2017 Flat Classics thread - will probs have spoilers

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  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,605
    GvA is outrageously strong this year. G2 looks done
    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.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Belgians (unsurprisingly) finding it delicious that Terpstra's unwillingness to ride is being punished.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,535
    Keueuieklieieker playing silly buggers. If Terpstra had ridden they'd be on them now.
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,535
    GVA deserved that.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Ooof
    _
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    GVA a machine at the moment. Awesome ride by the front two.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    Well played by GVA there.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    Bugger.
    And an ad break to boot.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,535
    At least Terpstra didn't get 3rd.

    Poor Kragh got swallowed at the end, came in just outside top 10. Sunweb should have let him ride earlier.
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,535
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Bugger.
    And an ad break to boot.

    Serves you right for your Terpstra love. Nothing good can come of that.
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  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,532
    Degenkolb managed 5th
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Bugger.
    And an ad break to boot.

    Serves you right for your Terpstra love. Nothing good can come of that.

    My man Terpstra you mean.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    Nice velogames result for me............finally.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Quick Step with three riders in the top nine, but none on the podium.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,532
    RichN95 wrote:
    Quick Step with three riders in the top nine, but none on the podium.

    Are you surprised?
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Never ceases to amaze how quickly the gap to the main group can close in the last couple of KM.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    edited March 2017
    TheBigBean wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Quick Step with three riders in the top nine, but none on the podium.

    Are you surprised?
    Of course not. Boonen sprinting for sixth encouraging for his fans though.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,535
    Sagan with a few choice words for Terpstra :-D
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    edited March 2017
    Sagan soundbite gives Terpstra a load of grief. 8)
    Looks like Nicky has made another pal in the peloton.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,535
    Sunweb quick to post up Mathews 8th place. That's 4th in the bunch behind the front 4.

    Could have had at least a 5th if they'd let Kragh ride earlier, when GVA/Keuekeleieree we're creating the gap.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Sagan soundbite gives Terpstra a load of grief. 8)
    Looks like Nicky has made another pal in the peloton.

    In defence of Terpstra, why should he ride with Sagan and GvA, especially given they had Gavaria & Boonen behind?
    _
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    Ooof Little Niki


    Great ride by GVA. Super strong
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Sunweb quick to post up Mathews 8th place. That's 4th in the bunch behind the front 4.

    Could have had at least a 5th if they'd let Kragh ride earlier, when GVA/Keuekeleieree we're creating the gap.

    Yes......er.....this, I'm afraid.
    The classics do tend to produce some of the strangest rationals and consequently some of the dumbest tactics.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    GVA - gone from being unable to buy a win to not knowing how to lose. Fair play to him.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2934380

    No love lost from Terpstra either, who also throws a grenade Giant's way.

    "At first I was taking my turns, but Henderson wasn't pulling, and so I got fed up with him too, so then we got to the gap situation, and we all waited too long."

    "did you argue?" "for a bit and then we [him and sagan] decided we better work together to chase it down, but Henderson he kept not pulling - typical Giant".
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Terpstra also, after being a little defensive "I'm not world champion!", illustrates the point I made.

    BTW, this does play into a rather more regional stereotype, where Flemish slightly snobbishly feel they've always up for 'racing' (i.e. riding full gas and not playing poker) and the Dutch are just cynical, whereas the Dutch think of the Flemish as simple and not smart enough ;).
    _
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,398
    So what was the top 10?

    GVA won by the sounds of it... call this a spoiler thread!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Makes a change for Sagan to not ride like a meathead though. That, if someone wants to sandbag, he'll make sure you lose.

    I guess that's how GvA gets the better of him. Works hard enough to keep Sagan happy and keeps Sagan riding...
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 5:39:05
    2 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-Scott

    3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
    4 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors

    5 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
    6 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
    7 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
    8 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
    9 Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step Floors
    10 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    De Cauwer making the point that we're in a bit of a purple patch in classics racing where the 'finale' starts from 80km out, a lot further out than it used to be.
    _

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