heywoodu

That's an anticlimactic 24 hour race

Quite some first 7 hours. Third-placed Lamborghini broke down and is out, later the leading Mercedes crashed and is out....and less than an hour ago, the other leading Mercedes crashed as well, out as well. Two of the three leading Audi's had a spin, but stayed on the road, and now there's a red flag due to too heavy rain, which is most likely going to turn the 24 hour race into a 16 hour race, since it's probably not going to be lifted until early daylight

It's not the default thing in men's cycling as it often is in women's cycling Plus in men's cycling there are 100+ riders who can realistically win good races with strong fields, in women's cycling there are maybe 20. I know that has it's reasons, lack of opportunities and so on, but there aren't going to be a whole lot more opportunities when simply a whole lot less people are interested. It works both ways: yes, to make it bigger there needs to be some more support, but to get more support, there needs to be some more interesting racing. A ton of people follow the Tour de France, at least casually if not by watching most stages. Nobody I know watches more than a handful of women's races even if they're shown on TV or live stream. The opportunity to watch is there, but a lot of cycling fans just don't find it interesting enough.

The problem is, you need to have at least some interesting things to offer before getting advertising, television, funding and so on. Women's cycling sometimes does, which is why it's on TV (or live streams) relatively often nowadays, but of course main channels are not going to pour more and more money into something that offers their viewers two hours of basically nothing of any interest.

Luckily there's plenty of other stuff to see Women's races aren't often great, but they are generally a lot better than this

Oh damn, lucky Longo Borghini wasn't sprinting like this in a peloton sprint. Both lucky for everyone close and for herself (cause she'd have lost a medal, which wouldn't be surprising to happen now anyway).

I've seen boring races and I've seen boring races, but holy moly this was a boring race.

Wonderful TV images by the way, as the commentators here put it: "These images are so good, it's unitalian/non-Italian." And as it turns out, the images are done by the guy who did the Tour de France images for 20 years

Van Vleuten going for both silver and the award for ugliest style of the race.

Late attack by Van der Breggen....Van Vleuten did it 65km earlier

Great roof design guys!

They aren't necessarily, but Mavi Garcia has shown all year it's not a great idea to give her a lot of space on a course like this. Anyway, she isn't getting that much after all.

Le Mans is the famous 24 hour race, Nürburgring is the epic one and that one is about to start Warmup lap started almost 20 minutes ago, so they're almost there now Almost a hundred cars (less than usual, but alright), rain, close racing, the Green Hell that's been dubbed Dark Hell because of the lack of fires and such. Here we go!

Letting a group with Mavi Garcia in it take quite a bit of an advantage...sure, what could go wrong!

I saw her and two others getting back on the racetrack but didn't see what happened, puncture I assume?

That is some top-notch journalism

I could just go and rewind the Eurosport Player in search of her, but...yeah, why?

What, Giro Rosa isn't a World Tour race anymore next year Didn't expect that, although it's not really undeserved to be demoted: organization is famously chaotic, the race is famously unsafe and the roads are famously terrible, it's not World Tour worthy at all. I hope it will step up and become an actual professional race, like for example La Course, the Boels Ladies Tour, a race I forgot in Spain and so on.

Oh absolutely Just saying it's only slightly less terrible to have to drop while nearly dying already now, it's at least not a casual pace on the flat

To be fair, this climb is definitely a bit of a bitch.

Well Iceland's representative nearly managed to hold on for 5km. Who knows, maybe next year.

And that wasn't the first crash of the race. Or well, actually it was, since the first crash with 5-10 riders involved happened before the official start

