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Tour de France (2023 from p54)

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Comments

  • If he’s got sense he might want to ride a bit conservatively tomorrow and not let his ego take over
  • Am I alone in slightly wishing that Perez could have held out for a Cofidis win?

    Pogacar looks invincible, short of an accident.
  •   Pogacar's still not releasing his data, unlike some stages last year.  His ITT last year was in unbelievable territory.  Now this year he's climbing above 2,000m and putting in multiple instances of sprint climbs, whilst never gasping for air.  He's got a different oxygen delivery to virtually everyone in the last 10 years.  Everyone post Contador circa '09, has got away by riding near their ftp and then putting in a sustained attack for minutes at just off anerobic.  Who does multiple 12-1300 watt attacks, going back to ftp inbetween?  I suppose today wasn't as explosive as Stage 8, but it's above 2,000m where he wasn't banging it last year.

      From what I've seen his climbing times on the cols, and power is what a GC rider should/could be doing but no one's had multiple classic like sprints on the high mountains since the end of the blood doping era.  
  • I did see an interview with someone from his team where they tried to explain away his astonishing performances with him having a very unusual mitochondrial DNA which meant he was particularly naturally gifted. As I recall from many years back you get your mitochondrial DNA from the egg, so it is passed down the maternal line only. With the exception of minor naturally occurring mutations he would share the same mitochondrial DNA as his Mother and any siblings that were her children, as opposed to nuclear DNA which will be a mix of characteristics from both parents.
    If what his team are saying is true then this could be proved by comparison blood samples by any relative in his maternal line. I have my suspicions though that stimulation of mitochondria is very much an attractive line to pursue in enhancing performance this is the system that basically energises the body. A lot of research has been done on mitochondrial diseases of which there are a multitude and are often very hard to detect and in most cases life shortening. It is a sad consequence of medical advancements that they can be utilised for both life saving treatments, but sometimes also more nefarious reasons.
  • edited July 2021
    I did see an interview with someone from his team where they tried to explain away his astonishing performances with him having a very unusual mitochondrial DNA which meant he was particularly naturally gifted. As I recall from many years back you get your mitochondrial DNA from the egg, so it is passed down the maternal line only. With the exception of minor naturally occurring mutations he would share the same mitochondrial DNA as his Mother and any siblings that were her children, as opposed to nuclear DNA which will be a mix of characteristics from both parents.
    If what his team are saying is true then this could be proved by comparison blood samples by any relative in his maternal line. I have my suspicions though that stimulation of mitochondria is very much an attractive line to pursue in enhancing performance this is the system that basically energises the body. A lot of research has been done on mitochondrial diseases of which there are a multitude and are often very hard to detect and in most cases life shortening. It is a sad consequence of medical advancements that they can be utilised for both life saving treatments, but sometimes also more nefarious reasons.
    So, from what you've said, he's the Chosen One, destined to bring balance to The Force....
  • That was pretty much the explanation, seems plausible you just have to believe.
  • Of course it is strange that his natural gift is only starting to become apparent now and he hasn’t always been head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Maybe he met his Yoda at UAE
  • Sounds entirely reasonable.

    As an aside, I was thinking of 10 or so years ago, when Tommy Voeckler had yellow, but couldn't keep it, because he's human, and likely to have bad days.  

    I find it hard to believe that anyone can be so good so often in the course of a three week tour.
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  • It's already been said but Pogacar does not even look human, looks like he is out on a club fun ride currently.
    There’s a reason for that.
  • A sense of déjà vu all over again....
  • A sense of déjà vu all over again....
    Making it look way too easy 
  • stonemuse said:
    A sense of déjà vu all over again....
    Making it look way too easy 
    After the last 20 - 30 years, it feels wrong...
  • stonemuse said:
    A sense of déjà vu all over again....
    Making it look way too easy 
    After the last 20 - 30 years, it feels wrong...
    It harks back to a bad era ... truly hope he is clean ... but it does smell 
  • Phew... Made it...

    I F**king Love DQS/Wolfpack.
  • edited July 2021
    Yeaaa.... Comes in with a smile on his face as well

    Surely going to win the Green Jersey now - Matthews couldnt even beat him on the Intermediate Sprint today

    Really didnt think he'd get this far in the competition let alone do so well - Amazing that if he wins the last two sprint stages he'll actually equal his best ever year @ the Tour when he won six stages in 2009, yet didnt actually win the Green Jersey that year
  • Looking at the Tour website, he would appear to be last man over the line.
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  • Phew... Made it...

    I F**king Love DQS/Wolfpack.
    Fan ... bloody .., tastic.  What a happy team.  
  • Question for those that watched back in the doping heyday, has anyone looked this comfortable in winning a tour?
  • colthe3rd said:
    Question for those that watched back in the doping heyday, has anyone looked this comfortable in winning a tour?
    LA
  • stonemuse said:
    A sense of déjà vu all over again....
    Making it look way too easy 
    This is making a mockery of the whole tour. Surely there is a lot of behind the scenes pressure on the UCI and the CPA?
  • Addickted said:
    stonemuse said:
    A sense of déjà vu all over again....
    Making it look way too easy 
    This is making a mockery of the whole tour. Surely there is a lot of behind the scenes pressure on the UCI and the CPA?
    One would hope so .., and yet it was the Bahrain team which received the police raid last night ... checking on Mohoric? 
  • “We do know that the controls are not universally capable of detecting doping. You cannot prove as an athlete you are absolutely clean [and that] there’s no chance of anything nefarious happening. The technology is simply not there to be able to do that.

    “So we end up in this age-old conundrum of the athlete saying, ‘I can only speak for myself and what I’ve done.’ 

    “It’s trying to prove a negative and that’s not possible.”

    https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/uae-team-head-of-medicine-defends-tour-de-france-leader-pogacars-stance-on-anti-doping-controls/

  • stonemuse said:
    Addickted said:
    stonemuse said:
    A sense of déjà vu all over again....
    Making it look way too easy 
    This is making a mockery of the whole tour. Surely there is a lot of behind the scenes pressure on the UCI and the CPA?
    One would hope so .., and yet it was the Bahrain team which received the police raid last night ... checking on Mohoric? 
    A preliminary investigation into doping allegations against the Bahrain Victorious team, winner of two stages in this year’s Tour de France, has been opened after the team was subjected to police raids at its hotel near Pau on Wednesday evening.



  • stonemuse said:
    Matthews is doing his best to wreck my happiness.
    Not gonna happen 
     :D 
  • I know Deceuninck-QuickStep seem very relaxed, but a large break being 3 minutes ahead of the Green Jersey is not good for my Blood Pressure...
  • I know Deceuninck-QuickStep seem very relaxed, but a large break being 3 minutes ahead of the Green Jersey is not good for my Blood Pressure...
    Saving it for the final day? - No breakaway stays away on the Champs Elysees

    Just need to ensure that Matthews cant get the Green Jersey today
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