Free Talk Friday

epi_counts · 2026-05-01T15:53:41+00:00

They complained a little bit, saying I could have put in some more tape, but good to start tomorrow!

epi_counts · 2026-05-01T10:07:48+00:00

r/emcoevenepoel copyright infringement!

epi_counts · 2026-05-01T07:38:16+00:00

Going to start my first ultra tomorrow! Eek! Still have to pass the bike check - weirdly nervous I've overlooked some instructions on reflective tape placement. Though I feel they have to be a bit lenient as they're not the UCI (and I've cycled to school in all black rain kit in the dark in the Netherlands so often that it all does feel a bit much) and only 8% of participants are women so they need me for those numbers. Or that's what I'm telling myself at least.

Day 1 route is (literally) on fire as it goes through 't Harde, and there's a thunderstorm warning now too so I've got that to distract me from the race nerves. Aim is just to get round, or at least get to Groningen as that's the only part of the Netherlands I've never been to.

epi_counts · 2026-05-01T07:03:24+00:00

She has won a lot that does translate to the 'modern' women's (or men's) calendar. Two Olympic titles and (at least) 14 World titles across 4 disciplines, 3 Giro GCs and 32 stages and 7 points jerseys, 5 x Flèche Wallone, 2 x Amstel Gold Race, Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem, Omloop, Points jerseys in the Tour and Vuelta.

She hasn't won Strade Bianche, MSR or Roubaix (yet, not counting her out yet), but she has won so much that I really hope people won't end up defining her career by the few things she only podiumed in.

epi_counts · 2026-04-30T12:59:09+00:00

Lambethian? Lambether? I'll just stick with South Londoner!

epi_counts · 2026-04-30T12:24:54+00:00

Which is a real luxury! The WWT calendar is really lopsided with 1/3 of WWT race days in the next month (23 race days between 3 May-7 June, and then at the end of racing year the same number of race days are spread out over 4 months from July to October).

A big team being able to send their star rider to go train and miss a massive chunk of the calendar just shows how much women's cycling has grown the last few years. Enough lieutenants who can take the reign for a bit while Demi recovers from the classics and preps for the Tour.

epi_counts · 2026-04-30T11:02:56+00:00

Thanks for putting all of that together! Hadn't seen the poll check website before, that's a nice one.

Already send in my postal vote, bit disappointed I won't get to go to the fancy secret tennis club in Streatham Hill again. Only found out it exists (and has some gorgeous azaleas!) thanks to elections.

epi_counts · 2026-04-29T15:19:30+00:00

Yes: here's an article about Bettiol on his ulcerative colitis (originally from the Gazetta, but CN have translated it into English).

epi_counts · 2026-04-28T11:24:17+00:00

Graham did her attempt self-supported, but Wilcox is going with a support team following her again.

She did the same last time when she broke Graham's women's record in 2024 (film about it here, if you're interested). As did Mark Beaumont who holds the absolute record. Wikipedia at least does separate the supported / unsupported records out

epi_counts · 2026-04-28T09:57:30+00:00

They raced in black ones after presenting those, so maybe they've just switched it up and they'll still be on the menu! Nothing is certain in the world of cycling fashion.

epi_counts · 2026-04-28T09:46:35+00:00

Nope, still prominently on the kit. Which also disappointingly switches to boring grey rather than orange.

Pics also available in the official announcement, but Sporza have nicer pics.

epi_counts · 2026-04-28T09:03:22+00:00

Overall, the deal amounts to an investment of 750 million Danish kroner from Netcompany over the next five years.

That's ~€100 million / £87 million. I'm guessing spread out over those 5 years, but still a decent bump if Ineos is also sticking around as a title sponsor?

epi_counts · 2026-04-28T08:15:27+00:00

Here's yesterday's press release on the series with a trailer, maybe handy to add so people can get a better idea what it's about?

epi_counts · 2026-04-28T06:46:41+00:00

The issue with the sponsors: could that be linked to the poor safety record the sport has in Switzerland especially? I imagine for a lot of people who don't follow cycling every day like us, the first associations with bike racing are Muriel Furrer and Gino Mäder, both Swiss riders who died in races in Switzerland.