[hide] Men's Singles Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 1 N. Djokovic [1] 3 N. Djokovic [1] 3 N. Djokovic [1] 3 M. Ymer 0 H. Delien 1 R. Berankis 0 R. Berankis 3 D. Galan 0 C. Norrie 1 H. Hurkacz [29] 0 C. Norrie 3 T. Sandgren 1 H. Hurkacz [29] 3 H. Hurkacz [29] 3 C. Garin [20] 3 C. Garin [20] 3 C. Garin [20] 2 P. Kohlschreiber 1 U. Humbert 3 U. Humbert 1 M. Polmans 2 J. Vesely 3 J. Vesely 1 K. Khachanov [15] 3 L. Broady 1 K. Majchrzak 0 K. Khachanov [15] 3 K. Khachanov [15] 3 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 2 R. Bautista Agut [10] 3 R. Bautista Agut [10] 3 R. Bautista Agut [10] 2 R. Gasquet 2 Y. Uchiyama 3 Y. Uchiyama 0 A. Balazs 1 G. Pella 3 G. Pella 1 P. Carreno Busta [17] 3 S. Caruso 0 J. Millman 0 P. Carreno Busta [17] 3 P. Carreno Busta [17] 3 J-L. Struff [30] 3 J-L. Struff [30] 2 F. Lopez 1 F. Tiafoe 2 D. Altmaier 2 F. Lopez 3 F. Lopez 3 L. Harris 1 A. Popyrin 0 M. Berrettini [7] 3 A. Popyrin 3 V. Pospisil 0 M. Berrettini [7] 3 M. Berrettini [7] 3 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 3 D. Medvedev [4] 3 D. Medvedev [4] 3 D. Medvedev [4] 3 M. Fucsovics 0 A. Mannarino 1 A. Ramos-Vinolas 1 A. Ramos-Vinolas 3 Q. Haleys 3 Q. Haleys 2 T. Monteiro 0 M. Giron 1 T. Monteiro 3 T. Monteiro 3 N. Basilashvili [31] 2 D. Lajovic [22] 3 D. Lajovic [22] 3 D. Lajovic [22] 1 G. Mager 0 L. Djere 1 K. Anderson 1 K. Anderson 3 H. Mayot 1 A. Davidovich Fokina 2 A. Rublev [13] 3 A. Davidovich Fokina 3 S. Querrey 2 A. Rublev [13] 3 A. Rublev [13] 3 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 4 D. Shapovalov [9] 3 D. Shapovalov [9] 3 D. Shapovalov [9] 3 G. Simon 1 S. Johnson 2 R. Carballes Baena 1 R. Carballes Baena 3 A. Martin 0 J. Sousa 1 G. Dimitrov [18] 1 J. Sousa 3 G. Barrere 0 G. Dimitrov [18] 3 G. Dimitrov [18] 3 F. Krajinovic [26] 3 F. Krajinovic [26] 3 F. Krajinovic [26] 1 N. Milojevic 1 A. Bedene 3 A. Bedene 1 A. Rinderknech 1 H. Laaksonen 1 P. Cuevas 2 S. Tsitsipas [5] 3 P. Cuevas 3 J. Munar 2 S. Tsitsipas [5] 3 S. Tsitsipas [5] 3 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 5 G. Monfils [8] 3 G. Monfils [8] 3 G. Monfils [8] 3 A. Bublik 0 E. Gomez 0 L. Sonego 2 L. Sonego 3 J. Thompson 3 J. Thompson 1 T. Fritz [27] 1 R. Albot 1 T. Machac 0 T. Fritz [27] 3 T. Fritz [27] 3 B. Coric [24] 3 B. Coric [24] 3 B. Coric [24] 1 N. Gombos 0 J. Rodionov 0 J. Chardy 1 J. Chardy 3 C. Moutet 3 C. Moutet 1 D. Schwartzman [12] 3 L. Giustino 1 M. Kecmanovic 0 D. Schwartzman [12] 3 D. Schwartzman [12] 3 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 6 S. Wawrinka [16] 3 S. Wawrinka [16] 3 S. Wawrinka [16] 3 A. Murray 0 D. Koepfer 3 D. Koepfer 0 A. Hoang 1 H. Gaston 3 H. Gaston 0 F. Auger-Aliassime [19] 1 M. Janvier 