Omloop Het Nieuwsblad *spoiler* thread

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  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    RonB wrote:
    No energy for celebrations during today's race - leaving it all out there…

    841546448.jpg?1393691503

    Love being able to see a riders eyes. Great shot.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    frenchfighter wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Stannard looks bloody miserable.
    His job today was to get the win for EBH. he thinks he's failed. :D

    Great ride, great race.

    I almost thought when he was easing up in the last km or so that he was waiting for ebh to come back. Him having worked sep and t so hard and him thinking he couldn't take gva.

    Would be nice if he smiled or celebrated after though. When he crossed the line it looked like 'job done, where is the bus'.

    I don't think he had anything left to smile with. He completely buried himself.
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  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    iainf72 wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    And the Omloop is still a semi-classic.
    I can live with that, but it pretty much means Classic and Monument are synonymous. Or do you have another race that would be a Classic but not a Monument?

    Nah.

    I like the Omloop as it's a great race, all the main characters there but doesn't seem as serious as some of the other Flanders races. It's also why I like E3 (another semi-classic I'd say)

    agreed...looked like only a handful of people cared and the rest wanted to go home. Lots of under performances. They are still warming up.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Pross wrote:
    Apologies if this one has already been posted, can't recall seeing it but says it all about what it takes to win a race like this

    BhqAsAPCEAETMvw.jpg:medium

    Thanks for posting. Going to enjoy going through all the photos later.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Stannard looks bloody miserable.
    His job today was to get the win for EBH. he thinks he's failed. :D

    Great ride, great race.

    I almost thought when he was easing up in the last km or so that he was waiting for ebh to come back. Him having worked sep and t so hard and him thinking he couldn't take gva.

    Would be nice if he smiled or celebrated after though. When he crossed the line it looked like 'job done, where is the bus'.

    I don't think he had anything left to smile with. He completely buried himself.


    They were shaking in freezing conditions, no chance of a celebration. Shows how hard they went.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Boonen said he has never been so cold, colder even than at M-SR last year.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • lovestheclimb
    lovestheclimb Posts: 483
    Great race, great start to the classics
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    gpreeves wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    And the Omloop is still a semi-classic.
    I can live with that, but it pretty much means Classic and Monument are synonymous. Or do you have another race that would be a Classic but not a Monument?[/quote]


    Fleche- Wallone

    Amstel Gold as well?

    Agreed.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    frenchfighter wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    And the Omloop is still a semi-classic.
    I can live with that, but it pretty much means Classic and Monument are synonymous. Or do you have another race that would be a Classic but not a Monument?

    Nah.

    I like the Omloop as it's a great race, all the main characters there but doesn't seem as serious as some of the other Flanders races. It's also why I like E3 (another semi-classic I'd say)

    agreed...looked like only a handful of people cared and the rest wanted to go home. Lots of under performances. They are still warming up.

    No, it didn't.

    It looks like you didn't watch it.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    EBH was the perfect anchor on Vanmarcke & Terpstra. Even as you're towing him to the line, you know he's going to whack you in the sprint. They were only 10s back for 5km or so. Every time one looked back Eddie gave them 'the grin'.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    gpreeves wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    And the Omloop is still a semi-classic.
    I can live with that, but it pretty much means Classic and Monument are synonymous. Or do you have another race that would be a Classic but not a Monument?[/quote]


    Fleche- Wallone

    Amstel Gold as well?

    Yes.
    After all, there are only 5 Monuments.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    frenchfighter wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    And the Omloop is still a semi-classic.
    I can live with that, but it pretty much means Classic and Monument are synonymous. Or do you have another race that would be a Classic but not a Monument?

    Nah.

    I like the Omloop as it's a great race, all the main characters there but doesn't seem as serious as some of the other Flanders races. It's also why I like E3 (another semi-classic I'd say)

    agreed...looked like only a handful of people cared and the rest wanted to go home. Lots of under performances. They are still warming up.


    Whereas in Murica, it looked like only Valverde cared and
    the rest wanted to be in the big race in Belgium.:wink:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I managed to miss the start due to a mad dash across Gent to get to house number 4 on the morning's agenda.

    I can confirm it was fupping freezing there today though, and foggy, and drizzly and generally grim.

    I have failed you all.
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Was a good one.

    Sky rode it well. The only team to have a card in the two breaks that beat the peloton to the finish. I imagine had they had earpieces Stannard would have waited, since he was definitely the underdog in that sprint.

    Judging by the way Avermaert flew by Stannard after the line he made a few mistakes in the sprint - got caught by surprise, and initially was over geared which gave him too much work to do.

    Quick Step never ride as well when Tom isn't doing well, despite their embarrassment of riches. Wasting Stybar and Vandenbergh on Tom wasn't really necessary, especially if he was as cold as he claims.

    Speaking of that, if he is complaining he was cold, he needs to sort his kit out. Nowadays weather like that is manageable from a cold/warmth perspective.
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Tommeke doesn't need to be good for a few weeks yet.

