Flèche Wallonne *spoiler thread*

1235

Comments

  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    As expected not the best race in the world.

    It sets Liege Bastogne Liege up nicely though. Valverde and Kwia have been consistently strong in both races. Gilbert was off the pace today but nailed Amstel Gold. Dan Martin looks to be coming into some kind of form just in time. Then you've got the likes of Nibali, Iglinsky, maybe J Rod who have all been strong in LBL in the past.

    Shaping up to be a really good race. Hopefully we don't get a Milan-San Remo like scenario where the race is so open that everyone looks to everyone else to make the move.
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I think Betancur is doing just fine and AG2R are lucky to have him. Check out his results this season already.

    Pretty good results as a team - a full 6 of them coming in better than the best placed sky rider.

    excellent as a team - just don't get Betancur as the main man - time will tell I suppose !
  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    Surprised that there's only ~9,000 feet of climbing in this; might generate more interesting races if there was more?
    https://gibworth.mypixieset.com
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    20140423237_199139.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rabo Liv jersey looks a bit odd.
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rabo Liv jersey looks a bit odd.

    makes it look like Alejandro's trying to steal her trophy
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    SpecialGuestStar wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I think Betancur is doing just fine and AG2R are lucky to have him. Check out his results this season already.

    Pretty good results as a team - a full 6 of them coming in better than the best placed sky rider.

    excellent as a team - just don't get Betancur as the main man - time will tell I suppose !


    He's on/off, on-off, from race to race

    Never know which Betancur's going to turn up
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    Crozza wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rabo Liv jersey looks a bit odd.

    makes it look like Alejandro's trying to steal her trophy
    Wouldn't put it past him ;)

    tumblr_lwgxg42Hvk1qh59n0o1_250.gif
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    SpecialGuestStar wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I think Betancur is doing just fine and AG2R are lucky to have him. Check out his results this season already.

    Pretty good results as a team - a full 6 of them coming in better than the best placed sky rider.

    excellent as a team - just don't get Betancur as the main man - time will tell I suppose !


    He's on/off, on-off, from race to race

    Never know which Betancur's going to turn up

    :lol:
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    michal_kwiatkowski_avril_2014.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    Looking at that photo it makes me wonder if Martin could have won if he'd had better positioning at the start of the climb
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,391
    edited April 2014
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Must have been the English contingent.

    Far more likely to be the belgians bemoaning the lack of a Gilbert Win...

    There is another reason of course...
    Graeme_S wrote:
    Looking at that photo it makes me wonder if Martin could have won if he'd had better positioning at the start of the climb

    Nah, Wheelsucker vs Climbing Rouleur is only ever going to go one way
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Graeme_S wrote:
    Looking at that photo it makes me wonder if Martin could have won if he'd had better positioning at the start of the climb

    Doubt it. If you can see them on the front before the last couple hundred metres they have lost. You will notice the experienced riders will always be further back and those who are new to the race will look great then fade. Happens every time. Love that hill.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Doubt it. If you can see them on the front before the last couple hundred metres they have lost. You will notice the experienced riders will always be further back and those who are new to the race will look great then fade. Happens every time. Love that hill.
    I wouldn't have expected him to be on the front, but look at the distance between Martin and Valverde in that photo. Valverde's in a much better position.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Didn't realise Froome was racing LBL. Don't think he is happy other teams are all over 'their' Island.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,194
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Graeme_S wrote:
    Looking at that photo it makes me wonder if Martin could have won if he'd had better positioning at the start of the climb

    Doubt it. If you can see them on the front before the last couple hundred metres they have lost. You will notice the experienced riders will always be further back and those who are new to the race will look great then fade. Happens every time. Love that hill.

    In his analysis of the race Ed Pickering puts Valverde's positioning as the critical factor i.e. he was near the front, but not at the front, for the whole climb so could ride a fairly steady effort. Whereas Dan Martin had to put in a big surge to come from the front from 10th place (ish) which cost him at the end

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... ing-120943
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    SpecialGuestStar wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I think Betancur is doing just fine and AG2R are lucky to have him. Check out his results this season already.

    Pretty good results as a team - a full 6 of them coming in better than the best placed sky rider.

    excellent as a team - just don't get Betancur as the main man - time will tell I suppose !


