Northern Classics

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Comments

  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    RichN95 wrote:
    Avocados aren't vegan. Like quite a lot of crops they use captive bees for propagation, which is therefore exploiting animals. I learnt this from QI.
    How does one keep a bee captive? Can't they just fly off? Do they have little harnesses?
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    Don't they die without the queen?
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,470
    Shirley Basso wrote:
    I don't think honey is vegan friendly as it's an animal product.

    This is vegans we're taking about. They'll justify it whichever way suits what they want to do.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    Didn’t realise Jungels was focussing on the cobbled classics.

    Strong 4some. Lampaert, Jungels, Stybar, Gilbert.

    And of course, Gilbert likes it hot, so current weather suits.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    Rain forecast.


    Woop woop
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    Roelandts calling out GvA, Trentin and Wellens as top favourites.

    First time Movistar are riding omloop in 40 years.
    _
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Roelandts calling out GvA, Trentin and Wellens as top favourites.

    First time Movistar are riding omloop in 40 years.
    And bringing the girls team too.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,157
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Avocados aren't vegan. Like quite a lot of crops they use captive bees for propagation, which is therefore exploiting animals. I learnt this from QI.
    How does one keep a bee captive? Can't they just fly off? Do they have little harnesses?
    Wrong word maybe. They are captured and then transported to where the avocados are.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,157
    Anyway, actual classics news. Another casualty for Sky as Luke Rowe is ill and missing the opening weekend.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    Hofland too.
    _
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    RichN95 wrote:
    Anyway, actual classics news. Another casualty for Sky as Luke Rowe is ill and missing the opening weekend.
    Glad i didnt chose him as my ptp then
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    New sporza. podcast with Peeters.

    Notable points

    1) Peeters has noticed the newer generation rely much more on instruction; both in the race on radios but also re training etc.

    2) he puts a lot of pressure on Stybar - he’s paid as a team leader so needs to start winning - and reveals Lampaert is now paid like a team leader.

    3) if it rains this weekend he expects a highly selective race - more so than usual because of the warm weather previously

    4) the weaker CCC team for GvA will change the tactical dynamic substantially.
    _
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,470
    I'm heading in to this season's classics campaign without my usual levels of enthusiasm. I remember last year as such a dud. All I can recall is riders attacking from long distance and everyone just sitting a looking at each other. For me that was the overall theme for the first half of last season, especially during the classics.

    We kept hearing how strong quick step are. I kept thinking are they really? Eventually Sagan pressured them at Roubaix and it turned out they weren't. They don't have a real superstar cobbled classics rider who teams should fear towing back to the front. Hopefully the other teams won't be so scared of them this year.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    gsk82 wrote:
    I'm heading in to this season's classics campaign without my usual levels of enthusiasm. I remember last year as such a dud. All I can recall is riders attacking from long distance and everyone just sitting a looking at each other. For me that was the overall theme for the first half of last season, especially during the classics.

    We kept hearing how strong quick step are. I kept thinking are they really? Eventually Sagan pressured them at Roubaix and it turned out they weren't. They don't have a real superstar cobbled classics rider who teams should fear towing back to the front. Hopefully the other teams won't be so scared of them this year.

    Gilbert....?
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    ^^ and don’t forget you can more or less dertmine how well he’s running by how warm the winter has been....
    _
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,648
    Listening to The Cycling Podcast got me thinking, and I would imagine someone will bring the facts out to ruin any debate, however...

    As a Northern Classics rider, who is better, Sep Vanmarcke or Nick Nuyens? I would say Nuyens as while SV has been consistently in the top 10 in the Classics, NN has won Flanders, Het Volk and KBK, amongst others.

    Thought it might be a good debate before the racing starts tomorrow
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,470
    Duplicate
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    gsk82 wrote:
    I'm heading in to this season's classics campaign without my usual levels of enthusiasm. I remember last year as such a dud. All I can recall is riders attacking from long distance and everyone just sitting a looking at each other. For me that was the overall theme for the first half of last season, especially during the classics.

    We kept hearing how strong quick step are. I kept thinking are they really? Eventually Sagan pressured them at Roubaix and it turned out they weren't. They don't have a real superstar cobbled classics rider who teams should fear towing back to the front. Hopefully the other teams won't be so scared of them this year.

