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[T8SC]

Cycling |OT| - Watt? Shut Up Legs

OT for all forms of cycling. Road, mountain, gravel, cyclo-cross, time-trial, velodrome, urban, BMX etc.

This OT will also cover all the yearly UCI world tours such as the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuela a Espana alongside all other cycling events such as the MTB World Championships & the various indoor & outdoor Olympics events.

Everyone is welcome, whether you have a bike, you're considering getting one for health & fitness or just enjoy watching the races on TV.

2025 Event Dates

The Giro d'Italia started on 9 May in Durrës, Albania and finished on 1 June in Rome.
The 2025 Tour de France will start in Lille on 5 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 27 July.
The 2025 Vuelta a España will take place in Italy, France and Spain between 23 August and 14 September 2025.
The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will be held in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, from August 30 to September 14.

Socials, News & Reviews

Road.cc
Cycling News
Cycling Weekly
Global Cycling Network
CADE Media
British Cycling

 

[T8SC]

Reserved.

 

[Boralf]

Just posting here to join the conversation. Started last week again.

Wonder if Pogi will dominate the tour again, that would be boring.

 

[T8SC]

Just posting here to join the conversation. Started last week again.

Wonder if Pogi will dominate the tour again, that would be boring.

Welcome! Glad there's someone else on here that is into cycling.

Hopefully the TdF will be interesting this year. Pogacar remains favourite but Vindegaard is also up there as a contender. Be nice to see an outsider sneak in there too, like Evenepoel.

I'm in the market for a new bike too, so curious to see who's riding what, specs, tyres etc.

 

[jshackles]

My wife and I watch the Tour every year! She is massively into cycling IRL.

I have a bike and try to keep up, but I'm getting too old / fat to ride it.

 

[Boralf]

Welcome! Glad there's someone else on here that is into cycling.

Hopefully the TdF will be interesting this year. Pogacar remains favourite but Vindegaard is also up there as a contender. Be nice to see an outsider sneak in there too, like Evenepoel.

I'm in the market for a new bike too, so curious to see who's riding what, specs, tyres etc.

Evenepoel isn't good enough in the hills compared to Vingegaard and Pogacar to be a serious contender. He will only win time in the time trials, that's his specialty. We've seen this in Dauphine already recently.

Don't really know much about the hardware side of things. I got my bike from my parents years ago My dad knows much more about it. I only know that Ultegra and upwards is always good to aim for with everything revolving around shifting and gears. And depending on where you're biking you want to take in mind the choice for gears. I have an old Focus frame, aluminium and a bit of carbon. My gears are a bit scuffed and need to change my shifters. They're incompatible with my back derailleur. I had an accident a few years ago which broke my bike so some stuff was changed back then so now I have half Tiagra and half Ultegra stuff.

 

[T8SC]

My wife and I watch the Tour every year! She is massively into cycling IRL.

I have a bike and try to keep up, but I'm getting too old / fat to ride it.

Welcome! All the more reason to ride the bike, lose weight, get fitter & stare at your wifes ass as she takes the lead .... I find it's on par with swimming for fitness as you get older, running will just knacker your knees whereas cycling & swimming are impact-free. (Swimming is cheaper though).

Evenepoel isn't good enough in the hills compared to Vingegaard and Pogacar to be a serious contender. He will only win time in the time trials, that's his specialty. We've seen this in Dauphine already recently.

Don't really know much about the hardware side of things. I got my bike from my parents years ago My dad knows much more about it. I only know that Ultegra and upwards is always good to aim for with everything revolving around shifting and gears. And depending on where you're biking you want to take in mind the choice for gears. I have an old Focus frame, aluminium and a bit of carbon. My gears are a bit scuffed and need to change my shifters. They're incompatible with my back derailleur. I had an accident a few years ago which broke my bike so some stuff was changed back then so now I have half Tiagra and half Ultegra stuff.

Yeah true, I need to get up to speed with everything before it starts. I used to read and watch all sorts when it was the Team Sky era, to know as much as I could.

I'd argue that anything 105 and above is good enough for the regular rider. The main reason is that 105, Ultegra & Dura-Ace are pretty much totally interchangeable as they're the same speed/number of gears. Lower groupsets have less gears and don't have electronic versions though still have some stuff that can be mix & match. Focus make good bikes! I know a few folk who either have them or have had them in the past. They're hard to find in the UK though, very few places seem to stock them these days which I find a bit strange.

My current Summer bike is a Cannondale Supersix Evo with a Sram Red22 groupset (Which is the bike I'm looking to replace), also have a Winter bike that's just a POS heavy custom thing with 105 gears and my time trial bike is a Cannondale Slice with Dura-Ace di2.

Bikes cost so damn much these days, a top S-Works costs almost as much as a Honda Civic Type-R from 2005! Infact the Trek Madone SLR9 Interstellar costs £16,350 which is pretty much the same! Crazy prices.

 

[Boralf]

Welcome! All the more reason to ride the bike, lose weight, get fitter & stare at your wifes ass as she takes the lead .... I find it's on par with swimming for fitness as you get older, running will just knacker your knees whereas cycling & swimming are impact-free. (Swimming is cheaper though).




