Omloop Nieuwsblad **Spoilers**

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  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    Having watched the last 10k again I am even more perplexed by Quicksteps' tactics.

    Why did Boonen go when he did? It was a very feeble attack - surely he would have been the quickest sprinter if they had all towed each other to the line together - to my mind he should have sat on and either of the other two should have gone instead - or simply just have let it come down to a bunch sprint where surely Boonen would be expected to beat Stannard 99 times out of 100.

    Stijn's move was just bizarre - a deliberate attempt to block Stannard - or just tired, reacting on instinct? Or did he want to try to beat his own team mate?
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    Just watched the last 10k (thanks for the link) and fair play to Stannard, bet he can't quite believe he won that. Be some real head scratching going on with QS tonight. Maybe they thought 3 v 1 was a done deal so they didn't think through their tactics properly. More pressure than ever on Cav tomorrow?
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    clanton wrote:
    Having watched the last 10k again I am even more perplexed by Quicksteps' tactics.

    Why did Boonen go when he did? It was a very feeble attack - surely he would have been the quickest sprinter if they had all towed each other to the line together - to my mind he should have sat on and either of the other two should have gone instead - or simply just have let it come down to a bunch sprint where surely Boonen would be expected to beat Stannard 99 times out of 100.

    I'm assuming he thought he would be closed quickly, then the other two would make their jumps and either one of them would get away or Stannard would be burnt and he'd take the sprint. I really don't think he was expecting to be left out there so long.
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    [

    I'm not convinced Stannard left Boonen to cook after the first jump... I thought at the time it was more a case of Stannard thinking "here we go...I'm about to get worked over...". Then Stannard started turning his big gear to bridge the gap (he really doesn't have a kick to react to attacks like Boonen's) and then vdb screwed up Terpstra's counterattack. What surprsied me was how cooked Boonen was by the time he made his attack... with so little left in the tank he really should've put in a much bigger attack a few kms earlier to really give Yogi a decent sized gap to close.

    Still...talking is easy :-)

    Would be good to see a replay ... any links anyone?

    Oh I think it was entirely deliberate. Boonen was behind him for a good few km, he knew it was coming, he knew he was going to reel him in rather than try and cover him. But he actually waits a good few seconds before he starts to pull him back.
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  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    clanton wrote:
    Having watched the last 10k again I am even more perplexed by Quicksteps' tactics.

    Why did Boonen go when he did? It was a very feeble attack - surely he would have been the quickest sprinter if they had all towed each other to the line together - to my mind he should have sat on and either of the other two should have gone instead - or simply just have let it come down to a bunch sprint where surely Boonen would be expected to beat Stannard 99 times out of 100.

    Hm, I'm not sure so sure of that, actually.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    sjmclean wrote:
    Good win Stannard. One of my men. Just watching the highlights.

    I remember in the Veulta when Bert sat on Froome's wheel, allowed him to make the gap and do all the work and then with a K to go attacked for the stage, FF was telling us why he didn't need to work or what ever, but he says Stannard should have today. Idiot.

    I didn't say he should have worked; quite the opposite. I simply said, and Stannard confirmed it, that given the other three were riding full gas and he was not, he was fresher at the end and it made the difference. I don't think it's me who is the idiot.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited February 2015
    @chrisfroome · 3h 3 hours ago
    That was absolute class by @IStannard (Yogi) #ohn #Outnumbered #smashedit

    ‏@millarmind 3h3 hours ago
    Never. Ever. Underestimate Stannard.

    @richardmoore73 3h3 hours ago
    One of Stannard's great advantages is that he always looks cooked #OHN
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    “I couldn’t be happier,” Stannard told TeamSky.com after the race. “It’s nice to do the double sweep at the race, but after the difficulties I had last year breaking my back it’s nice to have got myself back to where I was.

    “Being with those three guys I knew they were all committed to trying to win. As a team they haven’t won it for 10 years and it’s a big one missing off Boonen’s palmares. I knew they were going to race hard. With Sep Vanmarcke and Greg van Avermaet chasing behind it put the pressure on them. I could just sit back, play a bit of poker and enjoy the ride.

    “I just wanted to get a free ride for as long as I could. That was my idea. When they all started attacking me it wasn’t a great feeling. When Boonen went I was thinking ‘right, what do I do here?’ I knew if I rode him back I’d get attacked. I paced myself back a little bit. I could feel the wheel behind was trying hard to stay with me. So I felt like it was going pretty good and then I just took my chance.”

    Here’s what Terpstra and Boonen had to say (via Etixx-Quick-Step.com):

    Terpstra: “Looking back, maybe it would have been better to wait for the sprint with Tom and not attacking, but it’s a question of moment and circumstances. Stannard was really strong in the end against our attacks, and deserved the win.”

