2014 Pro-cycling season thread

Shame he didn't fall on the mattress:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matti-breschel-hit-by-flying-mattress-in-oman

Lovely piece on the tour of dubai:

http://www.manualforspeed.com/pro-tour/love-on-the-podium/

Lovely indeed, but is mfs a stalker?!

Froome went up Green Mountain 40 odd seconds faster than last year. Get your bets on TDF now

Wind direction

Fab's tired of racing slow and full gas, and some vague words about the hour record attempt:

Fabian Cancellara on the 2014 Spring Classics and the Hour Record - YouTube

good article: http://inrng.com/2014/02/managing-talent-opqs-classics-riders/

Come on classics!

Gave up trying to read that this morning. I'll just wait for the races. Bring 'em on Eurosport!

Too many words for you? Needs more pictures?

get scherrit to read it to you while he strokes your hair before bed?

I'll summarise it - 'OPQS have good some good Classics riders, more than most. Some will ride more races than others and some of them might win but who knows.'

It's actually a good piece as per usual with inrng. I steal all my opinions from him then pass them off as my own.

"I just don't think there is anyone in the Pro Peloton who is as much of a True Patriot as I am, nobody can do that jersey justice like I can. I'm talking Eagles, Flags, Liberty, Barbecue, Everything American—I'm talking using guns to fight for gay marriage. Both sides of the spectrum."

http://www.manualforspeed.com/pro-tour/alex-howes-2014-preview

Nice read that.
Everyone gets ill. It's shit.

Too many words for you? Needs more pictures?

Less (thanks Will) Fewer words. Fewer pictures. More television coverage. #mtvgeneration

get scherrit to read it to you while he strokes your hair before bed?

You do realise he lives in Newbury now right? The love of my life is now 100 clicks away you cruel, heartless bastard.

Facetime?

Not in the eyes!

one of the guys to watch on Saturday:

http://app.strava.com/activities/116529697

You have to hand it to those thieves, they're seizing their chances while they still can. Surely teams must take to posting security guards overnight?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-bikes-stolen-on-the-eve-of-tour-du-haut-var

Interview with Team Sky mechanics and rider Ian Boswell about this on my blog now:
https://thejerseypocket.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/wheels-of-steal-pro-teams-suffer-spate-of-stolen-equipment/

Omloop tomorrow! Excited, money has to be on Boonen?

Belgian newspaper readers say so ;-)

Boonen marked out of it. Stybar, late attack, bunnyhops either a pedestrian or gutter and wins by 35 seconds over small chasing pack.

I think Stybar is due a Boonen-esque run of wins.

Any idea if/where there'll be live streams of Omloop?

I was going to have a punt on Kristoff.

But went with Stybar, Roelandts, and Tepstra instead.

Cant lose.

what about boom, he was pretty racy last year, but had a bit of bad luck in the selection...
dark horse?