Il Lombardia 2015 - **SPOILERS**
Comments
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Be interesting if they did move it to Spring - I agree it'd probably help the race keep its status as one of the five big one dayers.
The other option might be move some other races to the Autumn so you've got a little block of Autumn classics - maybe San Sebastian and Strade Bianche or something.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714129#p19714129]Richmond Racer 2[/url] wrote:Odds on how chipper this year's start list will be?
Seems a fair few have been pulling the plug on their season even earlier than usual this year...
(mind you, I always think that)
(That's because it's true. Lombardi = semi chipper)
Is semi-chipper half way to down to a chipper, or half as good as one?0 -
Pip Gilbert targets it.
he does. as does Purito.0 -
Looks like a very very strong field.
The Yates brothers are around 40-50/1 to win.
Any sign of Sagan?0 -
I am thinking of a certain young dutch time-trialer who just showed he can hang with the climbers on some very tough Spanish mountain stages. If TomD can get over the sormano wall with a smaller enough gap / good enough group to bridge back to runaway climbers Purito/Pozzovivo etc before the summit of san fermo della battaglia then I do not think anyone can hold onto him for the 6km into the finish0
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So maybe they should move Lombardy to the same time frame as LBL to make it worthwile for those GC riders?[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714339#p19714339]Blazing Saddles[/url] wrote:Best race of the year. Definitely the most scenic of the monuments (although that's not difficult).
If it is, as Mr Chasey contests, a semi-chipper, it has a list of winners that most races would be proud of.
.
It's only a recent thing...!
Wrong time of year.
No rider will base his season around this race. Ergo, it's not at the same level as the other 4 monuments.
The riders who base their season around the early Spring monuments do so because they aren't capable of winning any of the the big races that follow.
Riders who are capable of winning LBL and Lombardia are those also capable of winning GTs etc, so don't have the luxury of focusing upon a couple of weeks in Spring.
Ergo, your point is poo.
Good lord... It's a monument! It's the race of the falling leaves! You can't just go moving it for TV!"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'"
@gietvangent0 -
the USPGA of monumentsGiant Trance X 2010
Specialized Tricross Sport
My Dad's old racer
Trek Marlin 29er 20120 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714676#p19714676]the article don[/url] wrote:the USPGA of monuments
Cycling really is the new golf."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
I am thinking of a certain young dutch time-trialer who just showed he can hang with the climbers on some very tough Spanish mountain stages. If TomD can get over the sormano wall with a smaller enough gap / good enough group to bridge back to runaway climbers Purito/Pozzovivo etc before the summit of san fermo della battaglia then I do not think anyone can hold onto him for the 6km into the finish
I haven't seen a start list but I would think you'd get extremely good odds on him winning.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
I'll hazard a guess that this is the first time in a while that Lombardy has managed a couple of spoiler pages this far out...
It's an OK race leave it where it is . All this talk of this being a bit samey and that being a bit samey is rubbish really. The cobbled classics are a great series of races and I don't recall too much "oh well here we go again" when they are on.
The Ardennes are the poor relation but still watchable. Going against the grain I prefer F-W to LBL but that's because I live in hope of a successful breakaway and love the charge up the Muur de Huy.0 -
I'll hazard a guess that this is the first time in a while that Lombardy has managed a couple of spoiler pages this far out...
It's an OK race leave it where it is . All this talk of this being a bit samey and that being a bit samey is rubbish really. The cobbled classics are a great series of races and I don't recall too much "oh well here we go again" when they are on.
The Ardennes are the poor relation but still watchable. Going against the grain I prefer F-W to LBL but that's because I live in hope of a successful breakaway and love the charge up the Muur de Huy.
Funny what floats your boat, isn't it? Because I really like the slow burn of an LBL where extreme distance and accumulated fatigue over a load of climbs that on their own are pretty manageable combines with fireworks over the 3 final savage climbs."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714727#p19714727]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:I'll hazard a guess that this is the first time in a while that Lombardy has managed a couple of spoiler pages this far out...