Yeah true, I need to get up to speed with everything before it starts. I used to read and watch all sorts when it was the Team Sky era, to know as much as I could.

I'd argue that anything 105 and above is good enough for the regular rider. The main reason is that 105, Ultegra & Dura-Ace are pretty much totally interchangeable as they're the same speed/number of gears. Lower groupsets have less gears and don't have electronic versions though still have some stuff that can be mix & match. Focus make good bikes! I know a few folk who either have them or have had them in the past. They're hard to find in the UK though, very few places seem to stock them these days which I find a bit strange.

My current Summer bike is a Cannondale Supersix Evo with a Sram Red22 groupset (Which is the bike I'm looking to replace), also have a Winter bike that's just a POS heavy custom thing with 105 gears and my time trial bike is a Cannondale Slice with Dura-Ace di2.

Bikes cost so damn much these days, a top S-Works costs almost as much as a Honda Civic Type-R from 2005! Infact the Trek Madone SLR9 Interstellar costs £16,350 which is pretty much the same! Crazy prices.

I would say Pogacar is the favorite with Vingegaard as a serious outsider based on previous years and the recent Dauphine. There's seemingly no one else that can keep up with those 2 in the hills. Unless I'm missing some newcomer.

Yeah see, I just don't know enough of the hardware Really have to read up on that sometime. I don't even know what electronic versions of groupsets are. As long as my bike works I'm fine with it I feel like most of the difference in speed comes from my legs anyway. I only know SRAM from the following video:



And Cannondale is very good too right? At least I remember they make quality stuff. They're located almost next door to me in Oldenzaal.

But you mention a time trial bike. Do you bike professionally or take part in races?

And I feel like biking has become more popular for a lot of different reasons, especially since the corona period. It was one of the only sports you could keep doing because it was outside and you can do it on your own. Also thriathlons and bikepacking have become more popular. And I feel like every sport that is also individualistic is also more popular (running, gym, biking), because it has no dependency on time or other persons. You can do it whenever you want or don't want. It doens't require you to be a member of a sports club or team.

 

[T8SC]

I would say Pogacar is the favorite with Vingegaard as a serious outsider based on previous years and the recent Dauphine. There's seemingly no one else that can keep up with those 2 in the hills. Unless I'm missing some newcomer.

Yeah see, I just don't know enough of the hardware Really have to read up on that sometime. I don't even know what electronic versions of groupsets are. As long as my bike works I'm fine with it I feel like most of the difference in speed comes from my legs anyway. I only know SRAM from the following video:



And Cannondale is very good too right? At least I remember they make quality stuff. They're located almost next door to me in Oldenzaal.

But you mention a time trial bike. Do you bike professionally or take part in races?

And I feel like biking has become more popular for a lot of different reasons, especially since the corona period. It was one of the only sports you could keep doing because it was outside and you can do it on your own. Also thriathlons and bikepacking have become more popular. And I feel like every sport that is also individualistic is also more popular (running, gym, biking), because it has no dependency on time or other persons. You can do it whenever you want or don't want. It doens't require you to be a member of a sports club or team.

That video takes me back! I got shown it a lot from all my Shimano friends.

I mean I agree that when its a one horse race it does get a bit boring (One of many reasons why I don't watch F1 anymore) but you have to admire the sheer skill, power & athleticism he has. Day after day being able to do that, at that level and it's not like any rider in the TdF is slow and then he's like another level above. A bit like Froome & Wiggins from years ago. I always admired Contador too. I know he had an accident but I thought Egan Bernal would be up there still.

I do race yes, but I'm not a pro, I just do a mixture of crit races, time-trials, endurance sportives, that kinda thing. Although I'm getting a bit old now, youngsters are catching me ... so obviously I need a new bike right? At my peak I was roughly around Cat 1-Cat 2 classification with my FTP output.

I've noticed a shift to gravel riding in recent years, it's really big now and something I'm tempted to take up heading into Winter, something new/different to mix it up. The problem cycling has is that it can be expensive and that can put people off. It doesn't have to be, you can get perfectly good bikes for £1000-2000 (though that's still a lot of money). But if you want to progress and the bug bites you, things really do ramp up ... from £150 jerseys & £300 helmets to £3000 groupsets & £12,000 bikes. But at the end of the day it's your legs that make it move and if you train well, eat well and just keep riding, you'll always get better. It can offer a lot of freedom and people who need that head space or just to get away from the world for a bit, it's ideal.

You mention triathletes, I class them as freaks! I've tried it but i'll never be good enough at running or swimming. I always say if you can do one of those 3 sports well, then well done that's a good achievement. If you can do all 3 well, then you're a freak and im jealous.

 

[Icymanipulator]

I do a fair amount of trail riding in the spring and summer. I have a decent mountain bike. Nice to see there's some fellow bikers on GAF.

 

[T8SC]

I do a fair amount of trail riding in the spring and summer. I have a decent mountain bike. Nice to see there's some fellow bikers on GAF.

Welcome! Gravel & trail riding has seen a huge increase in popularity lately in my area. Nice to see more cyclists on GAF!