1 Y. Nishioka 0 F. Auger-Aliassime [19] 3 F. Auger-Aliassime [19] 3 C. Ruud [28] 3 C. Ruud [28] 3 C. Ruud [28] 0 Y. Sugita 0 T. Paul 0 J. Duckworth 1 J. Duckworth 3 R. Opelka 1 J. Sock 0 D. Thiem [3] 3 J. Sock 3 M. Cilic 1 D. Thiem [3] 3 D. Thiem [3] 3 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 7 A. Zverev [6] 3 A. Zverev [6] 3 A. Zverev [6] 3 D. Novak 0 M. Mmoh 1 P-H. Herbert 1 P-H. Herbert 3 F. Delbonis 3 F. Delbonis 3 F. Delbonis 1 J Londero 0 M. Cecchinato 2 A. de Minaur [25] 2 A. de Minaur [25] 3 B. Paire [23] 3 B. Paire [23] 3 B. Paire [23] 3 S. Kwon 0 F. Coria 3 F. Coria 0 J. Jung 1 B. Bonzi 3 B. Bonzi 0 J. Sinner 2 E. Ruusuvuori 1 J. Sinner 3 J. Sinner 3 D. Goffin [11] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 8 F. Fognini [14] 3 F. Fognini [14] 3 F. Fognini [14] 3 M. Kukushkin 1 P. Martinez 3 P. Martinez 1 A. Vukic 1 S. Korda 0 A. Seppi 3 A. Seppi 1 A. Seppi 3 E. Benchetrit 0 J. Isner [21] 2 J. Isner [21] 3 D. Evans [32] 1 K. Nishikori 3 K. Nishikori 0 K. Nishikori 3 P. Andujar 3 P. Andujar 1 S. Travaglia 1 S. Diez 1 M. Mcdonald 0 R. Nadal [2] 3 M. Mcdonald 3 E. Gerasimov 0 R. Nadal [2] 3 R. Nadal [2] 3 Women's Singles Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 1 S. Halep [1] 2 S. Halep [1] 2 S. Halep [1] 2 S. Sorribes Tormo 0 I. Begu 2 I. Begu 0 J. Teichmann 0 C. Bellis 2 C. Bellis 0 A. Anisimova [25] 0 B. Pera 0 T. Korpatsch 0 A. Anisimova [25] 2 A. Anisimova [25] 2 D. Yastremska [24] 2 D. Yastremska [24] 2 D. Yastremska [24] 1 D. Gavrilova 1 A. Kalinskaya 0 E. Bouchard 1 E. Bouchard 2 B. Hass 0 S-W. Hsieh 1 M. Vondrousova [15] 2 S-W. Hsieh 2 I. Swiatek 1 M. Vondrousova [15] 2 M. Vondrousova [15] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 2 J. Konta [9] 2 J. Konta [9] 1 C. Giorgi 2 C. Gauff 1 C. Giorgi 2 C. Giorgi 2 M. Trevisan 0 K. Rakhimova 0 S. Rogers 0 M. Sakkari [20] 1 S. Rogers 2 A. Tomljanovic 1 M. Sakkari [20] 2 M. Sakkari [20] 2 S. Kuznetsova [28] 2 S. Kuznetsova [28] 2 S. Kuznetsova [28] 0 A. Pavlyuchenkova 1 K. Siniakova 1 L. Davis 1 L. Davis 2 M. Puig 1 S. Errani 1 K. Bertens [5] 2 S. Errani 2 K. Zavatska 0 K. Bertens [5] 2 K. Bertens [5] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 3 E.Svitolina [3] 2 E.Svitolina [3] 2 E.Svitolina [3] 2 V.Gracheva 0 R. Zarazua 0 E. Jacquemot 0 E. Jacquemot 2 A. Blinkova 2 A. Blinkova 1 E. Alexandrova [27] 0 A. Sharma 0 M. Inglis 1 E. Alexandrova [27] 2 E. Alexandrova [27] 2 A. Kontaveit [17] 2 A. Kontaveit [17] 2 A. Kontaveit [17] 2 C. Garcia 1 A. Sasnovich 1 A-L. Friedsam 1 A-L. Friedsam 2 M. Bouzkova 0 K. Kanepi 2 K. Kanepi 1 K. Kanepi 2 M. Gasparyan 1 E. Mertens [16] 1 E. Mertens [16] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 4 V. Azarenka [10] 2 