2025 Races with Spoilers.

[tarric]

Well that was a bit of a farce at the AlUla tour today.

A 5 km uphill sprint win for Pidcock.

 

[Adam4868]

Class win by Pidders..... impressive 😍

 

[rich p]

Pidders to win the stage and move in the top spot in Saudi
Morgado to take a win in Mallorca.
Show me the money 😁

1st and 3rd ain't bad!

 

[mjr]

Well that was a bit of a farce at the AlUla tour today.

A 5 km uphill sprint win for Pidcock.

What the dark happened? Eurosport highlights did their usual trick of cutting from 50km to go to 5km, with commentary mentioning a neutralisation, but not why.

 

[Dogtrousers]

What the dark happened? Eurosport highlights did their usual trick of cutting from 50km to go to 5km, with commentary mentioning a neutralisation, but not why.

According to Cycling News it was due to "surface issues". You'd have thought that an abrupt change from fast tarmac to gravel might have been noticeable to the organisers beforehand, but apparently not.

 

[Mike_P]

Was well explained in the not quite 10 minute tour highlights on YouTube.

 

[Adam4868]

So
Tim Merlier takes his second win at Alula...was between him and Groenewegen really ,Molano came in third.

Only watched a few highlights and some nasty crashes near the finish,think it was Degenkolb that went down and hit a post ?
Few others as well.. fingers crossed nothing to serious !

 

[rich p]

So
Tim Merlier takes his second win at Alula...was between him and Groenewegen really ,Molano came in third.

Only watched a few highlights and some nasty crashes near the finish,think it was Degenkolb that went down and hit a post ?
Few others as well.. fingers crossed nothing to serious !

Degenkolb's crash looked pretty awful

Turns out it was Eekhoff after all

 

[Adam4868]

Turns out it was Eekhoff after all

He's been discharged from hospital but he has a confirmed broken tooth and fractured jaw.

He'll now return to the Netherlands where he will undergo further tests but will be out for 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[Domus]

Good news, It looked far worse.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Degenkolb's crash looked pretty awful

Turns out it was Eekhoff after all

I saw it as live and it looked terrible. I changed channels after the sprint as I figured post race analysis would feature many replays that I wasn't keen on seeing.

The stage really looked like a video game from 20 years ago. Flat landscape with the same features repeating and a straight road heading off to the horizon.

btw I thought Degenkolb had retired, which shows how much I know.

 

[tarric]

What the dark happened? Eurosport highlights did their usual trick of cutting from 50km to go to 5km, with commentary mentioning a neutralisation, but not why.

Stage 2 of the AlUla Tour was neutralised and the final lap of the finishing circuit removed due to to surface issues on the descent.
The road surface was horrendous, bad enough on the flat or uphill but descending would have been an accident waiting to happen.
I get it that the Saudi's are trying to buy up sporting events but if this is any indication of their commitment it leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Adam4868]

We go again today....Pidders to take the win and hang on to GC in Alula.
Morgado for the win in Majorca....last chance for him with me !

 

[Adam4868]

Pidders 😍

 

[TomDW]

Class win by Pidders..... impressive 😍

Another win today too but if he can't win against that field then there'd be big questions asked.
That said he reckons he's set his best 5-10min power so ought to be promising for the season.