The women’s peloton is pretty close knit. A lot More than the men’s. It’s pretty much the same riders going head to head all through the season and there are less people dipping in and out based on their specialisms like the men. so i don’t think it was lack of respect I think it was just genuinely they didn’t know her, she’s not in the gang, she had no mates rushing over like
Carapaz did. They were probably all shocked like we all were about where that ride came from. The mood on the podium seemed jollier when it had all sunk in for everyone.

Watching it live I thought van vlueten was relieved to salvage silver after everything but watched again and she clearly thought she had won. As confirmed by all the interviews of course. Painful.

Another thing was the finishing gantry in big races normally has lots of data the riders can use about times and positions on and this one didn’t. Perfect storm of lack on info. Also at the last van vleuten would have known she was doing in second.

I’m sure she will get over it but it did seem awkward for the winner after a bit with the big impersonal motor racing space, covid reducing numbers, no crowd, no team mates or huge backroom staff to hug, a rider not a serial winner probably in shock. Last shot Eurosport had of her She just got up and pedaled away from the finish on her own like she’d completed a sportive.

Those big yellow 750ml bottles though 🙈.

They race without them at worlds and I think at nationals. But certainly at the worlds they make a much better fist of relaying info from pits and blackboards on bikes. I didn’t see one blackboard today.

With farage on every night he’ll be on nearly as much as he is on BBC question time.

The gc competition is getting weird now. Ineos are riding on the front like they are in the lead not 5th. And pog is chasing down everyone on the climbs like he’s 5th not 1st and 5 mins ahead. Why’s he chasing O’Connor? He should watch and laugh as 2-6 scrap each other for seconds.

Is there any leniency in the time cut-off for jersey-holders?

It depends. The rules are clear and enforced all the time except sometimes when they are not. I recall He’s come in the past in a massive 80+ group over the time limit and aso had to keep them all in which pissed them off. I think aso will be looking for all the exceptions they can this time round, partly because he seems to be more the story of their race than the gc but partly because there won’t be any sprinters left on the champs at this rate and it’s going to look stupid.

He seems to have living legend status amongst many of the young pros he’s racing against this year so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility the peleton forms a huge auto bus by gentleman’s agreement to get him home. Also not beyond the realms of possibility he climbs off on stage 17 an hour down. Has a big cry. More hugs. Half of QS miss the cut.

Between 70%-90% of farm income is subsidies, even the Nfu aren’t really sure. Even British Leyland did better than that but we have to eat.

Some big lowland arable farms do very well out of this thank you and will have the cars and toys. most upland ones make no financial sense at all but how do you get out? Who do you sell too? What do you do instead? The most profitable crop any farmer will ever have is houses.

Currently subsidies are on the old EU Rules and it’s not really clear what’s coming next as the government are saying different things to different people. One vision is food production gets more commercial and becomes industrialized in a smaller space and the grants are spent spent managing what’s left for nature, recreation etc.

Off the top of my head that’s 3 tours, 2 giros, Flanders, MSR, olympics, suisse couple of smaller races he’s crashed out of. The surprise is anyone is still suprised but yesterday’s was special even for him.

You’re affecting the setting of a listed building. You may need listed building consent. I suspect you will get it if they have previously ok’d the garage but with listed building legislation i wouldn’t be relying on that and I would want it in writing from local authority.

Right wing Nationalism is gloating over what your country never was
Left wing nationalism is being excited by what it could be

Allegedly from folks who’ve asked him on Twitter Jeremy powers is convinced gcn app has the u23s even though they aren’t listed. Hopefully it’s same on Eurosport 🤷‍♂️

Looks like a good course for Van der Poel. If he gets any sort of gap on Van Aert the race is over. Not sure if Pidcock is good enough in the sand to beat Vanthourenhout or Toon Aerts for third.

Pidcock’s ability to peak for last years worlds was astonishing and I always enjoy seeing the drone shot of him riding 6 Belgians off his wheel but I think on flat sand and on current form sweek will get 3rd and possibly worry the top 2 for a while.

Also on Eurosport and probably any number of vpn dodged feeds through cyclingfans or steephill

Ryan kamp looks nailed on for u23 men’s but Britain with a great chance for the rest of the podium – Thomas mein, ben turner plus others.

Womens elite includes Evie Richards, aka worlds jolliest human being, who’s not had a good run in but could sneak on to the podium in a long race

U23 womens wide open IMO a looks like a hard course to call regarding what kind of rider it suits. A number of riders have been showing form in different races but Anna Kay has a has as much a chance as any of top spot.

Excited.

Mines brilliant. An astonishing amount of good quality noise out of such a small box and I also bought it fully understanding it’s apple and Spotify and bbc have never been and still aren’t supported so was not disappointed 😜

Guardian reporting that elected republicans from states and off duty police officers were active parts of the mob yesterday. Openly sharing what they were doing on social media and utterly convinced of the rightness of their cause. That’s tragic and a bit scary.

Overnight developments?

25th invoked,
Pence installed,
Some form of martial law imposed. (Open carry suspended for instance)

Flight and Asylum in North Korea

Kids have been wearing masks here in Bavaria

As they have in lots of other countries, really can’t see why we in the UK can’t bring this in…………

tbf it’s just England. Wales, Scotland and NI got all this sorted in various ways weeks ago and must also be looking on in disbelief as England is still pissing about with this.

