another note, I know they have these MS charity rides. I never knew anyone with MS until about a week ago. Now the topic has me a bit interested if I ever find the extra time to go on one of those bike rides for fighting MS.

[colin]

The illegitimates took the bikes. The only night in about 5 years that my daughter's bike hasn't been locked to the inside of the shed (in such a way that demolishing the shed would be the only way out) and my bike was locked to hers.

The two bikes were still locked together with an Abus lock and they couldn't break it so I found both of them in the alleyway the next morning, daughter's slightly damaged and repairable & mine written off. £5 at the local metal fabrication shop to get an angle grinder to go through the Abus lock like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Anyway hers is now repaired and looking good and I've got mysef a Revolution Trailfinder which will do just fine for my usual comute & occasional foray into the Cheshire countryside. I've been "playing out" on it today. Oooh what fun! I'll have to replace the saddle with the comfy one from my other bike though or my Nobby Stiles will be back with a vengeance

[adopted scouser]

The illegitimates took the bikes. The only night in about 5 years that my daughter's bike hasn't been locked to the inside of the shed (in such a way that demolishing the shed would be the only way out) and my bike was locked to hers.

The two bikes were still locked together with an Abus lock and they couldn't break it so I found both of them in the alleyway the next morning, daughter's slightly damaged and repairable & mine written off. £5 at the local metal fabrication shop to get an angle grinder to go through the Abus lock like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Anyway hers is now repaired and looking good and I've got mysef a Revolution Trailfinder which will do just fine for my usual comute & occasional foray into the Cheshire countryside. I've been "playing out" on it today. Oooh what fun! I'll have to replace the saddle with the comfy one from my other bike though or my Nobby Stiles will be back with a vengeance

Garden sheds always were easy targets for burglary. Bring them inside in future, then invest in a pit bull terrier with brain damage and turn your shed into a kennel, leave the door open half an inch.

[Paul]

The illegitimates took the bikes. The only night in about 5 years that my daughter's bike hasn't been locked to the inside of the shed (in such a way that demolishing the shed would be the only way out) and my bike was locked to hers.

Do you have a floor anchor in the shed? Piece of concrete sunk in the floor with a floor anchor bolted into it? I have one on my garage wall though it's never been tested!

[colin]

Do you have a floor anchor in the shed? Piece of concrete sunk in the floor with a floor anchor bolted into it? I have one on my garage wall though it's never been tested!

Paul, Not quite as good as that. I've a piece of 3" x 3" wood running inside the shed, screwed into the main frame with 6" screws. The daugher's bike is locked to that with two decent locks and mine is now locked to hers with a Trelock with an armoured cable through all the wheels. I hope that does the job. The blighters should now have to demolish the shed to get the bikes out. As I said, it was just about the only evening in the past five years that they could have nicked both bikes.

"then invest in a pit bull terrier with brain damage and turn your shed into a kennel, leave the door open half an inch."

Thanks for the suggestion AS. After careful consideration of your suggestion - which was most appreciated - I have decided that "a brain-damaged pit bull terrier" is perhaps not the best solution for me given my personal circumstances. Does that deserve a smiley? I think it does, so just for you

[Audax]

I'm currently going through the book "Pedalare, Pedalare" by John Foot. John Foot also wrote a book on the history of Italian football, "Calcio, Winning at all costs" but Pedalare, a history of Italian cycling let me just say I think is an excellent book and one of the best books I have read on Cycling and I've read a number including your how to improve cycling-type books as well as nautrally bike maintenance and repair.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedalare-John-Foot/dp/1408822199

Slaying the Badger is suppose to be a very good pro road racing book about Bernard Hinault. Haven't read that, read a book on Coppi, Fallen Angel, not my favourite cyclist but definitely very interesting. There is a new book on Bartali (said Barta-LEE) called "Road to Valour" I heard a radio show on. It's about Bartali saving people during World War II, honestly.

[Audax]

I wish sometimes that the Cycling Culture was the way it was before World War II and TV:

The glory days of Claud Butler, as with many other lightweight marques, were the mid-to-late thirties and the immediate post-war period. This was a time when club cycling boomed in Britain and every town across the land had at least one active cycling club offering a full range of sporting, leisure and social activities.

http://www.classicli...laudbutler.html

Weekend club rides, a social community, I think it use to be a big deal. they really depended on the bicycle a lot.

Edited August 7, 2012 by Audax

[colin]

This may be of interest.

http://prestonguild2012.com/guild-wheel