    He's got time
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Turfle wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    And the Omloop is still a semi-classic.
    I can live with that, but it pretty much means Classic and Monument are synonymous. Or do you have another race that would be a Classic but not a Monument?

    Nah.

    I like the Omloop as it's a great race, all the main characters there but doesn't seem as serious as some of the other Flanders races. It's also why I like E3 (another semi-classic I'd say)

    agreed...looked like only a handful of people cared and the rest wanted to go home. Lots of under performances. They are still warming up.

    No, it didn't.

    It looks like you didn't watch it.

    Yes it did. Do you think I give a flying fck if you think differently?
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ps. Just read Sep's comments about the race. They are pretty good. Let me know when you have read sky boy, ok? Once you have and watched the race again properly you can tell me what you think.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Re Boonen and his cold - he's complaining he's too lean to handle the really cold.

    He says he was quite warm, nice and wrapped up, and as they went to the hills he took some layers off, as you do. Just at that point there was a big shower.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    GvA was also complaining he was really cold. Felt that that had a role in how slowly he reacted to the move by Stannard.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Sky rode it well. The only team to have a card in the two breaks that beat the peloton to the finish. I imagine had they had earpieces Stannard would have waited, since he was definitely the underdog in that sprint.

    I thought he was going to try and jump from about 3k and diesel it, and if he'd had an earpiece he might have done. Let van Avermaet try and chase him back, with EBH still getting towed up. If van Avermaet had caught him then he could have wheelsucked until EBH was back with them.

    Waiting for EBH would have been pointless. By taking a turn he made sure the guys towing EBH had to work to bring them back (whether he knew it or not)
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  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Elite athletes do the best excuses
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Waiting for EBH would have been pointless. By taking a turn he made sure the guys towing EBH had to work to bring them back (whether he knew it or not)
    Also, EBH hasn't really had the best record at doing anything in the classics lately, so him winning the sprint, while likely, wouldn't have been a done deal by any means.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Elite athletes do the best excuses


    Don't think GvA was giving an excuse. More saying what happened.

    He should have won that and it's a missed opportunity for him.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    RichN95 wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Waiting for EBH would have been pointless. By taking a turn he made sure the guys towing EBH had to work to bring them back (whether he knew it or not)
    Also, EBH hasn't really had the best record at doing anything in the classics lately, so him winning the sprint, while likely, wouldn't have been a done deal by any means.

    If the five of them had come together too early then nobody would have wanted to hang around and find out if EBH had the legs in the sprint or not. There'd have been a lot of digs to mark. No reason to think a sprint would have been a definite.

    Wonder how much any of them knew about the other group?
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  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    If the five of them had come together too early then nobody would have wanted to hang around and find out if EBH had the legs in the sprint or not. There'd have been a lot of digs to mark. No reason to think a sprint would have been a definite.

    Wonder how much any of them knew about the other group?
    It's all ifs, buts and maybes. Who knows? When we used to play cards with my late grandmother she used get annoyed about us saying what we could and should have done. "No post mortems!" was she used say.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    "No post mortems!" was she used say.


    Not quite sure you get the point of the forum...

    I've said it before, you'd make a terrible historian.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    "No post mortems!" was she used say.


    Not quite sure you get the point of the forum...

    I've said it before, you'd make a terrible historian.

    Quite a dignified funeral director though.
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  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    "No post mortems!" was she used say.


    Not quite sure you get the point of the forum...

    I've said it before, you'd make a terrible historian.

    Quite a dignified funeral director though.
    But a pretty lousy homicide detective.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    If the five of them had come together too early then nobody would have wanted to hang around and find out if EBH had the legs in the sprint or not. There'd have been a lot of digs to mark. No reason to think a sprint would have been a definite.

    Wonder how much any of them knew about the other group?

    Lots. Only 10s back for at least 5km. Vanmarke and Terpstra kept looking back only to see EBH in his pipe and slippers. As for Stannard waiting for EBH, I think you should probably win a few of the things before improvising like a boss in the final.

    Cracking finish by Stannard. Dropped off and waited for GVA to face the front, catching him flat.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    RichN95 wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Waiting for EBH would have been pointless. By taking a turn he made sure the guys towing EBH had to work to bring them back (whether he knew it or not)
    Also, EBH hasn't really had the best record at doing anything in the classics lately, so him winning the sprint, while likely, wouldn't have been a done deal by any means.

    Well, a whole lot more likely than Stannard winning the sprint. Especially since Hagen did nothing for the last 5km.. and is a sprinter..

    It turned out the right way for Sky, barely, but there's no way - if we didn't know the result - that one can argue that Stannard didn't do too much work in front. Had GVA just been a tiny bit more calm (he had the best position in the sprint before moving in front of Stannard) and paid attention to Stannard's acceleration, he'd won it as well. That gap cost him the victory as he was faster in the actual sprint.

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