Olympics: Cycling

Decent result that for Chris Froome. Well done!

The IOC has removed Hamilton's name from the result sheet in reaction to his admission to doping during his career.

2004? I wonder how many schools he's been into since then, parading his gold medal and inspiring kids?

The possibility that Lance Armstrong could be stripped of all 7 of his Tour de France titles is unthinkable really.

Not such a good day for Froomey today   He lost 15 seconds to his three major rivals at the mountain-top finish in Andorra today.  And that's without taking the time bonuses into contention.

I'd seen the result earlier but watching the highlights on eurosport just now I wondered how the hell could that result have happened, as he attacked on the final climb and only Contador could follow him.  Rodriguez and Vallverde were blown out!  But Bertie just stuck to Froomey's wheel and they slowed down enough for the two Spaniards to get back on.  Contador attacked in his usual stinging manner, Froomey couldn't go with it and the other two followed his wheel, going past him in the last couple of hundred metres to actually catch Contador up.  The stage finished with Valverde taking the win, Rodriguez in second, Contador third, all given the same time and Froomey fourth, 15 seconds back, having overcooked it a bit making the breaks and being forced to do the chasing.

The overall now looks like this:

1  Rodriguez
2  Froomey +33 seconds
3  Contador +40 seconds
4  Valverde +50 seconds

It's close!  All the top 4 have had a rocky day now.  It's getting interesting!

Missed today's stage completely, even the highlights but reading Eurosport's summary it sounded like an active stage.  I'll have to try and catch the repeated highlights tomorrow.  Talking of tomorrow, bank holiday Monday and it's a bloody rest day!  Arggh!  Anyhows, Rodriguez extended his lead by 20 seconds over Froomey who stays in 2nd with Contador still in third and I presume Valverde in 4th, although that wasn't stated in the race report.  Philippe Gilbert won the stage after breaking free with Rodriguez, his first win this season!  Staggering that, he had such a stellar season last year.

Got the US Pro Colorado tour on at the moment and just seen Big George Hincapie cross the line in the final stage TT, his last pro race.  Well in George, enjoyed watching your long career!

Missed today's stage completely, even the highlights but reading Eurosport's summary it sounded like an active stage.  I'll have to try and catch the repeated highlights tomorrow.  Talking of tomorrow, bank holiday Monday and it's a bloody rest day!  Arggh!  Anyhows, Rodriguez extended his lead by 20 seconds over Froomey who stays in 2nd with Contador still in third and I presume Valverde in 4th, although that wasn't stated in the race report.  Philippe Gilbert won the stage after breaking free with Rodriguez, his first win this season!  Staggering that, he had such a stellar season last year.

Got the US Pro Colorado tour on at the moment and just seen Big George Hincapie cross the line in the final stage TT, his last pro race.  Well in George, enjoyed watching your long career!

Is this race on Eurosport? Genuinely would love to have Eurosport. That's a proper sports channel unlike Sky Sports.

Is this race on Eurosport? Genuinely would love to have Eurosport. That's a proper sports channel unlike Sky Sports.

Yes mate, deffo Eurosport for both, and ITV 4 for the Vuelta I think.  With the US Open tennis starting tomorrow, Eurosport's schedules get really messed about when tennis is on, so if you want to catch it, it might be best to go with ITV 4.

Mark Cavendish confirms his desire to leave Team Sky after a year

• Manxman aims to meet Dave Brailsford during Tour of Britain
• He has been linked to Omega Pharma-QuickStep team

Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 8 September 2012 20.45 BST

Mark Cavendish has confirmed his desire to leave Team Sky less than a year after signing for the British squad.

The 27-year-old, 23-time Tour de France stage winner and 2011 road race world champion is seeking an amicable end to his contract, which was agreed last October and has two further years to run, as his personal ambitions and Team Sky's do not match.

He aims to meet the Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford for discussions over his future during the Tour of Britain, which begins tomorrow, amid rumours of a link-up with the Belgian team Omega Pharma-QuickStep. It is understood the talks will centre around any severance agreement and whether Team Sky will demand compensation for one of the most coveted figures in the sport.

Cavendish has had a successful season, winning 12 times, including three stages at the Tour won by Bradley Wiggins. But it was that race that demonstrated to the Manxman his relationship with the British squad could not work.

Speaking in Ipswich ahead of the Tour of Britain, Cavendish said: "We had this idea that we could have this British super team that could win stages and dominate. Dave sold me the idea last year but for some reason it hasn't worked out like that. It's difficult to do.

