Competitive Cycling

[Nickslikk2112]

Yup. Lizard Lips back in Red. They pulled that back well.

UAE take the stage win.

Matteo Sobrero had a nasty crash for Red Bull, lucky not to take more of his team out.

INEOS probably suffer for looking after Bernal. he may be Colombian TT champion, but that's not saying a lot for riding a flast course.

[Thenop]

More or less as expected. It doensn't really bring anything those group TTs do they?
Some prostesters were the most eventful thing to see. And the wind, which caused the later teams to loose time in part 2 of the race.

So, tomorrow, real mountains.

[Nickslikk2112]

Stage win fro Jay Vine from the break.

UAE leadsership is settled - it's Almaide.

Vingegaard cedes the Maillot Rojo to Torstein Træen, could we see a repeat of Ben O'Connor and Roglic?

Good to see James Shaw up in the breakaway - means he isn't flying by me on his training rides if he's in Spain - or Andorra.

And that's just the first Mountain Stage!

[Thenop]

Exciting stage, Træen is nowhere near the rider that could hold on to the red for long, perhaps tomorrow he will already concede.

Heard his story during the stage today:
Was randomly doping tested and received a call from the testers: they found some disturbing blood anomalies and he should call the doctor. Long story short, he had testicular cancer, was operated on a week later and was back on his bike the week after that. Who said doping tests are nonsense? They caught it early which was why he made a full recovery.

Anyway, on today's stage: a very disappointing Ayuso and Vingegaard barely broke a sweat. Vine will go for the polka dot to make it 2 years in a row, and

[Nickslikk2112]

Juan Ayuso's not dead yet. He's getting better!

Good chaotic start today up the longest climb of the Vuelta, then it settled down a bit. Chapeau to Mada Pedersen for getting out in  the breakaway to get the intermediate sprint points.

Træen keeps Red. Could still do a bit of a Ben O'Connor...

[Thenop]

It's clear UAE wants stage wins, and Almeida can sort himself out. Next climbing stage we will see Soler trying.

But a good win for Ayuso, his first Vuelta stage win!

[The Picnic Wasp]

Another Matt Brennan stage win today

And Arnaud de Lie pipped MvdP in the Renewi Tour, all down to bonus seconds on the line.

And Axel Zingle dislocated his shoulder twice, whilst it was being put back in the second time someone ran off with his bike...

They stole his bike? Unbelievable! I thought you were joking at first.

[dom]

Well done Paul Seixas winner of Le Tour de l'Avenir

[Thenop]

Well done Paul Seixas winner of Le Tour de l'Avenir

Sounds like he has a future 

[dom]

Well done Paul Seixas winner of Le Tour de l'Avenir

Sounds like he has a future 

Indeed he won the young rider competition as well so he must barely be out of nappies!

[Nickslikk2112]

Another Matt Brennan stage win today

And Arnaud de Lie pipped MvdP in the Renewi Tour, all down to bonus seconds on the line.

And Axel Zingle dislocated his shoulder twice, whilst it was being put back in the second time someone ran off with his bike...

They stole his bike? Unbelievable! I thought you were joking at first.

Actually they didn't he thought they had, but someone had stuck it in the "Broom Wagon" from whence it was eventually returned.

The whole team had 20 bikes stolen that night by persons unknown.
As did Team Total energies in the Tour Poitou - Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine.

[Thenop]

Another Matt Brennan stage win today

And Arnaud de Lie pipped MvdP in the Renewi Tour, all down to bonus seconds on the line.

And Axel Zingle dislocated his shoulder twice, whilst it was being put back in the second time someone ran off with his bike...

They stole his bike? Unbelievable! I thought you were joking at first.

Actually they didn't he thought they had, but someone had stuck it in the "Broom Wagon" from whence it was eventually returned.

The whole team had 20 bikes stolen that night by persons unknown.
As did Team Total energies in the Tour Poitou - Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine.

In was thinking about that. It has happened before so why is there no central secured space for buses and their content? Guarded of course. You'd the organisation understands that no bikes means no race.

[Nickslikk2112]

Well done Paul Seixas winner of Le Tour de l'Avenir

Thanks for spoiling it 

Bit of a moot point as to whether he should be riding the Tour de l'Avenir as he already rides at World Tour level. The UCI have clamped down on this for the U23 World Championships this year, only World Tour development team riders and lower ranking Teams.

Noah Hobbs won the Points jersey in the Tour de l'Avenir. This helped him step up to EF Education's World Tour team from their development squad.

[dom]

Sorrry ! 🫣

[Nickslikk2112]

Jasper Philpsen gets his second win of this Vuelta. Good second for Elia Viviani and plucky Brit Ethan Vernon in third.

Bit of a dull day, but the finish circuit was a good watch.