 

[T8SC]

Tour de France 2025

RIDERS

184 riders representing 23 teams will line up for the start on Saturday 5th July.

ROUTE

100% French.

The 2025 Tour de France won't be making any sorties beyond France's borders. This has not happened since 2020. It will visit 11 Regions and 34 departments.

STAGES

There will be 21 stages: 7 flat stages, 6 hilly stages, 6 mountain stages with five mountain finishes at Hautacam, Luchon-Superbagnères, Mont Ventoux, Courchevel Col de la Loze and La Plagne Tarentaise, and 2 time trials. There will be 2 rest days.

MOUNTAINS

• This 112th edition will feature climbs and summits in the Massif Central, the Pyrenees, the Alps and the Jura.​
• The Col de la Loze (2,304m) will be the highest point of the 2025 Tour. For the first time, the climb will tackled via its eastern flank from Courchevel.​

ELEVATION GAIN

The total vertical gain during the 2025 Tour de France will be 52 500m.

2 TIME TRIALS

The 5th stage, Caen > Caen (33km), will provide ideal terrain for rouleurs who specialise in solo efforts. The terrain and gradients will be quite different on stage 13's 11km TT between and Peyragudes.

TIME BONUSES

Time bonuses will be awarded at the finish of each stage, with 10, 6 and 4 seconds awarded to the first, second and third riders, respectively.

NEW STAGES TOWNS

From a total of 39, 8 stage towns/locations will be joining the Tour club:

• Lauwin-Planque (start of stage 2)​
• Bayeux (start of stage 6)​
• Chinon (start of stage 9)​
• Ennezat (start of stage 10)​
• Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy (finish of stage 10)​
• Bollène (start of stage 17)​
• Vif (start of stage 18)​
• Mantes-la-Ville (start of stage 21)​

 

[T8SC]

It doesn't get much better for Pogacar. A great start to the TdF for him.

 

[Boralf]

He might actually lose all of them again today.

 

[T8SC]

He might actually lose all of them again today.

Yeah dropped into 2nd for the GC with Vindegaard down into 5th. Hopefully it'll stay as a close contest & more than just a 2 horse race between Pogacar & Vindegaard by the end.

Stage 6 today, 201.5km & hilly. See how Evenepoel gets on today too.

 

[Boralf]

Well, with how the time trial went for Vingegaard, the tour might already be decided But lets wait for the mountains and see how Vingegaard and Pogacar are with long uphill stages.

I'm curious what van der Poel is gonna do. Will he try to hold on to the yellow today? And will he go for the green jersey this tour from now on? He sprinted for the points yesterday and he actually might have a good chance to get the green in Paris.

 

[T8SC]

Well, with how the time trial went for Vingegaard, the tour might already be decided But lets wait for the mountains and see how Vingegaard and Pogacar are with long uphill stages.

I'm curious what van der Poel is gonna do. Will he try to hold on to the yellow today? And will he go for the green jersey this tour from now on? He sprinted for the points yesterday and he actually might have a good chance to get the green in Paris.

Yeah I dont think that was his plan for the time trial, lost ground there. Didn't think he'd be sat 4th currently. Pogacar back at the top of the GC though.

I was looking to see how Bahrain Victorious would do this year with their new Merida Reacto bike, as I'm going to see what its like when it releases, but they had a bit of a nightmare with the crash today involving 2 of their riders, didn't look good at all.

 

[Boralf]

Yeah maybe it was an off day. We'll see when the mountain stages begin. I really hope he can compete with Pogacar, otherwise it would be very boring.

Aren't the bikes they use incredibly expensive?

Also started cycling again yesterday. Felt nice. Wanna really focus on my sitting position (core) right now, because I really feel I let my torso hang too much and then cycle too much with my calves which puts pressure on my knees. Might also need to do some core stability training on the side.

 

[T8SC]

Yeah maybe it was an off day. We'll see when the mountain stages begin. I really hope he can compete with Pogacar, otherwise it would be very boring.

Aren't the bikes they use incredibly expensive?

Also started cycling again yesterday. Felt nice. Wanna really focus on my sitting position (core) right now, because I really feel I let my torso hang too much and then cycle too much with my calves which puts pressure on my knees. Might also need to do some core stability training on the side.

Stage 10 is the first mountain stage so that'll be Monday, sure to shake things up a bit (Hopefully).

Yeah the current Merida Reacto in the team spec is about £8500, which is actually a lot cheaper than the likes of the Specialized Tarmac SL8 (£12,500) and Cannondale Supersix Evo Lab71 (also £12,500). I test rode the Scultura team spec bike a few days ago but preferred the Reacto. Just didn't want to buy a bike who's frame is about to be replaced. (New version below).

Have you considered a bike fit? Or even just get someone to hold your bike whilst you sit in various positions to make sure everything that's adjustable is correct and anything not adjustable you can make a note of and get a longer/shorter version (Stem being the main culprit for needing changed). Also one thing I tend to see is legs being straight when at 6 o'clock, they should always have a slight bend at the knee. It's the little things that can really affect comfort after a few miles.

