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2019 Pro Tour

Watching nearly every races via internet and really enjoy it. With the jet lag, it is pretty convenient to follow from Japan, isn't it !

The spring classics have just ended last weekend with Liège-Bastonne-Liège, and I did not miss one. I had a pictures with Robert Gesink, team Jumbo-Visma. taken last year at the Japan Cup and follows him but unfortunately he crashed badly at LBL and will miss the Giro.
New talents are emerging this year. and with the cyclo cross stars not sucking the wheels like Van Der Poel and Van Hart joining the classics. the spring has been really exciting
I think the Tour of Romandie is the latest warming up race for the Giro. Roglic has been really strong and should do well, I hope
Sky will go with its new name Ineos. The jersey looks like the same.
Many teams have change their name/jersey this year and I had difficulties to identify the riders

Sorry, I could write a book about watching pro races, being like an otaku
 
Watching nearly every races via internet and really enjoy it. With the jet lag, it is pretty convenient to follow from Japan, isn't it !

The spring classics have just ended last weekend with Liège-Bastonne-Liège, and I did not miss one. I had a pictures with Robert Gesink, team Jumbo-Visma. taken last year at the Japan Cup and follows him but unfortunately he crashed badly at LBL and will miss the Giro.
New talents are emerging this year. and with the cyclo cross stars not sucking the wheels like Van Der Poel and Van Hart joining the classics. the spring has been really exciting
I think the Tour of Romandie is the latest warming up race for the Giro. Roglic has been really strong and should do well, I hope
Sky will go with its new name Ineos. The jersey looks like the same.
Many teams have change their name/jersey this year and I had difficulties to identify the riders

Sorry, I could write a book about watching pro races, being like an otaku

This was my first year to watch the Spring Classics properly and they were great. As you said, the timing for these European races isn't so bad for Japan (tho they sometimes overlap with the football).

There are a lot of interesting riders now and I like the way everyone goes for it as it makes for more exciting racing. I hope that continues into the Grand Tours this year.

My favourite GT is the Giro so I'm very interested in Romandie (the scenery is also stunning). I heard Roglic is the favourite with the bookmakers. I'm a Sky fan since watching Froome at the Giro last year, so I really want Geraint Thomas to win.
 
Today's prologue seems incredibly short at 3.2km. Seems almost a waste of time. If I remember rightly it was 8km last year.

I was just reading about TT on Wikipedia. I had no idea what Graham Obree did for the sport. Interesting little primer here for the uninitiated like me. The Superman position also interesting and amusing.
 
I guess the biggest news of the TT was Campenaerts' crash. Definitely a shame considering the traction he'd been getting for breaking the hour record. That was a horrible section of the course, including a cobbled climb, and his early start time didn't help. I'm surprised the organizers didn't start him toward the end to build up a bit of drama. Here are the results for the opening day.

Today they go straight into a mountain stage for Stage 1. Maybe five Cat 2 climbs and a total elevation of 2,700m. Max elevation of 1,286m. Should be fun.
 
I guess the biggest news of the TT was Campenaerts' crash. Definitely a shame considering the traction he'd been getting for breaking the hour record. That was a horrible section of the course, including a cobbled climb, and his early start time didn't help. I'm surprised the organizers didn't start him toward the end to build up a bit of drama. Here are the results for the opening day.

Today they go straight into a mountain stage for Stage 1. Maybe five Cat 2 climbs and a total elevation of 2,700m. Max elevation of 1,286m. Should be fun.

Haven't watched it yet but Alex Dowsett described it as "mad".

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He's a good honest athlete to follow on strava.

Andy
 
Good ride from Stefan Kung today. Won from the breakaway with about a minute to spare over the field. Pouring rain for much of the last part of the race and he even had time to grandstand to the crowd before he got into the final straight. Hard as nails that lad.
 
Some beautiful landscapes in Romandie.
As the TV producers and organizers changed their way to broadcast events compare to the old days. this has made me wanting to visit some places. Romandie is added on the list now.
After watching the Tour de France mountain stages and see some beautiful landscapes I visited the Puy Mary in the Massif Central, in 2016, and last year, the famous Tourmalet and Aspin area, in the Pyrénées. Both are not too far from my hometown but I never went before. I wish I had a bike to climb the Tourmalet. So many cyclists up there.
On my agenda is the Yorkshire, Tyrol and Dolomites.
Tour de France stages in Yorkshire were incredible to watch. Huge success and beautiful landscapes.
 
@Elzico2012

My mate lives in the Basque Region of Spain and has just started cycling this year. He's hoping to get in some nice rides in the Pyrennees in the summer. I'm sure it will be amazing.

I haven't been cycling in Yorkshire but I've been climbing there and it's lovely. They do a sportive to coincide with the Tour de Yorkshire, which looks pretty fun.

My favourite race is the Giro so the Dolomites would be high up my list cycling destinations to visit too.
 
I watched the last hour or two of Romandie last night but it was pretty boring compared to the Stage 2 (result here if interested). I still haven't learned to love the bunch sprints at the end.

Nasty rain to start the Tour de Yorkshire (not unsurprising given the time of year). I'd like Cavendish to get a stage win this week but I guess he didn't fancy it today. It did look kind of sketchy at the end as there were pools of standing water everywhere. It's frightening the risks they take in those sprints.
 
I watched the last hour or two of Romandie last night but it was pretty boring compared to the Stage 2 (result here if interested). I still haven't learned to love the bunch sprints at the end.

Nasty rain to start the Tour de Yorkshire (not unsurprising given the time of year). I'd like Cavendish to get a stage win this week but I guess he didn't fancy it today. It did look kind of sketchy at the end as there were pools of standing water everywhere. It's frightening the risks they take in those sprints.

A good analysis of Cavendish's form and state of mind here.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features...ng-mark-cavendishs-tour-de-yorkshire-sprints/

Sprinting is a daredevil's game that can be hard to get your head into. MC's comments at the end reflect that.

If you are interested in the writer formerly known as Robert Millar, this is a great documentary.



Andy
 
A good analysis of Cavendish's form and state of mind here.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features...ng-mark-cavendishs-tour-de-yorkshire-sprints/

Sprinting is a daredevil's game that can be hard to get your head into. MC's comments at the end reflect that.

If you are interested in the writer formerly known as Robert Millar, this is a great documentary.



Andy

Another great vid, Andy! I've got about half way through but I'll watch the rest after tea. Really makes me wander to go for a ride.
 
That was great @andywood. I'd heard Bradley Wiggins talk about Millar a few times in his 'A Year in Yellow' doc and on the podcast he does with Eurosport so it was interesting to fill in some of the blanks.
 
I don't know much. But hours riding the rollers in the winter mean I'm the Barry Norman of cycling videos!

I don't wish to overload you but in the days when there were only 3 Star Wars, there was only one Stars and Water Carriers!

You might skip tea for this one!

Andy

 
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