Scheldeprijs *SPOILERS*

FJS

The chipperest of Flemish spring semi-classics? Pretty much almost a sprint, but not always: a nice Sporza overview of recent editions that didn't end in bunch sprints: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... heldeprijs

Considering it's such rich pickings for sprinters, remarkably few top sprinters on the startlist. Belkin on the other hand brings their whole supply of sprinters: Bos, Markus and Hofland. Who'll be their designated sprinter?

rick_chasey

FJS wrote:

The chipperest of Flemish spring semi-classics? Pretty much almost a sprint, but not always: a nice Sporza overview of recent editions that didn't end in bunch sprints: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... heldeprijs

Considering it's such rich pickings for sprinters, remarkably few top sprinters on the startlist. Belkin on the other hand brings their whole supply of sprinters: Bos, Markus and Hofland. Who'll be their designated sprinter?

Hofland.

ridgerider

Led out by Bos...?

blazing_saddles

Live on tv, now ith 91kms to go.
Luke Rowe in the break.

Feeds for the race:
http://www.procyclinglive.com/livestream/

Yellow Peril

enjoying it (no sound)

frenchfighter

12ks 1.12. Going to be a close one although sprinters teams are coming to the front in earnest.

frenchfighter

7ks 50secs. Boonen doing a lot of work on the front. Riding for Petacchi - he stated he will not be sprinting if it comes down to a bunch sprint.

Luke Rowe has attacked the bunch.

frenchfighter

4ks, almost certain bunch sprint. Good effort from the break.

mroli

Not making much of an impact though - worth a dig?

Paulie W

Rowe has attacked from the breakaway but isnt going to hold out.

mroli

All coming back now....

mroli

Break caught - one out front by a couple of seconds.

mroli

All together 2km to go.

mroli

Lotto OPQS and Giant at front.

frenchfighter

Kittel wins easily. Petacchi placed top ten.

mroli

Kittel by miles.

Paulie W

Very dominant -time to sit up and celebrate before the line.

mroli

Kittel Farrar van Poppel Petacchi Bennett

frenchfighter

Kittel
Farrar
D Vna Pop
Petacchi
Bennett
Appollonio
Napolitano
Guardini
Martinez
Pelucchi

blazing_saddles

Worth watching for Tyler Farrar's flemglish. :shock:

Yellow Peril

Good effort by young Rowe I thought.

Greggyr

Does Marcel 'Iceman' Kittel get to keep the trophy now ??

Richmond Racer

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Worth watching for Tyler Farrar's flemglish. :shock:

Gis a taster...go on....

tailwindhome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VCkW3SiOE
"Kittel facile"

Poor quality video

ddraver

Man when you said it was easy you didnt say it was THAT easy!!

OPQS are developing a 2010/2011 Skyesque habit for grabbing defeat from the Jaws of victory...

RonB

TailWindHome wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VCkW3SiOE
"Kittel facile"

Poor quality video

Thanks for the link. I noticed that a couple of the lead-out guys seemed to sit up after their turn and just drift right through the chasers. Through the middle of the pack so to speak, rather than peeling off down one side. I haven't noticed this too much in the past. Seemed a bit risky, that's all.

OPQS, a bit like Sky in 2012 do seem to get their noses in front a bit too early while Giant & Lotto let them and leave their effort as late as poss. Shame Cav & Griepel are out at the mo, but Kittel seems to be the man to beat right now.

mroli

Interesting the calibre of riders who came in 4min+ down. Some people that I expect to be much more in the mix on Sunday...

frenchfighter

Possibly, and understandably, worried about a crash in this chipper ruining their chances in Sunday.

knedlicky

frenchfighter wrote:

Possibly, and understandably, worried about a crash in this chipper ruining their chances in Sunday.

Kenny de Haes (given the Lotto leader’s role in the absence of Greipel) afterwards complained that too many non-sprinters were mixing it up at the end, making things dangerous when they had actually no chance of winning. He didn’t name names but I suspect he meant Irishman Bennett (5th) and Frenchman Martinez (9th), maybe Kenny van Hummel as well (11th).
An opinion possibly tinged by sour grapes though; de Haes finished a disappointing 16th. He was led by Sieberg the last km but failed to capitalise when Sieberg tailed off. But de Haes isn't really a sprinter anyway, so by his own argument perhaps he shouldn't have expected a better placing in a race with a sprint finish.

RichN95.

knedlicky wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Possibly, and understandably, worried about a crash in this chipper ruining their chances in Sunday.

Kenny de Haes (given the Lotto leader’s role in the absence of Greipel) afterwards complained that too many non-sprinters were mixing it up at the end, making things dangerous when they had actually no chance of winning. He didn’t name names but I suspect he meant Irishman Bennett (5th) and Frenchman Martinez (9th), maybe Kenny van Hummel as well (11th).
An opinion possibly tinged by sour grapes though; de Haes finished a disappointing 16th. He was led by Sieberg the last km but failed to capitalise when Sieberg tailed off. But de Haes isn't really a sprinter anyway, so by his own argument perhaps he shouldn't have expected a better placing in a race with a sprint finish.

If it was a stage race then maybe he might have a point - everyone has chances elsewhere - but it wasn't. It's a one dayer, so anyone is entitled to go for the win.

mroli

Can't be having a pop at Bennett surely - he won Almeria and 8 top 10s this year....