I know for my Supersix Evo, I changed the seatpost to a setback version and also changed the handlebars for a different drop to the type it came with.

I was also out today, it was absolutely scorching hot, but I shouldnt complain as it'll be raining & windy soon.

 

[T8SC]

Rest day.

General classification after stage 10

1. Ben Healy (Ire/EF Education-EasyPost) 37hrs 41mins 49secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +29secs

3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step) +1min 29secs

4. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +1min 46secs

5. Matteo Jorgenson (US/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2mins 6secs

6. Kevin Vauquelin (Fra/Arkea-B&B Hotels) +2mins 26secs

7. Oscar Onley (GB/Picnic PostNL) +3mins 24secs

8. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull - Bora-hansgrohe) +3mins 34secs

9. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull - Bora- hansgrohe +3mins 41secs

10. Anders Johannessen (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +5mins 3secs

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

I love cycling, just trying to get back into it after a few years off. Never cycled really far, normally a 40 mile loop in the mornings before work and a 50 mile lol on a Sunday evening. I was concerned that my hip wouldn't be able to handle it but going on a very gentle 10 mile ride was easier than walking to the shop. I'm going to dig my spandex out and try pushing a bit further at a faster pace.

 

[Boralf]

Stage 10 is the first mountain stage so that'll be Monday, sure to shake things up a bit (Hopefully).

Yeah the current Merida Reacto in the team spec is about £8500, which is actually a lot cheaper than the likes of the Specialized Tarmac SL8 (£12,500) and Cannondale Supersix Evo Lab71 (also £12,500). I test rode the Scultura team spec bike a few days ago but preferred the Reacto. Just didn't want to buy a bike who's frame is about to be replaced. (New version below).

Have you considered a bike fit? Or even just get someone to hold your bike whilst you sit in various positions to make sure everything that's adjustable is correct and anything not adjustable you can make a note of and get a longer/shorter version (Stem being the main culprit for needing changed). Also one thing I tend to see is legs being straight when at 6 o'clock, they should always have a slight bend at the knee. It's the little things that can really affect comfort after a few miles.

I know for my Supersix Evo, I changed the seatpost to a setback version and also changed the handlebars for a different drop to the type it came with.

I was also out today, it was absolutely scorching hot, but I shouldnt complain as it'll be raining & windy soon.

Nothing really changed yet between Pogacar and Vingegaard, but the crash of Pogacar might change things a bit with the stage of tomorrow ahead. Tomorrow we'll hopefully see where the gc riders are at! Very exciting tour so far, every day something is happening. Even on a stage where you would think it would just be a standard sprinting stage van der Poel and Rickaert make it one of the fastest stages in a tour ever. Everything is just constant chaos, very entertaining.

No idea about the technicalities, but that bike looks faster than my bike ;x

Was thinking about it, but I'm not sure that that is it. Could always ask my dad to take a look at my position ofcourse. I'm pretty sure though my back is pretty weak so I lean forward a lot (my hips rotate forward and I tend to lean on my arms a lot), which probably makes my cycle a lot from my legs. A bit when you stand a bit hunched over and you lean a lot on the front of your feet. Which is probably why my knees are always sort of overloaded. Went for the third time yesterday and seems to be going better and better. But yeah, adjusting saddle a bit and maybe handlebars could also help.

Actually wanted to go again today (getting addicted again ;( ), but it's rainy and thundering here damned. Might go anyway once the thunder has passed.

 

[T8SC]

I love cycling, just trying to get back into it after a few years off. Never cycled really far, normally a 40 mile loop in the mornings before work and a 50 mile lol on a Sunday evening. I was concerned that my hip wouldn't be able to handle it but going on a very gentle 10 mile ride was easier than walking to the shop. I'm going to dig my spandex out and try pushing a bit further at a faster pace.

40-50 mile is a good distance, especially if its hilly. I often tell people (in real life) who are wanting to either get fit or just lose weight that cycling should be looked at because its not an impact sport, running tends to attack your knees and other joints whereas cycling can be much easier on them whist still providing the exercise (and nice scenery) required. Bikes just need setup properly for each rider or sometimes they can have sort backs etc if the saddle is too low/high or the bike is just overall too big/small for them. So yeah, get that lycra (or spandex) out and hit the road, be good to see progress as the cycling bug bites.

Nothing really changed yet between Pogacar and Vingegaard, but the crash of Pogacar might change things a bit with the stage of tomorrow ahead. Tomorrow we'll hopefully see where the gc riders are at! Very exciting tour so far, every day something is happening. Even on a stage where you would think it would just be a standard sprinting stage van der Poel and Rickaert make it one of the fastest stages in a tour ever. Everything is just constant chaos, very entertaining.

No idea about the technicalities, but that bike looks faster than my bike ;x

Was thinking about it, but I'm not sure that that is it. Could always ask my dad to take a look at my position ofcourse. I'm pretty sure though my back is pretty weak so I lean forward a lot (my hips rotate forward and I tend to lean on my arms a lot), which probably makes my cycle a lot from my legs. A bit when you stand a bit hunched over and you lean a lot on the front of your feet. Which is probably why my knees are always sort of overloaded. Went for the third time yesterday and seems to be going better and better. But yeah, adjusting saddle a bit and maybe handlebars could also help.

