Amstel Gold Race 2014 *SPOILERS*

ddraver

So the most exciting thing that happened all day was AtCs shiny helmet. Sounds like a windy walk around lands end with the dog was a good decision then.

Just to put my hat in the ring. Valverde and Gerrans are exactly the same type of rider, you can't revere one and knock the other, that would be like hating Greipel for being a big German sprinter whilst calling Kittel a fantastic exciting racer supreme...however Valverde's merry dance about the blood bags was so appallingly farcical that I could never warm to him in a million years. It makes frenchies respect for the fans thing rings very hollow too, cos quite clearly he has no respect for the fans.

Pleased for Gilbert, can't help but have a soft spot for him.

RichN95.

frenchfighter wrote:

Some of you need to watch more racing including Rich. Watching more than the last km would also help.

Then it shouldn't be hard to find occasions that prove me wrong. As I believe I have mentioned before, in his entire career Valverde has only won by more than five seconds three times (excluding TTs).

tuneskyline

RichN95 wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Valverde has made some very exciting and aggressive moves in many races.

Has he? I bet you can't name two which happened before the flame rouge.

Tour of the Basque
Dwars Door Vlaanderan

tailwindhome

Sometimes I wonder if everyone is watching the same race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWlvBGHx ... ded#t=3944

From 7k

RichN95.

tuneskyline wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Valverde has made some very exciting and aggressive moves in many races.

Has he? I bet you can't name two which happened before the flame rouge.

Tour of the Basque
Dwars Door Vlaanderan

So one of your two examples of his moves is following a Devolder attack in a failed break before finishing 36th. The other one he got hammered by Contador.

When I asked for examples I meant races where he won. Any old chump can make a failed break.

frenchfighter

TailWindHome wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if everyone is watching the same race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWlvBGHx ... ded#t=3944

From 7k

Pretty poor racing if there is a peloton until 3km to go on a 250km race with all those hills.

Shame there was no classy move from a Kreuziger again. May as well have done 100km then put the Cauberg to finish. Would be a similar result.

Both Gerrans and Valverde saying how super strong Gilbert was and both knew that (aided by tailwind) there was no pulling him back and they were racing for 2nd hence their 'defensive' tactics. That Vanendert slipped past was a mistake although imo they should have jumped on his wheel immediately...he is no Big Phil.

inseine

ddraver wrote:

So the most exciting thing that happened all day was AtCs shiny helmet. Sounds like a windy walk around lands end with the dog was a good decision then.

Just to put my hat in the ring. Valverde and Gerrans are exactly the same type of rider, you can't revere one and knock the other, that would be like hating Greipel for being a big German sprinter whilst calling Kittel a fantastic exciting racer supreme...however Valverde's merry dance about the blood bags was so appallingly farcical that I could never warm to him in a million years. It makes frenchies respect for the fans thing rings very hollow too, cos quite clearly he has no respect for the fans.

Pleased for Gilbert, can't help but have a soft spot for him.

That sums it up for me.

gsk82

wilo13 wrote:

Why all this negative talk of wheel suckers? All the best pro's are wheel suckers. In fact the best pros tend to be the best wheel suckers with the best domestiques who put them in the best position whilst they expend as little energy as possible for the crunch moments in a race.

they are, but you earn the right to sit behind your teammates.

yesterday all valverde wanted to do was sit behind others when there was a solo guy up the road.

Crozza

Would like to know if Gilbert has dropped weight from last year - he looks leaner but don't know if it's just the change in jersey

tailwindhome

frenchfighter wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if everyone is watching the same race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWlvBGHx ... ded#t=3944

From 7k

Pretty poor racing if there is a peloton until 3km to go on a 250km race with all those hills.

More a comment on the role of Gerrans versus Valverde. The Australian being the more aggressive of the two.

tuneskyline

RichN95 wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Valverde has made some very exciting and aggressive moves in many races.

Has he? I bet you can't name two which happened before the flame rouge.

Tour of the Basque
Dwars Door Vlaanderan

So one of your two examples of his moves is following a Devolder attack in a failed break before finishing 36th. The other one he got hammered by Contador.

When I asked for examples I meant races where he won. Any old chump can make a failed break.

His palmarès is pretty impressive. I agree that he does win a lot of races in the last KM but he can be aggressive and does attack early on occasions. Stage 17, 2012 tour comes to mind and his duel with Armstrong at the tour in 2005 also comes to mind. His victory at Ruta del Sol this year was very strong. He his a class rider in my opinion and I don't see any of his victory's less credible than Gilbert or Rodriguez for example.

