Off Topic La Vuelta.

Just seen the footage of Nibali hitching a ride. What an absolute twat. Glad he's been kicked out.

 

When someone mentioned it, it sounded a harsh punishment for a sticky bottle...then I saw the footage.

I haven't heard it, but hasn't he said he expected a fine, but no more?

 

Yes. Saw his interview and he thinks he's been harshly treated. Thing is the helicopter panned away after 150 mtrs so he could have been on much longer and probably was.

 

Worth a mention, I've been watching the Vuelta daily on catch up and Simon Yates ride yesterday was an epic, bided his time on the last steep climb and attacked perfectly to take the stage win and move into the lead on GC.

 

Agreed

 

I'm a bit shocked by how little coverage his ride is getting, if he was in team sky colours it'd be all over the place. Bbcs leading cycling article today was about gees contract extension, bonkers. Think he's got a chance here, no one is a massively superior TT rider in the top 10 with no dumoulin or frome so it would be amazing after his ride at the giro earlier in the year to right those wrongs, plus bonus marks for losing his rag with the not as talented as people thin he is quintana.

 

I think you are being a bit harsh, I've watched every stage on catch up and Yates has had pretty good coverage. First few days SKY got good coverage as Kwiatkowski was in red, but once Yates came to the fore then he received good coverage.

Another good stage for Yates, he really looks strong. He looks in better shape than in the Giro when he blew a big lead to let Fromme in and win it. Baring any tragedies he should see this through to Madrid.

 

I think he probably means coverage in the general media , ITV do a good job with their highlights

 

that's not summat said very often

 

Yeah - what Newland said, was about media coverage in general, ITV4 highlights are great, but you look on BBC sport or most other media sites and it's barely making a mark on the headlines, was comparing that to when Froome or Thomas have been in a leaders position and I think its a bit of a shame is all. It'd be amazing to see another Brit win a GC, 5 in a row would be phenomenal! I'll certainly be flicking between the cricket and Vuelta today

 

New hairdresser's?

 

All most of the media care about with cycling on an annual basis is the Tour de France.

 

Oh yeah I know , although it's been getting better recently

I'm pretty sure if Yates rode for Sky he would get more coverage though

 

Coverage of last year's Vuelta and the Giro was certainly more to the fore than this Vuelta, if he sticks the win though, I think it'll bump awareness of Yates in the press and round the country and he'll start getting a bit more credit. At least I hope it will

 

The Yates brothers are the next GT star's to come out of the UK, will be interesting to see if SKY entice them into their fold at some stage. Tom Pidcock is also an up and coming GT star in the making.

 

I hope they don't do it just yet, be a massive case of too many chiefs if they did, but given Froome and Thomas are in their 30s in a couple of years time it'd be good to see them leading Sky in one of the Grand Tours, for now tho, being team leaders and challenging and potentially winning is brilliant for them and British fans

 

Crikey, didn't expect him to pull out time on the other GCs, poor from Quintana, I swear that guy is not very good without someone's wheel to follow

 

Froome only came to prominence in Sky after having a good Vuelta (he was almost dropped by Sky and only put in the team last minute due to another rider being ill) so maybe it's not too far fetched an idea. Also suspect a few names have dropped out of Vuelta this year to focus on the World Championship

 

I agree, money talks though and if SKY offers them a contract hard to refuse it would likely happen. But as you say it is great to have riders coming through who are GT contenders.

 

Does he have asthma?