Actually wanted to go again today (getting addicted again ;( ), but it's rainy and thundering here damned. Might go anyway once the thunder has passed.

The crash today, wasn't expecting that. I seen someone go down but didn't realise who it was at first. Crazy though how he and Vindegaard still got the same time and there wasn't much of a shakeup that I thought might happen. Definitely good so far, 11 stages in and not the rankings I was expecting.

If your back is weak then I'd suggest some off the bike exercises to build it up, that'll make your cycling posture better and in turn make your overall comfort (and performance) better. But definitely get someone like your dad to help with the bike setup, so they can see where your legs are at 6 o'clock and your overall reach etc could definitely help, especially if they can take photos of you static but in position, you'll maybe be able to diagnose yourself if you notice anything doesn't 'look' right.

We've had a nice day here today so I got out for a short 35 miler but had to be back for adulting duties. Just wanted to loosen the legs off after yesterday's WattBike session. Tomorrow looks grim, grey & rainy ... standard.

 

[Boralf]

Yeah didn't really see what happened either. Looked like he just touched the wheel of the rider in front of him. Really looking forward to tomorrow. Really enjoyed van der Poel as well until now. And yes I'm a dutchie. Love the aggressive riding, always going for the win.

I actually went again this evening and it actually seems to be my upper back and diaphragm. When I actively arch it I don't feel any pressure on my knees anymore and it seems I'm also cycling much more from my upper legs and core. I also start to feel my lower back a bit when I do that, but that's actually a good sign I think.

If 35 miles is short (which is about 55 km I think?), what do you cycle normally? Tomorrow seems a bit better here. Might go again tomorrow. Watching cycling everyday now on tv is also inspiring. Makes me wanna go myself.

 

[T8SC]

Yeah didn't really see what happened either. Looked like he just touched the wheel of the rider in front of him. Really looking forward to tomorrow. Really enjoyed van der Poel as well until now. And yes I'm a dutchie. Love the aggressive riding, always going for the win.

I actually went again this evening and it actually seems to be my upper back and diaphragm. When I actively arch it I don't feel any pressure on my knees anymore and it seems I'm also cycling much more from my upper legs and core. I also start to feel my lower back a bit when I do that, but that's actually a good sign I think.

If 35 miles is short (which is about 55 km I think?), what do you cycle normally? Tomorrow seems a bit better here. Might go again tomorrow. Watching cycling everyday now on tv is also inspiring. Makes me wanna go myself.

The guy who was in front cut across him but with the camera angle it was hard to really see how it happened but the commentator said Pogacar wasn't looking so didn't move but should he have really? Unsure. Second mountain stage tomorrow though, gonna be interesting, it probably wont be on in the gym so i'll have to get home!

I think the best thing to do is to keep doing it (providing its not bad pain) so your body gets used to the motion & position again and also strengthens up. Maybe switch between drops and hoods now & again and stand out the saddle randomly just to relieve any pressure, even if its a flat road, which if you're in the Netherlands, I'm assuming its mostly flat?

My rides can be anywhere between 50-100 mile usually but I have done several over 200 miles too, longest in a day without rest was 211 mile but my favourite is below:

The TdF, Vuelta & Giro are always good for a bit of inspiration, I agree. It's meant to rain tomorrow here so I'll be doing a session on the WattBike instead then back out on Friday in the sun. (Unless the forecast is lying).

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

40-50 mile is a good distance, especially if its hilly. I often tell people (in real life) who are wanting to either get fit or just lose weight that cycling should be looked at because its not an impact sport, running tends to attack your knees and other joints whereas cycling can be much easier on them whist still providing the exercise (and nice scenery) required. Bikes just need setup properly for each rider or sometimes they can have sort backs etc if the saddle is too low/high or the bike is just overall too big/small for them. So yeah, get that lycra (or spandex) out and hit the road, be good to see progress as the cycling bug bites.



The crash today, wasn't expecting that. I seen someone go down but didn't realise who it was at first. Crazy though how he and Vindegaard still got the same time and there wasn't much of a shakeup that I thought might happen. Definitely good so far, 11 stages in and not the rankings I was expecting.

If your back is weak then I'd suggest some off the bike exercises to build it up, that'll make your cycling posture better and in turn make your overall comfort (and performance) better. But definitely get someone like your dad to help with the bike setup, so they can see where your legs are at 6 o'clock and your overall reach etc could definitely help, especially if they can take photos of you static but in position, you'll maybe be able to diagnose yourself if you notice anything doesn't 'look' right.

We've had a nice day here today so I got out for a short 35 miler but had to be back for adulting duties. Just wanted to loosen the legs off after yesterday's WattBike session. Tomorrow looks grim, grey & rainy ... standard.

I need to get a new watch for strava, but funds are tight at the moment. My old, but still fully functioning, TomTom was made obsolete by an app update. I've got some money coming in soon so I'll probably get a garmin forerunner.

You're right about hills, there's very little flat ground on my usual routes, or anywhere near me really.

