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MN Peloton's Road Racing Spring Classics 2015 - trois, deux, un..

231 replies

derailleurdePan · 08/03/2015 11:17

Bike We've had training camps in Catalunya and the Canaries, eaten desert dust and limbered up in Strada Bianche yesterday. Some keen team riders have even been on turbos and rollers....or watched other people do that...which is the same thing really...so we are good to go!

If anyone is new to road racing, the spring classics are generally one-day events (but 150-200 kms long!), usually in Northern France or Belgium and are the hors d'oeuvres to the Grand Tours of Italy, France and Spain. Some though, like today's start on the Paris-Nice are multi-stage of a week or so in length.

The remaining UCI-advertised classics up the Giro d'Italia are here..

08.03 15.03 Paris – Nice France
11.03 17.03 Tirreno – Adriatico Italy
22.03 22.03 Milan – San Remo Italy
23.03 29.03 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Spain
27.03 27.03 E3 Harelbeke Belgium
29.03 29.03 Ghent – Wevelgem Belgium
05.04 05.04 Tour of Flanders Belgium
06.04 11.04 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco Spain
12.04 12.04 Paris – Roubaix France
19.04 19.04 Amstel Gold Race Netherlands
22.04 22.04 La Flèche Wallonne Belgium
26.04 26.04 Liège – Bastogne – Liège Belgium
28.04 03.05 Tour de Romandie Switzerland

So shall we roll out of the neutralised zone, and start sweating??
Bike_Bike

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UnoPan · 07/04/2015 22:48

Wasn't that an interesting day in the Basque? Adored seeing the car set off, and the riders off their bikes and having a chat....and rightly so. And an exhilarating finish too!

I think I've got the pedals sorted Felix. Quite looking fwd in learning how to bunny hop on the hybrid. Which will be an adventure.GrinBike

DramaAlpaca · 07/04/2015 22:53

Yes, race organisers are making a bit of a mess of things this season so far. Glad the riders made their point.

Paris-Roubaix - can't wait. Am I really, really mean to hope that it'll be raining? Grin

Bike
UnoPan · 07/04/2015 23:07

Nope DA...am hoping for the same! It's a bit like the old time Grand National where anything could happen. . It'll be a bit tricky on the day as it's also the Manchester footie derby...I'll need split-screen tech.Smile

DramaAlpaca · 07/04/2015 23:24

Not a fan of horse racing, but I do watch the GN. Glad it's safer now, but I hate seeing horses being walloped down the home straight.

I'm very loosely a ManU supporter, as that's the team my DB & I followed as kids, but these days I'm more of a rugby woman. No choice really, with DH & DS1 in the house - they live & breathe it. Ireland are playing the Barbarians soon at a stadium near us. DH has kindly offered to lend me his Barbarians jersey Confused

UnoPan · 07/04/2015 23:30

ah, I'm a United boy, mainly from family links with Matt Busby -and also having being brought up about 1 mile from Old Trafford. So it was written in the stars. Football

Rugby. Hmm Grin

DramaAlpaca · 07/04/2015 23:37

Yes rugby. I have to admit I just pretend to know the rules Wink

EndoplasmicReticulum · 08/04/2015 16:33

Another one hoping for rain at the weekend. In France though, not in Yorkshire.

FelixFelix · 08/04/2015 16:39

Ooh I might be able to watch Paris-Roubaix in real time rather than recording then forgetting about it Grin

Please no rain in Yorkshire!

DramaAlpaca · 08/04/2015 22:58

Today's stage at the Basque Tour was exciting. Lots of climbs, overenthusiastic crowds, fast & furious descents & a change in the leader's jersey. More climbs tomorrow & I think it's an uphill finish - and Quintana is sitting pretty in third place overall, no doubt planning to jump into the lead. Great stuff Bike

MrSlant · 08/04/2015 23:04

See I am a rugby girl, know it inside and out and now have a love/hate relationship with it but I've ended up a football coach and that I don't know the rules for, although I am undergoing some intense catch up training. I support the Swans but only under duress Wink. DS1 has his first road race coming up in a local 42km hilly event though and has entered his first triathlon so there is hope for him at least. Very pleased we will be home in time for the Paris-Roubaix. Your local weather report is terrible rain in Portugal, will that push upwards for the cycling?

MrSlant · 08/04/2015 23:06

Sounds great Drama, still haven't worked out Quintana, he seems so apart from everyone else, may just not be reading the right bits of press though. His riding is amazing.

DramaAlpaca · 08/04/2015 23:07

But the rules of soccer are easy compared to rugby Grin

Might not get to watch Paris-Roubaix in real time as DS has asked me to drive him back to uni on Sunday. Apparently he has loads of washing he wants me to bring back Hmm.

DramaAlpaca · 08/04/2015 23:17

Yes, Quintana seems inscrutable & quite self-contained, doesn't he?

MrSlant · 08/04/2015 23:39

Oh I'm sure the rules of soccer are easy but when you are faced with 10 angry 8 year olds who all insist it is their throw in? Give me cycling chess every time Grin. If it helps I have no idea why people find off side hard to understand but we don't have it in our age group, We only just progressed to having handball as a bad thing. Don't even get me started on the U6's.

Yes, inscrutable is the best word for Quintana but he's lived a very different life to the rest of the peloton I suppose.

DramaAlpaca · 08/04/2015 23:56

Grin at trying to control a pack of angry 8 year olds at a throw in! Respect to you - I couldn't do it I'd be sending them all off

StayingSamVimesGirl · 09/04/2015 11:56

Another rugby girl here. I enjoyed the Six Nations, and am looking forward to the World cup. I prefer international rugby, because I like national anthems. Sad individual that I am, I get the words on my iPad, and sing along. One of my dreams is to watch a Wales international, at the Milennium stadium, and join in with singing the Welsh national anthem.

DramaAlpaca · 09/04/2015 12:31

DS3 & I love to sing along when watching Wales matches, and we also warble along loudly & tunelessly to Flower of Scotland, much to the annoyance of everyone else in the house Grin

I do try to sing along to the Irish national anthem, but coming late in life to Irish have only managed to memorise the first couple of lines. I can manage a rousing Ireland's Call though, and am word perfect on The Fields of Athenry for our local Munster matches.

  • that was supposed to be a rugby ball upthread, for anyone who couldn't tell Wink
StayingSamVimesGirl · 09/04/2015 13:04

We should so hang out, Drama!

DramaAlpaca · 09/04/2015 13:08

I reckon we'd get on like a house on fire! Grin

UnoPan · 10/04/2015 21:34

2 sleeps to P-R....

UnoPan · 10/04/2015 22:01
Bike
MN Peloton's Road Racing Spring Classics 2015 - trois, deux, un..
DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2015 22:24

You are like a small boy at Christmas, Pan Grin

UnoPan · 10/04/2015 22:39
Smile

Spesh's model is the Secteur..with gelled tape and inserts on the front forks, so as it's allegedly easier to ride over the cobbles. Fortunately I don't live or ride in Yorkshire......

MrSlant · 12/04/2015 10:07

Happy Paris-Roubaix day everyone!

GrinBikeGrinGrinBikeGrinGrinBikeGrinGrinBikeGrinGrinBikeGrin

UnoPan · 12/04/2015 10:13

Chapeau MrS!

from the tweet deck:
Dan Wuori ?@dwuori 9h9 hours ago
@petosagan be careful tomorrow, some of the route is very poorly paved.