Cycling Betting & Discussion.

[vegaslover]

Awesome ride and victory by Thomas for sky today. Looked very strong on both the last climb and the finish

[Tonji]

Awesome ride and victory by Thomas for sky today. Looked very strong on both the last climb and the finish

Just read the twitter commentary, sounds a great ride by G.

Highlights later, I hope.

[Tonji]

Awesome ride and victory by Thomas for sky today. Looked very strong on both the last climb and the finish

Just read the twitter commentary, sounds a great ride by G.

Highlights later, I hope.

Pre the stage, G was available for the overall at between 30 & 40!

His price also in the Tour of Flanders has gone from 66/1 to 12/1.

[vegaslover]

You spotted any value for stage 4 Tonji? or is Griepel the value even at his price?

[Tonji]

You spotted any value for stage 4 Tonji? or is Griepel the value even at his price?

Just back from a business trip, been missing all the action Down Under.

[vegaslover]

You spotted any value for stage 4 Tonji? or is Griepel the value even at his price?

Just back from a business trip, been missing all the action Down Under.

Griepel was the value, cruised the sprint finish.
Cracking finish to stage 5, catch the highlights

[Tonji]

Tom Jelte Slagter (Blanco Pro) won the Tour Down Under.

Daniel Diaz (Somos Todos) won the Tour de San Luis.

Frankly, both had never crossed my radar. Interestingly both are 23. Signs that young riders can get results are good for the sport, but tricky for the punter.

[vegaslover]

Tom Jelte Slagter (Blanco Pro) won the Tour Down Under.

Daniel Diaz (Somos Todos) won the Tour de San Luis.

Frankly, both had never crossed my radar. Interestingly both are 23. Signs that young riders can get results are good for the sport, but tricky for the punter.

Slagter looked good in that 5th stage down under, both performance and the tactics in the last few k

[Tonji]

Tom Jelte Slagter (Blanco Pro) won the Tour Down Under.

Daniel Diaz (Somos Todos) won the Tour de San Luis.

Frankly, both had never crossed my radar. Interestingly both are 23. Signs that young riders can get results are good for the sport, but tricky for the punter.

Slagter looked good in that 5th stage down under, both performance and the tactics in the last few k

Caught up with the highlights, good win for Blanco, especially outfoxing Sky.

Greipel & his lead-out train were top notch, no one was even close. Will be interesting when Greipel & Cavendish race, but maybe have to wait until the TDF.

[Tonji]

Currently working my way through the Tyler Hamilton book, quite amazing to somebody with not much knowledge at all of this sport.

Two questions for you aficionados, is the sport mostly clean now in your opinions and what's the best way for me to become a fan, it seems like a sport that appeals to me with all the tactical nuances but i can't just sit there watching geezers pedal for hours without understanding the tactics.

Would say it's the cleanest I have ever known it, how clean that is is anyones guess, but testing better now than has ever been. Sky have been massive in this change imo. Done more in a couple of years in the sport then other teams combined. Their contracts on being clean etc are the way to go. Wasn't the least suprised by any of the people who have left or 'retired' from the sport since Sky brought them in.

Best way to get into it imo would be to watch the coverage of the tours from start to finish, just the hourly highlights shows are fine to start with. ITV and Eurosport showed a lot of coverage of the circuit last season. Most also show the last hour or so of a stage, where all the tactics, chase downs, sprint assembles takes place

I would say the best way to get to grip with it all is to actually be a cyclist.  Just going out on a clubrun will give you an idea of some of the very basics, and hearing people chat will inform you of more in depth stuff.  Obviously racing gives you even more knowldege.  Great for fitness, but on the flipside also VERY time consuming if you are training properly.

Its also a very tough, physically demanding sport.  My coach (when I was younger) used to tell me the only thing to compare to it was boxing (he represented UK at Olympics in both!!)

Still riding JJ?

What level were you riding at?

[Tonji]

Currently working my way through the Tyler Hamilton book, quite amazing to somebody with not much knowledge at all of this sport.

Two questions for you aficionados, is the sport mostly clean now in your opinions and what's the best way for me to become a fan, it seems like a sport that appeals to me with all the tactical nuances but i can't just sit there watching geezers pedal for hours without understanding the tactics.

Would say it's the cleanest I have ever known it, how clean that is is anyones guess, but testing better now than has ever been. Sky have been massive in this change imo. Done more in a couple of years in the sport then other teams combined. Their contracts on being clean etc are the way to go. Wasn't the least suprised by any of the people who have left or 'retired' from the sport since Sky brought them in.

Best way to get into it imo would be to watch the coverage of the tours from start to finish, just the hourly highlights shows are fine to start with. ITV and Eurosport showed a lot of coverage of the circuit last season. Most also show the last hour or so of a stage, where all the tactics, chase downs, sprint assembles takes place

I would say the best way to get to grip with it all is to actually be a cyclist.  Just going out on a clubrun will give you an idea of some of the very basics, and hearing people chat will inform you of more in depth stuff.  Obviously racing gives you even more knowldege.  Great for fitness, but on the flipside also VERY time consuming if you are training properly.

Its also a very tough, physically demanding sport.  My coach (when I was younger) used to tell me the only thing to compare to it was boxing (he represented UK at Olympics in both!!)

Still riding JJ?

What level were you riding at?

Nah I joined the army about 17 years ago with the intention of riding for them pretty much full time - but I discovered life lol

I blew alot of my teenage years away training ridiculous amounts and dropped out of college to go race in Belgium (I was on GB junior squad). Trouble was, at that time if you were UK/US/Australia it was pretty much closed shop...and I defo wasn't prepared to do some of the things asked.

The fitness I gained though kept me in great stead - even now later in life when I'm not so fit I gain cv fitness super quickly.  I've been tempted to go back, but tbh if I were to do so I'd do it properly - and that eats up an immense amount of time

Sounds like you could have been a contender, but just unlucky to have been born a generation too early. Great opportunities now for talented GB riders.

[Tonji]

The daily chores of a domestique in the Tour de San Luis

[Tonji]

Tour Of Qatar. Feb 3-8



http://www.letour.com/indexTQA_us.html

Hot & windy, this race has become an important preparation for the Spring Classics in Belgium.

Tom Boonen (OPQS), 4 times winner will not be riding due to an elbow injury. His replacement is Zdenek Stybar, double World Cyclo-cross champion. Cavendish will lead the team. The team has vast experience in this race, riding echelons in the cross winds, & should give them a clear advantage in riding for the general classification.



Unconfirmed start list here: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/117690022-Tour-of-Qatar-2013-Startlist

[vegaslover]

You spotted any pre race value???

[Tonji]

You spotted any pre race value???

No markets up yet, that I could see. But a few thoughts in the next few days on a couple of riders I hope will have long odds, with possible EW opportunities (I like them), if time permits.