 

[Boralf]

The guy who was in front cut across him but with the camera angle it was hard to really see how it happened but the commentator said Pogacar wasn't looking so didn't move but should he have really? Unsure. Second mountain stage tomorrow though, gonna be interesting, it probably wont be on in the gym so i'll have to get home!

I think the best thing to do is to keep doing it (providing its not bad pain) so your body gets used to the motion & position again and also strengthens up. Maybe switch between drops and hoods now & again and stand out the saddle randomly just to relieve any pressure, even if its a flat road, which if you're in the Netherlands, I'm assuming its mostly flat?

My rides can be anywhere between 50-100 mile usually but I have done several over 200 miles too, longest in a day without rest was 211 mile but my favourite is below:

The TdF, Vuelta & Giro are always good for a bit of inspiration, I agree. It's meant to rain tomorrow here so I'll be doing a session on the WattBike instead then back out on Friday in the sun. (Unless the forecast is lying).

Yeah they showed it in the Avondetappe (dutch daily tour de france talkshow). Seems like Pogacar was going straight while everybody went to the right of the road. Not really anyone's fault I think.

Yeah I'm gonna keep doing it. It's probably a result of maybe sitting behind the pc too much or going to the gym a lot and then stopping again abruptly which I did years ago. Knee pain started then. It's probably my core stabilization that is lacking as a result of some weak (very) muscles, which makes my torso collapse somewhat and as a result I cycle too much with the lower and front part of my legs.
And yeah I also come out of the saddle a lot, which is always nice And yes it's mostly flat but I'm crossing the border here to Germany and always look for some very short climbs.

Damn, but doesn't that take a lot of time? Especially since you seem to go a lot too? Or is it mostly in the weekend? Pretty nice average speed too for such a long distance. I usually go for something like 60km in the evenings. Maybe 90 km in the weekends. And of course a bit farther when doing a tour or bikepacking with my brother. I stopped recording my rides a while ago and don't even have a counter (is that the right word?) anymore.

 

[T8SC]

I need to get a new watch for strava, but funds are tight at the moment. My old, but still fully functioning, TomTom was made obsolete by an app update. I've got some money coming in soon so I'll probably get a garmin forerunner.

You're right about hills, there's very little flat ground on my usual routes, or anywhere near me really.

Have you considered a Garmin Edge (Or Wahoo device)? They're generally better for cycling and their not hugely expensive if you pick the ones lower down the range. They'll do the job you need, the ones higher up the range are generally better for GPS mapping (bigger screen), solar charging and various other fancy things that most people don't actually need. Might work out cheaper than a new watch as watches tend to cost more, but do double up for other non-cycling things.

Yeah they showed it in the Avondetappe (dutch daily tour de france talkshow). Seems like Pogacar was going straight while everybody went to the right of the road. Not really anyone's fault I think.

Yeah I'm gonna keep doing it. It's probably a result of maybe sitting behind the pc too much or going to the gym a lot and then stopping again abruptly which I did years ago. Knee pain started then. It's probably my core stabilization that is lacking as a result of some weak (very) muscles, which makes my torso collapse somewhat and as a result I cycle too much with the lower and front part of my legs.
And yeah I also come out of the saddle a lot, which is always nice And yes it's mostly flat but I'm crossing the border here to Germany and always look for some very short climbs.

Damn, but doesn't that take a lot of time? Especially since you seem to go a lot too? Or is it mostly in the weekend? Pretty nice average speed too for such a long distance. I usually go for something like 60km in the evenings. Maybe 90 km in the weekends. And of course a bit farther when doing a tour or bikepacking with my brother. I stopped recording my rides a while ago and don't even have a counter (is that the right word?) anymore.

I live in a very hilly area, very few flat roads so it'd be refreshing to ride around the Netherlands (or anywhere similar) haha. The few flat roads we have is where we hold the time trials.

Sounds like you know what the issue is. hopefully keeping up the cycling will see it resolve itself, its strange how the body can just fix things if there's repetition, it'll get stronger and that in turn makes your body adjust and you get more comfy. My rides through Winter are shorter due to the weather and I do more indoor stuff (WattBike) so I notice similar once Spring roles around, my arse isn't used to the longer distances for a few rides especially haha.

I'm one of the lucky ones where Im away from work more than Im at it (Long hours but less days there) so I can get out weekdays and weekends (As life permits). Got all sorts of rides with big elevation and mileage, but gotta build upto them cos the hills will kill your legs eventually if you try to do too much too soon, seen many people bonk when I've been out with them. Longest race I've done was 112 miles & about 12,000ft elevation, basically just rode uphill constantly! haha.

I've never tried bikepacking, but it is something I may do especially as I get older and my legs fade on things like Time Trials and other races. It'd be nice to have a relaxing pace over long distances with some overnights involved, it's also why I've been eyeing up a gravel bike. Never been into mountain biking but gravel keeps popping onto my radar. Mix things up, keep it fresh.

Just watching the TdF now ... Ben Healy is absolutely knackered and Visma seem to have fucked up their tactics! Gonna be interesting as we get to the end. I keep seeing aero bikes too rather than the 'climbing' bikes ... intrigues me.