V. Azarenka [10] 2 V. Azarenka [10] 2 D. Kovinic 0 A-K. Schmiedlova 0 V. Williams 1 V. Williams 2 G. Minnen 2 G. Minnen 0 Y. Putintseva [23] 0 N. Podoroska 1 K. Flipkens 1 Y. Putintseva [23] 2 Y. Putintseva [23] 2 B. Strycova [32] 2 B. Strycova [32] 2 B. Strycova [32] 0 V. Lepchenko 1 N. Stojanovic 0 B. Krejcikova 1 B. Krejcikova 2 T. Pironkova 2 T. Pironkova 1 S. Williams [6] 2 A. Petkovic 1 K. Ahn 0 S. Williams [6] 2 S. Williams [6] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 5 A. Sabalenka [8] 2 A. Sabalenka [8] 2 A. Sabalenka [8] 2 J. Pegula 0 D. Kasatkina 2 D. Kasatkina 0 H. Tan 0 N. Hibino 0 M. Kostyuk 2 M. Kostyuk 1 M. Kostyuk 2 Z. Diyas 1 O. Jabeur [30] 1 O. Jabeur [30] 2 J. Brady [21] 2 J. Brady [21] 2 J. Brady [21] 0 C. Tauson 1 M. Niculescu 1 D. Collins 1 D. Collins 2 V. Kuzmova 2 V. Kuzmova 0 G. Muguruza [11] 2 Kr. Pliskova 1 T. Zidansek 0 G. Muguruza [11] 2 G. Muguruza [11] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 6 E. Rybakina [14] 2 E. Rybakina [14] 2 E. Rybakina [14] 2 S. Cirstea 1 F. Ferro 1 H. Watson 0 H. Watson 2 S. Vogele 2 S. Vogele 0 K. Muchova [22] 1 P-M. Tig 0 C. Mchale 1 K. Muchova [22] 2 K. Muchova [22] 2 D. Vekic [26] 2 D. Vekic [26] 2 D. Vekic [26] 1 I. Bara 0 A. Van Uytvanck 0 R. Peterson 0 R. Peterson 2 T. Babos 2 T. Babos 0 S. Kenin [4] 2 A. Bogdan 1 L. Samsonova 0 S. Kenin [4] 2 S. Kenin [4] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 7 P. Kvitova [7] 2 P. Kvitova [7] 2 P. Kvitova [7] 2 O. Dodin 0 A. Bolsova 2 A. Bolsova 0 J. Paolini 0 D. Parry 2 D. Parry 0 M. Linette [31] 1 P. Hercog 0 L. Fernandez 1 M. Linette [31] 2 M. Linette [31] 2 A. Kerber [18] 2 A. Kerber [18] 2 A. Kerber [18] 2 K. Juvan 1 A. Rus 0 C. Burel 0 C. Burel 2 C. Paquet 0 A. Cornet 1 M. Keys [12] 1 A. Cornet 2 S. Zhang 1 M. Keys [12] 2 M. Keys [12] 2 Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32 SECTION 8 P. Martic [13] 2 P. Martic [13] 2 P. Martic [13] 2 M. Doi 1 P. Parmentier 2 P. Parmentier 0 V. Kudermetova 1 L. Siegemund 1 K. Mladenovic 2 K. Mladenovic 0 K. Mladenovic 2 J. Goerges 2 J. Goerges 1 A. Riske [19] 1 S. Stephens [29] 2 S. Stephens [29] 2 S. Stephens [29] 1 V. Diatchenko 0 K. Kozlova 2 K. Kozlova 0 P. Badosa 1 J. Ostapenko 2 J. Ostapenko 1 Ka. Pliskova [2] 2 M. Brengle 1 M. Sherif 0 Ka. Pliskova [2] 2 Ka. Pliskova [2] 2 Winners and Finalists Predictions Men's Singles 1st Pick 2nd Pick 3rd Pick Dominic Thiem Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Women's Singles 1st Pick 2nd Pick 3rd Pick Simona Halep Viktoria Azarenka Serena Williams [/hide]

Astana leading the pack with 13 riders tomorrow Always interesting to see the combinations and see which riders might work for others instead of their national team.