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Original poster

Anyone want to join the Gilbert appreciation club with me?

58 replies

MrSlant · 02/04/2017 21:42

Massive chapeau to Philippe Gilbert today, what a race, surely a new definition of panache to win the tour of Flanders in such style.

I can't really find anyone in RL apart from DS1 to discuss it with and he was out all day and had to make do with a live re-enactment from me when he got home. That race was insane and brilliant and everything cycling has to offer.

The falls, the equipment fails, the fact that even I didn't want Sagan to lose it by coming off his bike. Talk to me cycling people!

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Original poster

MrSlant · 07/04/2017 12:05

Thanks for all the good wishes for DS1, he had an absolutely AMAZING time, actually we both did. There was a lovely man from the track who gave him loads of advice and was so kind to both of us, then he got a couple of other people and in the end the commissaires (?sp) to make him a fan club, he was the only junior who finished the rest of the field were over 23's, and they were all cheering him on every lap. At the end the man in charge shouted "congratulations to number 21 on completing his first ever race" before they let them off the track and everyone was just lovely. Sorry, big waffle there but it was the most amazing evening. Plus he stayed with the bunch and dropped quite a lot of the adults in the final sprint lap. No points but lots of new friends and contacts so it was just so good. Cycling people are just the best aren't they?

My bike is in the repair shop and the weather is gorgeous, this is making me very grumpy. DS1's 35 inch inner leg measurement means stealing one of his is impossible. His seat post is nearly up to my armpit.

P-R bingo, drink every time Sagan angrily gestures with his elbow that people aren't pulling their weight in a breakaway?

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Original poster

MrSlant · 07/04/2017 13:16

Well Quick-Step have just come out with "Game of Stones" so I'm putting that on my card!

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DramaAlpaca · 08/04/2017 22:44

Well, there'll be no CK bingo tomorrow, the commentators are apparently to be Rob Hatch and Sean Kelly. So we can play Sean Kelly bingo instead:

'feeling good'
'in difficulty'
'majorly'

I do love Sean Kelly, but he's very predictable

Can't wait until tomorrow, but will be recording to watch later.

TheLongRider · 09/04/2017 07:14

"Making the calculations"

Rob Hatch beautiful over-pronouncing the names correctly as if he's read every pronunciation guide ever, vs. Kelly's fantastic Waterford accent, peloton said as "pel-o-tone". It makes for a good day out.

I'll be at my Mum's for the main part, no Eurosport, so I may only be around for the post-mortem.

Original poster

MrSlant · 09/04/2017 11:02

Beautiful pronunciations indeed! (I'm not going to watch it all, promise, well, I might pop out to the shops for something to feed the boys later at least). Although I went out on my bike yesterday (channeling LongRider on a long uphill drag and going better and further than I have before) and met up with DS1 for a bit so obviously tried to show off and go faster. I am in so much pain today sometimes I forget that I actually have stupidly bad arthritis and it bites me on the bum to make me remember so a day on the sofa is indicated. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

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TheLongRider · 09/04/2017 11:50

Well done on the hill, chapeau! The hill will be waiting for you again and next time it won't seem so intimidating. As for recovery, ah yes, "Mummy will be sitting on the sofa, watching the cyclists because Mummy is very tired." Preferably with the contents of the fridge within easy reach.

Well done to MrSlant's son too on his race. Juniors seem to be indestructible, "ah sure I'll go in the break again" and off they pop leaving the rest gasping in their wake.

TheLongRider · 10/04/2017 20:51

Well that was great fun. Myself and my cycling mad DH sat down to watch " some of it" after we got back yesterday afternoon. He'd recorded the whole thing but we watched it from 115 km to go. It was a real game of cat and mouse and we watched the whole thing!

When Greg Van Avermatt had the mechanical in one of the sectuers it looked like game over. He did really well to chase back on. Daniel Oss was going like a horse out front. Boonen was doing far too much work, it may have been his last race but did he have to chase down everything! Sagan was jinxed again at about the same distance from the finish as in Flanders. I was holding my breath for the sprint in the Velodrome. I think it was a good win.

DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2017 21:53

DH & I settled down to watch the race after he got back from his morning spin with his club.

It was really interesting watching it from the start, the bits you hardly ever see on TV, watching the breaks trying to form, getting brought back, trying to go again. So we ended up watching the whole thing, but at least we could zap through the ad breaks. It was a good race, not as thrilling as Flanders, but very pleased for GVA.

Original poster

MrSlant · 10/04/2017 22:05

Yay, I can come back on and admit I watched the entire thing (bar a mad dash to Tesco - "DS1 there's only 29k to go before the first cobbles, I'm just going to sprint to the shops to get tea" got back with 2k in hand). It was fascinating. Plus lots of time to google and I'm starting to soften toward Sagan, always hated him but I think I'm coming round eventually. He really is an all round bike boy isn't he? When he had a mechanical and I went "oh no" DS1 looked over in alarm !

It was great to watch, poor Boonen didn't have much help did he. GvA's team mate did a great job up front. Gutted again for Luke Rowe.

