April 1st

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    As such, I think we can rule out Phil Gil for the win.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Long range predictions then, who is gonna win?

    (Not that I really care, the important race is a week later...)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Long range predictions then, who is gonna win?

    (Not that I really care, the important race is a week later...)

    Cancellara.

    I think the new route will bring out some of the more climby riders.

    Struggling to think of who that might be.

    Greg van Avermaert?
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,662
    .......Sagan???
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Struggling to think of who that might be.

    Yeah, that's kind of why I asked the question. It's very easy to rule people out for this race. You don't think Boonen has a chance then?
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ddraver wrote:
    .......Sagan???

    Think he's a bit young for Flanders. How old is he, 22?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Struggling to think of who that might be.

    Yeah, that's kind of why I asked the question. It's very easy to rule people out for this race. You don't think Boonen has a chance then?


    I do. I don't think he's favourite.

    Someone like Chavanel might have a better shout - especially if his form is like it was last year.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Ballan should be in the mix a bit more.
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,662
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    .......Sagan???

    Think he's a bit young for Flanders. How old is he, 22?

    More.than that I think - but I think he's a good outside bet....

    All about Cancellara for me though really

    Saturday ride has now been cancelled :(
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Either way, got my HD package off sky on Friday.

    Bring on the classics in HD.

    Huba huba.

    Now I can do my favourite thing for M-SR which is stand inches away from the screen and pick out who is where in the peloton on the Cipresa whilst shouting at the TV.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    edited March 2012
    ddraver wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    .......Sagan???

    Think he's a bit young for Flanders. How old is he, 22?

    More.than that I think - but I think he's a good outside bet....

    All about Cancellara for me though really

    Saturday ride has now been cancelled :(

    Just looked it up, he is 22. Yikes!

    And why no Saturday ride? Imagine how proud FF would be of you if you did it!
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Either way, got my HD package off sky on Friday.

    Just ordered Sky, engineer coming on Friday for setup. Maybe I'm cutting it a bit fine...
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    Had my first taste of HD cycling this year last week. Ahhhh.

    Looks much better in the summer though, The highly defined trees look a bit shat without leaves on.

    There was one stage in P-N in proper HD wasn't there? Looked way better than the upscaled stuff from Italy.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    prawny wrote:
    Had my first taste of HD cycling this year last week. Ahhhh.

    Looks much better in the summer though, The highly defined trees look a bit shat without leaves on.

    There was one stage in P-N in proper HD wasn't there? Looked way better than the upscaled stuff from Italy.

    Even upscaled is a result (the Vuelta being the exception), and the HD scheduling seems to be better for cycling fans.
    _
  • rc856
    rc856 Posts: 1,144
    Thought there were a couple of days when the racing on HD later on definitely wasn't HD.
    Looks great in HD though.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,662
    Belgian colleague's baby son is having an operation on the preceding Friday, which is not a.bad excuse. I ve already got an MTB "race" that morning so unfortunately the stars are not aligning this year....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,811
    It's lovely that you're all getting excited about my son's thanksgiving.

    Although the reception's only catering for 30...
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,558
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    It's lovely that you're all getting excited about my son's thanksgiving.

    Although the reception's only catering for 30...

    Not a problem as long as the free bar stays open for us.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    How about Sep Vanmarcke? He's obviously going to do something in this race at some point, but is this year too early?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    How about Sep Vanmarcke? He's obviously going to do something in this race at some point, but is this year too early?


    Yup.
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,662
    I think Canc has got to be favourite for almost of the flat classics this year - that siad, I reckon there are a few more genuine challanges this year, certainly more than the last few. Cav, EBH, Sagan, Vanmarcke, Boonen, Flecha, Chav (?), Boom....

