Strade Bianche 2014 *Spoilers*

above_the_cows

Godammit I just got back in! Yay Kwia Love that little guy

Lanterne_Rogue

frenchfighter wrote:

I often think you're watching a different race to the rest of us...

frenchfighter

ES stopped but still on here:
http://sports-livezz.com/7/100/

frenchfighter

The guy is amazing. Remember him at Flanders last year?

blazing_saddles

An uninspiring edition of the race.
Missed the cut and thrust and those extra kms of late sterrato, of last year.

frenchfighter

Blazing Saddles wrote:

An uninspiring edition of the race.
Missed the cut and thrust and those extra kms of late sterrato, of last year.

Oh well, sorry your sky boys were useless and their leader pulled out from fear.

Superb race.

frenchfighter

Art Vandelay wrote:

1 KWIATKOWSKI Michal Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 5:20:33
2 SAGAN Peter Cannondale 5:20:33
3 VALVERDE Alejandro Movistar Team ,,
4 CUNEGO Damiano Lampre - Merida ,,
5 KREUZIGER Roman Tinkoff-Saxo ,,
6 CANCELLARA Fabian Trek Factory Racing ,,
7 EVANS Cadel BMC ,,
8 BARGUIL Warren Team Giant-Shimano ,,
9 POELS Wout Omega Pharma - Quick-Step ,,
10 GESCHKE Simon Team Giant-Shimano ,,

2.51 to 10th place. Huge margin.

joelsim

Impressive stuff from Kwiat. Had Sagan in his pocket throughout.

Pross

Blazing Saddles wrote:

An uninspiring edition of the race.
Missed the cut and thrust and those extra kms of late sterrato, of last year.

It's only the third time I've watched this race. Last year's was a good finish but the other two I've watched haven't been the most exciting. It seems like the selection gets made early and that there's no element of wondering if the leaders will get brought back. It's a beautiful race to watch though and I love the final KM. I prefer Roma Maxima in this weekend of racing.

That doesn't take away from Kwiatowski's win though. It was perfectly timed and as, for some irrational reason, I'm not a big fan of Sagan I was certainly pleased to see him win.

blazing_saddles

frenchfighter wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

An uninspiring edition of the race.
Missed the cut and thrust and those extra kms of late sterrato, of last year.

Oh well, sorry your sky boys were useless and their leader pulled out from fear.

Superb race.

What are you on about?
Sky weren't in last year's race.
A real cat and mouse affair, loads of attacks and counter attacks, with Moser the smartest fox on the day.
Your problem is that you worship a few riders and constantly feel the need to crow about them.

I follow the sport, don't have favourites.
Only pull you up on Sky because you are so obvious.
You need to talk less and watch more.
Then you'd know that last year's race was better.

kamil1891

So proud of him!
The subscription to Eurosport Player has paid off in just one race!

frenchfighter

Blazing Saddles wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

An uninspiring edition of the race.
Missed the cut and thrust and those extra kms of late sterrato, of last year.

Oh well, sorry your sky boys were useless and their leader pulled out from fear.

Superb race.

What are you on about?
Sky weren't in last year's race.
A real cat and mouse affair, loads of attacks and counter attacks, with Moser the smartest fox on the day.
Your problem is that you worship a few riders and constantly feel the need to crow about them.

I follow the sport, don't have favourites.
Only pull you up on Sky because you are so obvious.
You need to talk less and watch more.
Then you'd know that last year's race was better.

It was a good race last year but look at how much talk there was in the spoiler thread:
viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12908439
Hardly anything.

This race there it was all go from 50ks or so. Splintered all the way to the finish with plenty of different riders in the front...lots of changing fortune.

Last 40ks of 2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trzx7-jvqMI
Note how it was more less all together and Cannondale driving before young chancer went at 17ks...had he been a favourite it would have been closed down. Still 50 riders soft pedalling with 12ks to race. Top ten today separated by 2.51...you have to go to place 45 to get the equivalent time gap in 2013.
and here is 'How was the race was won: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6fwX5IkLmQ
Here is 2hrs from 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhFiPffEZsM

Dont talk to me about watching racing. I've been watching pretty much every single race on tv for years. At the end of the day it is a matter of opinion but to rubbish this edition is just plain silly.

Anonymous

frenchfighter wrote:

Dont talk to me about watching racing. I've been watching pretty much every single race on tv for years. At the end of the day it is a matter of opinion but to rubbish this edition is just plain silly.

I'm fluent in Frenchies BS, this means, "It's a matter of my opinion and if you don't agree with me you're wrong."

I loved the pulled out with fear bit. Fear of what?

frenchfighter

r0bh

frenchfighter wrote:

Dont talk to me about watching racing. I've been watching pretty much every single race on tv for years. At the end of the day it is a matter of opinion but to rubbish this edition is just plain silly.

As silly as rubbishing other people's opinions, like this?

frenchfighter wrote:

Oh well, sorry your sky boys were useless and their leader pulled out from fear.

Superb race.

Anonymous

Also Sky's leader finished, it was Puccio.

Crankbrother

Just finished watching 'as live' from tivo ... Decent stuff, with a worthy winner who will hopefully be in the mix come Flanders ... Valverde would have won had he been paying more attention (the man from Belmonte seems to never quite be in the right position) ...

There was something just not quite exciting about it all though ... dunno if it was the commentary or the crowds or what but it was just a wee bit flat ...

blazing_saddles

Frenchie is less your "chess on wheels" and more your "quick game with my favourite draughts" man.
The one dimensional mega attack from miles out , so no one has to actually think about the possible outcome.