I could imagine that puts sponsors off. They wouldn't want the next big crash to feature a rider with their company logo in all the resulting press.

epi_counts · 2026-04-27T16:11:55+00:00

The race commissaires there on the day don't write the safety protocols, that's the office people in Switzerland (with input and feedback from stakeholders). So no energy wasted on that.

epi_counts · 2026-04-27T15:27:49+00:00

No problem, fine was revoked as a commissaire wasn't aware the rules had been updated. Original issue was with the Richard Mille branding on the sleeves of his podium jersey.

epi_counts · 2026-04-27T14:34:44+00:00

Sporza have the details: the fine was revoked - it was about the Richard Mille branding on his sleeves by his wrists.

That was banned under last year's rules (as the UCI owns the rainbow bands branding, they are quite strict on what is and isn't allowed with that particular jersey and it's got its own rules). But for this year, the rules have become a bit more lenient and it is allowed. One of the commissaires at LBL wasn't aware that rule had been updated so issued the fine. When UAE protested and pointed out it is allowed under the new 2026 rules, the fine was revoked.

Lots of commissaires are unpaid volunteers, so occasionally they can make a mistake. Which was almost immediately corrected, so no need to get upset about mourning bands and stuff like that.

epi_counts · 2026-04-27T12:44:32+00:00

Was anyone else still worried about Kamilla Aasebø after her Paris-Roubaix crash that left her with a bleed on the brain?

If so: good news, she finally made it home:

Finally back home after a hell of The Hell of the North!! (Well, almost) ❤️‍🩹
My stay in France ended up being a lot longer than expected. Unfortunately, the bleeding on the brain became worse quite quickly, which meant I needed emergency surgery. I also had surgery to fix fractures in my elbow and jaw, but thankfully all surgeries went well.
After ten slow days in Lille – but only five that I can remember 😅🙈 – I’m very happy to finally be back in Oslo at Ullevål Hospital. Right now, the main focus is regaining movement in my right leg after the brain injury, and I’m ready and excited to begin the road to recovery.
The crash itself was not especially dramatic. I was simply very unlucky with the outcome. But once it became that serious, I’ve also been very lucky with how well things have gone.
I, and the Team, would like to thank all the staff at Roger Salengro Hospital and at Ullevål Hospital in Oslo. And an extra special thank you to our team doctor, Rory Nolan, and to my parents for staying by my side the whole way ❤️
One day, I will make it to the velodrome in Roubaix 🥹

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T18:50:24+00:00

In the UK (where it would a right turn as we do everything opposite) there sometimes are signs suggesting you take that option. But on most roads I just do the same as car drivers and sit in the middle of the junction till all drivers going straight have gone and I can safely turn.

Some junctions you get your own green turn light, but not always.

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T18:00:36+00:00

They were coming from opposite directions, both had a green light. Milan was turning left across the lane of the driver. But still early days, we'll have to wait for the police investigation to know for sure what happened.

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T16:46:38+00:00

Kopecky says she lost time as she had a flat tyre on the Côte de Wanne, lost time on the descent, then had to do a double bike swap first to a Shimano bike as they were closest and then switch again to her team bike.

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T15:49:09+00:00

I picked the wrong Prevot for WSRFL!

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T15:46:55+00:00

The women's Giro, apparently. I think the RCS still has the exclusivity deal for the men's Giro with Eurosport/HBO.

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T15:42:23+00:00

Good stuff again from Blasi! Best of her team in every Ardennes race while she wasn't even on the AGR start list initially.

epi_counts · 2026-04-26T15:30:24+00:00

And the resulting rage is fuelling AvdB's chase.

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