"It's like a long-distance relationship with a girl. Everything is great but you live apart and it can't work out. But you want to be friends and you would rather the best thing happens so that everything can remain good and that you can stay close. I've been very happy at Sky. I don't want to compromise Sky and hopefully Sky won't compromise me."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/sep/08/mark-cavendish-team-sky?CMP=twt_gu

Mark Cavendish confirms his desire to leave Team Sky after a year

• Manxman aims to meet Dave Brailsford during Tour of Britain
• He has been linked to Omega Pharma-QuickStep team

Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 8 September 2012 20.45 BST

Mark Cavendish has confirmed his desire to leave Team Sky less than a year after signing for the British squad.

The 27-year-old, 23-time Tour de France stage winner and 2011 road race world champion is seeking an amicable end to his contract, which was agreed last October and has two further years to run, as his personal ambitions and Team Sky's do not match.

He aims to meet the Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford for discussions over his future during the Tour of Britain, which begins tomorrow, amid rumours of a link-up with the Belgian team Omega Pharma-QuickStep. It is understood the talks will centre around any severance agreement and whether Team Sky will demand compensation for one of the most coveted figures in the sport.

Cavendish has had a successful season, winning 12 times, including three stages at the Tour won by Bradley Wiggins. But it was that race that demonstrated to the Manxman his relationship with the British squad could not work.

Speaking in Ipswich ahead of the Tour of Britain, Cavendish said: "We had this idea that we could have this British super team that could win stages and dominate. Dave sold me the idea last year but for some reason it hasn't worked out like that. It's difficult to do.

"It's like a long-distance relationship with a girl. Everything is great but you live apart and it can't work out. But you want to be friends and you would rather the best thing happens so that everything can remain good and that you can stay close. I've been very happy at Sky. I don't want to compromise Sky and hopefully Sky won't compromise me."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/sep/08/mark-cavendish-team-sky?CMP=twt_gu

Not surprised to hear that, Sky are more of a GC team and Cav suits a team geared towards his stage wins.  It was worth a try, I don't think Cav would have won the green jersey in this year's tour even if HTC still existed and he was their main man.   Peter Sagan was a beast this year!

Cav's had a peculiar season looking back at it.  Plenty of stage wins but so many crashes.  Arguably the crash in the Giro where he was really well placed for the stage win before Ferrari took him out cost him the overall points win in that grand tour (he lost by one point).

They used to say the world champs jersey was cursed as many riders had awful seasons when they were wearing it!  Maybe the curse lives on

Jumping about a bit here, but the Vuelta finished today with Contador hanging on a bit yesterday to win the overall.  Must admit, I lost a bit of interest after Froomey's challenge waned, but the paralympics were too good to miss, so the Vuelta got canned.

The Tour of Britain started today.  It was a stage for the sprinters, and guess what?  Cav crashed in the final kilo!   

The stage was won by one of Cav's lead-out men, Luke Rowe, who was drafted into the team at the last minute.  Not a bad day at the office for him then!

For anyone who is interested in following the race, ITV 4 are covering it and have an evening highlights programme as well.

^^^ Preferably not this one racer lad.  Wasn't expecting to see pics of a naked  Vicky P when I opened this thread in work.  Thanks a F***ing lot, you idiot.  Maybe, just maybe you should have used used your brains and posted them in the hot women thread.  Thanks a lot for your input on cycling though    Very insightful, not.

So Jonathan Tiernan-Locke won the Tour of Britain - the first Briton do so in 19 years!

Seeing the other news I see that the world championships have got under way in Holland. Never knew their was pro team cycling involved (only thought it was nations). Saying that British pair of Sharon Laws and Emma Pooley won bronze in the women's team time trial for their Dutch cycling team with Team Sky coming 9th.

Fingers crossed Wiggo will be fine for next weekend and good luck to all of Britain's riders in Holland this week.

So Jonathan Tiernan-Locke won the Tour of Britain - the first Briton do so in 19 years!

Seeing the other news I see that the world championships have got under way in Holland. Never knew their was pro team cycling involved (only thought it was nations). Saying that British pair of Sharon Laws and Emma Pooley won bronze in the women's team time trial for their Dutch cycling team with Team Sky coming 9th.

Fingers crossed Wiggo will be fine for next weekend and good luck to all of Britain's riders in Holland this week.

Re Tour of Britain, he was the pre race favorite apparently, and he rode really well in the hilly stages of the race.  Hotly tipped to be a Sky rider next season.  Will in JT-L!  Also  great to see Cav win the final stage today!

