# Build up to the 2017 season



## Pro Tour Punditry (7 Dec 2016)

There's quite a bit happening now in the build up to the new season that doesn't quite fit into "rumours and transfers" category.

New events appearing, some events disappearing, some events being renamed, a team maybe not being granted a licence, etc.

Fill yer boots with the season build up gossip and facts


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## brommers (8 Dec 2016)

Although I prefer road racing, I've enjoyed the current spate of track racing, particularly the 6 day events. They are well attended and provide good entertainment in the road 'off season' and I can see the amount of events increasing.


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## lyn1 (8 Dec 2016)

Rumor: Departures from sinking ship: Meintjes to DDD; Rui Costa to Katusha; T J Sports to withdraw next week. Team to be Pro Conti at best.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (9 Dec 2016)

Bauke Mollema confirms his GT plans for 2017 - racing for GC in the Giro and supporting Dirty Bertie at the Tour


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## oldroadman (10 Dec 2016)

All those lucky so and so's training in warm weather...when here it's wet and drizzly, or freezing cold. Just like being based in Belgium really, where pre-season training is usually horrible and prepares well for the early season races. When I was a lad we dreamed of riding in't warm sunshine.....etc.


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## User169 (11 Dec 2016)

Don't forget that the cross season is in full swing. 

There's some great racing going on.

Wout van Aert and Matthieu van der Poel duking it out in the men's and Sanne Cant doing the business in the women's.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (11 Dec 2016)

Marc Madiot, as always, has an opinion on recent UCI decisions ahead of the 2017 season
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/au...o-increase-taxes-but-not-to-listen-to-people/


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## Pro Tour Punditry (12 Dec 2016)

Name (Ex) change for next season, Orica-Scott


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## Pro Tour Punditry (12 Dec 2016)

New BMC kit


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## rich p (12 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> New BMC kit


And he didn't break his collar bone, suffer a fever or need a spare shoe from a rider from another team during the photo shoot...


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## SWSteve (12 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> New BMC kit


Looks great, if I hadn't just ordered a brand new Scott I may have bought a BMC just to ride round in this strip


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## Pro Tour Punditry (12 Dec 2016)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Looks great, if I hadn't just ordered a brand new Scott I may have bought a BMC just to ride round in this strip


Assos kit is probably just as expensive as a new bike...


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## lyn1 (13 Dec 2016)

ONE Pro drop to Conti (reduced salary and weaker program) sees more riders leaving:
Jensen to Coop
Lawless to Axeon


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## HF2300 (14 Dec 2016)

rich p said:


> And he didn't break his collar bone, suffer a fever or need a spare shoe from a rider from another team during the photo shoot...



Ah, you'll notice his bike's missing though...


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## Pro Tour Punditry (14 Dec 2016)

Tiesj Benoot, who had been signed to Lotto Soudal until the end of 2017, has extended his contract until the end of 2019.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (15 Dec 2016)

I'm getting the vibe that Cannondale will continue to be the biggest dicks in the peloton next year


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## HF2300 (16 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> I'm getting the vibe that Cannondale will continue to be the biggest dicks in the peloton next year



No, that's just the impression given by tight Lycra. In reality they're just overcompensating.


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## SWSteve (16 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> I'm getting the vibe that Cannondale will continue to be the biggest dicks in the peloton next year



For why?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (16 Dec 2016)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> For why?


Because they have been for a while and I can't see them changing. They continue their social media "quirkiness" (a.k.a. annoying nobbers), and I am not holding out for them doing anything of note on the road (yet again); they must be the dullest team on the road, and over compensate with the "quirkiness". Hugh Carthy and Sep Vanmarcke are doomed. They'll end up as social media playthings.


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## rich p (17 Dec 2016)

I don't follow the numbers but it surprises me that they get enough world tour points. I can't remember them doing anything of note.


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## simo105 (17 Dec 2016)

They had a competition on twitter yesterday asking to say there best moments in 2016, I was unable to enter due to the fact I couldn't think of a best moment.

https://twitter.com/Shop_Argyle/status/809789516240273409


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## HF2300 (17 Dec 2016)

simo105 said:


> They had a competition on twitter yesterday asking to say there best moments in 2016, I was unable to enter due to the fact I couldn't think of a best moment.



