April 1st
Comments
-
Pfft.
Devolder raced 220km and then did 80km afterwards on Wednesday.
Seems there's a big spat between the different mayors about the new route.
Mayors of the old route are calling people to not go to Oudenaarde in protest.
Saying that they're skipping what makes the race beautiful (the muur) to feed posh people with champagne and caviar.
There's also some genuine concern about the behaviour of some of the fans (ala Roubaix 2009) on the Kwaremont and Paterberg.
More people are also moaning about the number of VIP tents on the Kwaremont.0 -
Some pundits are also calling the new finale "inhumanely difficult".
They're also saying it's going to be very difficult to eat when they start hitting the circuits.
It's even more twisty/nasty roads than it was before.0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Some pundits are also calling the new finale "inhumanely difficult".
They're also saying it's going to be very difficult to eat when they start hitting the circuits.
It's even more twisty/nasty roads than it was before.
Think maybe the world might end on Sunday afternoon!0 -
I have a feeling this thread might be longer than the spoiler thread
.
(just as it should be...!)0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:
I have a feeling this thread might be longer than the spoiler thread.
(just as it should be...!)
What, so the race will be so dull, there's nothing to talk about? All hype then?0 -
After all your build up Rick I really hope this race doesn't dissapoint!"I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0
-
Yeah.....!
Boonen's column in Het Nieuwsblad yesterday. It's a little cringe:'Damn', said a little voice inside my head when I looked at the Gent-Wevelgem result. When I saw who I beat in the sprint, it started to annoy me a little: Freire, Sagan, Bennati.. All of them were in the first group during Milano-Sanremo. If I had passed well on the Poggio, what would have happened..
From the start of the season my ambition was: 'I will be glad if I can ride this spring season without troubles'. When it's time, and you win the E3 Prijs and Gent-Wevelgem, you can say your spring season is a success. But now I'm here, with this condition, and I dream of more. That's similar to other top sports. It would be weird if I would say: Oh, the Ronde, it doesn't matter to me.
There is one advantage about the wins: you are more relaxed. Everybody can name me as the big favourite, I'm calm inside. And that makes you race better. Take Gent-Wevelgem for example. It's one big stressful race. Pushing, braking, crashing, accelerating, slowing down etc. 'How's it going' asked Dries Devenyns in the finale. 'I have a lot of stress' was my answer. But the closer we got to the line, the calmer I got. I didn't feel any pressure anymore. After the sprint in the E3 Prijs, I had a lot of confidence and things didn't have to happen. I let things go, took less risks and drove pure on instinct. And the weirdest thing is: everything seems to work. You do everything perfectly and winning becomes a lot easier.
Is it a guarantee for the Ronde? No, off course not. But I have no worries during this week. I prefer to be alone in the final days before the race. They have to leave me alone. I'm not a nervous guy, but in this week I'm a little different then I normally am. More quiet and aimed at myself in my cocoon. They know that around my house. At the moment Lore and I are living at my parents' place, because they are renovating our kitchen. Not common when you are 31, but mom and dad feel perfectly when they can talk or have to be silent. I think they know me better than I know myself
And the renovation? I pass it during training once a while saying hello to the guys. Everything is just working out fine. And when there is a problem, they won't call me. The next 2 weeks they will call the construction manager: my Lore.0 -
Boonen wrote:'Damn', said a little voice inside my head when I looked at the Gent-Wevelgem result. When I saw who I beat in the sprint, it started to annoy me a little: Freire, Sagan, Bennati.. All of them were in the first group during Milano-Sanremo. If I had passed well on the Poggio, what would have happened..
From the start of the season my ambition was: 'I will be glad if I can ride this spring season without troubles'. When it's time, and you win the E3 Prijs and Gent-Wevelgem, you can say your spring season is a success. But now I'm here, with this condition, and I dream of more. That's similar to other top sports. It would be weird if I would say: Oh, the Ronde, it doesn't matter to me.
There is one advantage about the wins: you are more relaxed. Everybody can name me as the big favourite, I'm calm inside. And that makes you race better. Take Gent-Wevelgem for example. It's one big stressful race. Pushing, braking, crashing, accelerating, slowing down etc. 'How's it going' asked Dries Devenyns in the finale. 'I have a lot of stress' was my answer. But the closer we got to the line, the calmer I got. I didn't feel any pressure anymore. After the sprint in the E3 Prijs, I had a lot of confidence and things didn't have to happen. I let things go, took less risks and drove pure on instinct. And the weirdest thing is: everything seems to work. You do everything perfectly and winning becomes a lot easier.
