Liege-Bastogne-Liege *Spoiler*

FJS
FJS Posts: 4,820
edited April 2015 in Pro race
They're off.

Rain! Nibali tweets approvingly

Gilbert starting, but 'not for the win' - still in pain

MTN particularly active in the early stages keen to get someone in the break

Like always the last couple of years it'll be all about the last 20 if not 2 km.
I used to love LBL, but it's definitely the monument I get least excited about now

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Comments

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    Hoping for some My Man action from Qhubeka and Dan Martin.
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  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    FJS wrote:
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice

    Dammit, no Qhubeka. :-(

    Hope Kudus and Teklehaimanot can show something later.
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  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice

    Dammit, no Qhubeka. :-(
    Don't worry. I've got a feeling there is a possibility that this break might not last :wink:
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    FJS wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice

    Dammit, no Qhubeka. :-(
    Don't worry. I've got a feeling there is a possibility that this break might not last :wink:

    Hope it lasts to TV, just for Rasmuss Quaade

    CDgj8ebW8AAz84k.jpg
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I'd never appreciated how much the hills are concentrated towards the end of the race. I always thought they were evenly spread over the route.
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice

    Dammit, no Qhubeka. :-(
    Don't worry. I've got a feeling there is a possibility that this break might not last :wink:

    Hope it lasts to TV, just for Rasmuss Quaade

    CDgj8ebW8AAz84k.jpg

    That shit should carry a 4-year automatic ban.
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Pross wrote:
    I'd never appreciated how much the hills are concentrated towards the end of the race. I always thought they were evenly spread over the route.

    Still pretty up & down all day.

    Better make sure their electronic shifting is charged up...
    _
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Yep, it's up and down all day. They just haven't categorised the early climbs

    Moreno Hofland involved in a particularly hopeless chasse patate. 2 and a half minute behind the break and losing time on them, and 5 minutes in front of the peloton, gaining time on them. Emblematic of the LottoJumbo season?
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    FJS wrote:
    Yep, it's up and down all day. They just haven't categorised the early climbs

    Moreno Hofland involved in a particularly hopeless chasse patate. 2 and a half minute behind the break and losing time on them, and 5 minutes in front of the peloton, gaining time on them. Emblematic of the LottoJumbo season?

    That smells strongly of a team being punished to me :D.
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    FJS wrote:
    Yep, it's up and down all day. They just haven't categorised the early climbs

    Moreno Hofland involved in a particularly hopeless chasse patate. 2 and a half minute behind the break and losing time on them, and 5 minutes in front of the peloton, gaining time on them. Emblematic of the LottoJumbo season?

    At some point in the mdi '90s, Dutch riders just stopped having any tactical nous whatsoever
    _
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    The_Boy wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Yep, it's up and down all day. They just haven't categorised the early climbs

    Moreno Hofland involved in a particularly hopeless chasse patate. 2 and a half minute behind the break and losing time on them, and 5 minutes in front of the peloton, gaining time on them. Emblematic of the LottoJumbo season?

    That smells strongly of a team being punished to me :D.

    Possibly Europecar getting a kicking too, been on the front and knocked 2 mins off the break's lead. 5.45 with 175km to go.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ah Europcar. Remember what they did last year.

    Bardet and Nibali are racing so you can be sure of action before the last climb.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    Nico for the win.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    FJS wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice

    Dammit, no Qhubeka. :-(
    Don't worry. I've got a feeling there is a possibility that this break might not last :wink:

    And what about Cummings? - he was dropping Valverde up climbs a few weeks ago...
    That doesn't prove anything, but considering the start to the season AV has had...
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Took a few attempts but break of the day has been given permission to go:

    Minard (AG2R), Ulissi (Lampre), Vergaerde (Topsport), Chevrier (IAM), Minnaard (Wanty), Turgis (Cofidis), Benedetti (Bora Argon) and Quaade (Cult)

    All the minor teams, with relatively minor names represented. Plus Ulissi. What's he doing there?
    Minard and Minnaard - nice

    Dammit, no Qhubeka. :-(
    Don't worry. I've got a feeling there is a possibility that this break might not last :wink:

    And what about Cummings? - he was dropping Valverde up climbs a few weeks ago...
    That doesn't prove anything, but considering the start to the season AV has had...

    I suspect Louis Meintjes will be their main hope for something today.
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  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    FJS wrote:
    Don't worry. I've got a feeling there is a possibility that this break might not last :wink:
    It always gets caught and I've witnessed 17 mins at Houffalize on the way out being eaten up when the racing starts at Stavelot and gone by La Redoute.

    Edit:-
    Racing used to start at Trois Ponts.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    On the other side (ES2) Tour of Croatia has 27k to go, last 500m are 15% pavè. Might be worth a quick swith over to watch.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    I might have to try and draft Rasmus Quaade into my My Man team somehow. Apparently his moustache isn't just an aesthetic choice, it helps the airflow into his mouth :-D

    http://sporten.tv2.dk/cykling/2015-04-2 ... get-quaade

    "Når man kører stærkt, så kommer vinden ind på en god måde, så man faktisk får mere luft"

    Trans: When you're riding fast, the wind comes in in a good way, so you actually get more air
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  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    80km t go. Astana on the front, break @ 36s
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    ES coverage starts with just 80km left, even they seem to have written this race off amongst the Monuments. No Carlton as a bonus though.
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    Astana sending a rider up the road.

    Possibly grvko
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    G Izaguirre going up the road too
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    Looks from heli shot that there are groups all over the place. Wellens working back on. Mechanical presumably
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Quite broken up at the moment. Group behind the leaders has Yates, Stybar, 4 Astana (not Nibali), Roche, Yates, some others.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    Small front group. Astana sending fuglsang up t road.
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Froome was supposed to racing here wasn't he? Guess his crash was a little much for him?

    See Gilbert racing after that nasty crash. Says he will unlikely fight for the win.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    20 riders in that group now, 5 of which are Astana.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Kangert, Chaves and Arredondo have a small gap ahead of those riders now.

    Boaro and Scarponi bridging.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    62k, Col de Rosier. Scarponi, Kangert and Chaves have a handful of seconds on Arredondo and Boaro. Peloton at 30 secs.
    Contador is the Greatest

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