    Gilbert....?

    seems to be built more for Roubaix than for a hilly classic nowadays. Doesn't have a great record vs Sagan.... I expect lampaert to step up but would need to get away before a kick at the end.
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Listening to The Cycling Podcast got me thinking, and I would imagine someone will bring the facts out to ruin any debate, however...

    As a Northern Classics rider, who is better, Sep Vanmarcke or Nick Nuyens? I would say Nuyens as while SV has been consistently in the top 10 in the Classics, NN has won Flanders, Het Volk and KBK, amongst others.

    Thought it might be a good debate before the racing starts tomorrow

    think vanmarcke is a go to for getting to the finish in the front group, and gets marked accordingly.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    Dry race forecast.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    philbar72 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    gsk82 wrote:
    I'm heading in to this season's classics campaign without my usual levels of enthusiasm. I remember last year as such a dud. All I can recall is riders attacking from long distance and everyone just sitting a looking at each other. For me that was the overall theme for the first half of last season, especially during the classics.

    We kept hearing how strong quick step are. I kept thinking are they really? Eventually Sagan pressured them at Roubaix and it turned out they weren't. They don't have a real superstar cobbled classics rider who teams should fear towing back to the front. Hopefully the other teams won't be so scared of them this year.

    Gilbert....?

    seems to be built more for Roubaix than for a hilly classic nowadays. Doesn't have a great record vs Sagan.... I expect lampaert to step up but would need to get away before a kick at the end.

    Fairly bold dismissal of one of the generations greats, and that’s coming from me...!
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Listening to The Cycling Podcast got me thinking, and I would imagine someone will bring the facts out to ruin any debate, however...

    As a Northern Classics rider, who is better, Sep Vanmarcke or Nick Nuyens? I would say Nuyens as while SV has been consistently in the top 10 in the Classics, NN has won Flanders, Het Volk and KBK, amongst others.

    Thought it might be a good debate before the racing starts tomorrow

    Nuyens since he can win without being the strongest.

    No one gets prizes for being great on the cobbles when ultimately it’s still a road race.

    If it was 1912 it might be a different story.
    _
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Listening to The Cycling Podcast got me thinking, and I would imagine someone will bring the facts out to ruin any debate, however...

    As a Northern Classics rider, who is better, Sep Vanmarcke or Nick Nuyens? I would say Nuyens as while SV has been consistently in the top 10 in the Classics, NN has won Flanders, Het Volk and KBK, amongst others.

    Thought it might be a good debate before the racing starts tomorrow

    Nuyens since he can win without being the strongest.

    No one gets prizes for being great on the cobbles when ultimately it’s still a road race.

    If it was 1912 it might be a different story.

    I thought Nuyens had retired. I cant keep up.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,157
    Alejandrosdog wrote:

    I thought Nuyens had retired. I cant keep up.
    He did. Five years ago. He's now the boss of Verandas Willems
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    The antisipation mpounts. GVA smashing it in training
    210-CORVOS_00030692-029.jpg
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    philbar72 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    gsk82 wrote:
    I'm heading in to this season's classics campaign without my usual levels of enthusiasm. I remember last year as such a dud. All I can recall is riders attacking from long distance and everyone just sitting a looking at each other. For me that was the overall theme for the first half of last season, especially during the classics.

    We kept hearing how strong quick step are. I kept thinking are they really? Eventually Sagan pressured them at Roubaix and it turned out they weren't. They don't have a real superstar cobbled classics rider who teams should fear towing back to the front. Hopefully the other teams won't be so scared of them this year.

    Gilbert....?

    seems to be built more for Roubaix than for a hilly classic nowadays.

    Has his build changed that significantly from 2017?
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,560
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    4) the weaker CCC team for GvA will change the tactical dynamic substantially.

    Meant to pick this up earlier... do you really think that GvA has much a weaker team than last year? Van Keirsbulck not rated?
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    dish_dash wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    4) the weaker CCC team for GvA will change the tactical dynamic substantially.

    Meant to pick this up earlier... do you really think that GvA has much a weaker team than last year? Van Keirsbulck not rated?

    I guess he's missing Kung and Drucker and maybe Roelandts.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,730
    dish_dash wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    4) the weaker CCC team for GvA will change the tactical dynamic substantially.

    Meant to pick this up earlier... do you really think that GvA has much a weaker team than last year? Van Keirsbulck not rated?

    Yes. If he gets caught behind any move his team ain’t gonna be the ones bringing it back.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,328
    Are we nearly there yet?
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format

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