The cycling thread

[UK Redsox]

Wish there’d been an indoor cycling track around when I was a kid. I was definitely built to be the front bloke on the tandem. Some of them could double up as prop forwards.

Watched a couple of the Elimination races. Interesting to see the tactics but the commentator on Eurosport was terrible. He seemed shocked when anyone was eliminated, when that’s the whole point of the race.

[Somniloquism]

Knowing how steep the embankment actually is at a track (Derby), I don't think I could cycle around it no handed like the Brit did when he celebrated his win last night.

[Somniloquism]

They went past my office five times as many times as I have this year. Seeing a race where you're familiar with a lot of the course really brings home how fast they are going (much better than my general rule that they must be going at least twice my speed on the flat).

And the course was also quite bendy with 90Degree turns regularly so the speeds were probably not that fast in comparison, yet they still did the laps in at an average of 25mph.

[Jon Crofts]

Wish there’d been an indoor cycling track around when I was a kid. I was definitely built to be the front bloke on the tandem. Some of them could double up as prop forwards.

Watched a couple of the Elimination races. Interesting to see the tactics but the commentator on Eurosport was terrible. He seemed shocked when anyone was eliminated, when that’s the whole point of the race.

Go to Newport and give it a go in one of their try out sessions. All abilities catered for and all you need is a pair of cycling shoes that I think you can hire, bikes are also provided.

[UK Redsox]

Emphasis on the....'when I was a kid'.

Now I'm a bloke in his 50s who gave up mountain biking due to a dodgy back.

I'm ok doing my 40 mins or so on the static bike each morning, but that's probably about it.

[Jon Crofts]

2 athletes die in the swim at Ironman Cork yesterday, not known how yet but judging by the conditions which were absolutely brutal you can’t rule out drowning. From the videos I’ve seen online of the start I’d say if the race directors get out of Ireland without being arrested for criminal negligence I’d say they’ve done well.

[Jon Crofts]

Someone fucked up then

https://www.triathlonireland.com/news/triathlon-ireland-statement/

[Somniloquism]

Someone fucked up then

https://www.triathlonireland.com/news/triathlon-ireland-statement/

It would be interesting what the word "sanction" means in this context. It could easily be they wouldn't allow it as a full Ironman due to the conditions, which might be why the organisers then decided to reduce the swim stage to half the distance to let it go ahead still (and so they wouldn't have to refund). It doesn't necessarily mean they told them they shouldn't actually go ahead with with the swim/event at all.

[Jon Crofts]

Unsanctioned in this case would mean athletes would not be insured by their home nations.

[KNVillan]

Tijl de Decker dies in accident

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/66619682

[Jon Crofts]

Another athlete dies in an Ironman swim, this time at the 70.3 World Championships in Lahti.

[Jon Crofts]

Did the European Middle Distance 70.3 Triathlon Championships in Belgium today. Now recovering with some hoppy ales.

[AV82EC]

Did the European Middle Distance 70.3 Triathlon Championships in Belgium today. Now recovering with some hoppy ales.

That bike course looked an absolute bastard from your Strava stats Jon.

[manic-road]

https://twitter.com/MattMcElroy9/status/1696331321956880668 

Lucky this wasn't worse than it was for Flagstaff Arizona riders.

[Jon Crofts]

Did the European Middle Distance 70.3 Triathlon Championships in Belgium today. Now recovering with some hoppy ales.

That bike course looked an absolute bastard from your Strava stats Jon.

Flanders is flat right? Wrong. It was also quite technical in places, a lot of the course in the town with dead turns, cobbled sections and a lot of nasty pointy street furniture. Overall happy with the bike and run leg but I fucked up the swim big time but the worst thing was the wind, it came from all angles all fucking day long.