Is it a guarantee for the Ronde? No, off course not. But I have no worries during this week. I prefer to be alone in the final days before the race. They have to leave me alone. I'm not a nervous guy, but in this week I'm a little different then I normally am. More quiet and aimed at myself in my cocoon. They know that around my house. At the moment Lore and I are living at my parents' place, because they are renovating our kitchen. Not common when you are 31, but mom and dad feel perfectly when they can talk or have to be silent. I think they know me better than I know myself
And the renovation? I pass it during training once a while saying hello to the guys. Everything is just working out fine. And when there is a problem, they won't call me. The next 2 weeks they will call the construction manager: my Lore.
He's the becoming the Steve Davis of cycling.
I take it he realises that unless he wins by ten minutes, riding a bike borrowed from a child, while juggling chainsaws, farting flames and healing the sick, some people are going to be disappointed'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
-
On Sporza the other day there was a report that there were anonymous threats about strewing nails on the route. Some people in Geraardsbergen (assuming it was someone from there) maybe need a bit of perspective. I know it's the Ronde, but it's still ultimately just a bike race.
It existed for 40 years before climbing the Muur, and who's to say they won't revisit it next year? Not for the final obviously, but if they can go as far east as Berendries this year they could easily encopmpass the Muur.kop van de wedstrijd0 -
I'm a big fan of Cancellara as an athlete, but when it comes to the classics i'm in the "anyone but Cancellara" camp as I don't want the race to be decided with 30KM to go. I want bad weather, a group gradually getting whittled down, big attacks, small attacks, stupid attacks, favourites going out the back, guys launching a sprint too early and a surprise winner.
I don't ask much."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Pfft.
Devolder raced 220km and then did 80km afterwards on Wednesday.
What a muppet!
Pippo has done it properly - he's gone around the course. By car'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
Pippo has done it properly - he's gone around the course. By car
As befits "The Shadow", i assume his car was right up the bumber of the OmegaPharma-QuickStep car?kop van de wedstrijd0 -
blim wrote:Pippo has done it properly - he's gone around the course. By car
As befits "The Shadow", i assume his car was right up the bumber of the OmegaPharma-QuickStep car?
"Pozzato - get out of the boot!"
'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Some pundits are also calling the new finale "inhumanely difficult".
They're also saying it's going to be very difficult to eat when they start hitting the circuits.
They'll have to do an old style 'bar raid' on the Kwaremont VIP tent.0 -
blim wrote:Pippo has done it properly - he's gone around the course. By car
As befits "The Shadow", i assume his car was right up the bumber of the OmegaPharma-QuickStep car? 0 -
http://www.sporza.be/cm/1.1259418?view=popupPlayer
5 minute interview with Cancellara in English, now he's back in Belgium.0 -
I'm liking Tom's style
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen- ... f-flanders?
If he managed to hang in and then took a sprint, I'm not sure that would make him a great champion [tm]. I know he gets 10 points for generally hotness but is it enough....Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Never been so excited for a one day race in my life. That is all.0
-
LeicesterLad wrote:Never been so excited for a one day race in my life. That is all.
Agreed. Totally psyched for tomorrow (coverage kicks off 9.30pm over here, it's gonna be a late one!)point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell0 -
Don't get me wrong - I love Paris-Roubaix - but I'm slightly perplexed that Flanders doesn't get unrivalled top billing.
Surely, a proper race has got to have proper hills?
If they stick with the new route, it might be more viable than ever for a grand tour contender to have a punt (might that have been part of the thinking of the Flanders organisers?). I reckon if Froomey can just hold his form from the Vueta...0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:Never been so excited for a one day race in my life. That is all.
I hear ya! Coverage starts at 11.30am on Eurosport... gonna have to get a ride in early and then get settled and ignore the mrs for the next few hours
CAN NOT WAIT!!! (for the race that is, not the ignoring) 0 -
And another thing: check out the close up on what should be Cancellara's name on the top tube... Is this Swiss humour?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-f ... ssics-bike0 -
OCDuPalais wrote:And another thing: check out the close up on what should be Cancellara's name on the top tube... Is this Swiss humour?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-f ... ssics-bike
Tony M? Swiss humour seems to be full of holes.0 -
Nickname, innit Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Sod Flanders, I've now got an irresistable urge to watch Fulham vs Norwich FREE ON THE INTERNET!0
-
-
ddraver wrote:Well it's howling with wind and spitting drizzle here in Leiden (where the weather is usually pretty similar to Belgium)....
Slightly worried about the forecast for Roubaix. OK, I know it's over a week away, but it currently says snow showers!0 -
greasedscotsman wrote:ddraver wrote:Well it's howling with wind and spitting drizzle here in Leiden (where the weather is usually pretty similar to Belgium)....
Slightly worried about the forecast for Roubaix. OK, I know it's over a week away, but it currently says snow showers!
Hell. Yes.0