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

Have you considered a Garmin Edge (Or Wahoo device)? They're generally better for cycling and their not hugely expensive if you pick the ones lower down the range. They'll do the job you need, the ones higher up the range are generally better for GPS mapping (bigger screen), solar charging and various other fancy things that most people don't actually need. Might work out cheaper than a new watch as watches tend to cost more, but do double up for other non-cycling things.




I live in a very hilly area, very few flat roads so it'd be refreshing to ride around the Netherlands (or anywhere similar) haha. The few flat roads we have is where we hold the time trials.

Sounds like you know what the issue is. hopefully keeping up the cycling will see it resolve itself, its strange how the body can just fix things if there's repetition, it'll get stronger and that in turn makes your body adjust and you get more comfy. My rides through Winter are shorter due to the weather and I do more indoor stuff (WattBike) so I notice similar once Spring roles around, my arse isn't used to the longer distances for a few rides especially haha.

I'm one of the lucky ones where Im away from work more than Im at it (Long hours but less days there) so I can get out weekdays and weekends (As life permits). Got all sorts of rides with big elevation and mileage, but gotta build upto them cos the hills will kill your legs eventually if you try to do too much too soon, seen many people bonk when I've been out with them. Longest race I've done was 112 miles & about 12,000ft elevation, basically just rode uphill constantly! haha.

I've never tried bikepacking, but it is something I may do especially as I get older and my legs fade on things like Time Trials and other races. It'd be nice to have a relaxing pace over long distances with some overnights involved, it's also why I've been eyeing up a gravel bike. Never been into mountain biking but gravel keeps popping onto my radar. Mix things up, keep it fresh.

Just watching the TdF now ... Ben Healy is absolutely knackered and Visma seem to have fucked up their tactics! Gonna be interesting as we get to the end. I keep seeing aero bikes too rather than the 'climbing' bikes ... intrigues me.

I've just been looking on amazon, a garmin instinct 2 looks like it has all of the things I want, gps-heart rate-altimeter, that sort of thing plus Vo2Max. They're also on offer for £180 at the moment, much cheaper than a forerunner. I'm also looking into those Bluetooth helmets that send a text with location details if they detect an impact followed by no movement. Most of my routes are pretty rural so it could in theory be a life saver.

 

[T8SC]

I've just been looking on amazon, a garmin instinct 2 looks like it has all of the things I want, gps-heart rate-altimeter, that sort of thing plus Vo2Max. They're also on offer for £180 at the moment, much cheaper than a forerunner. I'm also looking into those Bluetooth helmets that send a text with location details if they detect an impact followed by no movement. Most of my routes are pretty rural so it could in theory be a life saver.

Yeah thats generally what makes them more expensive, its the HR and other sensors that they include, whereas the base model Edge's are mainly just about GPS and connecting to ANT+ devices & phones. I think the Instinct is quite rugged too isn't it? Could be handy when out & about on the bike and it'll do everything you need on & off the bike. I think Strava has an accident alert but I believe it's part of their premium package, Garmin I think have one too but I'm not sure how they work, very handy to have though especially for rural solo rides. Not seen the helmets with the sensors, but I know having MIPs is a good idea, generally a little more expensive (not loads) but can be a lifesaver.

 

[T8SC]

Rest day tomorrow, current GC rankings:

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Emirates-XRG) 54hrs 20mins 44secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +4mins 13secs
3. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +7mins 53secs
4. Oscar Onley (GB/Picnic PostNL) +9mins 18secs
5. Kevin Vauquelin (Fra/Arkea-B&B Hotels) +10mins 21secs
6. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +10mins 34secs
7. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) +12mins
8. Tobias Johannessen (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +12mins 33secs
9. Carlos Rodriguez (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +18mins 26secs
10. Ben Healy (Ire/EF Education-EasyPost) +18mins 41secs

Stage 16 on Tuesday:

It's looking increasingly like Pogacar has got this wrapped up.

In other news, the 2026 Cervelo S5 has been released & it looks very nice!

 

[T8SC]

Well that's the Tour de France over for another year and as expected, Pogacar ran away with it and secured his fourth Tour title.

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Emirates-XRG) 76hrs 32secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +4mins 24secs
3. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +11mins
4. Oscar Onley (GB/Picnic PostNL) +12mins 12secs
5. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) +17mins 12secs
6. Tobias Johannessen (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +20mins 14secs
7. Kevin Vauquelin (Fra/Arkea-B&B Hotels) +22mins 35secs
8. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +25mins 30secs
9. Ben Healy (Ire/EF Education-EasyPost) +28mins 2secs
10. Jordan Jegat (Fra/TotalEnergies) +32mins 42secs

Next up is the Vuelta a España which starts on the 23rd August and runs until the 14th Sept, it is the final grand tour of 2025. Pogacar is undecided whether he'll be part of it and will decide during his downtime this week. Speaking of Pogacar, there's been a few articles and comments around the web regarding doping, mainly aimed at him and his various times, some of which have beaten or been comparable to those known dopers of the past, such as Lance Armstrong. Obviously times change, bikes get better, nutrition gets better but ... are the riders clean? Is Pogacar clean? I'd like to think so. Anyhow, let's see what the Vuelta has in store!

