Ronde van Vlaanderen ***SPOILER***
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Pozzato can't win, can he? Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.
What is clear is the respect he deserves for arriving at the race in top form, just 7 weeks after breaking his collarbone.0 -
I concede that the strongest rider doesnt always win, IE Canc at Milan-San Remo - But he didn't come out and moan about it and say that he 'should' have won, because he shouldnt have won - because tactically he failed.
Its the ''Strongest rider in Flanders'' line that got my goat, legs - maybe, but he wasn't the 'strongest'.0 -
afx237vi wrote:But we agree that cycling is a sport where the strongest rider doesn't always win, right? That's why we like it. So it's possible that Pozzato was stronger than Boonen and just played his hand wrong. Personally I was shouting at my telly for Pippo to attack when Ballan made his first effort with 3km to go. He didn't hear me...
I think Pozatto had decided long before the race began to change his usual tactics of just sitting on. Instead it was going to be a fully commited attack and then work all the way to the finish. Only trouble was he took a better sprinter with him in Boonen. He was pretty much beaten on the Kwaremont, as soon as he'd made his attack. I'm sure there was an acticle on Cyclingnews where he made comments about how he was going to ride before the race.0 -
Still can't understand why Pozzato thought he was going to out sprint Boonen? Nothing in previous race's should have given him the confidence. He should have worked with Ballan and made Boonen chase the other, at the very least it would have given one of them a chance.Take care of the luxuries and the necessites will take care of themselves.0
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richard wants a baum wrote:Still can't understand why Pozzato thought he was going to out sprint Boonen? Nothing in previous race's should have given him the confidence. He should have worked with Ballan and made Boonen chase the other, at the very least it would have given one of them a chance.
E3 in 2009?0 -
Ballan was saying last night that him and Pippo had a deal not to chase each other down. To my mind, knowing that he'd have to attack, the only beneficiary from that was Pippo in that he now doesn't have to attack or chase.
So he was playing it pretty smart even then. Sometimes you can get your tactics spot on, but still be beaten."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Also - there was a significant headwind apparently.
Makes it difficult for it to be anything but a sprint.0 -
I just thought it was a bit of an anti climax the last couple of Km's were predictable. Ballan was always going to give it a crack, and you could see that Pozzato was going to just sit in and hope Boonen made a mistake and go to early, was never going to happen.Take care of the luxuries and the necessites will take care of themselves.0
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I don't know why Ballan and Pozzato didn't work Boonen over. Ballan should have tried to jump Boonen when Pozzato was at the front continuously with Pozzato coat riding Boonen when he covered. At least they could have tired him out a little... I know different teams, but they are mates and all that...http://www.georgesfoundation.org
http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/0 -
richard wants a baum wrote:Still can't understand why Pozzato thought he was going to out sprint Boonen? Nothing in previous race's should have given him the confidence. He should have worked with Ballan and made Boonen chase the other, at the very least it would have given one of them a chance.
Pippo would have know he'd put Boonen in a spot of bother on the last climb (though he wouldn't have know that it was because Boonen was having gear trouble). Perhaps he'd thought Boonen was cracking and he'd have him in a sprint?'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
mroli wrote:I don't know why Ballan and Pozzato didn't work Boonen over. Ballan should have tried to jump Boonen when Pozzato was at the front continuously with Pozzato coat riding Boonen when he covered. At least they could have tired him out a little... I know different teams, but they are mates and all that...
I think Pozzato played it as well as he could. He left himself with only one rider to beat rather than 2 and, all things equal, as the freshest in the run in. There's no way to guarantee yourself a victory and he arrived at the last KM with 1 guy who was knackered and one guy who he'd nearly cracked 10km earlier having done no work in the interim, you can't ask for more than that."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Pictures from Sheldon the 'knight of niche' who rode the sportive and then watched on the Patenberg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldona0 -
http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... _day_after
Love how Boonen staying sober after a big win is news.0 -
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No doubt it's been said already but it really pissed me off to break off for - whay was it - car racing or somesuch? - only to return to the race where there had been a number of developments including Cancellara crashing out. Very disappointing.0
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Rick Chasey wrote:
Somewhere in Switzerland a surgeon is going "hey, does anyone know where I left my favourite biro..."0 -
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Rick Chasey wrote:
Fcuk. That must've stung a little - looks like the bone pierced the skin.0 -
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Havent watched any of this race yet but will watch the last 2hrs or so soon.
All I want to know was who was the amateur that threw the bidon under Cancellara's wheel. That idiot deprived the fans of his presence in the cutting end of Flanders and Roubaix as well as causing Fabu huge annoyance and pain.Contador is the Greatest0 -
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Contador is the Greatest0
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Hmm. Fans wrong for standing there or riders wrong for riding there....
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-83_10-5tMdI/T ... /lange.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-luYm9TG7nyU/T ... ange+1.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZP4JOdTx6z0/T ... ange+2.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyTXkoGfSks/T ... ange+3.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e-IwhKuaeTY/T ... ange+4.jpgContador is the Greatest0 -
Ladies:
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Nobody threw their bidon under Cancellara's wheel, it was a racing accident, the kind that its a miracle doesn't happen more often.
As to Langeveld, you should never ride behind spectators, as you don't know how they'll react. That said, he was possibly unsighted by the trees."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Obviously they didn't do it on purpose yet it was incorrectly and unsafely disposed of. It was mentioned on here a couple of weeks ago how it is dangerous; stemming from when Cav was brought down by a bidon.Contador is the Greatest0
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Love Cancellara's face here. Like, who is this guy going all out when I am just stroking along.
Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Love Cancellara's face here. Like, who is this guy going all out when I am just stroking along.
POST OF THE YEAR!!!!Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Obviously they didn't do it on purpose yet it was incorrectly and unsafely disposed of. It was mentioned on here a couple of weeks ago how it is dangerous; stemming from when Cav was brought down by a bidon.
I imagine Cancellara always disposes of his bottles properly... every rider in every race slings them as best as they can towards the side of the road, a lot of the time somebody rides over them. Occasionally, someone takes a tumble. It's just bad luck it was one of the favourites.
You wouldn't have noticed if had been a kid from Topsport."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0
