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Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

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    Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

    I think this phrase came out during the 2015 Vuelta but its meaning really hit home in 2016.

    That course seemed designed so that many of the flat and medium stages were hard enough to defeat the pure sprinters but not climby enough to lose Sagan.

    He was asked in one press conference whether he thought the next day's stage might be a Peter Sagan day, and replied:

    "Every day is a Peter Sagan day."

    So he may have been talking about a particular race, but my word did 2016 prove it to be the case.

    Unrivaled racing and positioning instincts, great acceleration, plus his unflappability mean he's always there or thereabouts. I didn't think he was likely to win the Worlds again, but there he was, choosing the perfect line and winning the rainbow jersey for the second year running.

    Anyway, there are wider issues to be thinking about - the World Tour, the licences, the Bahrain investment, TUEs - but right now I'm just going to reflect on how good Bora's 2017 roster looks.

    #2
    Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

    Good idea to start this Kev given the recent accusations of thread doping. Cycling is making a fresh start here although it’s important to stress no rules have been broken and we’re doing better than other sports such as, erm, *looks hastily around*, tennis.

    The Tour de France route is being announced from 10:30, live stream available here.

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      #3
      Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

      The route is out while some dignitary from Dusseldorf is blathering on. Though he did mention Kraftwerk making an appearance at the Grand Depart.

      Is that Pyrenees or Alps first then?

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        #4
        Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

        They're visiting Vittel to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of some treaty that led to the Common Market. Nailed on Cav victory that day then.

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          #5
          Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

          Interesting stage on Bastille Day, a 100k road stage with several climbs to Foix. That could be fun, might be an opportunity for an ambush the day after a summit finish to Peyragudes.

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            #6
            Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

            Well we're getting the much vaunted stage finish on the Izoard. That stage will also be the Etape on July 16th, and La Course is going to be held over the latter kilometres too.

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              #7
              Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

              Yet another change to the mountains competition, fewer points on HC climbs and the only climb with double points is the Izoard.

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                #8
                Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                Prudhomme signs off by saying he wants the race to be less locked down next year. 36k worth of time trials, not so many big summit finishes, some finishes at the bottom of sweeping descents. That's as Bardet friendly as they can make a route, but Froome will probably still end up winning. Wouldn't be at all surprised if Quintana bypasses it entirely and goes for the Giro, especially as some of those stages look Valverde-esque.

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                  #9
                  Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                  So this is the right thread then! curses!

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                    #10
                    Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                    British Cycling treats women as second class citizens, part 736

                    Meanwhile the Tour de Yorkshire has just announced its stage towns for next year, that race is staying at three days as British Cycling won't let that expand either. Bradford, Bridlington, Fox Valley (a shopping development on the site of the old Fox's steelworks to the north of Sheffield), Harrogate, Scarborough, Tadcaster. The Giro route is also being announced this afternoon, though leaks have suggested it will be a bit of a greatest hits for the 100th edition.

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                      #11
                      Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                      longeared wrote: British Cycling treats women as second class citizens, part 736

                      Meanwhile the Tour de Yorkshire has just announced its stage towns for next year, that race is staying at three days as British Cycling won't let that expand either. Bradford, Bridlington, Fox Valley (a shopping development on the site of the old Fox's steelworks to the north of Sheffield), Harrogate, Scarborough, Tadcaster. The Giro route is also being announced this afternoon, though leaks have suggested it will be a bit of a greatest hits for the 100th edition.
                      Cue lots of grumbling about why Halifax is no longer amongst the host towns for the TdY. The town was announced along with Harrogate and Fox Valley as a venue for 2017 a year ago.

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                        #12
                        Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                        Apparently Halifax withdrew because of concerns that the Piece Hall refurbishment wouldn't be finished in time. Presumably it was earmarked for a start.

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                          #13
                          Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                          That would make sense. It is an iconic building after all.

                          Maybe 2018 then.

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                            #14
                            Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                            This looks quite lovely

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                              #15
                              Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                              Aitor Gonzales has been arrested again, this time for the robbery of a mobile phone store

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                                #16
                                Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                Lovely fella, I'm sure.

                                Aqua Blue Sport make a smart signing - GB champion Adam Blythe is riding for them in 2017.

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                                  #17
                                  Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                  Kev - do you think that we might run a fantasy cycling competition next year? I'd be interested this time around.

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                                    #18
                                    Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                    Gawpus sorts that out for us, and I expect he'll run it again in '17.

                                    ASO are putting on a TdF themed crit* in Japan. The photos (on Facebook) are well worth a minute or two of your time. Wonder if they'll recreate stage 11's finale for the crowd?

                                    https://[video=youtube_share;gjoYRib...?v=gjoYRib-WDk[/video]

                                    * read: money spinning crowd-pleasing exhibition, not competitive race

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                                      #19
                                      Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                      For some reason they failed to include this image from the press conference.



                                      Apparently British Cycling are going to release their findings from the Shane Sutton investigation this afternoon.

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                                        #20
                                        Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                        Me Old Flower wrote: Kev - do you think that we might run a fantasy cycling competition next year? I'd be interested this time around.
                                        A different one than what is on road.cc?

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                                          #21
                                          Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                          Kevchenko wrote: Gawpus sorts that out for us, and I expect he'll run it again in '17.

                                          ASO are putting on a TdF themed crit* in Japan. The photos (on Facebook) are well worth a minute or two of your time. Wonder if they'll recreate stage 11's finale for the crowd?