Reading all the replies on Twitter, neither could anyone else


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## HF2300 (17 Dec 2016)

rich p said:


> I don't follow the numbers but it surprises me that they get enough world tour points. I can't remember them doing anything of note.



They haven't achieved any major wins, but they have picked off a few in more minor races, and they've kept banking points through top ten placings.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (17 Dec 2016)

simo105 said:


> They had a competition on twitter yesterday asking to say there best moments in 2016, I was unable to enter due to the fact I couldn't think of a best moment.
> 
> https://twitter.com/Shop_Argyle/status/809789516240273409


I saw that yesterday and thought "They'll be lucky if anyone remembers anything apart from Phil Gaimon's cookies"



rich p said:


> I don't follow the numbers but it surprises me that they get enough world tour points. I can't remember them doing anything of note.


I had a quick look last night after I posted and top scorers for them were 1. Uran 2. Talansky and 3. Bettiol.
They were the only WT team to fail to win a WT event last year.


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## rich p (17 Dec 2016)

simo105 said:


> They had a competition on twitter yesterday asking to say there best moments in 2016, I was unable to enter due to the fact I couldn't think of a best moment.
> 
> https://twitter.com/Shop_Argyle/status/809789516240273409





HF2300 said:


> Reading all the replies on Twitter, neither could anyone else



Pierre Rolland falling off and getting back on his bike, seems a popular choice FFS!


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## rich p (17 Dec 2016)

Procyclingstats and the official UCI points are different. Maybe you all knew that!
The UCI rankings place Canondale in 8th place with DData at 18th.
Canondale's top scorers were Bettiol, Uran and Talansky in that order.
Cav only scores 80 points despite his win in Dubai(?), 4 TdF wins and 2nd in the World Champs.
I don't understand!!!!

http://www.uci.html.infostradasports.com/asp/xml/index.asp?SportID=102&PhaseID=1444781


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## SWSteve (17 Dec 2016)

rich p said:


> Procyclingstats and the official UCI points are different. Maybe you all knew that!
> The UCI rankings place Canondale in 8th place with DData at 18th.
> Canondale's top scorers were Bettiol, Uran and Talansky in that order.
> Cav only scores 80 points despite his win in Dubai(?), 4 TdF wins and 2nd in the World Champs.
> ...




That's because the UCI vastly out-weigh coming 15th in a GT compared to winning stages in a GT. It's how DD have been scuppered, when they got the bands, and 5 stages at Le Tour.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (17 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> I had a quick look last night after I posted and top scorers for them were 1. Uran 2. Talansky and 3. Bettiol.
> They were the only WT team to fail to win a WT event last year.





rich p said:


> Procyclingstats and the official UCI points are different. Maybe you all knew that!
> The UCI rankings place Canondale in 8th place with DData at 18th.
> Canondale's top scorers were Bettiol, Uran and Talansky in that order.


My old brain did well to remember the 3 riders, it failed to recall the correct order tho!
But think about it - Bettiol ranked 20th in UCI points. Ask anyone* to name their top 20 riders of 2016 and nobody would even consider him in their top 1000.

The UCI points system is a farce. They should introduce flair points**

*apart from his mum

** a new thing for punditry in 2017 for youse all to look forward to


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## HF2300 (17 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> Ask anyone apart from his mum



Think his mum would struggle as well.


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## rich p (17 Dec 2016)

HF2300 said:


> Think his mum would struggle as well.


As an Italian mamma, she probably still does his washing!


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## HF2300 (17 Dec 2016)

rich p said:


> As an Italian mamma, she probably still does his washing!



Yes, but given Cannondale-Drapac's prominence, she probably wouldn't recognise the kit.


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## chappers1983 (19 Dec 2016)

I actually just had to Google to find out exactly what results Alberto Bettiol got to be 20th in the UCI rankings.

Turns out 3rd on GC and the Sprinters jersey in the Tour of Poland,, 4th in Quebec and 7th in Montreal. 

Great form for possibly the 3 most insignificant World Tour races of 2016


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## SWSteve (19 Dec 2016)

chappers1983 said:


> I actually just had to Google to find out exactly what results Alberto Bettiol got to be 20th in the UCI rankings.
> 
> Turns out 3rd on GC and the Sprinters jersey in the Tour of Poland,, 4th in Quebec and 7th in Montreal.
> 
> Great form for possibly the 3 most insignificant World Tour races of 2016





Whoa! Those Canadian races are the Hipsters Classics


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## Pro Tour Punditry (20 Dec 2016)

Lampre team renamed UAE Abu Dhabi and gets 2 year WT licence.

