S*** small race thread 2018

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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,734
    One spectacular crash in a wet descent.
    Eddie Dunbar looking as if he could be in for a decent result.......

    ........except he can't sprint. 5th out of 5. :lol: :oops:

    Tratnik wins.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,445
    GP Miguel Indirain is quite entertaining. Valverde and Verona up the road, Betancur has had a good race.
  • epc06
    epc06 Posts: 216
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    GP Miguel Indirain is quite entertaining. Valverde and Verona up the road, Betancur has had a good race.

    It was entertaining.
    Too easy for valverde in the end.
    Big Mig looking well at the finish
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,734
    EPC06 wrote:
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    GP Miguel Indirain is quite entertaining. Valverde and Verona up the road, Betancur has had a good race.

    It was entertaining.
    Too easy for valverde in the end.
    Big Mig looking well at the finish

    A bit like reading a good book, but you already know the ending.
    I thought it was a really weak field compared to last year.
    Movistar utterly dominant and in total control.
    The could have drawn straws to pick their winner, but for the presence of the old bloke.
    Carlos Betancur spent much of the coverage either pulling the bunch to pieces, or off the front on the attack.
    He still managed to stroll home in fifth, with his mate Soler in sixth.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    C’mon, Alejandro you massive whoopsie - get yourself on a private jet to Antwerp. You had a nice day mucking about with the kiddies in the sun today...
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,445
    One thing I thought was interesting, the 1998 race winner (Francisco Mancebo) was riding the race at the age of 42, still riding for a conti team.
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    One spectacular crash in a wet descent.
    Eddie Dunbar looking as if he could be in for a decent result.......

    ........except he can't sprint. 5th out of 5. :lol: :oops:

    Tratnik wins.


    It's a nasty corner where that Roompot rider went off. Typical Limburg - sharp bend, wet road, rough surface, road falling away....and a field to land in. :D Beautiful somersault, but he looked OK.

    The finish straight is a killer - uphill on cobbles after almost 200km of riding. Tratnik clearly the strongest as the first rider around the last bend often wins it.

    A good edition, even had a rainbow this year!
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,579
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    One spectacular crash in a wet descent.
    Eddie Dunbar looking as if he could be in for a decent result.......

    ........except he can't sprint. 5th out of 5. :lol: :oops:

    Tratnik wins.

    ?url=aHR0cHM6Ly9wYnMudHdpbWcuY29tL21lZGlhL0Rab3hEX19XNEFBT2J2Wi5qcGc=
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    Calmejane takes the other big Paris race. This time it's to Camembert
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Not sure if this should be in the small race thread, but the Dutch Ster ZLM Toer has been cancelled for this year: https://www.sterzlmtoer.nl/nieuws/en/1116

    It's a shame as it's a good race and its timing in June means it usually attracted some of the top tier sprinters, looking to use it as a bit of last minute warm up for the tour. I saw Cav, Kittel and Greipel and Lars Boom all win stages there. They hope to be back in 2019.
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,579
    Lotto looking in good shape ahead of Amstel and the Ardennes races at today's Brabantse Pijl. A newly bearded Jelle Vanendert did a sterling job of dragging a break clear with Tim Wellens tucked away at the back, then Wellens launched an attack with about 7 kms to go, built a 25 second lead and had no trouble holding that to win ahead of Colbrelli (last year's winner) and Tiejs Benoot.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Classic bit of commentary from Magnus as Wellens rode away from the break. Something along the lines “The only one who is making any headway in to Wellens Lead is the pizza delivery guy on the cycle path”
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,734
    This week it is that other Sunday in hell: the one that only hardened cycling fans have heard of and relish.
    Easier to watch these days too, with Eurosport now taking coverage, straight after the AGR.

    Some essential reading (and great photos) for those who may be wondering what the fuss is about.

    https://cyclingtips.com/2014/04/tro-bro-leon-in-photos/

    https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/new ... e-win-pig/

    http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/lates ... -of-167425
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Another article about the race here -

    https://www.podiumcafe.com/2018/4/12/17230496/sssrssp-tro-bro-leon

    Last years' 1/2, Damien Gaudin and Federik Backaert, made the break with around 40km to go and they're back again. FDJ have a strong line-up and others worth a mention include Alexis Gougeard and Stijn Vandenbergh.
  • pollys_bott
    pollys_bott Posts: 1,012
    Was looking quite pleasant for the last half hour of Tro Bro Leon, then the rain came down and it's full-on filthy across those farm tracks and byways... group of 13 going to shoot it out with 8kms to go, including last year's winner Gaudin. Stijn VdB also in the mix...
  • pollys_bott
    pollys_bott Posts: 1,012
    Christophe LaPorte the hare to Gaudin's hound... 4km to go...
  • pollys_bott
    pollys_bott Posts: 1,012
    Top race!

    Our version is next weekend, the Rutland CiCle Classic; and I'm looking forward to checking out some of the course tomorrow... :-)
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Cracking race that. Cofidis turned out to have the numbers for the finish. Good win for LaPorte but also high praise for Gaudin who just would not give up.
  • Frank Wilson
    Frank Wilson Posts: 930
    A thoroughly enjoyable watch and being a Cofidis supporter I actually got to see a win for once!!
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    Frank Wilson wrote:
    A thoroughly enjoyable watch and being a Cofidis supporter I actually got to see a win for once!!

    Laporte has had a cracking season so far Bouhanni less so . Hofstetter seems to have been in the top 10/5 of every race he has started! With the double rr's of Navarro and the Herrados's - who seem to be going well - perhaps Cofidis have some greater objectives?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Tour of the Alps (Giro Del Trentino) is quite fun.

    Aru and Froome in the attack.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Astana 1-2, Bilbao & LL Sanchez.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,734
    Tro Bro > Amstel. (by a country mile)

    Not a bad stage in Trentino, where Astana packed the final selection and took win number two in two days.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,189
    Just watched trobro - was indeed a lot more entertaining than this year’s Amstel.
  • Frank Wilson
    Frank Wilson Posts: 930
    SpecialGuestStar wrote:
    Frank Wilson wrote:
    A thoroughly enjoyable watch and being a Cofidis supporter I actually got to see a win for once!!

    Laporte has had a cracking season so far Bouhanni less so . Hofstetter seems to have been in the top 10/5 of every race he has started! With the double rr's of Navarro and the Herrados's - who seem to be going well - perhaps Cofidis have some greater objectives?

    One gets the impression, rightly or wrongly, that the powers that be at Cofidis have had their fill of Bouhanni.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,734
    Well, the Trentino GC sort out stage did little in the way of sorting things out.
    So little in fact, that Sosa of Androni takes the lead.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Well, the Trentino GC sort out stage did little in the way of sorting things out.
    So little in fact, that Sosa of Androni takes the lead.

    Looked like a bit of interval training for some of them
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Ben O'Connor of Dimension Data moves off the front while the favourites look at each other with 8km to go. Looks like he's got it.

    Froome tried to follow the move but gave up after 300m, having just put in a big effort.
    _
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,915
    not a bad finish in trentino
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • yourpaceormine
    yourpaceormine Posts: 1,245
    mididoctors wrote:
    not a bad finish in trentino

    Just caught up with yesterday's stage. Just after Ben O'C gets surrounded crossing the line, a girl jumps out behind the media group and starts busting some moves. Very funny. Once her dance was done she hopped back into the crowd.

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