Remember how animated, constantly ebbing and flowing Het Nieuswblad was last week?
To most, a great example of a Spring race in Northern Europe. To frenchie:

frenchfighter wrote:

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

Translated: A very complex race, hard to fathom, and ultimately the wrong team winning.

frenchfighter wrote:

Dont talk to me about watching racing. I've been watching pretty much every single race on tv for years. At the end of the day it is a matter of opinion but to rubbish this edition is just plain silly.

We've both been around enough race spoilers here to know that's a fib.

Not rubbishing this edition, but it was a very predictable affair, with very good rides from the top favourites.

nweststeyn

If you would all just put him on ignore you wouldn't have to get into these arguments...

It would be even better if you would stop quoting him because I end up reading the nonsense before I realise who wrote it.

frenchfighter

Never seen so many blocked posts on one page of a spoiler thread....

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Frenchie is less your "chess on wheels" and more your "quick game with my favourite draughts" man.
The one dimensional mega attack from miles out , so no one has to actually think about the possible outcome.

Remember how animated, constantly ebbing and flowing Het Nieuswblad was last week?
To most, a great example of a Spring race in Northern Europe. To frenchie:

frenchfighter wrote:

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

Translated: A very complex race, hard to fathom, and ultimately the wrong team winning.

frenchfighter wrote:

Dont talk to me about watching racing. I've been watching pretty much every single race on tv for years. At the end of the day it is a matter of opinion but to rubbish this edition is just plain silly.

We've both been around enough race spoilers here to know that's a fib.

Not rubbishing this edition, but it was a very predictable affair, with very good rides from the top favourites.

Are you being obtuse on purpose? Predictable that Kwiatek won? Predictable that from 50ks to 25ks there was no one who had the upper hand but there were riders all over? Predicable that Fabu would fold? Predictable that a group of strong riders couldnt work together and pull back two other strong riders? Predictable that Valverde would get a gap, ride solo, be joined by three others, then duke it out for 3rd from a small group? Seriously...
Go and watch the links I posted for 2013 them you can explain to me how that race was simply amazing and this race was a borefest?

What is a 'fib'? :roll:

ps. Quote about Het from Sep.
"Our team was super and they did a super job in delivering me in the finale. I was impressed by what they did and it was up to me to continue that effort. I wanted to go flat out and race. Apparently nobody's keen on racing flat out. Everybody's just waiting. It's sad. If nobody's taking the initiative then nothing's going to happen. Everybody is just trying to save energy instead of racing flat out," Vanmarcke said.
You dont want to take my opinion but dont try arguing against a pro who was in the race who shares my opinion.

pps. you like the ebb and flow? so do most people who enjoy pure racing. fyi, there is no ebb and flow in any stage race sky are racing. unless it rains or unless their plan A fails then it is like watching headless chickens.

frenchfighter

milton50

Crankbrother wrote:

Valverde would have won had he been paying more attention (the man from Belmonte seems to never quite be in the right position)

Hmm, not sure about that. He looked strong enough to actually go with the Sagan/Kwiatowski move so I'm guessing he just missed it rather than didn't have the legs. But Kwiatowski looked super strong today and left Sagan standing still in the final 500m. Not sure Valverde would have fared any better.

iainf72

I enjoyed the race - Truth be told the racing at this event is never really that brilliant, but it's so spectacular looking I don't really care.

Poor old Sagan knew he was screwed. Quite a few people in good shape for T-A too, which is nice

Anonymous

I enjoyed watching it, but with 5k to go it was obvious who was winning it. Fabu didn't look strongest in that group so was easy to call he wasn't strong so didn't think he folded.

I love Kwia so I am very happy he won, if he wins more this season it will be even better. His kit is superb, but it does such that the have the WC TTT badge on the normal kit. As it should only be in the TTT kit.

blazing_saddles

frenchfighter wrote:

Are you being obtuse on purpose? Predictable that Kwiatek won? Predictable that from 50ks to 25ks there was no one who had the upper hand but there were riders all over?

pps. you like the ebb and flow? so do most people who enjoy pure racing. fyi, there is no ebb and flow in any stage race sky are racing. unless it rains or unless their plan A fails then it is like watching headless chickens.

Not I being obtuse.
Either you failed to notice that OPQS once again had 5 riders in that lead group of a dozen or so, (a la Sky) or failed to realise how significant it would be in determining the outcome. That was from around the 40km mark.
Sagan, with no team mates, clearly had figured it and his options out.

I entirely agree with your pps, even though you didn't expect me to.
Hence, my unbiased opinion that, to use Crankbrother's observation that it was "a bit flat".

Mad_Malx

Beginning of the season, bit of rough road, hills, lovely finish line, couple of spectacular & decisive accelerations and a worthy winner.
If this turns out to be one of the most boring races of the season I'm going to be very happy.

dabber

The end to a perfect cycling day for me... a nice 60 miler, then back home and played back the race... loved everything about it.

Monty Dog

Good race IMO, it was obvious the new route and Monte Sante Marie would be the decisive point - they road is brutal with repeated ramps and descents of 20% with off-camber corners and loose gravel to catch-out the unwary. Add 50km to the route and it will be worthy of a Spring Classic.

gpreeves

Mad_Malx wrote:

Beginning of the season, bit of rough road, hills, lovely finish line, couple of spectacular & decisive accelerations and a worthy winner.
If this turns out to be one of the most boring races of the season I'm going to be very happy.

Just watched highlights of this on Youtube. Couldn't agree more with your summary - it's hard to go wrong with such lovely scenery and a very strong field. I'm hoping that's one of many wins for Kwiatkowski this season.

tailwindhome

Enjoyed that.

Seemed Kwiatkowski had the race in his pocket as soon as he marked the attack. Sagan didn't seem to be at a 100%.

I think we maybe saw a glimpse of the future today.