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

Does anyone watch any races other than the TDF? If so, have you seen anything about Aleix Espargaro? He used to ride in Motogp but now cycles for a Lidl sponsored team.

 

[T8SC]

Does anyone watch any races other than the TDF? If so, have you seen anything about Aleix Espargaro? He used to ride in Motogp but now cycles for a Lidl sponsored team.

Lidl-Trek? He's not someone I've heard of until now. Did he retire from MotoGP young? He must be a good rider if he's been brought into a World Tour team. I'll have to do some reading up on who he is, seems like an interesting change of career.

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

Lidl-Trek? He's not someone I've heard of until now. Did he retire from MotoGP young? He must be a good rider if he's been brought into a World Tour team. I'll have to do some reading up on who he is, seems like an interesting change of career.

He was the oldest on the grid before he retired, mid 30s maybe? I think he preferred cycling but was good on the motorbikes and I guess there's more money in it. I don't know how much to cyclists earn but even a middling MotoGP rider can earn a couple of a million a year.

 

[T8SC]

He was the oldest on the grid before he retired, mid 30s maybe? I think he preferred cycling but was good on the motorbikes and I guess there's more money in it. I don't know how much to cyclists earn but even a middling MotoGP rider can earn a couple of a million a year.

I guess it'll come down to which sport gets the most money from tv rights, advertising and whatever else, cycling is pretty big and road is road (not many variants), whereas Motorbikes, like car racing, is split up into all sorts of types, sizes & divisions. Obviously the stars of each sport get the most, I'm sure Pogacar will be upto about £10m per year or so with his wins too.

Had a quick read up on him, 35yrs old and his first tour was the Tour of Austria, which is a smaller tour which should probably be expected for a first timer. Wonder if he'll appear in the Vuelta lineup, they usually swap riders around. I think Chris Froome is lined up to ride it too for Israel-Premier Tech.

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

I guess it'll come down to which sport gets the most money from tv rights, advertising and whatever else, cycling is pretty big and road is road, whereas Motorbikes, like car racing, is split up into all sorts of types & divisions. Obviously the stars of each sport get the most, I'm sure Pogacar will be upto about £10m per year or so with his wins too.

Had a quick read up on him, 35yrs old and his first tour was the Tour of Austria, which is a smaller tour which should probably be expected for a first timer. Wonder if he'll appear in the Vuelta lineup, they usually swap riders around. I think Chris Froome is lined up to ride it too for Israel-Premier Tech.

I've just had a look as well, the pics make him look emaciated compared to when he was riding full time in GP, which I guess is to be expected. It's much easier to manoeuvre a 2Kg cycle than a 158Kg motorbike, even with a counter rotating crank and flywheel. The team website says he's a brand ambassador and will only take part in certain races, so possibly it's just a publicity thing.

£10m is certainly good money, Fabio Quatararro is the highest paid at the moment I believe, on €15m a year basic, plus performance and sponsorship. I think the next behind him is about €7-8. Although Marc Marquez signed a €100m 4 year deal with Honda in 2020, making him the highest earner ever in GP. But enough about motorbikes, I don't want to derail your thread.

 

[T8SC]

I've just had a look as well, the pics make him look emaciated compared to when he was riding full time in GP, which I guess is to be expected. It's much easier to manoeuvre a 2Kg cycle than a 158Kg motorbike, even with a counter rotating crank and flywheel. The team website says he's a brand ambassador and will only take part in certain races, so possibly it's just a publicity thing.

£10m is certainly good money, Fabio Quatararro is the highest paid at the moment I believe, on €15m a year basic, plus performance and sponsorship. I think the next behind him is about €7-8. Although Marc Marquez signed a €100m 4 year deal with Honda in 2020, making him the highest earner ever in GP. But enough about motorbikes, I don't want to derail your thread.

So that'll be 25m per year? That's more than a cyclist will get. Just looking up other cyclists, basic salaries, Froome is on about £5-6m, Pogacar & Vindegaard both around £10m, and even names like Geraint Thomas are down at like £4m. There's a lot more riders in a cycle team so I guess money needs distributed between more people. (up to 30 as a requirement by the UCI, also the bikes need to be 6.8kg or more, they can't go under that weight).

 

[T8SC]

The end of an era.



Always been great coverage. It'll be a huge loss.

 

[jshackles]

The end of an era.



Always been great coverage. It'll be a huge loss.

Video isn't available in my country - can I get a summary? Thanks!

 

[T8SC]

Video isn't available in my country - can I get a summary? Thanks!

ITV have provided coverage of the TdF for 25 years, with Gary Imlach (The guy on the left) covering the sport since 1990 when he worked for Channel 4 and they held the coverage rights. TNT Sports have bought the rights so future coverage is going to be behind a paywall for the first time next year and this team is being disbanded after so many successful years of coverage. They reminisce on the highlights of different tours over the years and pay their respects to those riders past & present as well as the team behind the camera which you don't see or hear much of but are intricate to the success of the TV broadcast.