Ronde Van Vlaanderen discussion

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  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Devolder definitely worth keeping an eye on, I think there could be an interesting group with him, a OPQS rider and some other second string contenders.

    Paolini is right that you cant wait for Boonen and Cancellara to go, because then you've already lost, so I think you could see some outsiders trying to make it interesting, especially with some of the horribly narrow roads between the Bergs.

    Gent weather... 20 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. No rain forecast for the weekend.

    I may watch on Sporza, I may go to Oudenaarde... sadly, I wont be in the middle of it as I broke my cycling shoes and my new ones wont be here in time.

    Agree with that, will be interesting it OPQS put a rider in a break with Devolder if they trust said rider to still win it or ride to bring it back for Tom which would also help Canc. Seriously looking forward to it.

    Just hope we get a sh*t fight between the hitters and none of them crash out or get bad luck
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    andyp wrote:
    Just buy a pair of cheap flat pedals and wear trainers. You won't look out of place, it's Belgium after all.


    Good plan, may limit the drinking to an unacceptable level so will need careful consideration... Although it would be worth it just to heckle Pip Gilbert for wearing DMT shoes :evil: :x :evil:
    "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
  • artstan
    artstan Posts: 27
    No doubt in my mind OPQS will be up front in numbers to try and counter any big name attack.

    I don't think Boonen can handle a fully fit FC on the rampage. Let Sagan deal with that. Boonen has to wait for the right moment and hope the race comes back to him.
    Stybar will be a bigger threat for OPQS in my view.

    FC and PS need to focus on other riders or they will not even podium. They will burn each other out to early if they attack each other to much.

    Pozatto or Chavenel will be victorious.

    I had a pair of DMT magnesium soled shoes they are lighter than carbon and they also snapped in half after 3 months. [Size 7 ] £300 posted :lol:
  • outcastjack
    outcastjack Posts: 237
    That OPQS team just looks awesome, half of them could podium.
    Whatever happens, the season this far has been cracking and I expect and hope this will kick it up a notch.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    After seeing Sagan today I'm not sure Canc will drop him on a hill.

    It will look something like this :wink:

    It will be harder for Cancellara to win Roubaix because of the fact that absolutely no one wants to offer him any kind of help at all in chasing/stretching out a lead in a 'flat' race. We saw that last year and it nearly cost him the victory.

    But no one can match him for absolute power up a cobbled climb.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    artstan wrote:
    No doubt in my mind OPQS will be up front in numbers to try and counter any big name attack.

    I don't think Boonen can handle a fully fit FC on the rampage. Let Sagan deal with that. Boonen has to wait for the right moment and hope the race comes back to him.
    Stybar will be a bigger threat for OPQS in my view.

    FC and PS need to focus on other riders or they will not even podium. They will burn each other out to early if they attack each other to much.

    Pozatto or Chavenel will be victorious.

    I had a pair of DMT magnesium soled shoes they are lighter than carbon and they also snapped in half after 3 months. [Size 7 ] £300 posted :lol:

    Prisms 2 here... buckle snapped and you need a ten year apprenticeship in fly tying and the fingers of a five year old to assemble the replacement they send you in its component parts...
    "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
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    I ll see about getting myself round before i comment thanks #Nervous ;)

    It's not because to be honest I think this is one of the most open RVV's for a long while or anything....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    Wiggo's in!

    About time we saw him get some pre P-R race miles in...
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    greeny12 wrote:
    Wiggo's in!

    About time we saw him get some pre P-R race miles in...

    I have to say greeny that's about the most underwhelming news I heard so far when considering the incredible class of one day racing talent that will be taking part in this race.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    andyp wrote:
    Just buy a pair of cheap flat pedals and wear trainers. You won't look out of place, it's Belgium after all.


    Good plan, may limit the drinking to an unacceptable level so will need careful consideration... Although it would be worth it just to heckle Pip Gilbert for wearing DMT shoes :evil: :x :evil:

    You'll have to bring cyclingfans.com and a bloody big megaphone, it's a long way to shout.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Wiggins riding it
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    With the way Sagan has been sprinting this year I don't think he can leave it to a sprint either.

