2024 Pro thread

[TobinHatesYou]

Uzbek NCs looks like the biggest joke race ever.

For those curious:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc ... 023/result
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc ... 023/result

[LeDuke]

Uzbek NCs looks like the biggest joke race ever.

For those curious:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc ... 023/result
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc ... 023/result

How does Olga Zabelinskaya not just ride away from the other 9?

I get that she’s 44 but the woman is still really, really good.


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[TobinHatesYou]

Uzbek NCs looks like the biggest joke race ever.

For those curious:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc ... 023/result
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc ... 023/result

How does Olga Zabelinskaya not just ride away from the other 9?

I get that she’s 44 but the woman is still really, really good.

Well for one, there is no proof that these races ever took place.

[eins4eins]

So, next doping story: POLADA got hacked and allegedly the data shows positive tests for high profil athletes like Lewandowski.

Niewadoma also mentioned for testing positive on marijuana after Itzulia. Probably celebrating the podium with her boyfriend.

[spokenwords]

Apparently Kasia popped for weed in an out of comp test, so no reason to suspend her, but tennis with the EPO positive and football with a steroid positive is an interesting twist.
Im torn, do I root for the hackers to go after more or stick with my normal dislike of illegal activity?

[outnumbered]

Still can’t believe Tashkent City Women was allowed to participate in the TdFF when 1/3rd of their allowed 2023 UCI points came from the Uzbek National Championship road races which were totally a real event that actually happened... That four of their members DNFed on a pan flat stage 1 is mind boggling.

Lifeplus-Wahoo, VolkerWessels, etc. deserved better than this.

I was amazed by this as well, it's hard to believe there aren't some favours involved somewhere, it can't be a normal decision to let this lot in ahead of proper teams.

That aside, what a win today by Puck Pieterse. She had been riding pretty hard in that group of three, also went a bit early and I thought DV had pipped her on the line, but thankfully not.

[maquisard]

Kasia did a great lead out for them both, must be all the weed she smokes.

[TobinHatesYou]

I was amazed by this as well, it's hard to believe there aren't some favours involved somewhere, it can't be a normal decision to let this lot in ahead of proper teams.

Yanina Kuskova is Tashkent City's sole remaining rider in the TdFF.

[tymon_tm]

re: POLADA hack - authorities claim its been done by russian/belarussian hackers, and the data they'd shared is fake.

i guess we've no way to know, but it's somewhat fishy how polish media completely ignore that hack (to add some context: both Lewandowski and Świątek have strong ties with state owned companies, and they're obviously the biggest stars, i cant see a scenario where an actuall failed test would not be burried)

[EtoDemerzel]

Big drama for the GC
If there's one person that can beat the odds, its Vollering.
Don't know where SDWorx was but Vollering looked pretty alone chasing back...
three days for the team to earn their bread.
hopefully she's not injured and can fight on.
At least they got a stage win today.

A really good TDFF, lets see what happens.

[RDY]

re: POLADA hack - authorities claim its been done by russian/belarussian hackers, and the data they'd shared is fake.

i guess we've no way to know, but it's somewhat fishy how polish media completely ignore that hack (to add some context: both Lewandowski and Świątek have strong ties with state owned companies, and they're obviously the biggest stars, i cant see a scenario where an actuall failed test would not be burried)

I seem to recall most previous hacks in similar circumstances contained legit info. Just judging by the way this has been addressed (or hasn't) so far, I'd suspect it's legit.

[RDY]

I was amazed by this as well, it's hard to believe there aren't some favours involved somewhere, it can't be a normal decision to let this lot in ahead of proper teams.

Yanina Kuskova is Tashkent City's sole remaining rider in the TdFF.

Yeah, some brown envelopes are probably involved here. But besides corruption, it speaks to how top heavy funding in women's cycling is. It's a very small number of pro tour teams with good funding, a very small number of races, no grand tours, and a tiny number of riders making bank. The women's Conti level is for the most part still the Wild West. There's no money, few decent races, and the rules that govern the men's Conti teams and races are largely absent. The most glaring is that there are no rules re: pay ... a lot are paid nothing - and this is the second tier of women's cycling we're talking about, not the 4th tier as in men's. The UCI, teams, industry and other stake holders piling money into the sport has only gone to the very top of the pyramid. There's still practically nothing going to Conti level, let alone grass roots. If you're a good female rider, you avoid Conti level at all costs and try to join a Pro team directly. There's no depth to money, or strength of the riders.

[maquisard]

A bit like yesterday, Richard Plugge criticised the race organisation of the Tour of Poland on twiiter. A rider came down in a crash and was left without help and support for some time. Plugge criticised how the lack of race radios is being trialled which is putting the security of the race at risk. What was odd was that David Lappartient jumped into the tweet to call out Plugge for posting 'fake news' and to defend the race. Now it turns out the that the lead commissare at the race is Jerome Lappartient, David's brother!

The UCI is full of corruption and nepotism to the core.

[howaboutme]

A bit like yesterday, Richard Plugge criticised the race organisation of the Tour of Poland on twiiter. A rider came down in a crash and was left without help and support for some time. Plugge criticised how the lack of race radios is being trialled which is putting the security of the race at risk. What was odd was that David Lappartient jumped into the tweet to call out Plugge for posting 'fake news' and to defend the race. Now it turns out the that the lead commissare at the race is Jerome Lappartient, David's brother!

The UCI is full of corruption and nepotism to the core.

I enjoy Johan Bruyneels commentary more. Like him or not, he's right.

[RDY]

Final Tashkent girl is out. All 7 gone by stage 5. That has to be a record for non-doping related withdrawals.