2017 Ardennes Classics - *Spoilers* likely

dish_dash
dish_dash Posts: 5,561
edited April 2017 in Pro race
Right... so onto these ones... Amstel finish is a bit different but I think the other two are the same...

No Purito this year :cry:

And no Alaphilippe either, he's hurt his knee.
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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Good lad dish.

    No Alaphilippe? :shock:

    Main point of talk, other than this shocking news, is the new amstel route.

    C4uR5wcWAAARKW9.jpg
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Also, this race is a proper distance.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,157
    No Poels either
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,816
    Ah, the race of a thousand corners.
    Quite the come down after the cobbles.

    Does tomorrow's race go here, since it's not in the Ardennes?

    17040936052-streckenverlauf-de-brabantse-pijl---la-flegraveche-brabanccedilonne-2017.jpg

    17040912414-hoehenprofil-de-brabantse-pijl---la-flegraveche-brabanccedilonne-2017.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    What's happened to Alaphilippe?
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,561
    Milton50 wrote:
    What's happened to Alaphilippe?

    Injured his right knee at Pais Vasco. Hasn't been able to train. Doctors are investigating further...
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Damn. Would have been good to have him in the mix.

    So who would you have as favourite for Amstel? Gilbert, Kwiatkowski, Valverde? Then again it's difficult to bet against Van Avermaet in any kind of race at the moment.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,157
    Milton50 wrote:
    Damn. Would have been good to have him in the mix.

    So who would you have as favourite for Amstel? Gilbert, Kwiatkowski, Valverde? Then again it's difficult to bet against Van Avermaet in any kind of race at the moment.
    Matthews looks in strong form to me.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,565
    Valverde has to be up there.

    Is GvA riding??
    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: 72,738
    Good question.

    Not sure.

    Keep an eye out for the Brabanse Pijl on Wednesday for who's in form and who isn't.
    _
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,565
    I wonder if he's going to go after Sagan and the green jersey now.
    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: 72,738
    Gweeds wrote:
    I wonder if he's going to go after Sagan and the green jersey now.

    Nah. He's a crap sprinter unless everyone is already on their knees after 260km.
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,588
    Assuming Gasparotto is riding you can never rule him out. Is Dan Martin injury free?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Pross wrote:
    Assuming Gasparotto is riding you can never rule him out. Is Dan Martin injury free?

    Yes.

    But you'd be very brave to do any betting against Valverde.
    _
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,342
    Think Gilbert, Kwiatkowski and Valverde are the 5 star riders. Everyone else is below.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,744
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Assuming Gasparotto is riding you can never rule him out. Is Dan Martin injury free?

    Yes.

    But you'd be very brave to do any betting against Valverde.


    Sort of agree with you Rick in terms of ability - but in terms of how Valverde rides he has an awful lot of seconds and thirds on his record - I think if I were going to bet against him it'd be someone who feels he has to attack late and hope the rest look at each other - Gasparotto might be that kind of rider I suppose though his record in the race probably means his odds are shorter than they should be (I haven't checked).
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Quite surprising that Valverde has never actually won Amstel considering how often he's podiumed and how often he's won Liege.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Milton50 wrote:
    Quite surprising that Valverde has never actually won Amstel considering how often he's podiumed and how often he's won Liege.

    Yes. He's one of the winningest at Liege, so you'd have expected him to have Amsteled by now.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Just leaving this here for the Dutch speakers...

    https://www.facebook.com/Amstel/videos/1511625695536522/


    [I in no way endorse the kattenpis this is advertising]
    Correlation is not causation.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,114
    Ben Swift has to be added as a five star favourite for Amstel. Especially with his track record in the race.
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    what about Fleche Wallone. how come in the last couple of years everyone has blown their wad early and allowed Valverde to win it? he'll be favourite again no?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    philbar72 wrote:
    what about Fleche Wallone. how come in the last couple of years everyone has blown their wad early and allowed Valverde to win it? he'll be favourite again no?

    It's so steep it's basically a sprint TT - so it's not so much allowing Valverde to win, but more just running out of steam before he does. You can't really pace it any slower because you'll be out of contention, and it's not like drafting makes any difference.

    Arguably Gilbert should be joint favourite, but let's see how he does in the Brabantse Pijl.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport), Jacques Van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Lorenzo Rota (Bardiani-CSF), Zak Dempster (Israel Cycling Academy) and Christophe Masson (WB Vera Classic).

    is the break, @ 2:30 with 80km to go.
    _
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    Its safe to watch on Eurosport UK; no Kirbys in sight.
  • ContrelaMontre
    ContrelaMontre Posts: 3,027
    andyp wrote:
    Ben Swift has to be added as a five star favourite for Amstel. Especially with his track record in the race.

    Trolling?

    I think there's some higher level humour going on here.
    Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,816
    All change in the breakaway.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,266
    Nice win.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Colbrelli nails it from a small breakaway group. Good race that.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,816
    Quick Step manage to come up with the hilly equivalent of Stannard's Het Nieuwsblad.
    Absolute duffers, expecting to out sprint Cobrelli.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Really looking forward to Gilbert v Valverde on the Mur de Huy now.

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