+3
16-03-2026 19:39
+5
15-03-2026 12:50
+1
13-03-2026 12:02
12-03-2026 18:32
+4
12-03-2026 17:40
08-03-2026 11:58
+11
04-02-2026 14:13
08-01-2026 22:57
06-01-2026 14:58
06-01-2026 14:07
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+3
MidnightRider
He's not an idiot, but he thinks his claim to fame in the world of cycling punditry is to analyze tactics. I've learned from him, but: - he overdoes it. Race after race is won by the strongest rider. His basic approach is to claim everyone is doing it wrong, as though clever strategy would cause a lesser rider to beat a stronger one. Mostly it would not. - He focuses too much on TVL and in particular Wout, too little on others. He was fired from NBC in part because he spent so much time denouncing TJV's tactics in 2022, saying over and over that they were "knuckleheads" by letting him chase his own goals. He was wrong then, was wrong in 2023 when they won all three GTs, and was wrong last year when he denounced them for attacking Pog last year on the way to 2nd. But that gets him clicks, so he sticks to it.16-03-2026 19:39
+5
MidnightRider
It's a fantastic sport that takes an entirely different kind of strength and athleticism than road cycling. And far from "fat tire fantasies," its nature and history are directly connected to soldiery. It was invented 125 years ago by a French solider as a form of training, and there have been championship races ever since. And the skills of cyclocross were used during WWII, when soldiers and resistance fighters rode bikes overland, often at night, to avoid German forces and carry important messages. Plus, it's great in person, much better than road racing. Far more chances to see the riders, very exciting to see them tackle the treacherous terrain and obstacles. Doesn't mean you have to like it, but your characterization of it is just silly.15-03-2026 12:50
+1
MidnightRider
Congratulations on being the first person to explain "second group" syndrome. None of the rest of us had any idea.13-03-2026 12:02
+1
MidnightRider
Definitely. None we would expect to match Jonas on his own, but some very good riders who, while working together, were formidable. Jonas was just too much today.12-03-2026 18:32
+4
MidnightRider
No other top riders, but a group of 7 B-listers couldn't keep up with him even on the descents and flats. Too bad we'll never know if Ayuso could have managed, but even on form he would have been pressed. Pog looms out there somewhere, but this was impressive for now.12-03-2026 17:40
+1
MidnightRider
Tadej had Primoz, who while not quite as intergalactic as Tadej has become, was not only a superstar on the rise, he was a Slovenian. Plenty of inspiration and motivation.08-03-2026 11:58
+11
MidnightRider
TVL is wrong no matter what they do. Race aggressively like they did at TDF last year, and critics howl that they are just wearing themselves out and giving UAE a free ride. But when they don't attack they are criticized for refusing to fight. Now they are wrong to let Jonas, one of the two great GC riders of his era, have a chance to complete the career GT grand slam. Never mind that TVL won 2 of the 3 GTs last year, plus TDFF. All we need to know is that they are doing it wrong all the time.04-02-2026 14:13
+4
MidnightRider
Not sure you can say that someone as talented and successful as him has had bad luck, but between coming along right after the two titans and now this, his is a career cut short. Perhaps he can transition to a different role in the sport, but in any case I wish him well.08-01-2026 22:57
+3
MidnightRider
Yes, we would be talking about Wout's phenomenal ride. The immense crowds that showed up that day - what was it, 500k? - did so with no knowledge that Pog would contest. He added to it, for sure, but that scene has its own drama, and Wout is one of most appealing figures in the sport. Any argument to the contrary is silly. As for what we have to discuss, try answering the question I asked. Why is only Jonas at fault? Why not Lipowitz, Onley, Healy, Roglic, etc?06-01-2026 14:58
+4
MidnightRider
Amusing. "Pog's ride to 4th was glorious because he was hurt and tired. But Wout's ride to victory was mid even though he, too, was exhausted and had been struggling the entire Tour" The proper take: Pog's ride was selfish and pointless. One slip and everything he and his teammates had worked for goes up in smoke. Just a terrible risk/reward ratio that served his vanity much more than his team. As for Jonas: why is only he singled out for criticism? Why not Lipowitz or any of the other GC riders? Essentially *all* GC riders have sat up since TDF went to the sprint finish in 1975. Critical of them, too? Those crowds and that scene were iconic, just as they had been at the Olympics without Pog. Wout is a hugely popular figure who has endured terrible injuries and struggled to find his best form for some time now. His win was one of the most exciting moments of the year both for the spectacle and for what he had to overcome to achieve it. You are in a tiny minority to say otherwise.06-01-2026 14:07