Pave is coming...
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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
I did of course mean the bakery season.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.0
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^Do'h!0
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best part of the season!0
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anyone else think its about time griepel had a proper crack at one of the classics, he often seem to sacrifice himself and do a solid ride in doing so but there probably isn't anyone else as fast as him that could get to the finish of them0
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ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
Sitting on wheels in a mainly headwind for 50km while Sep's smashing cobbles into the ground less than a minute behind might have something to do with it.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.0 -
Be fair, it was Stijn who applied the coup de grace with a truly boneheaded move at 2 to go."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 -
Rick Chasey wrote:ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
Sitting on wheels in a mainly headwind for 50km while Sep's smashing cobbles into the ground less than a minute behind might have something to do with it.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Bah ha ha. I'd fancy even Stijn's chances in a sprint against Sep!0 -
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disgruntledgoat wrote:OHN's classics special out this week too. Every copy sold comes with a free bottle of Kwaremont and, possibly of more interest to Rick, a picture of Tommeke covered in mud on the cover.
I'm sorry, but why was this not covered in more detail? Any pics?0 -
why vdid boonen go so early, over confident? garmin were on it that day!andyp wrote:0 -
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Rick Chasey wrote:More importantly, shorts and bare arms????
Strategically stripped off with 40km to go, I presume. P-R-O"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 -
Presumably he knew that he didn't have the legs for a sprint. Should have let Boonen sit on, even if that meant getting caught by the group behind which still had Stybar in.. then hit the group with attacks using Boonen as the anchor for the sprint like 2014 PR
QS handed that one to Stannard on a plate0 -
ShutupJens wrote:Presumably he knew that he didn't have the legs for a sprint. Should have let Boonen sit on, even if that meant getting caught by the group behind which still had Stybar in.. then hit the group with attacks using Boonen as the anchor for the sprint like 2014 PR
QS handed that one to Stannard on a plate
As Niki said in the interview afterwards "Talking about it is easy"
The big error was Vandenbergh. They made Stannard close Boonen down. They boxed him in against the kerb, then when Terpstra attacks, Stijn sees he's got stannard to his left, boxed in, looks up the road and chases after his teammate. Boonen dropped, Stijn cooks himself getting across, Stannard sits on and gets a free ride back up to the front."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 -
Yeah true - but it would have been a lot easier to have someone win that sort of sprint if they hadn't been riding hard for the previous 40ks
After Stijn's blunder though, Terpstra led it out from way too far too, especially with Boonen literally just a few seconds behind!0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:ShutupJens wrote:Presumably he knew that he didn't have the legs for a sprint. Should have let Boonen sit on, even if that meant getting caught by the group behind which still had Stybar in.. then hit the group with attacks using Boonen as the anchor for the sprint like 2014 PR
QS handed that one to Stannard on a plate
As Niki said in the interview afterwards "Talking about it is easy"
The big error was Vandenbergh. They made Stannard close Boonen down. They boxed him in against the kerb, then when Terpstra attacks, Stijn sees he's got stannard to his left, boxed in, looks up the road and chases after his teammate. Boonen dropped, Stijn cooks himself getting across, Stannard sits on and gets a free ride back up to the front.
Choo choo, thanks very much says Stan
Good Goat summary analysis
I'd love to have ear-wigged around the team dinner table that night0 -
Boonen was dead, no way he was coming back. They had to ride hard too, they had Sep, Gilbert and Styby chasing only 20s behind them with Lotto still riding in the Peloton too.
I'd actually say Vandenbergh has a better chance against Stannard in a sprint than Terpstra and that going long was the only way to nullify that advantage for Niki. But if you let Vanmarcke and Gilbert back, you've turned 3 on 1 into 4 on 3. Thy had to ride."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 -
Sorry to bang on, but QS are supposed to be the world's best classics team. What message does it send if they refuse to ride in a 3 on 1 situation with 30km of a classic left?"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 know how much DG has analysed this so I'm nervously contributing here...