From now on I shall refer to them as Team Flogging'n'Stoning, to sit along side Team Torture - all is well...


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## rich p (20 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> Lampre team renamed UAE Abu Dhabi and gets 2 year WT licence.
> 
> From now on I shall refer to them as Team Flogging'n'Stoning, to sit along side Team Torture - all is well...


or Team BloodMoney?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (20 Dec 2016)

rich p said:


> or Team BloodMoney?


Akshully that's much better...

Team Torture v Team BloodMoney

It was all so simple when Team Evil was evil due to mad dopers and not mad murderers and torturers


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## SWSteve (20 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> Akshully that's much better...
> 
> Team Torture v Team BloodMoney
> 
> It was all so simple when Team Evil was evil due to mad dopers and not mad murderers and torturers



It's a shame that Team Evil have been upgraded with teams with genuinely worrying circumstance


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## brommers (22 Dec 2016)

Official World Tour Teams 2017

AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM – FRA)
ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST – KAZ)
BMC RACING TEAM (BMC – USA)
BORA – HANSGROHE (BOH – GER)
CANNONDALE DRAPAC PRO CYCLING TEAM (CDT – USA)
TEAM DIMENSION DATA (DDD – RSA)
QUICK – STEP FLOORS (QST – BEL)
FDJ (FDJ – FRA)
LOTTO SOUDAL (LTS – BEL)
MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV – ESP)
ORICA – BIKEEXCHANGE (OBE – AUS)
BAHRAIN-MERIDA (TBM – BRN)
TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN (KAT – SUI)
TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO (TLJ – NED)
TEAM SKY (SKY – GBR)
TEAM SUNWEB (SUN – GER)
UAE ABU DHABI (UAD – UAE)
TREK SEGAFREDO (TFS – USA)


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## lyn1 (22 Dec 2016)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> That's because the UCI vastly out-weigh coming 15th in a GT compared to winning stages in a GT. It's how DD have been scuppered, when they got the bands, and 5 stages at Le Tour.



Sorted that for you !
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci...e-riders-for-worldtour-team-rankings-in-2017/


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## SWSteve (22 Dec 2016)

lyn1 said:


> Sorted that for you !
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci...e-riders-for-worldtour-team-rankings-in-2017/



It's better at least, but I still think we're going to see teams be really happy with 4 riders in the top 60, but having won no stages.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (23 Dec 2016)

brommers said:


> Official World Tour Teams 2017
> 
> AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM – FRA)
> ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST – KAZ)
> ...



Just been having a look at the origins of some of those teams, and thought I'd do a quick Christmas quiz.

Who have the following teams morphed into (date of inception in brackets)?
Chazal-Vanille et Mure (1992)


Spoiler: A difficult one to start with



AG2R



Team Slipstream (2007)


Spoiler: An easier one



Cannondale Drapac



Team MTN (2008)


Spoiler: easy peasy



Dimension Data



Team NetApp (2010)


Spoiler: Ohh what's there name again?



Bora Hansgrohe



Lotto-Merckx-Campagnolo (1985)


Spoiler: Is it one of the Lotto teams or is that too obvious?



Lotto Soudal



Reynolds Benotto (1980)


Spoiler: 1980?! Are you having a laugh?



Movistar



Skil-Shimano (2008)


Spoiler: Are they continued under another name? Really?



Sunweb Giant



Kwantum-Decosol (1984)


Spoiler: You're slurring your speech now...



Lotto Jumbo



Team Radio Shack (2010)


Spoiler: Surely you'll get at least this one right



Trek Segafredo



Lampre-Caffita (2005)


Spoiler: Mmmm there's not many left to choose from



Team BloodMoney



Feel free to post your scores.

I would have got 7/10 - maybe


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## rich p (23 Dec 2016)

1 wrong (


Spoiler



Movistar


) with a couple of lucky guesses.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (23 Dec 2016)

rich p said:


> (name of team).


which is a spoiler reveal, you stupid old git! 

Not that anyone else is likely to give a toss.


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## rich p (23 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> which is a spoiler reveal, you stupid old git!
> 
> Not that anyone else is likely to give a toss.


Whoops! Silly me


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 Dec 2016)

What a successful quiz... 