It's an OK race leave it where it is . All this talk of this being a bit samey and that being a bit samey is rubbish really. The cobbled classics are a great series of races and I don't recall too much "oh well here we go again" when they are on.
The Ardennes are the poor relation but still watchable. Going against the grain I prefer F-W to LBL but that's because I live in hope of a successful breakaway and love the charge up the Muur de Huy.
Funny what floats your boat, isn't it? Because I really like the slow burn of an LBL where extreme distance and accumulated fatigue over a load of climbs that on their own are pretty manageable combines with fireworks over the 3 final savage climbs.
Absolutely. Win that one and you've really earned it. I think if I was a GT winner/contender it would be very high on my tick list.0 -
I am thinking of a certain young dutch time-trialer who just showed he can hang with the climbers on some very tough Spanish mountain stages. If TomD can get over the sormano wall with a smaller enough gap / good enough group to bridge back to runaway climbers Purito/Pozzovivo etc before the summit of san fermo della battaglia then I do not think anyone can hold onto him for the 6km into the finish
The climbers would drop him on the San Fermo, he'd never get back to them on the descent.0 -
I am thinking of a certain young dutch time-trialer who just showed he can hang with the climbers on some very tough Spanish mountain stages. If TomD can get over the sormano wall with a smaller enough gap / good enough group to bridge back to runaway climbers Purito/Pozzovivo etc before the summit of san fermo della battaglia then I do not think anyone can hold onto him for the 6km into the finish
The climbers would drop him on the San Fermo, he'd never get back to them on the descent.
Wouldn't he lose the sprint to Valverde anyway?0 -
I am thinking of a certain young dutch time-trialer who just showed he can hang with the climbers on some very tough Spanish mountain stages. If TomD can get over the sormano wall with a smaller enough gap / good enough group to bridge back to runaway climbers Purito/Pozzovivo etc before the summit of san fermo della battaglia then I do not think anyone can hold onto him for the 6km into the finish
I haven't seen a start list but I would think you'd get extremely good odds on him winning.
Oh yeah - it's a real long shot. My PTP money will be probably on Valverde or Purito; but it is nice to think of apple-cart upsetting scenarios. And a monument would go some way to making up for his disappointment0 -
Just checked Paddy Power - you can get 80 to 10
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Why is it suddenly fashionable to call pretty much everything a chipper or shoot small race? Shall we just all pack up as a forum and open only for July?0
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Have you ever done the LBL course. Its seriously hard. Fleche is just a primer for the Mur de Huy. Easy in comparison. and a more boring race...[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714727#p19714727]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:I'll hazard a guess that this is the first time in a while that Lombardy has managed a couple of spoiler pages this far out...
It's an OK race leave it where it is . All this talk of this being a bit samey and that being a bit samey is rubbish really. The cobbled classics are a great series of races and I don't recall too much "oh well here we go again" when they are on.
The Ardennes are the poor relation but still watchable. Going against the grain I prefer F-W to LBL but that's because I live in hope of a successful breakaway and love the charge up the Muur de Huy.
Funny what floats your boat, isn't it? Because I really like the slow burn of an LBL where extreme distance and accumulated fatigue over a load of climbs that on their own are pretty manageable combines with fireworks over the 3 final savage climbs.0 -
Have you ever done the LBL course. Its seriously hard. Fleche is just a primer for the Mur de Huy. Easy in comparison. and a more boring race...[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714727#p19714727]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:I'll hazard a guess that this is the first time in a while that Lombardy has managed a couple of spoiler pages this far out...
It's an OK race leave it where it is . All this talk of this being a bit samey and that being a bit samey is rubbish really. The cobbled classics are a great series of races and I don't recall too much "oh well here we go again" when they are on.
The Ardennes are the poor relation but still watchable. Going against the grain I prefer F-W to LBL but that's because I live in hope of a successful breakaway and love the charge up the Muur de Huy.
Funny what floats your boat, isn't it? Because I really like the slow burn of an LBL where extreme distance and accumulated fatigue over a load of climbs that on their own are pretty manageable combines with fireworks over the 3 final savage climbs.