    Gonna be a repeat of last year imo. Cancellara to rip everyone apart. I'm hoping G and Degenkolb get good luck this year; both could be dangerous.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Der Panzerwagen should start to bulk himself up a bit and participate in these races. I'd love to see him bully Fabian here like he does in the time trials.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    ThomThom wrote:
    Der Panzerwagen should start to bulk himself up a bit and participate in these races. I'd love to see him bully Fabian here like he does in the time trials.


    he famously doesnt care for the pave, I'm afraid
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    I wonder why he's never tried riding the cobbles. As far as I can tell he hasn't ridden any cobbles since 2008, and even then only Dwars Door Vlaanderen, and Scheldeprijs. Maybe that was enough to tell him he does not like riding over them at all.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Der Panzerwagen should start to bulk himself up a bit and participate in these races. I'd love to see him bully Fabian here like he does in the time trials.


    he famously doesnt care for the pave, I'm afraid

    It's a shame, but I can't say I blame him. Riding them does smart a bit.
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,823
    ThomThom wrote:
    Der Panzerwagen should start to bulk himself up a bit and participate in these races. I'd love to see him bully Fabian here like he does in the time trials.

    Think he'd struggle up the cobbled bergs - even now he's slim but no way would be be on Sagan's or Cancellara's wheel if they go for it on a climb in this race. He's super-strong in a flat TT but I don't think this is his kind of race.

    Trek has some support for Cancellara - Devolder (strong, good form) and Rast.
    Lotto team (on C.N.) still got Greipel so that's wrong - not sure who's taking his place, pity he's not here or P-R as he seems willing to stick his nose in the wind early on.
    Belkin look good, BMC and also Garmin have some nice riders - would love to see Millar up the road near the pointy bit. I think a few teams have got the riders available to risk throwing 1 or more up the road early doors - that, if a group does build a decently strong lead, could mean that the favourites such as Sagan, Boonen and Cancellara, have to get their guys to start chasing. That's if their teams don't have 1 or more out front themselves and OPQS should be most capable of doing that and, if it does go to plan, then surely Boonen can sit and keep close to Cancellara and Sagan knowing that he and whoever he has around him in the main bunch can await the significant action starting plus he has someone up the road to help him if he comes up to them on Cancallara's wheel.

    Sometimes these big races like RVV is so hotly anticipated that it seems the pressure results in all of the big teams holding back until late on when 1 brief spark seems the only major action occur and then it's all decided - let's hope that's not the case here.
    Weather reports look decent which could mean it is faster and less likely of the surprising happening.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Der Panzerwagen should start to bulk himself up a bit and participate in these races. I'd love to see him bully Fabian here like he does in the time trials.


    he famously doesnt care for the pave, I'm afraid

    PEZ: A lot of riders who are strong in the time trial are also strong in the cobblestone Classics, is that something you want to try?
    Tony: Maybe at the very end of my career! Yeah it’s dangerous and I just don’t like it. I say take the normal way don’t take the cobbles, but some guys want to take the cobbles. I think you love it or you hate it and I hate it, I’m sorry but there is nothing I can do about that.

    http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/page/late ... ?id=117656

    Read a good Rouleur interview with him to where he more or less said the same.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Let me rephrase my post then: Der Panzerwagen should man up... ;)
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    ThomThom wrote:
    Let me rephrase my post then: Der Panzerwagen should man up... ;)
    Why? It's not as though his team are short of riders in that department.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Double
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Good thing I'm talking about Martin then and not his teammates.. Or his team..
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Rain forecast for Sunday afternoon...
    "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
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,434
    TonyMartin-e1373535734255.jpg
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • antsmithmk
    antsmithmk Posts: 717
    In that first pic he looks like he has detached his arm below the elbow.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,434
    Wiggins in for Stannard
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    I'm still chuntering about the fact that Stannard won't be there for the next two weeks. I'd love to see him absolutely drilling it during a muddy edition of Roubaix.

    I wonder if we'll see Wiggins actually put some effort in or whether he'll put in a bit of half-hearted work for Thomas and EBH then ride back to the team bus with 60k to go.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Milton50 wrote:
    I'm still chuntering about the fact that Stannard won't be there for the next two weeks. I'd love to see him absolutely drilling it during a muddy edition of Roubaix.

    I wonder if we'll see Wiggins actually put some effort in or whether he'll put in a bit of half-hearted work for Thomas and EBH then ride back to the team bus with 60k to go.

    Ever had that feeling you've said what everyone else is thinking?
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    Can anyone point me to a site which explains the route changes over the last few years? They keep getting mentioned and I'm clueless. The first one I watched was when Chinny schooled Boonen on the Muur, and all I know is they seem to have taken it out :(
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    I reckon if Wiggins is there helping with only 60k to go he'll have done his job well.

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