Road Cycling 2021 Discussion Thread

[hckošice 14,822]

  Alvaro Hodeg won stage 1 of the "Okolo Slovenska" 158km around Košice. Local superstar Peter Sagan finished 2nd and Reinart Van Rensburg finished 3rd in the final sprint in Košice. Total mayhem in the city with thousands of fans who came cheering for Peter debuting at the biggest Slovak course in his career. more from todays stage with video to come later

 

 

Another video from yesterdays crazy 1600m long prologue around the main street of my beloved native city

 

 

[heywoodu 15,135]

Not a single win since the 2018 Amstel Gold Race and this week he wins the Giro Della Toscane on Wednesday AND the Coppa Sabatini on Thursday  

https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/michael-valgren-andersen

 

Great shape going towards the world championships, although Colbrelli is a big danger there as well. I know he's riding for Bahrain and so he has a magical year like basically everyone there, but damn, what a shape he has.

[heywoodu 15,135]

And about Slovakia: couldn't see much of the regular stage other than the final 20km or so, but that prologue was awesome! Finally a pro race with a real prologue again, don't see that very often  

[Agger 1,662]

3 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Not a single win since the 2018 Amstel Gold Race and this week he wins the Giro Della Toscane on Wednesday AND the Coppa Sabatini on Thursday  

https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/michael-valgren-andersen

 

Great shape going towards the world championships, although Colbrelli is a big danger there as well. I know he's riding for Bahrain and so he has a magical year like basically everyone there, but damn, what a shape he has.

Man, I can't wait for that Worlds race. More than half our team can be contenders!

[heywoodu 15,135]

Haha, Jannik Steimle of all people beating Sagan in a crazy finish yesterday  

 

Everyone thinking Hodeg would take the win, as would be entirely expected on this stage, but half the lead group crashed in the last corner. Not too heavy, they just went down  

 

Third place for Hodeg, who didn't crash, but was held up for a bit.

[hckošice 14,822]

1 hour ago, heywoodu said:

Haha, Jannik Steimle of all people beating Sagan in a crazy finish yesterday  

 

Everyone thinking Hodeg would take the win, as would be entirely expected on this stage, but half the lead group crashed in the last corner. Not too heavy, they just went down  

 

Third place for Hodeg, who didn't crash, but was held up for a bit.

 

Yep, congrats to Steimle and his deceuninck for the win, however it was not classy and dirty one, Sagan attacking in the last climb but Steimle who somehow joined him but did not help a single time, in the opposite he did everything possible to slow the breakaway...and then won against exhausted Peter on the finish line.

 

Hodeg also super lucky keep his yellow after Cees Bol crashed in the final corner.

 

 

[heywoodu 15,135]

25 minutes ago, hckošice said:

 

Yep, congrats to Steimle and his deceuninck for the win, however it was not classy and dirty one, Sagan attacking in the last climb but Steimle who somehow joined him but did not help a single time, in the opposite he did everything possible to slow the breakaway...and then won against exhausted Peter on the finish line.

Oh come on, not again  

 

As if Sagan never rides tactically. Steimle was logically playing the Hodeg card, as he should. It was Sagan's race to win, so it is entirely normal to let him work for it, one sees that in so many races with so many riders. It's how the sport works. Just like Colbrelli barely did any meter of front work in the European championships against Evenepoel. That's not 'not classy' and definitely not 'dirty', it's tactics. Cycling isn't about going 100% all the time  

 

Anyhow, new chance for Sagan today, the stage seems to be a little harder. Shorter climbs than yesterday, but those of yesterday weren't really hard at all, so the likes of Hodeg could fairly easily make it to the last kilometer in the lead group. Today should be a bit better chance for Sagan, although I'm a little surprised none of the stages seems to be 'made' for him. Even the Tour de France has had (way) more perfect Sagan-stages thoughout the years, but who knows. I hope he gets a win, the fans deserve it.

[heywoodu 15,135]

The Morkov/Hodeg duo kinda screwed up today in Slovakia, so the next level got a chance to fight for the win: it was Kaden Groves beating out Kristoffer Halvorsen. Might be Groves' best win of his career, and it's his second this week after winning the prologue.

 

Edit: Huh, it was the other way around, Halvorsen took the win. That was close  

[hckošice 14,822]

Another disappointing finish...3rd stage, 3rd podium but still no win

 

Kristoffer Halvorsen won todays penultimate stage of "Okolo Slovenska"  193km from Dolný Kubín to Považská Bystrica ahead of Kaden Groves and Peter Sagan 

 

 

 

 

At least the good news is Peter moved to the Yellow after this stage, leading the GC but only 2 seconds in front of Hodeg and 5 seconds ahead of Steimle

 

 

Peter also leading the Point race and Best Slovak rider of the race.

 

 

[heywoodu 15,135]

Former Danish pro Chris Anker Sørensen has died, aged 37  

 

He was hit by a car in Belgium, where he was supposed to be co-commentator for Danish TV for the world championships, starting tomorrow. Great domestique in his career, mostly at CSC/Tinkoff-Saxo.