The plush is available to buy for £25, though I don't know if outside the country. But people from all the World are going to see them and might want them, so you'd think think they'd be able to buy them. It's where I got the picture from. They won't start shipping until 20th November.
Pidcock won with a very controversional change in the rules that was invented yesterday.
There is a rule that top 10 in other cycling classes can particpate.
Yesterday they said that these suddenly have much better starting spots (from row 8 they are promoted to row 3). Thids benefitted vdPoel and Sagan.
But another rule was added, that not just top 10, but top 20 should profit from this.
And so Pidcock got a better starting position.
Otherwise a great champion, I guess he would have won also without this benefit. But this makes me feel like the whole WC has been corrupted. Surely it isn't so. But this is something they should not have done
(and this is not becasue I am greeving because of vdPoel's fall.)
Artem Nych (russian rider of 28 y.o.) is the new leader of Volta a Portugal having 28s advantage over veteran Delio Fernandez.
Tommorrow rest day. Then mountain stages in Thursday and Saturday before final TT. Saturday should be the decision day but Nych seems very strong.
Ricardo wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 20:45
Pidcock won with a very controversional change in the rules that was invented yesterday.
There is a rule that top 10 in other cycling classes can particpate.
Yesterday they said that these suddenly have much better starting spots (from row 8 they are promoted to row 3). Thids benefitted vdPoel and Sagan.
But another rule was added, that not just top 10, but top 20 should profit from this.
And so Pidcock got a better starting position.
Otherwise a great champion, I guess he would have won also without this benefit. But this makes me feel like the whole WC has been corrupted. Surely it isn't so. But this is something they should not have done
(and this is not becasue I am greeving because of vdPoel's fall.)
And now the news that the medical of the sky team and GB during Olympics has been found guilty in dope handling during the successful years. I had hoped that those days were over past Armstrong, but apparently hey continued afterwards still. What can we trust……
Ricardo wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 20:45
Pidcock won with a very controversional change in the rules that was invented yesterday.
There is a rule that top 10 in other cycling classes can particpate.
Yesterday they said that these suddenly have much better starting spots (from row 8 they are promoted to row 3). Thids benefitted vdPoel and Sagan.
But another rule was added, that not just top 10, but top 20 should profit from this.
And so Pidcock got a better starting position.
Otherwise a great champion, I guess he would have won also without this benefit. But this makes me feel like the whole WC has been corrupted. Surely it isn't so. But this is something they should not have done
(and this is not becasue I am greeving because of vdPoel's fall.)
And now the news that the medical of the sky team and GB during Olympics has been found guilty in dope handling during the successful years. I had hoped that those days were over past Armstrong, but apparently hey continued afterwards still. What can we trust……
Wherever there is Mankind, this will still happen, trying to win no matter the cost. In Portugal there was a big scandal with the dominating cycling team, FC Porto, called the Portuguese Sky. Makes sense.
Decisive stage on Volta a Portugal finishing with a hard climb before tomorrow time trial (done at late afternoon/evening).
Yellow jersey has changed in every climb finish.
All seem strong buy seems hard to take time to Stussi. He might extend his lead today. TT might be short (18 km) to recover.
Artem Nych after taking the yellow was not that good. The Euskaltel riders are very regular in every stage.
Frederico Figueiredo (3rd in 2022, 2nd in 2022) has attacked in every mountain stage and will have to do it today but everybody has the eyes on him.
After 1st week this seems to be a race between Evenepoel and Roglic, although its Kuss leading. Jumbo has been impressive and Roglic looking fine in the stage mountains so far. Vingegaard didn't seem here to help Roglic but he is losing time to the duo. João Almeida doing great aiming a top-5 finish.
This week we get high mountain with the Col du Tourmalet on friday and another great mountain stage on saturday. In 3rd week we will have medium mountain.
Vuelta marked by bad weather, the horrific initial team time trial with some teams running on cobble stones, on the rain, on the dark. Then stages shortned due bad weather/bad conditions at arrival and lots of criticism regarding the lack or organization. Not WT level.
rpo.castro wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 22:33Jumbo has been impressive and Roglic looking fine in the stage mountains so far. Vingegaard didn't seem here to help Roglic but he is losing time to the duo.
Likely it was planned by the team: Vingegaard to target the Tour, and Roglic to target the Vuelta.
rpo.castro wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 22:33Jumbo has been impressive and Roglic looking fine in the stage mountains so far. Vingegaard didn't seem here to help Roglic but he is losing time to the duo.
Likely it was planned by the team: Vingegaard to target the Tour, and Roglic to target the Vuelta.
By the team yes but I think in Vingegaard mind was winning 2 Grand Tours in one year. He never helped or worked with Roglic, at least until now.
rpo.castro wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 20:41
Remco Evenepoel lost contact very early in stage. Remco was 60th losing 27.05
Quite an annoying athlete. A very good one but too arrogant and always ready to blame everything and everyone but himself.
Sure he is. And there is always a problem that he can't recover.
João Almeida was with a flu, fever, even took covid test, got behind more or less at same time but keep in his pace, alone. Remco had his teammates pulling him but he went dead.
It was not that jumbo was so impressive, it was just the competition failing… unbelievable.
Vingegaard clearly has his own agenda, while Roglic is thinking about the team and is oké with Kuss winning. Kuss is trying to win the vuelta, sofar he keeps hanging on with 1.5 minutes on both his teammates.
Interesting developments
What will happen if one of them is in an escape group?
Ricardo wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 10:34
It was not that jumbo was so impressive, it was just the competition failing… unbelievable.
Vingegaard clearly has his own agenda, while Roglic is thinking about the team and is oké with Kuss winning. Kuss is trying to win the vuelta, sofar he keeps hanging on with 1.5 minutes on both his teammates.
Interesting developments
What will happen if one of them is in an escape group?
Vingegaard attacked and nobody followed. Kuss responded to all attacks and counter attack leaving all behind. Roglic was steady. This is impressive. Mas did not fail, Ayuso did not fail. Jumbo just destroyed the pack on pace long long before the attacks-superb job by Kellerman.
The Vuelta is dead not. Yesterday it was the day to define the winner, whoever got the red jersey would win. Vingegaard tried but he failed to get even second. Now neither he or Roglic won't attack Kuss or going in a escape.
Only way is if Kuss is bad and gets behind, in that case,Vingegaard and Roglic won't wait for him, but if Kuss stays good the victory is his. Jumbo has strong riders but also has strong leadership, and both Roglic and and Vingegaard had massive help in past Great Tours from their teammates and especially from Kuss. The win for Kuss is deserved and is one that will bond the team and make the team even more stronger to fight for next Grand Tours. So Vingegaard won't attack more. He had a hall pass yesterday, its gone.
rpo.castro wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 10:54Only way is if Kuss is bad and gets behind, in that case,Vingegaard and Roglic won't wait for him, but if Kuss stays good the victory is his. Jumbo has strong riders but also has strong leadership, and both Roglic and and Vingegaard had massive help in past Great Tours from their teammates and especially from Kuss. The win for Kuss is deserved and is one that will bond the team and make the team even more stronger to fight for next Grand Tours. So Vingegaard won't attack more. He had a hall pass yesterday, its gone.
So, if nothing changes, in this season the Jumbo will win: Il Giro with Roglic, Le Tour with Vingegaard, and La Vuelta with Kuss.
This is very remarkable!
