Amstel Gold Race 2013 **Spoilers**

pat1cp

mroli wrote:

I don't like Gerrans because he does nothing to make a race. He is obviously a class rider, but does nothing to force a selection, to make things interesting, to attack, to put his rivals into a bit of pain. Yesterday was a prime example - Gilbert lit it up, too late to catch K, but if a race was full of riders like Gerrans then they would be run at 10km/h with no-one ever taking a turn on the front.

I freely admit he is a strong, smart rider with a good palmares who won't give a monkeys about what a lot of internet idiots think about him, but Cadel became a much more interesting, attractive rider when he became more attacking and I think Gerrans would too.

Please feel free to correct me and point me to the many examples of him lighting it up, but I just can't remember any (and I don't remember him acting as an amazing domestique/making the break etc where there is no chance of a win for him)

Valverde sat on Gerrans' wheel all the way up the Cauberg, then hopped onto Pip's wheel when he got chance. The first time his nose was in the wind was going over the line. That's panache for you. :?

greasedscotsman

Danlikesbikes wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

but then I don't want to see a bunch full of Voecklers!

Would be far to much gurning for the watching fans to live with I think..... oh right you didn't quite mean that, sorry.

I didn't, but now you mention it...

danlikesbikes

Anybody have an update on the little french gurner following his fall, lots of different rumours going round yesterday & not had a chance to find out what the score is.

mroli

Dan - I think it is a broken collarbone.
patt1cp - agree re Valverde yesterday, but he has in other races "made the race" or forced a selection. I'm not a fan of his anyway (doping reasons).
greasedscotsman (i think) take the point re Evans and doped riders early in his career and that there may be contributing factors to him becoming a more "exciting" rider later on in his career.

For me, its not necessarily about panache - I understand the requirement to get results as well as make things exciting - but taking a gamble every now and then and putting it on the line. I feel (rightly or wrongly), that the only time Gerrans puts it on the line is when he's trying to sprint past someone in the last 200m (or hold on to their wheel). And an example of a sprinter doing it would be Cav getting bottles for the team in the TDF and taking early climbs at the front of the peloton.

Again - happy for people to refer me to where Gerrans has done otherwise.

LeicesterLad

Tom Butcher wrote:

Each to their own - personally I find Backstedt less insightful than the other Eurosport pundits like Kelly and Smith.

Really? Kelly only has one phrase about 'making the calculation', I like his chit chat but he never really says anything new, Brian is pretty good but only seems to do the chippers, Harmon is better than Kirby - who has a penchant for making things up, seeing things that are not actually happening and inventing his own tactics. Phil and Paul disgust me. Think Magnus is pretty on the ball - knows his stuff, knows the riders, knows the tactics, can tell a few tales...

greasedscotsman

mroli wrote:

And an example of a sprinter doing it would be Cav getting bottles for the team in the TDF and taking early climbs at the front of the peloton.

If a sprinter did that, they wouldn't be riding to their abilities. Why would they do that?

frenchfighter

Boom and Kwia had skinsuits.

mroli

greasedscotsman wrote:

mroli wrote:

And an example of a sprinter doing it would be Cav getting bottles for the team in the TDF and taking early climbs at the front of the peloton.

If a sprinter did that, they wouldn't be riding to their abilities. Why would they do that?

Because they would not win the stage, but they want to help out the team.

greasedscotsman

mroli wrote:

Because they would not win the stage, but they want to help out the team.

Hmm, doesn't seem like a good idea...

milton50

LeicesterLad wrote:

Tom Butcher wrote:

Each to their own - personally I find Backstedt less insightful than the other Eurosport pundits like Kelly and Smith.

Really? Kelly only has one phrase about 'making the calculation', I like his chit chat but he never really says anything new, Brian is pretty good but only seems to do the chippers, Harmon is better than Kirby - who has a penchant for making things up, seeing things that are not actually happening and inventing his own tactics. Phil and Paul disgust me. Think Magnus is pretty on the ball - knows his stuff, knows the riders, knows the tactics, can tell a few tales...

I personally think that Harmon and Smith are the best commentating team. I generally find that Smith brings more interesting insights than Kelly or Backstedt.

It's such a shame about Phil Liggett because his voice is the Tour de France to me. Even after all these years when I think of cycling I think of his great commentary on the likes of Fignon, Indurain and LeMond. But I can't stand to listen to him anymore.

