Fleche Wallone *spoilers*

[Strathlubnaig]

I don't think this was a race where you can say much about a lot of top riders who finished minutes behind - Richie Porte was clearly just stretching his legs today, for example, and Schleck didn't look like he was anywhere near being Radioshack's designated rider - they had Gallopin, Hermans and Zubeldia all there on the Mur de Huy going for those all important World Tour points - while he was chatting and chilling after falling out of the back on the second-last climb. What is for sure is that only the 40-odd riders who made it over that second last climb in the first group were riding all-out in the last section and everyone else was just riding to finish.

I guess my point being, he did finish this race, and was not looking completely out of his comfort zone, so maybe he is clawing his way back into shape. Just an observation.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I guess my point being, he did finish this race, and was not looking completely out of his comfort zone, so maybe he is clawing his way back into shape. Just an observation.

I wasn't disagreeing with you, just commenting.

 

[lukesdad]

Smith also said that James Murdoch offered Cancellara a chance to join Sky with an open cheque book last year.

Not for the first time either, he did the same with Katusha.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Interestingly, Betancur has attributed the recent return of Colombia to the top to the introduction of the biological passport and tighter doping control. Cyclingnews quotes him as saying: "[Anti-doping] controls are far tighter nowadays and riders like us who live at altitude have more of an advantage."

 

[smutchin]

...which makes it all the more ironic when stupid American commentators accuse the Colombians of "coming from nowhere".

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Inner Ring has a more systematic take on the Colombians here: http://inrng.com/2013/04/colombia-cycling-altitude/
It's a really good read (as usual) and largely dismisses the altitude theory (or genetics, which I never bought anyway), however it certainly doesn't dismiss the importance of climbing and the kind of cycling culture that most Columbian pros have grown up with.

 

[User169]

Inner Ring has a more systematic take on the Colombians here: http://inrng.com/2013/04/colombia-cycling-altitude/
It's a really good read (as usual) and largely dismisses the altitude theory (or genetics, which I never bought anyway), however it certainly doesn't dismiss the importance of climbing and the kind of cycling culture that most Columbian pros have grown up with.

Good article ("mane man" is a v good gag), but missing a political dimension. The disappearance of Colombian cyclists from the European peleton coincided with dramatic destabilization within Colombia (drugs/paramilitaries and guerillas all fighting with the government) and the catastrpohic effect that had on the civilian population. The recent reappearance of Colombians seems to me as much connected to the fact that Colombia has made progress to achieving something of a political settlement as anything else.