As I said re LBL "Absolutely. Win that one and you've really earned it. I think if I was a GT winner/contender it would be very high on my tick list."0 -
Have you ever done the LBL course. Its seriously hard. Fleche is just a primer for the Mur de Huy. Easy in comparison. and a more boring race...[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19714727#p19714727]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:I'll hazard a guess that this is the first time in a while that Lombardy has managed a couple of spoiler pages this far out...
It's an OK race leave it where it is . All this talk of this being a bit samey and that being a bit samey is rubbish really. The cobbled classics are a great series of races and I don't recall too much "oh well here we go again" when they are on.
The Ardennes are the poor relation but still watchable. Going against the grain I prefer F-W to LBL but that's because I live in hope of a successful breakaway and love the charge up the Muur de Huy.
Funny what floats your boat, isn't it? Because I really like the slow burn of an LBL where extreme distance and accumulated fatigue over a load of climbs that on their own are pretty manageable combines with fireworks over the 3 final savage climbs.
Yes I have. I go down there for a ride about once a month. Chaudfintaine, ancienne barrière, and the other steady climbs are not that tough in isolation. Even 4 or 5 of them aren't such a stretch. The course then gets attritional. Oes, stockeau, that horrible thing out of spa and rosiere are all either legitimately tough or tough after that distance. Then you pile on redoute, thst steep little sod after it and st Nicolas close together to get the effect I describe."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
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Why is it suddenly fashionable to call pretty much everything a chipper or shoot small race? Shall we just all pack up as a forum and open only for July?
I agree but mainly because I hate the term chipper because every race I've ever ridden is a real chipper and I know how hard it is to compete even in them ![Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
Why is it suddenly fashionable to call pretty much everything a chipper or shoot small race? Shall we just all pack up as a forum and open only for July?
For that tour chipper?
I think it is only too cool for school Chasey.0 -
Why is it suddenly fashionable to call pretty much everything a chipper or shoot small race? Shall we just all pack up as a forum and open only for July?
For that tour chipper?
I think it is only too cool for school Chasey.
Iain started it, sir!"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'"
@gietvangent0 -
Why is it suddenly fashionable to call pretty much everything a chipper or shoot small race? Shall we just all pack up as a forum and open only for July?
Yeah :P.
All I really mean is that it doesn't really feel like it is as prestigious as it used to., and that was a fun forum way of saying it.
Race's prestige rise and fall over the years. It's just a comment on that.0 -
Where is his chipper chart again? I'm damn sure Lombardy wasn't given chipper status by him.0
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If you are a Lancy fanboi or maybe Froomey then the July season is for you.[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19715054#p19715054]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:
Iain started it, sir!
For that tour chipper?Why is it suddenly fashionable to call pretty much everything a chipper or shoot small race? Shall we just all pack up as a forum and open only for July?
I think it is only too cool for school Chasey.
I'm with FJS for having a full season that won't finish till Sunday week.
ie start with the Belgian Classics and Finish with the Italian Classics.Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
Here it is;
A career in graphic design beckons.
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Sure there's races on the up and others down. Looking at that chart, it does need a bit of updating. California. I'd definitely move down now, Olympic RR up perhaps. Lombardy still a monument though
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All you Philistine Il Lombardia grouches need to close your eyes and smell the musty scent of damp bark and leaves as it catches the stiffening breeze that rasps the back of your nose in the shadows... Then open your eyes to final blast of colour and panache of the season in one of cycling's numerous True Heartlands TM and open your ears to the fading horns of the Skoda Superbes...
Take a moment to absorb their import: for they signify the end of another chapter - and the beginning of that period when you must venture to the shed/loft and have another attempt at extracating your Turbo from that broken camping chair, sections of veneered IKEA shelving and assorted bits of dowelling....before placing it by the back door to taunt yourself through the Winter months for your lack of discipline and fortitude, only to return it to the shed/loft again, unused, next Spring - when you decide it's a good thing you didn't ride much over the Winter because you'd have spoiled your new overshoes....You massive whoopsie.0
