Cycling Betting & Discussion.

[Tonji]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akkXJFf1jIk

women's team pursuit final.

[Tonji]

News emerging that the parcours for Milan-Sanremo has been confirmed with no Pompeiana climb. Advantage shifts to sprinters.

[Tonji]

News emerging that the parcours for Milan-Sanremo has been confirmed with no Pompeiana climb. Advantage shifts to sprinters.

Kristoff 100/1.

[cheapwetsuit]

Not anymore. 50/1 now. Did you take some Bennati too? 

Nice spot. Unfortunately, I'm severely restricted with PP, so will have to try the shop across the road.

BTW, I've gone for Haussler e/w @ 40/1 in the Omloop ... and a banzai on Tom van Asbroeck (had to back a Belgian).

[Tonji]

Not anymore. 50/1 now. Did you take some Bennati too? 

Nice spot. Unfortunately, I'm severely restricted with PP, so will have to try the shop across the road.

BTW, I've gone for Haussler e/w @ 40/1 in the Omloop ... and a banzai on Tom van Asbroeck (had to back a Belgian).

Only snatched a restricted £2.25 EW on Kristoff. He'll have a good year in the classics imo if he can stay injury free.

Omloop: Just sticking with Kristoff, thinking along the lines that Katusha will be using Paolini to drag Kristoff into the final selection. Terpstra, OPQS could have him as leader, but equally could be Stybar, depends how it plays out.

Demare for KBK on sunday?

[cheapwetsuit]

Not anymore. 50/1 now. Did you take some Bennati too? 

Nice spot. Unfortunately, I'm severely restricted with PP, so will have to try the shop across the road.

BTW, I've gone for Haussler e/w @ 40/1 in the Omloop ... and a banzai on Tom van Asbroeck (had to back a Belgian).

Only snatched a restricted £2.25 EW on Kristoff. He'll have a good year in the classics imo if he can stay injury free.

Omloop: Just sticking with Kristoff, thinking along the lines that Katusha will be using Paolini to drag Kristoff into the final selection. Terpstra, OPQS could have him as leader, but equally could be Stybar, depends how it plays out.

Demare for KBK on sunday?

I wouldn't put you off backing Demare, but I just can't see past Greipel in a bunch sprint. However, Demare might be more suited to the cobbles, which can take a lot out of a sprinter's legs. Still Greipel for me though.

[Tonji]

Not anymore. 50/1 now. Did you take some Bennati too? 

Nice spot. Unfortunately, I'm severely restricted with PP, so will have to try the shop across the road.

BTW, I've gone for Haussler e/w @ 40/1 in the Omloop ... and a banzai on Tom van Asbroeck (had to back a Belgian).

Only snatched a restricted £2.25 EW on Kristoff. He'll have a good year in the classics imo if he can stay injury free.

Omloop: Just sticking with Kristoff, thinking along the lines that Katusha will be using Paolini to drag Kristoff into the final selection. Terpstra, OPQS could have him as leader, but equally could be Stybar, depends how it plays out.

Demare for KBK on sunday?

I wouldn't put you off backing Demare, but I just can't see past Greipel in a bunch sprint. However, Demare might be more suited to the cobbles, which can take a lot out of a sprinter's legs. Still Greipel for me though.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/dmf20140228_058


Some sickness worries in Lotto-Belisol, Greipel not sure to start.

[Tal]

Turns out there's a chap at our office who is both a maths geek and a cycling nut. I asked an open question about something today and, forty minutes later, my left ear was full of Team Sky's techniques and analytics and why Chris Froome will always beat Movistar in the TDF and my right ear was full of names of people to look out for in the years to come. I'd also been told about why various people couldn't have been on drugs and why many others definitely were. He probably answered the question I asked him about eighteen minutes in. I'm not sure.

Anyway, he mentioned that Wiggins will be looking to win in Belgium and that the cobbled streets should play into his hands. Can anyone help me out with that one, please? I presume he's not going this year?

He also explained that there's a young Brit (possibly Edmondson?) that he thinks will be the leader if Froome is injured (he reckons the early TDF stages for instance will be a minefield if the weather is bad) and that he shows more promise than Geraint Thomas , who is solid as a team player but not enough to mount a serious GC challenge. He reckons this lad is going to be something pretty good in the years to come and could be lined up as the deputy. Again, any views? If it isn't Edmondson but someone else you know he is on about, forgive me. It was a long conversation

[Tonji]

Hey Tal,

Yes Josh Edmundson, certainly has potential. But at only 21 & yet to ride a GT it's too early to say if he could be a GC rider.

[Tonji]

Re: Wiggins. He's talked about riding Paris Roubaix, the ultimate cobbled classic, this season. But not sure it's a serious ambition, he's ridden three times with a best finish of 25th back in 2009. I'm not sure he has the fight in him still to compete with the toughest anymore, I'd be happy to be proved wrong though.

[Tal]

Right ho. Thank you very much. That broadly accords with what he was saying. The point with Edmundsen is that Sky needs a British leader for brand purposes and Froome will be top dog for four or so years, so it is perfect for getting a young rider blooded behind him.

Re wiggins, he said I should watch his weight (no idea how you can find stuff like that out!) That would give a good indication of how serious he is about riding classics rather than being track or mixed. I note he isn't even priced for these classics.

Think I might press this fellow on some names for specific races. He talked a good game anyway. It is a relationship that could work. He likes talking about data and analytics. I like betting. What could possibly go wrong?

[Tonji]

10 riders to watch in the 2014 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne

[Tonji]

Right ho. Thank you very much. That broadly accords with what he was saying. The point with Edmundsen is that Sky needs a British leader for brand purposes and Froome will be top dog for four or so years, so it is perfect for getting a young rider blooded behind him.

Peter Kennaugh (24) is ahead of Josh. He rode great in last years TdF & looks to have what it takes, although will need to start winning the likes of Tour of Poland to get his chances as GC contender.

[Tal]

Right ho. Thank you very much. That broadly accords with what he was saying. The point with Edmundsen is that Sky needs a British leader for brand purposes and Froome will be top dog for four or so years, so it is perfect for getting a young rider blooded behind him.

Peter Kennaugh (24) is ahead of Josh. He rode great in last years TdF & looks to have what it takes, although will need to start winning the likes of Tour of Poland to get his chances as GC contender.

Sounds like I need to find out who he means - he mentioned a LOT of names! - he definitely mentioned him as well.

Genuinely would have brought a pen and paper if I realised he was going to be talking about wattages and Chris Frome's superior cadences...

I'll have to give him some chess banter to reciprocate.

[Tonji]

Right ho. Thank you very much. That broadly accords with what he was saying. The point with Edmundsen is that Sky needs a British leader for brand purposes and Froome will be top dog for four or so years, so it is perfect for getting a young rider blooded behind him.

Peter Kennaugh (24) is ahead of Josh. He rode great in last years TdF & looks to have what it takes, although will need to start winning the likes of Tour of Poland to get his chances as GC contender.

Sounds like I need to find out who he means - he mentioned a LOT of names! - he definitely mentioned him as well.

Genuinely would have brought a pen and paper if I realised he was going to be talking about wattages and Chris Frome's superior cadences...

I'll have to give him some chess banter to reciprocate.

Pro Cycling, an analogy often is quoted is it's like chess on wheels