    Boonen: “Today we made a mistake in the final,” Boonen said. He added: “There is a thin line between a great race and a costly mistake and unfortunately we took the risk of not waiting for the sprint, and it didn’t work out. It would have been great to win the race, but that’s cycling. Congrats to Stannard. He rode a smart tactical race and his reactions to our attacks were impressive. His sprint was also strong. As a team we rode super strong today and while we unfortunately fell short of victory, we know what we are capable of for future races.”
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    B-8FCYNVIAAIc3f.png

    Gif of some pavement riding:
    https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B-8OFdzU4AAjAWR.mp4
    Contador is the Greatest
  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    Saw on Twitter that Stannard had won so put the video of the last 10km on and couldn't believe it when I saw him with three Quickstep riders. Chapeau!
    https://gibworth.mypixieset.com
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    frenchfighter wrote:

    Gif of some pavement riding:
    https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B-8OFdzU4AAjAWR.mp4

    No wonder spectators get hurt sometimes.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    frenchfighter wrote:
    @chrisfroome · 3h 3 hours ago
    That was absolute class by @IStannard (Yogi) #ohn #Outnumbered #smashedit

    ‏@millarmind 3h3 hours ago
    Never. Ever. Underestimate Stannard.

    @richardmoore73 3h3 hours ago
    One of Stannard's great advantages is that he always looks cooked #OHN

    The other advantage is he looks about 55 years old
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    He's smashed them there, good man. Some embarrassment in the Quickstep camp tonight!
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  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefever ... nieuwsblad

    Lefevre is an idiot.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    Boonen, who finished third, said: "There is a thin line between a great race and a costly mistake and unfortunately we took the risk of not waiting for the sprint, and it didn't work out.

    "Congratulations to Stannard. He rode a smart tactical race and his reactions to our attacks were impressive. His sprint was also strong."
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    Crampeur wrote:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-laments-stannards-tactics-in-omloop-het-nieuwsblad

    Lefevre is an idiot.

    He never loses gracefully. If the shoe had been on the other foot, he'd have a very different opinion.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    What a prat
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Crampeur wrote:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-laments-stannards-tactics-in-omloop-het-nieuwsblad

    Lefevre is an idiot.


    He's right about the motorbikes mind.
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Crampeur wrote:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-laments-stannards-tactics-in-omloop-het-nieuwsblad

    Lefevre is an idiot.


    He's right about the motorbikes mind.

    Amazing coincidence that his first issue with them comes after his team have reduced a 3 against one race winning break with a fresh team mate behind into a one on one sprint that they lose.
    "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
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Sure but it's not like he's been the only person moaning about it for the last 5 years.

    No-one is expecting him to be neutral. He's got a team to run and sponsors to keep happy.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Lefevere starts out by admitting that Stannard rode the correct race, but then goes on to lament the fact that
    he didn't ride with his three blokes. (by his own admission, the wrong race)
    This merits payback, why exactly?

    I'll bet he was fun to play footie with as a kid, if he brought the ball.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Lefevere starts out by admitting that Stannard rode the correct race, but then goes on to lament the fact that
    he didn't ride with his three blokes. (by his own admission, the wrong race)
    This merits payback, why exactly?

    I'll bet he was fun to play footie with as a kid, if he brought the ball.

    Criticising Lefevre for not giving a neutral opinion is like moaning Stannard didn't pull his own weight in the final group.
    _
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    Crampeur wrote:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-laments-stannards-tactics-in-omloop-het-nieuwsblad

    Lefevre is an idiot.

    Not really an idiot - he's trying to take the pressure off his team by attempting to refocus criticism elsewhere - but it comes across as incredibly sour grapes. It's also a slightly bizarre criticism - if there was one team who were obviously short of anyone riding like a team leader in the run-in earlier...
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Just noticed that Russel Downing finished 57th for Cult Energy.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    6 of the cofidis guys came out of a sidestreet where I was watching and asked if they were ahead or behind the race convoy... Now I'm not saying Cofidis turned up did the bare minimum and knocked off early...

    :D

    It was the fact there were 6 of them that made it. Nearly the whole team had decided to sack it at exactly the same point and ride home.

    There's only 3DNFs listed for Cofidis, so maybe they were taking a short cut?
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    I wet my pants a bit last year. Double daipers staunched the flow, just, on these highllights. It's a Noah job when he wins a big one. I absolutely love Ian Stannard.

    IanStannard-620x412.jpg

    Great thread to follow, folks. Thanks for the updates.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,613
    He gives hope to those of us not built like Contador
    Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    Lol. With 20km to go Rolf Sørensen said Stannard should let the fastest of the three go and let him have 50 meters and slowly catch him possibly killing the teammates.

    worked
    rode their legs off

    Yep, people should learn Danish just to get to hear this guy.

    Rolf absolutely nailed it there. He hung Boonen out to dry then reeled him gently back in.

    Magic stuff.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    iainf72 wrote:
    Hat to Stannard. He really needs to be the protected rider at P-R.

    Embarassment of riches our Dave has at his disposal. Good thing there isn't a Nashville band of soul villains about to goose his gravy on how wonderful it woud be if Sir Wigwarmer were to win.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    A day later and I can't help chuckling to myself every time I think about Stannard yesterday.

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