                                          https://[video=youtube_share;gjoYRib...?v=gjoYRib-WDk[/video]

                                          * read: money spinning crowd-pleasing exhibition, not competitive race
                                          Haha, the answer was basically 'yes' but see if you can spot the subtle difference by looking at the top ten.

                                          1Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team1:22:02 
                                          2Sho Hatsuyuma (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team  
                                          3Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky  
                                          4Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange0:00:05 
                                          5Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step0:00:12 
                                          6Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale  
                                          7Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo  
                                          8Shimpei Fukuda (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 
                                           9Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin  
                                          10Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 

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                                            #22
                                            Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                            So, can we now officially call Shane Sutton sexist twat? Well, he doesn't seem to think so, but with the TUE thing going to a Parliamentary hearing in December he might just want to slip away quietly now.

                                            Several World Tour pickles:
                                            Number 1 - the number of licences and a reprieve for Dimension Data, and the issuing of 18 two-year licenses. However a reduction to 16 in 2019 looks on the cards, so that will be two teams going based on their WT points in 2018.

                                            At least the current system just counts each team's top five scorers, rather than putting the pressure on all domestiques to get points that led to the kinds of issues Kimmage once found. Obviously the teams themselves don't want to be culled - but it sounds like ASO, who own most of the biggest races, are pushing for it.

                                            Number 2 - the new WT races. Sounds like the WT teams will not be obliged to ride in the 10 upgraded races, and the points won't count towards relegation. So are they WT races? And how are the race organisers going to take that news, given they have shelled out on the upgrades?

                                            Number 3 - the election. Cookson could be out before his reformed World Tour has barely even started.

                                            Here's a thought-provoking piece on the bigger picture by Vaughters.

                                            tldr? He thinks all the pro teams should merge into one collective business and create franchises which draft U23 riders each year.

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                                              #23
                                              Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                              World Tour team reduction for 2019 would probably happen through natural wastage anyway. There's three big teams who might go at the end of next season as it is. Orica are pulling out as sponsors, they'd have gone now if anyone had been found to cover their funding. BMC are also going, there's some form of agreement in place with TAG-Heuer next year who it's rumoured are looking at the benefits of lower level commitment with view to becoming title sponsors in 2018. Finally Etixx are renaming back to QuickStep Floors and there's no guaranteed funding beyond the year.

                                              The Vaughters piece is interesting and makes good sense but there is no way that all the current teams would agree to create the franchising system he proposes. Getting teams to agree on something is herding cats stuff for even basic decisions, never mind turning the entire business model of the sport upside down. One of the original principles of the formation of the ProTour (as it then was) was that teams would have a licence for x number of years and that certainty would help them in getting sponsors and contractual commitments.

                                              It's a bit like that idea that bubbles up every now and then of changing rider contracts. As it is all contracts start on January 1st. That's fairly meaningless though, the new season pretty much started last week, with Movistar and the Bahrain team having their first get togethers. The Bahrain riders are all still under contract to their current teams, so Nibali had to give interviews wearing his Astana gear, and there'll be no pictures of riders in kit until New Year's Day. So the logical thing to do would be for all teams to agree to shift contracts to start on November 1st, but it needs everyone to do that at the same time and reasons would likely be found not to do so.

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                                                #24
                                                Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                                It is an interesting concept, but it seems to assume a constancy as regards team ownership and control that just isn't the case. If the sport had individuals or entities willing to support a franchise model, it would be as dependent on the vagaries of sponsors as it is.

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                                                  #25
                                                  Every day is a Peter Sagan day: Pro Cycling 2017

                                                  Known details of the tech to be used in 2017.

                                                  AG2R La Mondiale Factor O2/ ONE/ ONE-S SLICK Mavic Shimano
                                                  Astana Argon 18 Gallium Pro/ Nitrogen Pro E-118 Next TBC TBC
                                                  BMC BMC Teammachine / Granfondo Timemachine 01 Shimano Shimano
                                                  Cannondale-Drapac Cannondale Supersix/ Synapse Slice Mavic Shimano
                                                  Dimension Data Cervelo R5/ S5 P5 ENVE ROTOR/ Shimano
                                                  Quickstep Floors Specialized Tarmac/ Roubaix/ Venge Shiv Roval & HED Shimano
                                                  FDJ Lapierre Xelius / Aircode SL Aerostorm DRS Shimano Shimano
                                                  TJ Sport Colnago C60/ Concept/ V1-R K-Zero Campagnolo Campagnolo
                                                  Bahrain Merida Merida Scultura / Reacto Warp Fulcrum Shimano
                                                  Lotto Soudal Ridley Helium/ Noah Dean TBC TBC
                                                  Movistar Canyon Ultimate/ Aeroad Speedmax Campagnolo Campagnolo
                                                  Orica BE Scott Addict/ Foil Plasma Shimano Shimano
                                                  Sunweb Giant Giant Propel/ TCR/ Defy Trinity Shimano Shimano
                                                  Katusha Alpecin Canyon Ultimate/ Aeroad Speedmax Zipp SRAM
                                                  LottoNL Jumbo Bianchi Oltre/ Infinito/ Specialissima Aquila Shimano Shimano
                                                  Sky Pinarello Dogma Bolide Shimano Shimano
                                                  Trek-Segafredo Trek Madone/ Domane/ Emonda Speed Bontrager Shimano
                                                  Bora-Hansgrohe Specialized Tarmac/ Roubaix/ Venge Shiv TBC TBC

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