    That said, one of them is going to have to actually go for it properly, the waiting and watching thing won't work as Canc will just ride his own race, which usually results in a win.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,460
    There is a very real chance that an outsider will win Flanders this year, as no-one knows how the course change will impact the race. Previously it was pretty much certain that the Muur/Bosberg section would settle the outcome of the race, and arguably the race was becoming very formulaic, but now that's gone will the favourites wait for the Kwaremont/Paterberg section for the final time or will someone seize the initiative and get a race winning gap sooner?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    andyp wrote:
    There is a very real chance that an outsider will win Flanders this year, as no-one knows how the course change will impact the race. Previously it was pretty much certain that the Muur/Bosberg section would settle the outcome of the race, and arguably the race was becoming very formulaic, but now that's gone will the favourites wait for the Kwaremont/Paterberg section for the final time or will someone seize the initiative and get a race winning gap sooner?

    Oor, everyone will be a little frightened and rein it in just in case...
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    So what have we learnt from the first important race of the year and how does this give any clues to Flandes and Roubaix. Pretty obvious that Cancellara has the form and probably Boonen to. But what about Gilbert? Looked pretty good until he crashed. Would anyone now rank him alongside Cancellara and Booned as favourites? Can anyone see past Cancellara?

    What about Sagan? Proved he can ride over 200km, but what about Flanders, does he have a chance? And as everyone seems to like to talk about Sky, who are they going to ride for? Not sure Flecha will ride, so is it EBH again?

    And from what I saw yesterday, I would pick Gilbert for Flanders and Cancellara for Roubaix. (But I obviously reserve the right to change my mind several times before either race :D )
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    So what have we learnt from the first important race of the year and how does this give any clues to Flandes and Roubaix. Pretty obvious that Cancellara has the form and probably Boonen to. But what about Gilbert? Looked pretty good until he crashed. Would anyone now rank him alongside Cancellara and Booned as favourites? Can anyone see past Cancellara?

    What about Sagan? Proved he can ride over 200km, but what about Flanders, does he have a chance? And as everyone seems to like to talk about Sky, who are they going to ride for? Not sure Flecha will ride, so is it EBH again?

    And from what I saw yesterday, I would pick Gilbert for Flanders and Cancellara for Roubaix. (But I obviously reserve the right to change my mind several times before either race :D )

    I don't think much has changed since Saturday.

    Cancellara's still the man to beat.

    Boonen looks the most likely to upset that.

    Gilbert still doesn't remotely have the form of last year.

    van Avermaert looks good though.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    van Avermaert looks good though.

    Not sure what you mean about van Avermaert, did I miss something, he came in 69th, 2:20 down.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    van Avermaert looks good though.

    Not sure what you mean about van Avermaert, did I miss something, he came in 69th, 2:20 down.


    Got caught up in the crash for the 4th place sprint.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    van Avermaert looks good though.

    Not sure what you mean about van Avermaert, did I miss something, he came in 69th, 2:20 down.


    Got caught up in the crash for the 4th place sprint.

    Fair enough, didn't know that. But then also Ballan must be good for Flanders and Roubaix, based on his 8th place.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    van Avermaert looks good though.

    Not sure what you mean about van Avermaert, did I miss something, he came in 69th, 2:20 down.


    Got caught up in the crash for the 4th place sprint.

    Fair enough, didn't know that. But then also Ballan must be good for Flanders and Roubaix, based on his 8th place.

    Yup.

    Will be tricky for BMC to balance out those three.

    I just hope Chav's illness won't knock too much outa his form.
    _
  • blim
    blim Posts: 333
    It's between Cancellara and Boonen, unless Gilbert has been bluffing recently. But Spartacus will need to attack on the Paterberg or earlier if he isn't to get mugged. I hope Boonen wins.

    And there's bound to be some unknown quantity in the mix towards the end, someone we didn't see coming.

    "Dream scenario" finishes rarely happen (Flanders 2010 for instance: 2 national champions, the 2 best cobbled classics riders head to head until almost the top of the Muur; we're not going to be that lucky again so soon)
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