You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Boom.
Valvpiti does it..
Great final. Really chuffed for woods to get a medal
#prayforValvpiti
Good race, not a good result. THe BBC commentator stating the Valpiti gets faster the older he gets 🙂
‘He’s got through that on pure emotion’
Aye, emotion...
*shakes head*
Feel like I've had my Sunday nicked off me. 🙁
Would have preferred literally anyone else to have taken that.
He's a cheat.
Don't care about his attacking style or any of that. He's a doper. He doped then, and his current performance gives me no reason to doubt that he's doping now.
Anyone but...
I was hoping (desperately) that Valgren would have stayed clear.. I know all about Astana, and their ethical stance, and was hoping this would springboard Valgren out into another team.. 🤷♂️
Bardet showed up, nice to see him fight for it.🤩
nice to see rider weaving up the climb like us mere mortals.
the result? meh, but exciting.
time to book for Yorkshire then
I was hoping (desperately) that Valgren would have stayed clear.. and was hoping this would springboard Valgren out into another team..
isn't he off to Dimesion Data anyway?
[Mild surprise that the best one day racer in the world is a 38 year old Spaniard...]
🙄
I'd have preferred almost anyone else.
If you think it's hard sitting feeling you've had your afternoon in front of the telly stolen off you just imagine how all but the Spanish riders now feel.
Agree with CFH.
thomas and froome crying off was lame with big tom in the same boat putting in such a sterling performance even after the tt puts them to shame. their Sky first country second attitude is appalling
isn’t he off to Dimesion Data anyway?
🤩👍🕺
I must admit I wanted any of the other 3 to win,anyone but Valverde...
I guess I’m the only one who was chuffed Alejandro won it then.
the same suspicions are around most of the top guys; especially the Sky riders ... but Alejandro took his chances and well deserved it.
so glad the men’s race was better than the women’s. Such a gulf in ability between the women rider it just wasn’t a race.
the same suspicions are around most of the top guys; especially the Sky riders … but Alejandro took his chances and well deserved it.
#inappropriatetimetopeeinacup 😉
Cracking race only spoiled slightly by the insipid BBC commentary (CB excepted). Yes Valverde has a dodgy past but he’ll have been tested a lot this year and particularly after this race. Am curious as to what information the “experts” above have as to how exactly he’s cheating.
Great ride from Woods and would have loved to see him win, and good effort from from Kennaugh (nice interview from him at the end too).
I guess I’m the only one who was chuffed Alejandro won it then.
No your not alone. I'm delighted. Would have loved a Yates to win, or Kennaugh, or Alaphillipe, or Nibali, or...
Well you get the idea, I just like to see a good race.
Too easy to single out and demonize unrepentant dopers IMO.
Shades of grey not black and white.
I guess I’m the only one who was chuffed Alejandro won it then.
I suspect you're right. He's like Marquez in motogp. Great rider but thoroughly unlikeable.
#anyonebutvalverde
Yes Valverde has a dodgy past but he’ll have been tested a lot this year and particularly after this race. Am curious as to what information the “experts” above have as to how exactly he’s cheating.
Valverde's blood doping wasn't found by testing in the first place iirc. Testing as it is doesn't seem to catch all (much?) doping.
We love Romain Bardet in our house,he’s always there or there abouts. Shame.
He looked gutted.
But, but, but, I thought, you know, blood passport and everything, procycling was all cleanz now!
plus, the man has never failed a drug test.... 🤣
tell you what though, he can ride a bike, that’s for sure.
He looked totally in control on that final climb didn't he. I still like him though, he rides with flair. I presume they are all reasonably doped to some degree or other (TUE's anyone?) but I like riders with panache. Valverde has it in spades.
At least it wasn’t moscon. And Valverde did actually do some turns on the font for a change. He seems popular in the peloton. I still don’t like him but I am mellowing over the years. Let’s see how the Movistar kit designers **** this champions jersey up. They don’t have a good record.
Not sure he rides with flair or panache really - pretty much sits in and then outsprints the other climbers
I mean, he's good at it
... but it's all getting a bit Chris Horner
That was such a great race, even if the baddie won.
Great race, fantastic performance from Wood, Bardet was class but Valverde deserved the win. Rode the perfect last 10km or so. Class rider, well liked by his peers, even if the anglophone world hate him for doping as much as everyone else.
worst result possible. most results are easily forgotten but we now have to see him riding round in the jersey all next season.
good shot at it from Pete Kennaugh, be good to see him riding with some motiviation next year.
… but it’s all getting a bit Chris Horner
What at 41 Valverde has come from a modest career to suddenly smash a grand tour.... In one day? Awesome.
I bet he and his minions on his private drug taking paradise island immune from all the drug testing that other pro riders go through must be giving it the high 5's.
Would anyone with any sense or concept of cycling history actually bet their house on any top 10 gc rider being clean.
Personally I would have loved Bardet to do it, and he looked gutted.
As will all cycling results, time will tell who got their preparation right.....
It's hard to take someone seriously when they get basic, verifiable and publically know facts wrong, like Valverde's age. Modest career ? Sudden ? He won the Vuelta ten or so years ago, and has been on the lower steps of the World Champs podium a fair few times. I am not saying he is either clean or dirty, keyboard warriors can never know that, but at least try and get the mundane stuff accurate.
The point
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
you
Personally I would have loved Bardet to do it, and he looked gutted.
He always does. Always the bridesmaid, which is a shame.
I enjoyed it - great course. true sufferfest.
Happy enough with Valerde winning. Top 4 guys are all great athletes & gave us a great show
I appreciate the questionable history of Valverde but there are not many top riders that haven't had the finger pointed at them some time. I (try to) put my faith in the current testing & blood passport regime and just try to enjoy the entertainment
So I am four inches from the point in your estimation. What is the scale? The entire universe ? That makes me more righterer than you can ever possibly express.
Keyboard warriors about Valverde FFS! Go and read about Operation Puerto - ValvPiti was caught bang to rights and only 'protected' by the Spanish judiciary. Vuelta wins were a joke for a number of years - Cobol, Horner amongst other - do nothing all career 'bang' win the Vuelta and then disappear
It’s hard to take someone seriously when they get basic, verifiable and publically know facts wrong, like Valverde’s age.
*Chris Horner* was 41 when he came from *his* modest career to smash a grand tour.
It’s possible that this is relevant to this thread.
Cracking race, but the winner just killed the buzz for me. I loved Kennaugh attacking and was shouting at the TV for someone, anyone to go round Valverde. But alas, it's done, he won.
Thanks @sockpuppet I didn't think I was being too subtle, but perhaps I should have just said I don't think it's accurate to reference Horner and Valvpiti together.
I like the fact that it's perfectly exceptable for me to 'believe' Valvpiti lives on a James Bond bad guy style island, where an army of evil minions keep him ripped to his tits on ped's and he never gets drug tested.... that wasn't even questioned 😂
Some impressive stats from strava
256km, 4600 meters of climbing, 38kph average speed.....
Class ride from Mike Woods!