The 2017 pro cycling season started a few weeks ago in Australia. Caleb Ewan is off to a big start by winning 4 sprint stages over Peter Sagan in the Tour Down Under, while BMC’s Richie Porte won the GC. Over in Dubai, Marcel Kittel won three stages over Mark Cavendish, and was prevented from winning the fourth by being punched in the face. But in that stage, John Degenkolb proved he was back by winning his first race since his injury.
But the “real” cycling season starts in earnest on Saturday with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the first European classic of the season.
Biggest news of the offseason was the team moves. Saxobank is no longer, so their two biggest stars had to find new teams. Peter Sagan is with Bora-Hansgrohe and Alberto Contador is with Trek-Segafredo.
Guide to new team kits:
Guide to team bikes. Biggest news in bikes is that Specialized no longer sponsors three teams, only two:
Nice sprint finish in the Abu Dhabi tour today, featuring a duel between Ewan, Kittel, and Cav. If you're new to cycling, the big guy on the left of the screen is Marcel Kittel, the little guy in the middle is Caleb Ewan, and the guy on the right is Mark Cavendish.
In other Abu Dhabi news, Kittel was in a crash in stage 1 and cut up his competitor with his disc brake. He's no longer using the disc brake. Disc brakes were legalized last year, but later un-legalized because of safety concerns. They are legal again, but looks like most people are avoiding them, again for safety concerns.
Over in Abu Dhabi, Caleb Ewan continues his hot start to the year. Have no idea what happend to Kittel, though. Cav again shows that's not on form yet.
If it wasn't for history, this race should totally be the 6th monument and have a special place in the calendar instead of the day before the biggest early season stage race
We are more than halfway with one of the greatest spring classics now, and not much has happened. Definitely looking forward to the Kapelmuur, which has returned in this edition after a five year absence.
Gaviria looks really impressive. Probably the one guy coming through to pick up the baton from some of the veteran sprinters coming to the end of their careers.
Gaviria looks really impressive. Probably the one guy coming through to pick up the baton from some of the veteran sprinters coming to the end of their careers.
Gaviria might be the second best sprinter in the world right now. Only Kittel is faster. And we won't know for sure because they are on the same team. (Though I assume Quickstep would put Gaviria in the Tour if he were actually faster than Kittel).
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Originally Posted by The Brickie
Wow Dumoulin.
That was amazing. I think he just won the Giro today. He's going to lose time to Quintana. But not enough to blow his huge lead.
He could easily lose 10 minutes on Tuesday. Especially if the mountain goats are racing for massive timegaps. 3 absurd high altitude climbs and he has no team
Yeah, I wouldn't say it's done and dusted, but there is another time trial and I think he's much better equipped to deal with the high mountains than he was at the Vuelta a couple of years ago. I think/hope he'll do it.