)
But yeah the "Lefevere" excuse is nonsense. Of course they should have ridden and of course Stannard had no reason to. I think Boonen's attack was over confidence - it should have been Stijn. The slight moment of weakness in Stannard is when Nikki goes but that's when Stijn makes his senseless mistake and rescues him.
In the sprint Nikki has to ride to stop the chasers coming back and I think is so stunned that Stannard has nt been dropped doesnt quite think through how he could ve won (by that stage it should have been a QS 1-2-3, arm in arm)We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
ddraver wrote:( I know how much DG has analysed this so I'm nervously contributing here... )
But yeah the "Lefevere" excuse is nonsense. Of course they should have ridden and of course Stannard had no reason to. I think Boonen's attack was over confidence - it should have been Stijn. The slight moment of weakness in Stannard is when Nikki goes but that's when Stijn makes his senseless mistake and rescues him.
In the sprint Nikki has to ride to stop the chasers coming back and I think is so stunned that Stannard has nt been dropped doesnt quite think through how he could ve won (by that stage it should have been a QS 1-2-3, arm in arm)
I have taught you well, grasshopper.
And if you want the QS 1-2-3, look to the Zeeland Ports Classic. Won by my man Iljo."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 didn't suggest that they shouldn't ride, I would have said that they shouldn't have used their resource in that way. They rode to get to the finale with 3 riders against one - not necessarily to put any one rider into a position where it would be easiest to win.
You mention the group behind but Stybar was in there and not riding, they would have had 4 riders out of a group of 7, hardly a disadvantage!
To address your point about the sprint - the chaser was Boonen so no need to try to hold him off, also Terpstra kicked first with 200m to go and gapped Stan and then ran out of gas - surely if he'd have let Stan lead it out he would have been able to use that kick closer to the line. As for VDB he accelerates like he's dragging a grand piano, he should have been the one to spend first0 -
Had a quick peek at results - Vanmarcke finished 1:24 down, in the final KM Terpstra should not have done a tap since the only guys coming up behind were his teammates. Dead or not Boonen would have been useful in the sprint, if only to box Stannard in0
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ShutupJens wrote:Had a quick peek at results - Vanmarcke finished 1:24 down, in the final KM Terpstra should not have done a tap since the only guys coming up behind were his teammates. Dead or not Boonen would have been useful in the sprint, if only to box Stannard in
But he finished 1:24 down because he sat up with 2km to go and Stybar agreed he wouldn't sprint. As to letting it come together for a 4 on 7 gap, you're trading a 75% chance of victory for a 57% chance of victory with 3 guys sitting on doing nowt rather than one.
The correct course of action was to let it play out all the way to a slight uphill finish and make stannard sit as near to the front as you can, if you have faith in your sprint. Or just not chuffing chase Terpstra down with 1.5km to go. They rode like boneheads either way.
As to thisI didn't suggest that they shouldn't ride, I would have said that they shouldn't have used their resource in that way. They rode to get to the finale with 3 riders against one - not necessarily to put any one rider into a position where it would be easiest to win.
They reacted to Vanmarcke monstering everybody up the Molenberg and kept going when he punctured on Paddestraat, they rode to win the race and more numbers is better in the finale."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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ddraver wrote:( I know how much DG has analysed this so I'm nervously contributing here... )
But yeah the "Lefevere" excuse is nonsense. Of course they should have ridden and of course Stannard had no reason to. I think Boonen's attack was over confidence - it should have been Stijn. The slight moment of weakness in Stannard is when Nikki goes but that's when Stijn makes his senseless mistake and rescues him.
In the sprint Nikki has to ride to stop the chasers coming back and I think is so stunned that Stannard has nt been dropped doesnt quite think through how he could ve won (by that stage it should have been a QS 1-2-3, arm in arm)
Lefevere is the most ungracious loser going0 -
Curious to see how his tax case goes in court.
Rest of OPQS settles, but Lefevre is being belligerent.
Something along the lines of " my tax affairs in Luxembourg were all in order and I look forward to my lawyers explaining that to the court".0
