One day provided all of the answers to the question of "why do you watch bike racing?"
Firstly, Lizzie Deignan attacks on the iconic La Redoute climb and holds on to win. Her attack was vicious and the ensuing 30km ride into the finish looked incredibly controlled. Brilliant.
Then in the men's race a small group, containing the winner of the Tour (Pogacar), the World Champion (Alaphillippe), the breakout rider of the Tour (Hirshi) and the unluckiest rider in the Tour (Roglic), went away in the final 10km.
Alaphillippe opens up the sprint, but swings from right to left, hitting Hirshi and forcing the Swiss rider to unclip which also hampers Pogacar's sprint. Alaphllippe continues and celebrates his first win in the rainbow bands. But wait, he hadn't spotted Roglic sneaking up on his right. As Alaphillippe holds his hands in the air the Slovenian steals the win, going a little way to improving his year after losing the Tour on the penultimate day.
In the end, Alaphillippe was relegated for his dodgy sprinting, capping what was a dramatic day of racing.
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I always find this a really weird discussion.
I have never particularly been a football fan, but have a long standing love of ice hockey and the many incarnations of my local team, and in both those sports you are considered, to some extent, "not a real fan" if you don't wear the shirt.
By contrast, in cycling, wearing the shirt seems to mark you out as not a real fan.
I will just carry on wearing my replica Molteni shirt and hang the consequences ...
Cycling has traditionally attracted a different kind of fandom, where individual riders are admired, even revered, rather than undying loyalty to a team as an entity.
The 'full pro kit wanker' thing is (I think) a relatively recent expression of snobbery. In the UK at least it may be a reaction to the success of Team Sky and an explosion of interest in pro cycling and the growth of MAMILs in the UK cycling scene (which is why leisure cycling has been described as "the new golf"). Previously, only weirdos rode bikes after they turned 18 and only serious weirdos wore lycra.
Perhaps the popularity of The Velominati 'rules', which started as comedy, has given some snobby types an excuse to claim some form of higher ground.
My view is, simply: wear what you like. If it's Molteni, EF, Decathlon or an obscure French club you discovered while on holiday is really no-one else's business. But one recommendation: no white shorts.
Anna Holligan - looks like an Urban Arrow she's riding. Brilliant.
Anna Hooligan ?!
Is the sub ed job still open ?
It hasn't been my best day for typos...
Thats not the worst crash I have seen by a long way but plently of potential for him to have hit that curb and broke something.
The second video shows no curb but just starigth down. The wobble didn't help as it turned some of the forward momentum into sideways momentum so a bit more force directly to the hip. I suspect a small fracture or just badly bruised bone but awful for a cyclist about to start 3 weeks racing.
He certainly went down hard enough to injure himself.
Ben Foster is a cyclist who'd make a good footballer!
That EF kit, it's fucking awful!
That EF Palace kit is the only pro team kit that I find interesting and would buy. Doesn't look like its on sale until the 9th though.
Available exclusively to rapha CC members today, general punters on friday
According to the Rapha website, not available until friday for members:
"To give our members the best possible chance of securing a piece of the switch-out kit, the Rapha Cycling Club has managed to secure a very limited run of team edition race clothing and casualwear. Members will have exclusive early access from Friday, 9th October. Stay tuned for more information."
Oops, my bad, didn't read it properly!
I love that EF Palace Kit, I want that EF Palace kit. The problem is I've scoffed at full pro-kit w@*kers, and Central London Rapha w@*kers before. Wearing it would involve being both (minus the Central London bit).
Maybe I'll just frame it and hang it on the wall instead!
You judge people on what they choose to wear? Are you 12?
Seriously? No. Bit of light hearted joking about 'the rules'? Occasionally. Do I actually care in the slightest? No.
light hearted joking about 'the rules' is fair play and should be encouraged, apologies
No worries
Generally, team kit is one of the few of the 'rules' I agree with, but I do find myself surprisingly tempted by the EF kit. (Mainly, I confess, because I'm a Crystal Palace fan.) I suspect the price will make me see sense, though.
Steve are you going to be Palace's biggest signing today?
Big Sam signed me back in 2017
Is there a statute of limitations? I have several team jerseys from the 1960s/70s which was when I first started following pro cycling.
Nope, it's all bollox. My last team kit bought was the Aqua Blue Sport. Lucky golden shamrock and all. Very smart.
Vintage is fine, obviously 👍
Whats the cut off for 'vintage'? If I were to wear it after the Giro when EF have gone back to the usual pink, does that make it not current and the acceptable?
I fear that what was supposed to just be a light hearted comment is at risk of dragging me into the murky world of internet debate, so I shall withdraw gracefully 😉
As soon as it's no longer 'current' kit then you can wear it within the rules IMO.
In fact, I think we should all get over that rule and start buying more kit to support our favourite riders/teams.