Piddie poo had a tire issue, but also had to pass 50+ riders. Best rider won today, for sure. Love that Nino won on the final downhill.I guess you need to eat your words now.
Thankfully the dirt roadies won over the roadie.
Les Gets 2022 - World Champs!
- Thread starter slyfink
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Dude has THE strongest mental game. Just thrives under pressure. Amazing performance.
Also - hope Finn is ok.
Also - hope Finn is ok.
To be fair, the bike setup is doing something for him, otherwise they wouldn't put so much effort into the system (and into concealing it). You need the whole picture to be at the top and to stay at the top these days.
Equipment, setup and data are a big part of downhill now. Or, always have been - ask those other fast French guys, Vouilloz and Barel.
But did you see how Pidcock didn't make that one corner twice that nobody else in the race seem to have trouble with?
Just good to see that a super fit roadie cannot dominate at will. Not taking anything away from his achievements.
I’d describe it to a stranger as two French hams mounted on a steadicam rig, smoothly gliding through space undisturbed while the camera operator almost dies stumbling down a rough mountain path.
I wouldn't call Pidcock a roadie.
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9,218 likes, 72 comments - tompidcock on February 5, 2020: "Finding time for some hobbies I don’t often get to do #steezybro : @rockio2"
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Just watched the race now... Before Pidcocks crash he seemed to be struggling with the pace so originally I'd thought it looked it could have been a mistake due to exhaustion. at the time I also wondered if he also might have a little less upper body strength/stamina to save a mistake compared to guys who race/ride mtb full time and after that he looked to be just hanging on rather than a contender. and then it turns out a soft rear tyre might have been the reason as he sprinted off up the hill again as if he was fresh. The second time he fucked up that corner you could see a look of "Oh FFS" in his face.
and game over for a medal from there.I'd love to have seen how the race might have played out had he not had such a disadvantaged start position and had to put in that superhuman effort just to reach the leaders early on. this isn't from blind pattriotism or Pidcock fanboi perspective. I just think he's the only guy on the circuit with skills and fitness to genuinely match Nino's and close racing is good racing to watch. Definitely "man of the match" if we had such a thing like in football.
Great race but am I the only viewer wishing the old (4X) berm to berm gap on the final descent was somehow an available option for Valero to send and make a hero pass on Nino on the last lap for a sprint finish
Pidcock is an unreal talent on a bike. Cyclocross, mountain, road, even eMtb, he's a threat. He's not quite as thermonuclear as some of the more obvious dopers on the road currently, but he can win when his program and his will enables him to. MVDP is right up there as well, along with Sagan. And some of the Belgians who cross over from road into 'cross come to mind as well.
His win on Alpe d'Huez will be remembered long after people forget who Nino even was.
Edit: Also, agreed on Pidcock's ride being the performance of the race outside the medals.
His win on Alpe d'Huez will be remembered long after people forget who Nino even was.
Edit: Also, agreed on Pidcock's ride being the performance of the race outside the medals.
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Sure you don't say he's a roadie, but is he riding with pads over top of his jeans?I wouldn't call Pidcock a roadie.
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9,218 likes, 72 comments - tompidcock on February 5, 2020: "Finding time for some hobbies I don’t often get to do #steezybro : @rockio2"
Just watched the race now... Before Pidcocks crash he seemed to be struggling with the pace so originally I'd thought it looked it could have been a mistake due to exhaustion. at the time I also wondered if he also might have a little less upper body strength/stamina to save a mistake compared to guys who race/ride mtb full time and after that he looked to be just hanging on rather than a contender. and then it turns out a soft rear tyre might have been the reason as he sprinted off up the hill again as if he was fresh. The second time he fucked up that corner you could see a look of "Oh FFS" in his face.
I'd love to have seen how the race might have played out had he not had such a disadvantaged start position and had to put in that superhuman effort just to reach the leaders early on. this isn't from blind pattriotism or Pidcock fanboi perspective. I just think he's the only guy on the circuit with skills and fitness to genuinely match Nino's and close racing is good racing to watch. Definitely "man of the match" if we had such a thing like in football.
Great race but am I the only viewer wishing the old (4X) berm to berm gap on the final descent was somehow an available option for Valero to send and make a hero pass on Nino on the last lap for a sprint finish
Interesting. Did not look like he had those skills in the race. Maybe exhaustion as you say?I wouldn't call Pidcock a roadie.