As you said Frankly, the world champs started today with an unfamiliar format, team time trials, consisting of pro teams not national teams.  Well in to Sharon Laws and Emma Pooley with their bronze for their team, which won't exist next year apparently.  And well in to the Omega Pharma men's team who just beat the BMC team for gold in the men's TTT race.

Apparently, they will get to wear some sort of symbol on their kit for that rather than a world champs jersey in TTT's next year.

Germany dominating the men's and women's time trial with Martin and Arndt taking gold.  What was the reason for Bradley Wiggins not competing in the event where he got gold in the Olympics?

Germany dominating the men's and women's time trial with Martin and Arndt taking gold.  What was the reason for Bradley Wiggins not competing in the event where he got gold in the Olympics?

He's knackered, not trained for it and didn't want to sully the memory of his Olympic title by not being able to do a ride in the worlds.  I think a few GB riders have Olympic hangovers.  Geraint Thomas was well off the pace in the men's Team TT and admitted prior to the Worlds that he had partied too hard after the Olympics.

He's knackered, not trained for it and didn't want to sully the memory of his Olympic title by not being able to do a ride in the worlds.  I think a few GB riders have Olympic hangovers.  Geraint Thomas was well off the pace in the men's Team TT and admitted prior to the Worlds that he had partied too hard after the Olympics.

Cheers. I see Emma Pooley just missed out on a medal in the time trial. That's unlucky and a shame. Good luck to her and Armistead in the road race though.

Cheers. I see Emma Pooley just missed out on a medal in the time trial. That's unlucky and a shame. Good luck to her and Armistead in the road race though.

Sadly mate, Lizzie pulled out of the women's RR today due to illness, and I read that she isn't being replaced.  So, good luck to Emma and Nicole (who are still riding as far as I know!).

Well done to Alex Dowsett, who finished with an 8th place in todays senior men's TT.  He's only 23, and was our second rider behind Froomey before he pulled out.  Excellent result really!  And according to my assistant in work, who I found out today was in the year above him in their school, he's a nice bloke, really down-to-earth.

Well in Alex!

I've also missed out congratulating GB's young Elinor Barker who won the junior women's TT on Tuesday, another exciting prospect for the future!

Sadly mate, Lizzie pulled out of the women's RR today due to illness, and I read that she isn't being replaced.  So, good luck to Emma and Nicole (who are still riding as far as I know!).

Well done to Alex Dowsett, who finished with an 8th place in todays senior men's TT.  He's only 23, and was our second rider behind Froomey before he pulled out.  Excellent result really!  And according to my assistant in work, who I found out today was in the year above him in their school, he's a nice bloke, really down-to-earth.

Well in Alex!

I've also missed out congratulating GB's young Elinor Barker who won the junior women's TT on Tuesday, another exciting prospect for the future!

Just read that. That's a sorry blow. Fingers crossed for Pooley and Cooke though. And as you say - exciting prospects for the future. Great to see the building blocks are in place for the future for British cycling.

Lucy Garner has retained her junior women's road race world champion title!  Well in Lucy!

Massive crash in the peloton of the women's world champs road race.  Looked like two-thirds of the race was held up.  Don't think I've seen such a huge pile up.

GB's Katie Colclough looks like she might have landed face first, blood around her nose and mouth.

Well in Mariane Vos, takes the gold, with Australia's young Rachel Neylan in second place!

What a year for Vos!  World Cyclo Cross Champion, Olympic Road Race Champion, World Cup Winner and now World Road Race Champion!!  Brilliant!  What a rider!  As Duffers used to say, "Chapeau!"

Well in Mariane Vos, takes the gold, with Australia's young Rachel Neylan in second place!

What a year for Vos!  World Cyclo Cross Champion, Olympic Road Race Champion, World Cup Winner and now World Road Race Champion!!  Brilliant!  What a rider!  As Duffers used to say, "Chapeau!"

Incredible achievement. That really is outstanding. Pure dominance from Vos!

Saw the crash - what a pile up! Looked very nasty. Shame there was no British success today. Would have been good had Pooley got it. Seems she missed the break though.Doesn't seem to get the rewards her hard work deserves.

Really exciting end to the men's road race!

Phillipe Gilbert takes the win!  Belgium were so strong at the finish, and Gilbert just rode away from the lead bunch on the final climb of the Cauberg!

Boasson Hagen takes silver and Valverde gets bronze.