Amstel Gold **spoilers**

DeVlaeminck

Rick Chasey wrote:

It is curious how such hilly difficult races still end up in (reduced) bunch sprints.

You'd think flatter races in Belgium would be less selective but it's the reverse. Certainly completing something like Amstel Gold as an amateur is much more taxing than completing the Flanders route.
?

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe it's because the frequency of the hills kills any breaks - tired legs can normally turn a gear over until you hit an incline - hills also tend to thin out any breaks that do go.

Pross

Rick Chasey wrote:

It is curious how such hilly difficult races still end up in (reduced) bunch sprints.

You'd think flatter races in Belgium would be less selective but it's the reverse. Certainly completing something like Amstel Gold as an amateur is much more taxing than completing the Flanders route.

You wonder if it's because the finale is such that going from the Cauberg is so effective all other options would require a rider on ridiculous form - and if that rider does have that form why would he risk that when his superior form would take him clear on the Cauberg anyway.

Is the solution a different finale? Keep the relentless frequency of the hills but leave a less selective hill or a flatter run in? Perhaps even after a descent?

I suspect that it's the technique and skill required riding the cobbles that plays a part. On a hilly route there are plenty of riders with the fitness levels required to close a gap for their leaders. On the cobbles the experts ride hard on or near the front and eventually someone's lack of skill lets a gap grow with the net result being those caught behind have to somehow get around and then close the gap. Add in the constant fight for position taking its toll.

arnuf

It mostly comes down to the riders. The hilly classics need the equivalent of Boonen doing the Taaienberg.

philbar72

agreed, if someone could stretch it out and keep going with 25-30km to go, you'd get a different result.

rick_chasey

As I said, if any rider were to be capable of that they'd still be better off waiting for the Cauberg and riding everyone else off.

ddraver

It's always been a sprint up the Cauberg hasnt it? Adding the VIP tents after the top just gave bigger riders a chance to get back on.

People will be complaining about FW being a sprint up the Muur tomorrow...

arnuf

Rick Chasey wrote:

As I said, if any rider were to be capable of that they'd still be better off waiting for the Cauberg and riding everyone else off.

Ja, but that is precisely the point. Rationally speaking Boonen is better off waiting, too.

rick_chasey

arnuf wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

As I said, if any rider were to be capable of that they'd still be better off waiting for the Cauberg and riding everyone else off.

Ja, but that is precisely the point. Rationally speaking Boonen is better off waiting, too.

Nee joh.

This "riders make the racing" chat is BS.

We see the same routes year after year in the classics and some routes make much better racing than others.

Ergo it's the route.

ddraver

Science wasnt youre strong point eh?

Plus I remember a hell of a lot of whinging about how boring the classics were last year (G-W excepted, but that was because of the wind). Saying how cr*p everything is has been a Po Face trope for years.

One of DG's colleagues did a bit about how this years RVV matches up with other editions and comes to the conclusion that the course change was largely irrelevant