ᵀᴼᴹ ᴾᴵᴰᶜᴼᶜᴷ on Instagram: "Finding time for some hobbies I don’t often get to do #steezybro : @rockio2"
9,218 likes, 72 comments - tompidcock on February 5, 2020: "Finding time for some hobbies I don’t often get to do #steezybro : @rockio2"
Just watched the race now... Before Pidcocks crash he seemed to be struggling with the pace so originally I'd thought it looked it could have been a mistake due to exhaustion. at the time I also wondered if he also might have a little less upper body strength/stamina to save a mistake compared to guys who race/ride mtb full time and after that he looked to be just hanging on rather than a contender. and then it turns out a soft rear tyre might have been the reason as he sprinted off up the hill again as if he was fresh. The second time he fucked up that corner you could see a look of "Oh FFS" in his face.
I'd love to have seen how the race might have played out had he not had such a disadvantaged start position and had to put in that superhuman effort just to reach the leaders early on. this isn't from blind pattriotism or Pidcock fanboi perspective. I just think he's the only guy on the circuit with skills and fitness to genuinely match Nino's and close racing is good racing to watch. Definitely "man of the match" if we had such a thing like in football.
Great race but am I the only viewer wishing the old (4X) berm to berm gap on the final descent was somehow an available option for Valero to send and make a hero pass on Nino on the last lap for a sprint finish
I hope you are not suggesting something with "superhuman effort"? Like Lance or Pantani superhuman?
By "superhuman" I was simply making reference to extremely high levels of effort.
I am however not so naive to believe there is no longer "doping" one way or another going on within professional cycling. Clearly not as blatantly brazen as the Lance days
If Pidcock's not on a program, then he wouldn't have won Alpe d'Huez this year against the most doped-up TdF field in decades. Simple as that.
Very few world-class endurance athletes aren't on a PED program.
Sounds like he's ok. I started listening to the post-race Downtime podcast, and Elliott said he checked in on him after the race and that he was fine and planning on being at Val di Sole.
Of course it's early days and the diagnosis/prognosis could change, but here's hoping it stays positive.
: Fingerscrossed:
Looks epic, that being said just watching that makes me feel claustrophobic and panicky. I cannot handle crowds.
It was super crowded!
I didn't make the claim but:
It probably depends on endurance sports definition. My good friend who was in Wada mainly complained about big money sports like Tennis and Road where everyone was trying to skirt the 3 strike rule. Less popular endurance sports like ultra marathons we have no info but if we are talking about road my wada guy claims it's safe to assume everyone is on gear since everyone approaches wada testing like they are
Also on an unrelated topic. DO we need more reason to start a new DH Series? UCI is at it again with some high grade D-Baggery:
I agree equipment setup, testing and data are all the rage at the top level.
Thats my point.
They all do it so there is no advantage for Loic. His suspension does look amazing and probably is. But
He's not a 5x world champion because his data bike is better than Santa Cruz, Canyon or Treks data bike.
Finn has been putting down career best runs back to back on his new Prototype Demo, he has stated it took one run to realize its hands down a faster bike everywhere than the bike Loic won the world champs on.
I forget where he said it, but he wanted to just keep riding something he was already familiar with.
Part of me also wants to say that he was also injured at the time when they offered it, but he didn't want to try coming back on something new and unknown (plus the injury recovery aspect).
Yeah, I'm willing to bet that Loic will spend some offseason time on the proto bike and then consider racing it next season. Finn started the season on the old bike and switched to the new one partly through - that's extremely unusual. These guys are so used to their setup that they notice brakes, stack, etc. being off by just a few tenths of a degree or a few mm. Can you imagine what a totally new bike would feel like to them? Their heads would explode.
Loic did mention in a podcast that he takes a long time to get used to a new bike, ie, he'd want to spend an offseason on board prior to racing.
Its a pet peeve of mine when people throw out PED accusations to anyone who has one extraordinary result. One of the local girls here was in tears after reading some of the shitty comments people were slinging online after she got a surprise win at a National event. Its fucking gutless to sling dirt at people from behind your keyboard. Every armchair sports scientist deciding what they think is within the boundaries of "normal" human performance based on their experience of getting out of breath dragging their arse out of bed after a moderate intensity ride.
Lol whoever issued those fines should be fired. How is that even an infraction?