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Original poster

MrSlant · 10/04/2017 22:09

Although I'm deaf as a post and the beautiful soft Irish voices they had as commentators didn't help one bit, did they have three different ones? I hadn't realised Sean Kelly's palmarès was quite so extensive

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DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2017 22:11

I'm also warming to Sagan, he's something special and he really does light up the sport. He seems to be brilliant with the fans too, from what I've heard.

Original poster

MrSlant · 10/04/2017 22:19

Annoying isn't it .

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Original poster

MrSlant · 10/04/2017 22:25

I was reading his wikipedia page and he turned up to the Slovak Cup having accidentally sold his bike before the sponsors one turned up and won on his sisters one bought from a supermarket with crap brakes and limited gearing. Also always turned up for training in a t-shirt and trainers. I might have to let him off being over the top cocky occasionally now, he must have had some talent to get where he is without the gear. The kids DS1 cycle with have the most amazing bikes and if they puncture their parents whip out a spare wheel from the bike shop van they all seem to have with such nonchalance that a £300 wheel was just hanging around waiting to be used that it takes my breath away. So to come up through the ranks without all that. Damn, I'm going to end up liking him.

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TheLongRider · 10/04/2017 22:26

Sagan has matured, thank goodness. I disliked him intensely in his arse-pinching days. He has got better on and off the bike. He's got a sense of humour (have a look at some of his videos on YouTube) and does work hard in the races. He doesn't seem to hang on the coat tails of his domestiques (Ahem, Sky).

DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2017 22:27

Cross posted with you there MrS. There was Sean Kelly and Declan Quigley as well as Rob 'Perfect Pronunciation' Hatch.

Quigley has a Dublin accent, so quite distinct from Kelly's soft Waterford tones. I'm OK following the accents, I've lived in Ireland for many years and anyway I'm used to DH. I have to admit when I first met him I struggled to understand him, but I loved listening to his voice

Yes, Sean Kelly was amazing in his day. He transformed himself from a sprinter into an all rounder and won the Vuelta in 1988. He was a great man for the classics, too.

Original poster

MrSlant · 10/04/2017 22:30

He was so young when he started winning. I think the problem was that he kept beating Cav and he was my first introduction to the sport, I had a maternal protective thing for him, watching him go from a young promising rider to the winner he is. Didn't like the cocky wheely boy beating him! Although I still think some of his videos are just terrible. Plus the arse pinching.

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Original poster

MrSlant · 10/04/2017 22:35

Drama I am deaf as a post ("profoundly" is the official term) and have hearing aids which do their best but don't give me normal hearing in any shape or form, the beautiful Irish accent is a step too far for them (although I am having an operation to reverse this, my stupid bones are crap in my ear as well as everywhere else but can be bypassed, so next year they should be clear as a bell, which will be weird).

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DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2017 23:08

Ah, I didn't realise that MrS. I hope the operation goes well, it'll be very weird for you afterwards for a while. I know it's not the same, but when my eldest DS got grommets for his glue ear aged 4, he was really quite disorientated for a few days because he wasn't used to being able to hear clearly, and he thought everything was so loud especially his brothers.

My friend wears hearing aids and finds it difficult to follow me at times because I am quite softly spoken. She has to turn the hearing aids up - and I also make sure I sit facing her so she can lip read too. She says it has its advantages though, when her DC are being really loud and annoying she turns her hearing aids off to get a bit of peace

Original poster

MrSlant · 11/04/2017 09:37

Well it's not something that really matters on here, one of the joys of MN, everyone is at just the right volume . I also slip the batteries out when the DS' are arguing at dinner. Quite often with the addition of a small glass of wine and a book, absolute bliss and probably the only thing I will miss! Does make following sport hard though because I generally can only follow programmes with the "words on the screen" thing (jeeze, I've completely forgotten the proper terminology for that, I just shout 'put the words on' at whoever has the remote) and when it's live commentary, if a sports programme is even doing it, there's normally quite a bit of lag and some (occasionally hilarious) typos as the person typing tries to keep up. And possibly understand Sean Kelly themselves!

What's next now. Amstel series? Countdown to the Giro

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DramaAlpaca · 11/04/2017 10:30

Morning!

Yes, Amstel series coming up. And the Giro. I found the Giro official programme from 2014 the other day, can't believe it's 3 years since DH & I went to Belfast & Dublin for the first three days.

Original poster

MrSlant · 11/04/2017 11:00

Wow, was that three years ago, I remember you going to watch the Giro! Worked out it was 2011 when we saw the tour, was getting out some photo's of my ex-Bil for a charity event and the DS' were tiny. I am now third tallest of four in my house, not happy with this at all.

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DramaAlpaca · 11/04/2017 16:21

Haha, wait until they are all taller than you! I'm the smallest in my house these days, and I'm 5'10! It's nice when they wrap you up for a hug, though, I love that.

Original poster

MrSlant · 12/04/2017 09:10

DS1's hugs are the best, 6'1" and I'm only 5'5" so just a lovely giant hug. I'm never coming to your house, I'd feel like a hobbit!

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DramaAlpaca · 16/04/2017 21:48

And Gilbert does it again!!!

What a win

Original poster

MrSlant · 16/04/2017 22:08

That was another great one. Gilbert was pristine in the way he rode the race. Felt a bit sorry for Kwatio but he was outclassed completely in the home stretch. Still he has the years on Gilbert!

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