Tour de France 4 individual stagesVuelta a España General classification (2009)Points classification (2012, 2013)Combination classification (2003, 2009, 2012)7 individual stages
Stage races
Critérium du Dauphiné (2008, 2009)Volta a Catalunya (2009)Vuelta a Andalucía (2012, 2013, 2014)Vuelta a Burgos (2004, 2009)
One-day races and Classics
National Road Race Championships (2008)Clásica de San Sebastián (2008)La Flèche Wallonne (2006)Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2006, 2008)Roma Maxima (2014)
Other

UCI Pro Tour (2006, 2008

specialgueststar

frenchfighter wrote:

FJS wrote:

Again hat off for Van Avermaet, one of the few to ride both the cobbles, Amstel and Sam Remo, and both in Vlaanderen and today very active

Note Leukemans' results this year are amazing - really hope he gets back to a proper team next year.
11th Amstel Gold Race
5th Brabantse Pijl
15th Paris - Roubaix
9th Ronde van Vlaanderen
46th Gent - Wevelgem
52th E3 Prijs Vlaanderen - Harelbeke
23rd Dwars door Vlaanderen

I

I agree - but at 36/37 ...?? Maybe the smaller team is the better place for him to shine. Can't see him having much say in a bigger team. But really contributed to the racing this year

FJS

Valverde has a very fast sprint; no need for him to attack to win races. People don't complain about Kittel or Cavendish not attacking.

It was fairly uneventful, although the last 10 km were good viewing. The Amstel gave much better races with the Maastricht finish; not as good for spectators though - the Cauberg is a spectacular finish.
Still, if anyone thought this was dull, don't bother watching the Fleche Wallonne

ddraver

TailWindHome wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if everyone is watching the same race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWlvBGHx ... ded#t=3944

From 7k

I take it that that's all that's worth watching?

Edit - BMC have not had enough credit on this thread. That was brilliantly played by them.

tailwindhome

ddraver wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if everyone is watching the same race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWlvBGHx ... ded#t=3944

From 7k

I take it that that's all that's worth watching?

Not a lot before that to be honest.

I just went through the race on Sky+ at x30

ddraver

tailwindhome

Crozza

^ Frenchie was right, Gerrans is a total lightweight

dolan_driver

TailWindHome wrote:

It's good to see the rider's unashamedly enjoying a beer after the race. Has Cancellara started a new trend here? It will probably annoy the PC brigade but who cares.

DD.

dougzz

Valverde, It's like something is missing from his preparation these days.No, I don't want to derail a thread, but I really don't understand how anyone can make references to results in 2003 for example and not think this is a huge factor.

ugo.santalucia

Anybody else has the impression Rui Costa is another Brochard (or Vainsteins)?
I wish Rodriguez had the rainbow jersey... :roll:

frenchfighter

Tell me about it. I have stopped thinking about it as it upsets me that Monsieur Rodriguez, little pocket rocket that he is, could be rocking that bands rather than this fellow who is good but prett average in comparison.

frenchfighter

Gilbert necking that Amstel pretty conclusively whereas Gerrans not being a stereotypical Aussie...might be to do woth his lack of neck.

ugo.santalucia

frenchfighter wrote:

Tell me about it. I have stopped thinking about it as it upsets me that Monsieur Rodriguez, little pocket rocket that he is, could be rocking that bands rather than this fellow who is good but prett average in comparison.

Yeah, it's annoying to think that some true champions never got to wear that jersey (Indurain, Cancellara, Zabel), but some one trick ponies like Ballan and Brochard did.

Macaloon

^^ Wreck-less. legless and neck-less.

I'm impressed by the strength of mind required to come back from a stinker of a season, following a miraculous year.

Anonymous

ugo.santalucia wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Tell me about it. I have stopped thinking about it as it upsets me that Monsieur Rodriguez, little pocket rocket that he is, could be rocking that bands rather than this fellow who is good but prett average in comparison.

Yeah, it's annoying to think that some true champions never got to wear that jersey (Indurain, Cancellara, Zabel), but some one trick ponies like Ballan and Brochard did.

Thats the nature of the World Championships, the best rider doesn't always win. Costa this year is a prime example of that. I doubt he will get one significant win in the bands this year. If Valverde wasn't such a douche Purito would be in the jersey and no doubt rocking it.

tailwindhome

So far this year J Rod has 1 stage and the GC at Catalunya.

Not exactly tearing it up himself.

tuneskyline

sjmclean wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Tell me about it. I have stopped thinking about it as it upsets me that Monsieur Rodriguez, little pocket rocket that he is, could be rocking that bands rather than this fellow who is good but prett average in comparison.

Yeah, it's annoying to think that some true champions never got to wear that jersey (Indurain, Cancellara, Zabel), but some one trick ponies like Ballan and Brochard did.

Thats the nature of the World Championships, the best rider doesn't always win. Costa this year is a prime example of that. I doubt he will get one significant win in the bands this year. If Valverde wasn't such a douche Purito would be in the jersey and no doubt rocking it.

I think it's one thing watching on your TV and another thing having the legs to react to attacks after hours and hours of racing. Do you think Valverde intended for Rodriguez to lose? If Rodriguez had such good legs maybe he should have tried something?

frenchfighter

TailWindHome wrote:

So far this year J Rod has 1 stage and the GC at Catalunya.

Not exactly tearing it up himself.

You are aware of his rankings in the last few years right?
He is 21st this year and he is just getting started. Watch him at Fleche and LBL then tear up the Giro, the Vuelta, the Worlds and Lombardia.

iainf72

Tough crowd. At Costa's age J-Rod had zero stage wins in the Tour. Costa has 3 (2 more than J-Rod)