Anyway, back to the 2017 season - the UCI have just announced the cancellation of the Tour of Qatar (male and female), due to lack of sponsorship.

Could it be the beginning of the end of racing in Gulf states?


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## SWSteve (28 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> What a successful quiz...
> 
> Anyway, back to the 2017 season - the UCI have just announced the cancellation of the Tour of Qatar (male and female), due to lack of sponsorship.
> 
> Could it be the beginning of the end of racing in Gulf states?




I didn't realise events in the gulf region require sponsorship


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 Dec 2016)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> I didn't realise events in the gulf region require sponsorship


They're hardly going to make any money out of beer sales to the fans


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## SWSteve (28 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> They're hardly going to make any money out of beer sales to the fans



What fans?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 Dec 2016)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> What fans?


Exactly


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 Dec 2016)

The Tour Méditerranéenne has been cut from 5 days to 2, due to reported shortage of Police; same week in February as the (no longer) Qatar tour.

All looking rosy for the 2017 season...

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/55052/la-mediterraneenne-reduite-a-deux-etapes


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## psmiffy (28 Dec 2016)

Marmion said:


> The Tour Méditerranéenne has been cut form 5 days to 2



2016 was 4 days longer than the 2015 version


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## Pro Tour Punditry (30 Dec 2016)

Gianni Meersman, who had signed with Fortuneo Vital Concept for 2017 has retired from cycling due to a heart problem, according to Quick Step twitter feed


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## roadrash (30 Dec 2016)

^^^^sad news^^^^ scored 7 on the quiz by the way.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (30 Dec 2016)

Been looking at some images of Ferdy Kubler who died earlier today, aged 97. Some legs on him!


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## SWSteve (2 Jan 2017)

https://instagram.com/p/BOxjfl7AYCq/


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## Pro Tour Punditry (6 Jan 2017)

I suppose that's the season almost underway, Rohan Dennis wins the Aussie ITT title and Jack Bauer wins the NZ ITT title


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## SWSteve (6 Jan 2017)

Marmion said:


> I suppose that's the season almost underway, Rohan Dennis wins the Aussie ITT title and *Jack Bauer wins the NZ ITT title*



How far did he travel in the 24 hours


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## Pro Tour Punditry (8 Jan 2017)

And more Aussie Nationals, Miles Scotson* wins the men's RR title and Katrin Garfoot wins women's RR to add to her ITT title earlier in the week

* a good week for the Scotson family with his younger brother Callum winning the U23 ITT title for the 2nd time


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## Pro Tour Punditry (9 Jan 2017)

l'Etoile de Besseges encountering financial difficulty
http://www.legrandplateau.com/letoile-de-besseges-en-difficulte-financiere/

Maybe Cookson can channel some of his blood money towards Europe?


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## SWSteve (9 Jan 2017)

Marmion said:


> l'Etoile de Besseges encountering financial difficulty
> http://www.legrandplateau.com/letoile-de-besseges-en-difficulte-financiere/
> 
> Maybe Cookson can channel some of his blood money towards Europe?



Don't be daft, those mahogany desks and leather sofas aren't going to polish/moisturise themselves


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## Pro Tour Punditry (12 Jan 2017)

2017 Vuelta route announced, with a TTT start in France
http://www.velonews.com/2017/01/news/vuelta-espana-announces-2017-route_427875


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## SWSteve (13 Jan 2017)

Marmion said:


> 2017 Vuelta route announced, with a TTT start in France
> http://www.velonews.com/2017/01/news/vuelta-espana-announces-2017-route_427875


Also a 850+km transfer between two stages


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## Flying_Monkey (14 Jan 2017)

I seem to have lost all interest this year. We'll see what happens when the classics start, but right now I don't think I could care much less.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (14 Jan 2017)

Cannondale are going to have to get their social media quirkiness persona sorted, tiresome bollocks that it is. 
And get their on road shitiness sorted at the same time.


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## rich p (14 Jan 2017)

Flying_Monkey said:


> I seem to have lost all interest this year. We'll see what happens when the classics start, but right now I don't think I could care much less.


Thanks for sharing.
Have you thought about popping into the football thread to tell them you don't like football, or the beer thread tell them ...
...oh hang on a mo...


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jan 2017)

rich p said:


> Thanks for sharing.
> Have you thought about popping into the football thread to tell them you don't like football, or the beer thread tell them ...
> ...oh hang on a mo...