Ridley’s measurments are normally consistent across the ranges and over the years it’s just they have always been a size out with the names they give stuff. A Ridley medium is always everyone else’s large. Had a few ridleys but not sat on a kanzo sadly but seen a few in the flesh they are lovely but looking at the chart it’s pretty standard Ridley sizing just go down a size.

I think March time was in the plans but the way things have deteriorated in the last few days I suspect he’s been handed the whisky and the revolver this afternoon.

To be clear I don’t have one 500w effort in me but i understand it’s not the ability to do one which is exceptional it’s the ability to recover very quickly and do 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. in a race situation which sets MVDP apart as a bit of a freak. Others can put out more but not repeat it close together.

Listening to magnus backstedt casually throw his old numbers out in commentary on Eurosport is astonishing. He’d be knackered in the alps but on flatish roads he was doing 500w for 20m and his 3-4 min attacks were 800w or something. 🤯

It’s brilliant he’s doing this and my heart goes out to all those affected.

But please can we not speculate that MND is just another product of sports head injuries or lump it in with dementia. It’s not helpful. It’s a grim grim illness and a real Cinderella illness as it gets little research and no one really knows what causes it. It affects people of all ages and all backgrounds/lifestyles. Some folk get years some very little time. Some never even get their proper diagnosis before they’re gone. They can’t rule out it can be inherited which is also sobering.

I know there are many grim illnesses that get us in the end but please have a read up on MND and please give a bit if you can.

Wow that conservativeswoman article veers everywhere and isn’t even internally consistent. I was waiting for the paragraph that started ‘And another thing!!!

But it’s telling that it seems to spit it’s greatest venom at the start where it seems his greatest crime is that before the last election he might have secretly been a little. Bit. Poor. [the horror]

What do people think that seat angle really is? Might be 77.5 to seatclamp but must be 3-4 degrees slacker at full extension?

Presidents Can only grant federal prosecution immunity apparently. Not state prosecutions. So all the tax dodges New York prosecutors zooming in on are still on I think.

Johnson only works Wednesdays so this will have taken him completely off guard.

Considering Trump is such a complete *****, It doesn’t say much about Biden that he’s only just scraped through.

That impression is easy to get with the circus around not being allowed to count the early votes in many states. Weds morning it looked close but now it settling down it looks like Biden might win it by the same amount trump did over Clinton.

From what I can tell the Republican Party as a whole had a pretty good election at state and local level. Americans still seem to like republican policies. So it’s starting to look like a particularly personal success for Biden and a personal failure for trump. I like that. That’s nice.

Another vote for Planet X. They are warm and the Velcro works. And they they are by far the longest lasting I’ve ever had. Got through endura, sportfull, northwave over the years. Non as good

He has already scored a win calling his ‘party’ reform. You can’t get more petty, reactionary or regressive than his politics. Now he’s dressed his dismal bullshit as some noble progressive cause. If the electoral commission don’t say anything trade descriptions should.

What would the benefit be, is it the water the trees use or because the roots aerate/break the soil up a bit?

Bit of both but mainly the former, if you can reduce the the amount getting There by planting further up and Dry out the spot. Clearly You’re fighting against the fact the topography means the water wants to end up there.

Is the ground saturated or is the top soil compacted from modern Farm machinery working in wet weather? Could reverse the latter with better management overtime.

Can the water be stored Or delayed higher up before it reaches This point? Draining this field will also drain all the nuitrients out of the soil.

If it’s not needed as a field. Can you plant trees to draw up more water?

To think the negotiation prowess on distance lay here is also being put to good use representing us all in Brexit negotiations. 😕

Came here to shout

ALARMA!

But see it’s already been done.

Pack isn’t that bad if you’ve done any kind of group racing.

Grip strength helps

Check your brake lines for air before you go. Air you don’t notice on a UK descent = no brakes after 10 mins in the alps.

As I recall nothing enormous And completely unridable on a hardtail If you are good on one but a full run would be a Really tough gig. Alpdhuez down is pretty groomed But by then you will be knackered from lots and lots of rocks, steps, little drops, and landings you’ll want help To get right. If anything braking grip might be an issue. I think akrigg failed to make it down on a hardtail one year for reference.

Oh and do the linked oz enduro. Almost more fun Than the mega. Old French National downhill track 😍

ALARMA!

Evie Richards is great value. Watched her win the u23 cross nationals year before last. I was stood At the top of the big climb and a good few laps In she comes storming up, I shout ‘go on Evie’ she comes back with ‘oh thank you very much’ 🙈 1) you don’t have to thank me it’s my job – I cheer you pedal 2) how can you even Breathe never mind speak?

I do like a good BMX video.

I was thinking technically impressive, no heart and then 5:25 😍

Shame. But perhaps less so these days the last few years the shop wasn’t up to much.

Strava and endomondo (remember that?) have been around long enough now to give data to upgrade Most of the footpaths In the country I would’ve thought. But we all carry on as we were.

I’d be trying to get the police involved antisocial behavior and local councilor, if it’s going up at the pace you say it is 9 houses won’t be able to get their bins out by next bin day that’s a health hazard.

Don’t think that booths has a cafe.

The mill at st Catherine’s hospice is brilliant it’s not exactly a long way out of Preston though.

Cafe Ambio at astley hall and great house barn at rivi are alright.