    Well, well...AG2R admitted they backed the wrong horse yesterday, and should have backed Bardet not Betancur

    http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/ag2r_ ... _betancur/
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Not sure what Gilbert is saying re boxed in - he was pretty close to Kwaitek at the bottom of the climb. Also Kwaitek got a handsling at the bottom from a teammate.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Graeme_S wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Doubt it. If you can see them on the front before the last couple hundred metres they have lost. You will notice the experienced riders will always be further back and those who are new to the race will look great then fade. Happens every time. Love that hill.
    I wouldn't have expected him to be on the front, but look at the distance between Martin and Valverde in that photo. Valverde's in a much better position.

    Another couple of things. Martin was in front of Valverde at 150m to go. Valverde also sat up before the line so had some gas left if he needed it.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Another couple of things. Martin was in front of Valverde at 150m to go. Valverde also sat up before the line so had some gas left if he needed it.
    Martin had to use a lot of gas to get up to the same point as Valverde, before he could then use more energy getting 150m ahead.

    Valverde played it much smarter and was positioned correctly from the start of the climb. You're right that Valverde kept some in the tank. Would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Martin and Valverde had been shoulder-to-shoulder at the bottom of the Mur. Valverde probably still would have won, but I think it would have been a lot closer.
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Watching Valverde snatch that one from Martin almost made me sick in my mouth.

    No wonder the crowd were booing.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,941
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper


    Meh

    I'm more interested in whether any questions were raised by journos during Piti's post-race presser
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    6 of the top ten in Amstel were in the top ten for Fleche.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper


    Meh

    I'm more interested in whether any questions were raised by journos during Piti's post-race presser

    What were they gonna ask him?

    "Are you thinking of starting a team full of dopers who haven't been caught yet in the hope that they'll be happy to ride on a lower salary in lieu of the possibility of getting a punitive, off-season ban when they do get busted"?

    They can then ask Dan Martin if he would be happy to ride on such a team ... Oh, wait ...
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Breakthroughmedia was shooting pure gold dust for this event.

    15_20140423_%C2%A9BrakeThrough-Media_20140423_%C2%A9BrakeThrough-Media_AX7O5423-659x440.jpg
    34_20140423_%C2%A9BrakeThrough-Media_20140423_%C2%A9BrakeThrough-Media_AX7O5949.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper


    Meh

    I'm more interested in whether any questions were raised by journos during Piti's post-race presser

    What were they gonna ask him?

    "Are you thinking of starting a team full of dopers who haven't been caught yet in the hope that they'll be happy to ride on a lower salary in lieu of the possibility of getting a punitive, off-season ban when they do get busted"?

    They can then ask Dan Martin if he would be happy to ride on such a team ... Oh, wait ...


    I'm very surprised that your press accreditation pass hadnt arrived in time
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper


    Meh

    I'm more interested in whether any questions were raised by journos during Piti's post-race presser

    What were they gonna ask him?

    "Are you thinking of starting a team full of dopers who haven't been caught yet in the hope that they'll be happy to ride on a lower salary in lieu of the possibility of getting a punitive, off-season ban when they do get busted"?

    They can then ask Dan Martin if he would be happy to ride on such a team ... Oh, wait ...


    I'm very surprised that your press accreditation pass hadnt arrived in time

    It did ... Unfortunately my axe still isn't back from the grinders ... So maybe next time ...
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,157
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper


    Meh

    I'm more interested in whether any questions were raised by journos during Piti's post-race presser
    It's been two and a half years since he returned, so any questions that were going to asked should have been asked by now. There's no new information about him. Only crazy people keep asking the same questions over and over again.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    RichN95 wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Martin, Millar and Vaughters getting some stick on twitter from the Twaliban's Irish Chapter for not calling Valverde out as a doper


    Meh

    I'm more interested in whether any questions were raised by journos during Piti's post-race presser
    It's been two and a half years since he returned, so any questions that were going to asked should have been asked by now. There's no new information about him. Only crazy people keep asking the same questions over and over again.


    Same questions over and over again? There weren't any in the first place so there arent any that would be repeated

    But I take your point about questions after his successes on his initial return from his ban

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