I don't want to turn this into another Phil and Paul thread, though.

Abdoujaparov

To anyone considering going to AGR next year, go! Had an awesome time - great atmos on the Cauberg, get to see them go past 3 or 4 times, plenty of screens right by the course and stunning weather (ok, that might not be the case next year, but more likely to be decent by mid April).

Was a little surprised at the steepness of the Cauberg - looks more than 12 per cent in the flesh. Respect to the pros for going up it at ridiculous speeds!

Properly Dutch atmos, but v international crowd too - lots of English, Spanish and Italians. Was interesting over-hearing what people from other places were saying. Think Sky were getting a bit of a ribbing when half their team came past about 10 minutes down. JTL almost got lapped. Gerrans seems to be well-respected - a lot of people seemed to be talking him up. Hats off to Kreuziger - epic performance to hold it together up and over the Cauberg.

tailwindhome

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... rrari.html

frenchfighter

Voeckler is healing quicker than expected and will be back training at the end of the week.

danlikesbikes

frenchfighter wrote:

Voeckler is healing quicker than expected and will be back training at the end of the week.

Now that is good news indeed, really like his anti-hero status and think the peloton is a better place with him in.

tailwindhome

Noooo....Voeckler? Not hurting as much as it first seemed?


Glad he is on the mend. His defence of the yellow a couple of years back was a highlight of that tour.

Richmond Racer

Have to put in a bit of a special word for Josh Edmondson. First season as a pro, and he finished AGR when half the field abandoned. And he came home in 43rd place at FW ahead of a lot of bigger and more established names.

danlikesbikes

TailWindHome wrote:

Noooo....Voeckler? Not hurting as much as it first seemed?


Glad he is on the mend. His defence of the yellow a couple of years back was a highlight of that tour.

For me it was his defence & also his honest responses to how he was going to defend the yellow and with a gallic shrug the response I don't really know I'll just ride as hard as I can.

deejay

Abdoujaparov wrote:

great atmos on the Cauberg, get to see them go past 3 or 4 times, plenty of screens right by the course
Was a little surprised at the steepness of the Cauberg - .

It used to be only twice up there.
I got the impression this year it was going more and more around in circles in Limburg and if it carries on much more it will disappear up it's own backside. :roll

Maybe they can build more stands to collect the money.

Abdoujaparov

deejay wrote:

Abdoujaparov wrote:

great atmos on the Cauberg, get to see them go past 3 or 4 times, plenty of screens right by the course
Was a little surprised at the steepness of the Cauberg - .

It used to be only twice up there.
I got the impression this year it was going more and more around in circles in Limburg and if it carries on much more it will disappear up it's own backside. :roll

Maybe they can build more stands to collect the money.

Think it basically does four loops around Limburg now, each getting smaller than the previous one. If you catch the start in Maastricht, you might miss them go up the Cauberg the first time, but the last two ascents are pretty close together (there's another ascent early afternoon). It works really well as a day out.

The new finish is great for spectators - really eases the pressure on the Cauberg so stands aren't necessary.

pottssteve

Abdoujaparov wrote:

deejay wrote:

Abdoujaparov wrote:

great atmos on the Cauberg, get to see them go past 3 or 4 times, plenty of screens right by the course
Was a little surprised at the steepness of the Cauberg - .

It used to be only twice up there.
I got the impression this year it was going more and more around in circles in Limburg and if it carries on much more it will disappear up it's own backside. :roll

Maybe they can build more stands to collect the money.

Think it basically does four loops around Limburg now, each getting smaller than the previous one. If you catch the start in Maastricht, you might miss them go up the Cauberg the first time, but the last two ascents are pretty close together (there's another ascent early afternoon). It works really well as a day out.

The new finish is great for spectators - really eases the pressure on the Cauberg so stands aren't necessary.

Agreed. It's not all about the money, although they're not a charity. VIPs bring in cash to keep the rest of it going, amongst other things.
There was much better public access this year - most of it free, with entertainment and a great view.

Steve

tailwindhome

iainf72 wrote:

Pretty good race

Pity the winner is suspect but hey ho.

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Roman Kreuziger admits to working with Dr Ferrari http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... rrari.html … by @gregorbrown