Ronde van Vlaanderen
Comments
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Rick Chasey wrote:Who's already buzzing with excitement?
Other than me...
Trying to book a Mother's Day breakfast to be back home for 11am is proving unsuccessful, not to mention unpopular with the wife.0 -
Moray Gub wrote:I didn't say that he could do it as and when required like on tap if you will i said he was strong enough to do it on occasions as he showed , that doesnt mean to say that he would be able to do it every time but he has that power in his locker if he is in top form to ride away from other favourites.
The only example of his riding away from another rider glued to his wheel I can remember is when he rode Leukemans off his wheel on a cobbled section of Paris-Roubaix last year.
It all boils down to what you mean by ride away from other favourites. Once he's got a gap he's tremendously difficult to pull back - it'd require the kind of committed group that you rarely get when a group of favourites from different teams are chasing. If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
E3-Prijs last year - Boonen and FlechaTom Butcher wrote:If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.0 -
If Cancellara wins, he'll have to do it through devastating power alone. It will be an amzing sight to see, if he can do it.
As Hinault once said, if you can ride at a pace no-one else can sustain, then tactics don't matter.
Sadly, much as I'd like to see it happen, I doubt he'll do it this year. He'll be marked out and I suspect a second ranked rider from a favourite's team will win from a small breakaway while the big guns sit in the peloton looking at each other.
O'Grady, Chavannel, Haussler, someone like that.
Does anyone think Geraint Thomas might be up there? He seems to be on fine form.0 -
Big time, can't wait for it. Got a feeling it won't be Fabians day, but do I have the bottle to not go for him on PTP? :?Rick Chasey wrote:Who's already buzzing with excitement?
Other than me...0 -
Sonny73 wrote:
Big time, can't wait for it. Got a feeling it won't be Fabians day, but do I have the bottle to not go for him on PTP? :?Rick Chasey wrote:Who's already buzzing with excitement?
Other than me...
Seems with Canc it's often all or nothing, especially in Flanders.
Going for someone you know will probably podium (read Gilbert) might be a better hedge.0 -
FJS wrote:
E3-Prijs last year - Boonen and FlechaTom Butcher wrote:If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
He jumped them, rather than riding them off his wheel. The gap he created was quite small, but was enough for him to hold it to the line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng82khcwkQ00 -
andyp wrote:FJS wrote:
E3-Prijs last year - Boonen and FlechaTom Butcher wrote:If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
He jumped them, rather than riding them off his wheel. The gap he created was quite small, but was enough for him to hold it to the line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng82khcwkQ0
Yeah, but think of it this way - Boonen, who has a fast sprint, was sprinting to try and get into his wheel and couldn't.
Crraaaaaaaazzzy fast is Canc. GIve him 3 metres and booooooosh pow
Gooooooone0 -
andyp wrote:FJS wrote:
E3-Prijs last year - Boonen and FlechaTom Butcher wrote:If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
He jumped them, rather than riding them off his wheel. The gap he created was quite small, but was enough for him to hold it to the line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng82khcwkQ0
I think they put their video in backwards
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andyp wrote:FJS wrote:
E3-Prijs last year - Boonen and FlechaTom Butcher wrote:If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
He jumped them, rather than riding them off his wheel. The gap he created was quite small, but was enough for him to hold it to the line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng82khcwkQ0
yes, I know what happened, and well, they both knew he was going to attack, did all they can to immediately get him back, no waiting or playing around, Boonen in absolute full sprint to get back to his wheel, and in my book that counts as riding off the wheel.0 -
It's semantics - however we describe it, it was still bloody amazing. :shock:0
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They will have to be calculating.
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Great picture.
Chav: "That arse, it is big isn't it? I'd smash it though. Rawr!"
Boonen: " I dunno, think of what it could do to you!"
Edit: does look like Fabu's realised he's got the bonus ball there too.
Maybe it's a different conversation, in that case?0 -
They can't even catch him in a TdF sprint. He is seated too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJNLMYpr2TMContador is the Greatest0 -
One of my favourite wins and shows of power by Cancellara is TdS 2008, not sure which stage but it is brutal.Contador is the Greatest0
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andyp wrote:He jumped them, rather than riding them off his wheel. The gap he created was quite small, but was enough for him to hold it to the line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng82khcwkQ0
Must be down to one of those funny left handed chainsets! 0 -
frenchfighter wrote:They can't even catch him in a TdF sprint. He is seated too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJNLMYpr2TM
Apart from the bit at around 200m?0 -
FJS wrote:andyp wrote:FJS wrote:
E3-Prijs last year - Boonen and FlechaTom Butcher wrote:If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
He jumped them, rather than riding them off his wheel. The gap he created was quite small, but was enough for him to hold it to the line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng82khcwkQ0
yes, I know what happened, and well, they both knew he was going to attack, did all they can to immediately get him back, no waiting or playing around, Boonen in absolute full sprint to get back to his wheel, and in my book that counts as riding off the wheel.