Don't be a twat, rich. You know I have been a regular here for as many years as you, have always been an enthusiastic follower of pro-cycling, and I'm not one of the only-interested-when-the-Tour-is-one crowd either. I am very happy to imagine that it's just me, but does it not seem that this start of this season seems particularly underwhelming and uninspiring in the light of things like Team Bahrain and the endless Sky TUE stuff.


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## rich p (15 Jan 2017)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Don't be a twat, rich. You know I have been a regular here for as many years as you, have always been an enthusiastic follower of pro-cycling, and I'm not one of the only-interested-when-the-Tour-is-one crowd either. I am very happy to imagine that it's just me, but does it not seem that this start of this season seems particularly underwhelming and uninspiring in the light of things like Team Bahrain and the endless Sky TUE stuff.


Yeah, I know monkey man. It was a tongue in cheek tease. We can ill afford to lose knowledgeable posters on here though, so I hope you get your mojo back.
FWIW, I find the whole russian bear, sky, tue fiasco slightly dispiriting too.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (16 Jan 2017)

Marmion said:


> The Tour Méditerranéenne has been cut from 5 days to 2, due to reported shortage of Police; same week in February as the (no longer) Qatar tour.
> 
> All looking rosy for the 2017 season...
> 
> http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/55052/la-mediterraneenne-reduite-a-deux-etapes


It has just been announced that the Tour Méditerranéenne has been cancelled.

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/55786/la-mediterraneenne-annulee

Not enough Rozzers
http://www.velonews.com/2017/01/news/la-mediterraneenne-cancelled-due-police-force-shortage_428084


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## Pro Tour Punditry (19 Jan 2017)

Just spotted that @rich p 's protege has signed for AnPostChainReaction, another step in the right direction


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## rich p (19 Jan 2017)

He could be my doppelganger...


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## Pro Tour Punditry (19 Jan 2017)

rich p said:


> He could be my doppelganger...


It's the hips...


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 Jan 2017)

See how long it takes before you want to punch the screen


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## Pro Tour Punditry (1 Feb 2017)

Graham Watson, the man who has captured some of cycling's most iconic images, has called it a day
http://www.grahamwatson.com/view/viewmain.html


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## roadrash (1 Feb 2017)

He has captured some fantastic images during his career


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## rich p (7 Feb 2017)

The Yates bros are having a gentle start to 2017.
Both have only participated in the Volta Valenciana race, with a best placing of 91st for Adam and 115th for Simon.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (7 Feb 2017)

I see former Tour de France winner Roger Walkowiak has died, aged 89.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...ce-winner-roger-walkowiak-dies-aged-89-310403

Which follows shortly after the death of the first winner of Omloop Het Niewsblad (when it wasn't called that), Jean Bogaerts, who was 92.

Who says cyclists die young?


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## rich p (7 Feb 2017)

Marmion said:


> Who says cyclists die young?


Even if they did, you'd still be safe...


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## BalkanExpress (7 Feb 2017)

Marmion said:


> I see former Tour de France winner Roger Walkowiak has died, aged 89.
> http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...ce-winner-roger-walkowiak-dies-aged-89-310403
> 
> Which follows shortly after the death of the first winner of Omloop Het Niewsblad (when it wasn't called that), Jean Bogaerts, who was 92.
> ...




Interesting interview with Walkowiak

http://www.bicycling.com/culture/people/lamentation


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## rich p (10 Feb 2017)

Hugh Carthy sounds like he's got his head screwed on.
Let's hope he bucks the trend and has a decent season at the dreariest team in the peloton.


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## Crackle (10 Feb 2017)

rich p said:


> Hugh Carthy sounds like he's got his head screwed on.
> Let's hope he bucks the trend and has a decent season at the dreariest team in the peloton.


Rather a good interview with him in CN

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/hugh-carthy-an-underdog-free-from-distractions/

It'll be interesting to see how he fares with a step up to world tour status.


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## rich p (10 Feb 2017)

Crackle said:


> Rather a good interview with him in CN
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/hugh-carthy-an-underdog-free-from-distractions/
> 
> It'll be interesting to see how he fares with a step up to world tour status.


That's what I was referring to but forgot to add the link


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## Crackle (10 Feb 2017)

rich p said:


> That's what I was referring to but forgot to add the link


I wasn't sure but suspected as much


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