Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2014 *SPOILERS*

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Comments

  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Fabulous race.

    Hard to fault OPQS too much. You either have someone who can go with Cancellara or you don't.
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Very clever by Fabu.
    Glad VA got second, did so much to enliven the last part of the race.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    Great edition of this great race.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    That was a great race, really enjoyed that, I do wish there was a climb nearer the end but can't really complain.

    What a great finish.


    Sagan, Boonen, Thomas et al all poor.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    GVA not getting the best of small group sprints this year.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Vandenbergh getting no love but riding smarter than Fab in the final km's ...

    You were saying?

    See above ...

    He was on the front for most of it, no-one would pass him so nothing remotely like 'riding like Vandenbergh'.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    OPQS will be kicking themselves there. So may strong riders, so little to show for it.

    Thomas with 8th, not bad.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Impressed with Fabu's downing of the beer.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    Good ride from GvA, but always the bridesmaid...
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  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    What else can you say about the man? He dropped almost everyone on the Kwaremont with an awesome show of power, then essentially dragged vanmarcke up to the leading duo, then spent the most time on the front building the gap. Then he goes and wins the sprint.

    Properly good race. If Paris-Roubaix is a better race than that then we're in for something very special.
  • cal_stewart
    cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    Fabu' snot bad at necking beer
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  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Cancellera just virtually downed a bottle of beer in 2 gulps.. Impressive!
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  • Give me more
    Give me more Posts: 487
    edited April 2014
    I really enjoyed that. Hats off to GVA for doing so much work out there today and being right in it at the end. Always happy to see Fabian winning. VanMarcke rode a great race too. Omega Pharma Step Behind losing out again ^^

    On to Roubaix!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    sjmclean wrote:
    That was a great race, really enjoyed that, I do wish there was a climb nearer the end but can't really complain.

    What a great finish.


    Sagan, Boonen, Thomas et al all poor.

    Not really poor, especially Sagan who got left trying to close the gap alone yet again. He's a victim of his own success and needs to learn how to bluff.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Hard to see anyone other than Cance or Vanmarcke for Roubaix after that. Kristoff maybe?
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    edited April 2014
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Vandenbergh getting no love but riding smarter than Fab in the final km's ...

    You were saying?

    See above ...

    He was on the front for most of it, no-one would pass him so nothing remotely like 'riding like Vandenbergh'.

    He stopped riding at about 4km and let the others pull each other back ... He rode smart and won ...

    Vandenbergh had been trying that from further out and was getting pelters ...

    Don't be sore because your boy got bitchslapped by the real big boys ... even the ones that didn't have the legs ...
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Pross wrote:
    sjmclean wrote:
    That was a great race, really enjoyed that, I do wish there was a climb nearer the end but can't really complain.

    What a great finish.


    Sagan, Boonen, Thomas et al all poor.

    Not really poor, especially Sagan who got left trying to close the gap alone yet again. He's a victim of his own success and needs to learn how to bluff.

    He was right on Vanmarcke's wheel when the Fabu attack went. He just didn't have it to go with them.
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Great race. Some very good tactical moves. Strongest man won.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    Turfle wrote:
    Hard to see anyone other than Cance or Vanmarcke for Roubaix after that. Kristoff maybe?

    Dunno, he used a climb to go today. Will he be allowed to just power away on the flat? Can't wait to find out now the warm up race is over :wink:
  • antsmithmk
    antsmithmk Posts: 717
    Sagan needs a stronger team around him. The Cannondale team seem unable to provide him with any help inside the last 50km of a one day race.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    Turfle wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    sjmclean wrote:
    That was a great race, really enjoyed that, I do wish there was a climb nearer the end but can't really complain.

    What a great finish.


    Sagan, Boonen, Thomas et al all poor.

    Not really poor, especially Sagan who got left trying to close the gap alone yet again. He's a victim of his own success and needs to learn how to bluff.

    He was right on Vanmarcke's wheel when the Fabu attack went. He just didn't have it to go with them.

    But he'd been left to chase more or less alone just before that.
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    edited April 2014
    Roubaix is a different style of racing so it's pointless drawing too many conclusions from this. But for sure, Cancellara and Vanmarcke will be up there again. I think Boonen looks good for a sprint in Roubaix.
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  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Pross wrote:
    sjmclean wrote:
    That was a great race, really enjoyed that, I do wish there was a climb nearer the end but can't really complain.

    What a great finish.


    Sagan, Boonen, Thomas et al all poor.

    Not really poor, especially Sagan who got left trying to close the gap alone yet again. He's a victim of his own success and needs to learn how to bluff.

    He needs to stop being the nearly man. Seems to lack Cancelleras tactical skill
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Vandenbergh getting no love but riding smarter than Fab in the final km's ...

    You were saying?

    See above ...

    He was on the front for most of it, no-one would pass him so nothing remotely like 'riding like Vandenbergh'.

    He stopped riding at about 4km and let the others pull each other back ... He rode smart and won ...

    Vandenbergh had been trying that from further out and was getting pelters ...

    He was on the front for most of it so they more or less stopped riding as they wouldn't pass. He was on the front for ages with a gel in his mouth.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    inseine wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    sjmclean wrote:
    That was a great race, really enjoyed that, I do wish there was a climb nearer the end but can't really complain.

    What a great finish.


    Sagan, Boonen, Thomas et al all poor.

    Not really poor, especially Sagan who got left trying to close the gap alone yet again. He's a victim of his own success and needs to learn how to bluff.

    He needs to stop being the nearly man. Seems to lack Cancelleras tactical skill

    Yep, I agree. As I said, he needs to bluff and be prepared to lose (or at least make the others think he is). That's obviously easier when you already have palmares like Canc though. He hasn't got that out and out power though either.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    OPQS bluffed themselves out of the race.
    Terpstra needs to change his nationality.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    antsmithmk wrote:
    Sagan needs a stronger team around him. The Cannondale team seem unable to provide him with any help inside the last 50km of a one day race.

    That.

    Very talented, bus has to do it by himself.

    So does Cancellara, but he's a once in a generation rider.
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  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Vandenbergh getting no love but riding smarter than Fab in the final km's ...

    You were saying?

    See above ...

    He was on the front for most of it, no-one would pass him so nothing remotely like 'riding like Vandenbergh'.

    He stopped riding at about 4km and let the others pull each other back ... He rode smart and won ...

    Vandenbergh had been trying that from further out and was getting pelters ...

    He was on the front for most of it so they more or less stopped riding as they wouldn't pass. He was on the front for ages with a gel in his mouth.

    Gel was at 6km ...

    Anyway, I see it as 2 riders used the same tactic, but from different distances to finish ... Vanderbergh sat on until the 4 km mark and attacked as he knew he had no sprint in his legs ... Fab sat on from there on in, letting everyone else pull back any futile attacks and apart from 1 quarter-hearted attempt didn't go anywhere near the front until 200m to the line when it mattered most ...

    Maybe we see the racing differently, doesn't detract from a good days racing which was only hurt by there only being one favourite in the final move ...
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    So I missed a cracker!

    Will have to find me some highlights...

    Still an entertaining thread folks, thanks.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • cal_stewart
    cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    Is it me or are Sky getting less rubbish at the classics
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