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01:21
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16-04-2026 16:08
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15-04-2026 16:47
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15-04-2026 16:45
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13-03-2026 16:01
06-02-2026 16:16
27-01-2026 16:42
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31-12-2025 17:54
23-12-2025 17:14
23-12-2025 17:07
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+0
megasmacky
Wow, you really don't think much of your fellow readers do you? Trying to pass off this nonsense. First of all, nobody said he came from nowhere. He was obviously wildly talented, and that was clear, as you say, long before he was a pro. What is undeniably true is he came from nowhere as a GC candidate in GTs. He had virtually no GC resume before he finished 4th in the 98 Vuelta. He'd never come even close to a good GC finish before that. He was absolutely stomped in the TT's by Indurain in his first two Tours. He'd never won or come close to winning a mtn stage. He said himself many times, in his early career, in a commendable display of honesty, that he was not that sort of rider. There's never been a GT champion in modern history with anything like his lack of GC credentials. GC riders look like GC riders from their first years racing. They win junior staqe races, they win the Baby Giro or the Tour de L'Avenir, whatever. Saying that he would have won the Tour if all were clean is absurd, backed by zero evidence. He wouldn't have even come close. If another rider said he would, and I doubt they did, you certainly do nothing to back up this claim, they said it because riders knew that angering Armstrong was a bad idea. They were humouring him. Also, guys like Lemond and Indurain look worse than him because they decided that Armstrong's almost freakish obsession with remaining hyper fit wasn't for them. Indurain likes tinkering with old tractors, and doesn't seem to give a toss about the sport at all. Lemond has had health issues and accidents that didn't have any clear connection with their cycling career. Oh, and Fignon died of cancer, you d*ck.01:21
+3
megasmacky
I completely agree. Unlike some other commenters, I understand there's no way to know if he could have dropped Pogacar and Van Aert, but I do think he was the strongest of the three. If he hadn't dropped them, then it's impossible to say. A velodrome sprint is completely unpredictable. Strongest doesn't always mean the win. It's a truly beautiful sport, no?16-04-2026 16:08
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megasmacky
There is zero chance you have the slightest idea what would have happened if MvdP hadn't flatted.15-04-2026 16:47
+4
megasmacky
Museeuw used to insist you need "a fat bum" to win PR.15-04-2026 16:45
+1
megasmacky
I think that's a decent idea, for him to go to the Tour, and intentionally lose time on some flat stages to take the pressure off, but it misses an opportunity. At the Vuelta, he can go for the GC, but more importantly, he can use it to learn how to lead a World Tour team in a GT, in a much lower pressure environment than the Tour or even the Giro.. He can learn at the Tour but he can learn a lot more at the Vuelta.13-03-2026 16:01
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megasmacky
I hope enough people find out Hincapie is a Trump supporter that this team gets hounded out of the sport the same way IPT was. Frankly, I'd say he's worse than IPT. And take that butt-ugly team strip with you. As a Canadian, I have nothing good to say about this team. I'd never wish injury on anyone but I hope they're met with every bit of misfortune possible. F*** America.06-02-2026 16:16
+4
megasmacky
That kit is hideously ugly. They're not seriously going out in public looking like that are they?27-01-2026 16:42
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megasmacky
I didn't even know he'd divorced.31-12-2025 17:54
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megasmacky
There's a lot more talent coming right behind Seixas. Van Wilder, Widar, and it'll be interesting to see how Cian Uijdebroeks does in his first GT.23-12-2025 17:14
+1
megasmacky
I have to think his personal contract with Specialized was a problem as well. Ineos has a long-standing relationship with Pinerello, so I don't see how that would have been resolved.23-12-2025 17:07