The classics thread

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  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    Boonen out of the classics.

    Cancellara likely to be out of the classics after today's crash.

    Van Avermat injured today and possibly below par for cobbled classics.

    Sagan not at his best.

    The cobbled classics are a lot more open this year and if G holds his cracking form, he could take out a monument. Would still love to see Wiggo taking Paris-Roubaix.

    DD.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Cancellara confirms two cracked vertebrae, out of the classics.
    "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
  • chadders81
    chadders81 Posts: 744
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    Boonen out of the classics.

    Cancellara likely to be out of the classics after today's crash.

    Van Avermat injured today and possibly below par for cobbled classics.

    Sagan not at his best.

    The cobbled classics are a lot more open this year and if G holds his cracking form, he could take out a monument. Would still love to see Wiggo taking Paris-Roubaix.

    DD.

    Sky are looking absolutely formidable. Rowe was 13th yesterday and I think anybody who finished in that second group is going to be a massive asset at Flanders and Roubaix.

    Stannard has got some time to ride back into form. He looked like he was struggling yesterday.

    Didn't realise how unlucky Vanmarcke had been again in damaging his cleat yesterday. Hope he can win in the next couple of weeks.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    The thing with Sep, though, is that he's always unlucky, to the point that you start to wonder whether he makes his own unluck.

    For example, on the Paterberg yesterday (and I've not seen a replay) it looked as though he was too far over and ended up in the mud. He did something similar in Stage 5 of the Tour and got 'lucky' that time
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Valverde is riding De Ronde. Not as tdf cobble practice, but to get a result, he says. Whatever you think of him otherwise, you got to give him credit for his versatility. He did well last year in the E3, I think.

    Last GC rider to win Vlaanderen, Bugno?
  • chadders81
    chadders81 Posts: 744
    I was impressed with his win at Catalunya yesterday. He's got a reputation as a wheel sucker, which is partly justified, but it was great riding to go off and get the win.

    Good luck to him at RVV but he'll need to do a lot himself, not convinced Movistar have got the team to support him.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    He's the best all round cyclist in the peloton. No doubt.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,548
    Milton50 wrote:
    He's the best all round cyclist in the peloton. No doubt.

    He's not. He's arguably the most versatile road cyclist, but the likes of Wiggins, Thomas, Sagan and Stybar are better all round cyclists. As their palmares prove.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Which part of their palmares proves that?
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    FJS wrote:
    Valverde is riding De Ronde, you got to give him credit for his versatility. He did well last year in the E3, I think.

    Last GC rider to win Vlaanderen, Bugno?
    Remember Gianni winning that and celebrating with arms in the air as Museeuw nearly nicked it.
    2 World Road Championship titles plus another monument at San Remo.
    Quite a versatile Big Ring guy and is now a Helicopter Rescue Pilot.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    andyp wrote:
    Milton50 wrote:
    He's the best all round cyclist in the peloton. No doubt.

    He's not. He's arguably the most versatile road cyclist, but the likes of Wiggins, Thomas, Sagan and Stybar are better all round cyclists. As their palmares prove.

    Not many people win one dayers and GCs.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,651
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    andyp wrote:
    Milton50 wrote:
    He's the best all round cyclist in the peloton. No doubt.

    He's not. He's arguably the most versatile road cyclist, but the likes of Wiggins, Thomas, Sagan and Stybar are better all round cyclists. As their palmares prove.

    Not many people win one dayers and GCs.

    Except the Ardennes classics.

    Thomas has a couple of GCs under his belt, just not in GTs.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Valverde's season runs from January to October and in that time everything he enters he has a chance of winning; there's no warm up or filler. He can win Grand Tours, one week stage races, monuments, one day races. He can win summit finishes, he can win reduced-bunch sprints, he can win hilly classics, and he can put in a decent time trial. He won the World Tour last year and is rarely outside the top 5.

    I can't think of another rider who can ride at that level over such a breadth of races. J Rod is close but he's not as consistent as Valverde.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Dowsett in a break with 3.30 on the peloton at Gent Wevelgem.
    It's supposed to be blowing a gale there.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    inseine wrote:
    Dowsett in a break with 3.30 on the peloton at Gent Wevelgem.
    It's supposed to be blowing a gale there.

    Well if it's anything like up this way...

