cycling in 2018 & beyond

[HalfSmokes]

playing around with the idea of getting an indoor trainer.  Probably something I just hook up in place of my rear wheel.  Is there something simple?  Saris or Wahoo are at Spokes.  Is there something else that I should look at?  Peleton looks like their basic model is on sale, without the on-line stuff that makes it fun. I'm probably going to be off the roads and trails most of January and February, so I think I need to commit to this.  Do I need the on-line connections to get something out of it (Zwift or whatever)?

I have a kickr core and use trainer road. Zwift is more fun and less geeky, but I watch Netflix while I work out, so I don't need zwift. I love the setup personally. I use my phone to control the trainer and it works well.

This is from last year, but I doubt much has changed. He's a source that I totally trust.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/11/smart-cycle-trainer-recommendations-guide-winter.html/

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I find a desk is Werth it...they can either bolt onto the handlebars or be free standing.

And I am replacing my old TacX with a Wahoo Kickr, I shall report back. 

[HalfSmokes]

I find a desk is Werth it...they can either bolt onto the handlebars or be free standing.

And I am replacing my old TacX with a Wahoo Kickr, I shall report back. 

Desks are key. Also don't cheap out on the fan- you're used to working outdoors with a 20 mph headwind, trying to do a similar workout indoors with no wind is misery

[English Natsie]

You're all making me feel guilty - I was planning to spend the Winter months on more sessions of Chairobics... ('work those cans...').

[Natsinpwc]

You're all making me feel guilty - I was planning to spend the Winter months on more sessions of Chairobics... ('work those cans...').

Hopefully followed by some evening lifting of different cans.

[English Natsie]

The road will continue to decide...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/59730211

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm excited for the team time trial in the Vuelta. I hope Dennis Roglic and Van Aert line up for that. Would like to see Ineos send strong team, too.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Oh man.  I'll bet they can't wait lol 

I'm excited for the team time trial in the Vuelta. I hope Dennis Roglic and Van Aert line up for that. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Oh man.  I'll bet they can't wait lol 

I can't believe I forgot Dumoulin.  literally the podium plus #6 from the mens olympic ITT.  But Ineos could line up Ganna, Thomas, and Castroviejo, plus probably a phenom or two.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

J-V's 2019 Vuelta TTT had a bit of an execution problem, but it sure looked good on paper 

[English Natsie]

That's all we've got....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/59936955

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'd really like to see a healthy Bernal going up against the Slovenians.  If it were Roglic, Pogocar, and Bernal in good form together, it would open things up for others while they watch each other.  Maybe they don't chase Froome and he sneaks in for a 5th. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Is Thomas ruled out for the TdF squad? 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Is Thomas ruled out for the TdF squad? 

I don't think so.  I think he wants to go for Ineos.  At the very least, he would be a backup protected rider in case Bernal doesn't make it out of the cobbles in the first week.  You could easily see Ineos playing the tactic they used in the Vuelta's last road stage, where Bernal was the watched rider but had no legs so Yates attacked

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

The riders all seem to hate this feature, but it's awfully good viewing

in case Bernal doesn't make it out of the cobbles in the first week. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The riders all seem to hate this feature, but it's awfully good viewing

I save a few races on my DVR for reviewing.  I saved 2018 TdF cobbles stage (I think that's the year) when John Degenkolb won it.  It was his biggest victory since being hit by a car with 6 other Giant-Alpecin in training.  I've been a Degenkolb fan for a while, before he won his monuments.  I also may still have Contador's win on the Angliru in his last mountain stage, and this year's 20th Vuelta stage, which was just crazy.  As a Roglic / Kuss fan, I was saving the Lagos de Covadonga stage, but it was 5.5 hours and just took up too much space.

The Roubaix stage is also where Vinnie Nibbles broke up the Sky run of TdFs, so that was great viewing, too.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

The one of Froome running up the Ventoux should probably be watched at least once a year in perpetuity 

[English Natsie]

Grim news...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/60113862

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I heard that Bernal rode into (or under?) a bus at high speed - glad he's alive.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I heard that Bernal rode into (or under?) a bus at high speed - glad he's alive.

damaged the bus, which initial reports said was parked. 

[English Natsie]

Good read...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/60083311

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I heard that Bernal rode into (or under?) a bus at high speed - glad he's alive.

Apparently he was on a time trial bike and in a tucked position, and missed his teammates warnings.

Police interviewed witnesses and confirmed Bernal was riding in a tucked position with other teammates near him. Police said Bernal was riding in a tucked position, and did not react in time to warning cries from his trailing teammates.

Speaking to Colombia radio, ex-pro Santiago Botero, who also crashed this week in an unrelated incident, said he spoke with people familiar with the crash.

“I was talking people close to the incident, and the issue is that he was distracted, so much so that a bus overtook him and passengers managed to get off, ” Botero told Blu Radio. “Also, two other riders were ahead of him, so he wasn’t alone. He did not see, and struck at 40-45kph. The worst thing a cyclist can do is hit against a static object.”

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/explainer-how-did-egan-bernal-crash-in-colombia/?utm_campaign=VNE%20-%20NL&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=202113076&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8DlPTLk_bcXglG4r0fwqq8fi9KSjZ9vBTD0WjV1Q23hNfNLDDBrzKFeNrDT1_WV93WdVjJM-NBom5OeMr-OJlaPkuZPA&utm_content=202113076&utm_source=hs_email

[English Natsie]

First significant pre-season event - plus ca change...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/60536691

[JCA-CrystalCity]

First significant pre-season event - plus ca change...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/60536691

would be kind of embarrassing to drop the Tour of the UAE.   Looked like they sent a lot of the A team - Majka, Almeida.  No McNulty?

[English Natsie]

Fair enough - it is the cycling equivalent of Spring Training, especially in the absence of the Tour Down Under.