Is this year's season over?

2

Comments

  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,434
    When does PTP start? When does PTP end?

    AFX defines the season, not the UCI.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    lom10-leaves.jpg?t=1303747704
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    No-one defines their season around Lombardi.

    The riders who win alraedy have the form because they wanted to do well in the worlds, so they might as well turn up.

    I don't think I've ever seen a rider say " my season will be defined by Lombardi" or even heard Lombardi mentioned on its own as a focal point for someone's season.
    _
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,548
    Bullshit.

    And either Lombardy or Lombardia, not Lombardi. Bloody dutchies.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    andyp wrote:
    Bullshit.

    And either Lombardy or Lombardia, not Lombardi. Bloody dutchies.

    Rick is talking a load of old cobbles again. :wink:

    I doubt Purito or Berto define their season around the Ronde.
    Of course, a few big, butch types might.
    God knows what defines Andy Schleck's season.

    Maybe the UCI did actually think a little about moving Lombardia to the weekend after the worlds.
    If the worlds is a hilly course, it's ideal for a lot of specialists.
    A second big race to prepare for and a second bite at the cherry, or redefining, maybe.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    I love Lombardy. Ok, so you don't always get the full complement of A Listers, but the fact that it's not always easy to predict who is going well adds to its charm. Head says Gilbert will win, but heart would like to see Nibali nail it after being on the podium in MSR, LBL and Le Tour.

    The route this year is gnarly, and current forecast is for heavy rain.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    No-one defines their season around Lombardi.

    And no one targets their season around Ronde alone either.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    ThomThom wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    No-one defines their season around Lombardi.

    And no one targets their season around Ronde alone either.

    220px-Leif_Hoste_2008.jpg

    2008_tour_of_flanders_stijn_devolder_wins.jpg

    To name two.
    _
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    They target Ronde and the races around it. Just like riders participating in the WC target Lombardy as well.

    What's with the hate on a race that is twice as good as most of the March/April-classics?
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ThomThom wrote:
    What's with the hate on a race that is twice as good as most of the March/April-classics?

    *Woah* Rick is wrong, but that statement is also very wrong!
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Really? Gent, Amstel, Fleche?
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ThomThom wrote:
    Really? Gent, Amstel, Fleche?

    That's most of them is it? You missed some out, don't you think?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Would people agree that, of the actual monuments, M-SR, Flanders, Roubaix, Liege, Lombardy, Lombardy is the least prestigious?

    Or is that only in my eyes?
    _
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Agree 100% with Rick
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    I think they are all pretty much the same.
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Would people agree that, of the actual monuments, M-SR, Flanders, Roubaix, Liege, Lombardy, Lombardy is the least prestigious?
    Or is that only in my eyes?
    Least prestiguous yes, but I know from my own experience to end own's season with a win gives you a good feeling as you go to put your feet up.
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    Doesn't the fact the Cav won M-SR make it a chipper...(Runs away)
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Would people agree that, of the actual monuments, M-SR, Flanders, Roubaix, Liege, Lombardy, Lombardy is the least prestigious?

    Or is that only in my eyes?

    It'd be M-SR for me, possibly the most boring top flight one dayer there is. It's attritional but not exciting. As a cyclist I would love to win Lombardy more than M-SR. It just suffers from its position in an ever lengthening season.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Pross wrote:
    It'd be M-SR for me, possibly the most boring top flight one dayer there is. It's attritional but not exciting. As a cyclist I would love to win Lombardy more than M-SR. It just suffers from its position in an ever lengthening season.

    Is the correct answer.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Really? Gent, Amstel, Fleche?

    That's most of them is it? You missed some out, don't you think?

    Well, calling out races like Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse, E3 would just prove my point even more.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    I'd agree that it's the least prestigious of the monuments, but it's still a huge win for anyone. That it suits a slightly different rider to most of the other hilly one day races makes it a bit different too.

    And MSR is great.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,548
    I'd take any monument on my palmares thank you very much. But if I could choose which one then I'd pick Lombardy, it's a beautiful race and far tougher, in terms of terrain, than any of the others.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ThomThom wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Really? Gent, Amstel, Fleche?

    That's most of them is it? You missed some out, don't you think?

    Well, calling out races like Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse, E3 would just prove my point even more.

    Hold on, since when are Gent, Fleche, Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse and E3 classics? Do you know what a classic is?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Pross wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Would people agree that, of the actual monuments, M-SR, Flanders, Roubaix, Liege, Lombardy, Lombardy is the least prestigious?

    Or is that only in my eyes?

    It'd be M-SR for me, possibly the most boring top flight one dayer there is. It's attritional but not exciting. As a cyclist I would love to win Lombardy more than M-SR. It just suffers from its position in an ever lengthening season.

    Me too.
    Essentially flat (less one climb right in the middle) and featureless, right up until the final 30ks.
    Monumentally long, but that's about it.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    I love the slow burn of MSR.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    edited September 2012
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Really? Gent, Amstel, Fleche?

    That's most of them is it? You missed some out, don't you think?

    Well, calling out races like Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse, E3 would just prove my point even more.

    Hold on, since when are Gent, Fleche, Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse and E3 classics? Do you know what a classic is?

    Eh, you can cut the cocky part out. Gent, E3, Fleche are all classics. They would be considered cobbled classics for the former two and Ardennes classics for the latter one. There was a point in not writing more than Gent, Amstel and Fleche in my post you replied earlier.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ThomThom wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Really? Gent, Amstel, Fleche?

    That's most of them is it? You missed some out, don't you think?

    Well, calling out races like Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse, E3 would just prove my point even more.

    Hold on, since when are Gent, Fleche, Dwars, Scheldeprijs, Nokere-Koerse and E3 classics? Do you know what a classic is?

    Eh, Gent, E3, Fleche are all classics. They would be considered cobbled classics for the former two and Ardennes classics for the latter one. There was a point in not writing more than Gent, Amstel and Fleche in my post you replied earlier.

    "You do know what a classic is?"

    Hmm, semi classics, aren't they?
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    So which races are semi classics and which are not?

    They are cobbled classics and ardennes classics.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    andyp wrote:
    I'd take any monument on my palmares thank you very much. But if I could choose which one then I'd pick Lombardy, it's a beautiful race and far tougher, in terms of terrain, than any of the others.

    I'd say that's Paris Roubaix. The time gaps between riders there are massive
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

    I'd say that's Paris Roubaix. The time gaps between riders there are massive

    You obviously like the Grand National horse race as well. :roll:
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972

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