+3
29-06-2025 14:55
+4
17-12-2024 23:48
+0
16-11-2024 23:43
+2
05-11-2024 07:43
+1
03-11-2024 23:16
+18
03-11-2024 23:13
29-10-2024 22:59
+5
25-10-2024 23:48
25-10-2024 23:06
25-10-2024 22:47
+3
mikebeast
'The Belgian rider began the Giro with poor form and only in stage 9 did he show the best version of himself...' He came 2nd on stage 1, having been pipped to the line by Mads Pedersen. Hardly poor form. I think he'll be fine.29-06-2025 14:55
+4
mikebeast
You're mostly preaching to the converted on here, but this was still a thoroughly enjoyable article. Firstly I was incensed; as close to a perfect season as you're ever going to see in this era and it isn't good enough to make the shortlist?! Then I became reflective and pondered the sheer amount of joy I experienced from watching a great at work this year. Now I'm happy again.17-12-2024 23:48
+0
mikebeast
A good analogy is germane; a bad analogy isn't. You could say the strength of an analogy can be judged by its germaneness. I thought the bank account analogy was rather germane indeed!16-11-2024 23:43
+2
mikebeast
We've heard plenty of complaints from older riders over the past few years about changes for the worse in the peloton. Sagan and de Gendt spring to mind, making interesting points about the lack of respect and courtesy among riders. But Geschke just seems to be genuinely aghast that his teammates won't go drinking with him on a nightly basis! Amazing. Top marks for honesty at least. He's not the first to mention riders now being content to ride for places rather than wins, but it's an interesting point. The relegation/promotion system for the WT seems to encourage this too. The UCI needs to be watchful of this. They've created conditions in which the best approach for most teams is to prioritise placings or lesser races. Sport is entertainment; watching riders battle for minor places and/or duke it out at smaller events is less entertaining.05-11-2024 07:43
+1
mikebeast
Sometimes I wish Patrick would get off the fence for once and tell us what he really thinks.03-11-2024 23:16
+18
mikebeast
Got to love Rog's positive attitude. He's suffered a multitude of setbacks over the years that would've bested a lesser man, including snatching TdF defeat from the jaws of victory and more crashes than I can remember. His performances in Paris-Nice alone have been filled with more dramatic turns than most riders' entire careers. I'm going to miss him greatly when he retires. He seems to be defying his years for the time being, which I reckon is partly due to his unerring positive mindset. It's also probably a little to do with his late start to the sport; he hasn't burned himself out with too many miles on the odometer. As for next year's TdF, who knows? It certainly isn't likely. But we know that the status quo never lasts for long in cycling. There'd be a certain poetic justice to Rog holding steady and avoiding chaos unfolding around him for once, unflappable as ever as he dons yellow in Paris.03-11-2024 23:13
+2
mikebeast
I'm sure Jonas will be salivating at the prospect of the stage 13 mountain ITT. I'm glad there are no major mountains in the first week. Hopefully we'll see some one day specialists and puncheurs vying for yellow before the main GC guys take centre stage. Perhaps MVDP will be more prominent as a result.29-10-2024 22:59
+5
mikebeast
Terrible news for cycling fans in the UK. ITV will still broadcast it in 2025 but that will be the swan song. Every year I long to hear that brilliant them tune knowing it's Tour time. For me, I'm not too fussed about the live coverage. If I've got time to watch live I'll chop and change between ITV and Eurosport. However ITV's daily highlights show is vastly superior. Besides, a prestigious event such as the TdF ought to be free-to-air. In the UK, certain 'crown jewel' sporting events must be broadcast on a free-to-air channel. It's a pity the TdF isn't one of them.25-10-2024 23:48
+5
mikebeast
Chuffed for Larry. At one point it looked like he wouldn't find a new deal, so to have landed on a team on a steep upward trajectory is a great result. Daniel Friebe made an impassioned plea for a team to offer him a deal on The Cycling Podcast. I'd like to think the Tudor higher-ups were on the phone Larry straight after the episode. Speaking of pros who guest on TCP, spare a thought for Lizzy Banks, who is still mired in her valiant battle against the spurious doping allegations made against her.25-10-2024 23:06
+2
mikebeast
Jonas is a fabulous rider, but I suspect Remco might end up being Pog's closest challenger next year. Remco is still only 24 so we've likely not seen him reach his peak yet. Jonas may improve on this year, but irrespective of injuries Pog raised the bar again, and I wonder if Jonas may have reached his ceiling. Consensus seems to be that Pog and Jonas will duke it out for the next 3 or 4 TdFs. But the status quo tends to be fleeting at the very top of professional sport. Personally, I'd love to see a 2025 TdF where Pog and Jonas destroy the field by about 10 mins but are only separated by a handful of seconds themselves. I doubt it will happen though.25-10-2024 22:47