It's an impressive bit of riding but that's not what I'd call riding someone off your wheel in the way he did to Leukemans.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:Moray Gub wrote:I didn't say that he could do it as and when required like on tap if you will i said he was strong enough to do it on occasions as he showed , that doesnt mean to say that he would be able to do it every time but he has that power in his locker if he is in top form to ride away from other favourites.
The only example of his riding away from another rider glued to his wheel I can remember is when he rode Leukemans off his wheel on a cobbled section of Paris-Roubaix last year.
It all boils down to what you mean by ride away from other favourites. Once he's got a gap he's tremendously difficult to pull back - it'd require the kind of committed group that you rarely get when a group of favourites from different teams are chasing. If you mean the power to ride Boonen, Gilbert, Pozzato or someone of that class off his wheel on a flat tarmac road though - well I'd like to see an example of where he's ever done that.
I think your splitting hairs here, at the end of the day call it ride of your wheel or get a gap and increase it makes no odds he has the power to do it and he has proved it.Gasping - but somehow still alive !0 -
Museeuw tipped Gilbert for the win by the way...
Lefevre seems to think Hushovd is playing "hide and seek" with his form...0 -
Moray Gub wrote:Correct its just playing with words the end result is still the same he is too strong at times which was the original point........i think.
I can't remember what the original point was!
Just hoping for a race where I don't know who's going to win 40km from the finish. Mind you, didn't know that in last year's race. Maybe a bit of rain would be good to, forecast is for rain!0 -
greasedscotsman wrote:Moray Gub wrote:Correct its just playing with words the end result is still the same he is too strong at times which was the original point........i think.
I can't remember what the original point was!
Just hoping for a race where I don't know who's going to win 40km from the finish. Mind you, didn't know that in last year's race. Maybe a bit of rain would be good to, forecast is for rain!
Same here impressive as Fab's power is the idea of him riding off into the sunset unopposed aint my idea of a great race either.Gasping - but somehow still alive !0 -
Oss. My type of rider. He has been making noise about gunning for Flanders so I would expect him to try something.Contador is the Greatest0
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Moray Gub wrote:Same here impressive as Fab's power is the idea of him riding off into the sunset unopposed aint my idea of a great race either.
Was having a chat with my grandfather about this. We both watch the Sporza coverage, and I was just saying how excitable the commentator on the motorbike (Karl Vannieuwkerke) was - he was with Cancellara when he turned on the boosters on the Oude Kwaremont and stayed with him.
He was so authentically enthusiastic in what can only be described as an honest and childlike enthusiasm - just enormously thrilled to see such a ride.
My grandfather was saying that those guys, the Flemish - they really do love their cycling and are so knowledgeable that they'll appreciate anyone who does that kind of performance. I can see where he's coming from.
It's like in football - a 2-1 tight thriller with loads of chances might be great to watch, but a 5-1 barcelona thrashing of Real Madrid is still a sight to behold.
By the way - there's apparently a massive hate campaign against Pozzato who now twice has chased Gilbert down in the finale of a big race (Worlds and now MS-R) without then taking over - thus nullifying Gilbert's chances. It's all over the radio, with Vannieuwkerke ( who was commentanting and made a few heat of the moment comments when Pozzato caught Gilbert) trying to dieuse it all.0 -
I like these quotes from Devolder:
"That's the most intense thing I've seen in my career," said the Belgian to Sporza and other news sources. "It was certainly not the opposition at the E3. He has beaten me speechless. All the riders who were at the front rubbed their eyes. It took me a day to get my head around it."
"Tom Boonen and the others who were not there should be scared of when he will flex his muscles in the Ronde. It was even more overwhelming that Roubaix and the Ronde last year."
Lefevre saying Tornado has to show some results:
If he wants to keep his financial situation, he must also perform
Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7951/ ... z1IAwHSrUCContador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:I like these quotes from Devolder:
"That's the most intense thing I've seen in my career," said the Belgian to Sporza and other news sources. "It was certainly not the opposition at the E3. He has beaten me speechless. All the riders who were at the front rubbed their eyes. It took me a day to get my head around it."
"Tom Boonen and the others who were not there should be scared of when he will flex his muscles in the Ronde. It was even more overwhelming that Roubaix and the Ronde last year."
Lefevre saying Tornado has to show some results:
If he wants to keep his financial situation, he must also perform
Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7951/ ... z1IAwHSrUC
Lefevre said that before Gent.0 -
Contador is the Greatest0