    I got about 1.5 k from home and out of the shelter of a few buildings and into a crosswind and promptly came home because I really don't have time for a broken collar bone or anything else at the moment. I've already come off once in the wind this month.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Rowe sticking his oar in: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rowe-becomes-integral-part-of-team-skys-classics-selection
    “When I came on board, I was signed as a neo-pro and meant to work out what I was good at. The Classics have become a massive part of my season but in that first year I didn’t get a look in. Since then I’ve ridden them every year and this year I’ve really stepped up, but a lot of the battle with these races, as everyone knows, is just about knowing the roads, so it takes years to learn them. You don’t see that many riders coming in and doing well in these races at the first attempt like you might do in other races.”
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    Macaloon wrote:
    Rowe sticking his oar in: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rowe-becomes-integral-part-of-team-skys-classics-selection
    “When I came on board, I was signed as a neo-pro and meant to work out what I was good at. The Classics have become a massive part of my season but in that first year I didn’t get a look in. Since then I’ve ridden them every year and this year I’ve really stepped up, but a lot of the battle with these races, as everyone knows, is just about knowing the roads, so it takes years to learn them. You don’t see that many riders coming in and doing well in these races at the first attempt like you might do in other races.”
    Seems he is making the point to Wiggo.
    But wait he was born in Belgium so it might be ingrained.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    Milton50 wrote:
    Valverde's season runs from January to October and in that time everything he enters he has a chance of winning; there's no warm up or filler.
    That is unlike a certain Texan that could only ride a few, real summer races because his very Super Drug wouldn't last a full season.
    I know he rode little races in the USA also to keep his worshipers happy .
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Sep really looks like he has gone down a few levels compared to a month ago. Did he peak too soon?
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    So for the next few weeks where do we look beyond Stybie, Thomas, Degenkolb, Terpstra and Van Avaermaet? They've looked pretty formidable recently.
  • shazzz
    shazzz Posts: 1,077
    Kristoff is looking pretty good.
    I'm not writing off Sagan yet. He has looked pretty strong at times - he looked to be riding with ease when he crossed to G and Stybar on the Kwaremont during E3 (before he blew up at the end!) and looked super strong to me in the TA stage where he was second to GvA. I'm not putting any money on him, but it wouldn't surprise me if he has a good Ronde.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Vanmarcke is still a contender and I think Oss could do something. Certainly can't rule Paolini out if allowed to ride for himself.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Wiggins on P-R: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/m ... ix-classic

    "I’m better physically than when I was ninth last year, but the question is whether it translates to anything. It’s about committing on the day. You’ve all seen it; when I’m committed I’m right in there, when I’m not I’m dawdling at the back being dropped on climbs."
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Wow that's some brutal honesty there from Bradley. To be fair I can relate to the dawdling at the back not being fully committed as I attempt to mark essays...
    Correlation is not causation.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    adr82 wrote:
    Wiggins on P-R: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/m ... ix-classic

    "I’m better physically than when I was ninth last year, but the question is whether it translates to anything. It’s about committing on the day. You’ve all seen it; when I’m committed I’m right in there, when I’m not I’m dawdling at the back being dropped on climbs."

    This is one of the reasons why I find him difficult to like as a fan.

    When 'your' rider is at the start line for a race they're suited for and have earmarked, you are so looking forward to them being in the action.

    You invest your time, and expend energy getting excited for it. Then he decides that that day doesn't suit him and he's not committed that day.

    Is quite deflating.

    For sure, he doesn't care, he's just in it to win what he wants, and that's absolutely fine. But from my perspective...
    _
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    adr82 wrote:
    Wiggins on P-R: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/m ... ix-classic

    "I’m better physically than when I was ninth last year, but the question is whether it translates to anything. It’s about committing on the day. You’ve all seen it; when I’m committed I’m right in there, when I’m not I’m dawdling at the back being dropped on climbs."

    This is one of the reasons why I find him difficult to like as a fan.

    When 'your' rider is at the start line for a race they're suited for and have earmarked, you are so looking forward to them being in the action.

    You invest your time, and expend energy getting excited for it. Then he decides that that day doesn't suit him and he's not committed that day.

    Is quite deflating.

    For sure, he doesn't care, he's just in it to win what he wants, and that's absolutely fine. But from my perspective...

    Absolutely. And imagine if you're a domestique, busting your balls for him and he decides he's going to mail it in...
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • okgo
    okgo Posts: 4,368
    While I think he is a bit of a princess and must drive the others mental I can see his point of view perhaps -

    Retiring soon, has two more massive goals left, PR and hour record, yesterdays weather while entertaining, was obviously very dangerous, Bossan Hagen did a collarbone, and loads fell off, and it could easily have been a cancellara moment too for him. I think given he wants to be in top shape for roubaix and break that hour record, it probably on balance was wise to pull the pin.

    Though the hour record is certainly put in jeopardy by the roubaix depending on conditions, but I think that is a gamble he will have to make given all hehas said about the PR this year.
    Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    okgo wrote:
    Retiring soon, has two more massive goals left.

    Theres also the little issue of another gold medal to hang around his neck in Rio.
  • okgo
    okgo Posts: 4,368
    Yes but that won't be changed by breaking bones in races now I would imagine.
    Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    okgo wrote:
    Retiring soon, has two more massive goals left, PR and hour record, yesterdays weather while entertaining, was obviously very dangerous, Bossan Hagen did a collarbone, and loads fell off, and it could easily have been a cancellara moment too for him. I think given he wants to be in top shape for roubaix and break that hour record, it probably on balance was wise to pull the pin.

    I don't have anything against him for pulling out yesterday. The problem I have is that, with a few exceptions, over the last 3 years he's been turning up to races and just deciding that he can't be arsed. And it's not just races which don't suit him and where he would be playing a supporting role anyway, it's races which he could win.

    He'll always be the first British winner of the Tour and his 2012 year was unbelievable, but personally I just can't warm to him.

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