2020 classics season thread

135

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    Seems fairly easy for him tbf.
    _
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Anyone else getting excited about the start of the classics?!! The last few years I have started to prefer these to the GTs (which are still great).

    The classics are just so unpredictable and pretty much always guarantee excitement.

    1 week to go until kuurne brussel kuurne!!

    :)
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    edited February 2020
    No_Ta_Doctor said:



    That's the point. Junior Worlds TT, P-R Jnrs and P-R Espoirs. These aren't races a small bloke should be winning. Physics suggests he must have something exceptional in the tank.

    Or an attitude. Cavendish had the same thing - rubbish numbers but an unquenchable desire to compete. Can't help but think Pidcock will - at best - nick a couple of wins somewhere on the road and not much else though because he's just too small but I would love to be proved wrong. I'd like to see that cycling still doesn't have a single solution to the question of what the ideal cyclist looks like.

    As for MvdP, the worlds last year weren't anything to base judgement on - it was just horrible out there - but plenty of decent riders have just emptied the tank and fallen apart so I suspect just being there is a bigger statement than what happened next.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,308
    Lanterne_Rogue said:

    No_Ta_Doctor said:



    That's the point. Junior Worlds TT, P-R Jnrs and P-R Espoirs. These aren't races a small bloke should be winning. Physics suggests he must have something exceptional in the tank.

    Or an attitude. Cavendish had the same thing - rubbish numbers but an unquenchable desire to compete. Can't help but think Pidcock will - at best - nick a couple of wins somewhere on the road and not much else though because he's just too small but I would love to be proved wrong. I'd like to see that cycling still doesn't have a single solution to the question of what the ideal cyclist looks like.

    As I was saying, I want to see him in the mountains. I'm not expecting him to be winning cobbled classics or TTs. At his weight he should be a decent climber, and if he can TT a bit that's not bad for an all round GC racer. He's won Alsace as well.
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  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,464
    There's no way he's only 5'2". That has to be nonsense
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,149
    Reports on the news about Milan being hit by the coronavirus. Lots of public events postponed. Milan-San Remo could well go the same way. La Primavera in l'autunno?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    edited February 2020


    Ignore
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    That is a disaster.


    That aside, there are more pressing races afoot, namely Omloop het Nieuwsblad (Volk) in 6 days.

    Notoriously difficult to predict, here are the odds:

    MvdP - 3-1
    GvA - 8-1
    Stybar - 11-1
    Jungels - 17-1
    Gilbert 21-1

    Current forecast all week, including Sunday: Rain and windy.

    Things I also hadn't realised - Degenkolb is now riding for Lotto....
    _
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    is it being shown live on TV ?
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,929






    https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/greg-van-avermaet-and-patrick-lefevere-appear-in-bizarre-new-e3-binckbank-poster-449910
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,385
    edited February 2020
    I mean..by they're usual standards that's pretty meh...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    edited February 2020
    Pop quiz - without googling, name all the riders/coaches/DS/professionals who work in cycling in the promo photo.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    Latest weather forecast for Sunday is gusts of up to 80kph in what will predominantly be a tail/crosswind.


    *blows off the dust from the echelon klaxon*
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,308
    rick_chasey said:

    Latest weather forecast for Sunday is gusts of up to 80kph in what will predominantly be a tail/crosswind.


    *blows off the dust from the echelon klaxon*

    Oh my word.

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  • poptart242
    poptart242 Posts: 531
    Waaiers on the first day of the season! Buzzing, going to start listening to eurodance now
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    edited February 2020
    Quite right too.

    Though it’s still only Tuesday so maybe just hit the vengaboys.

    Bit early to be hitting the 2Unlimited. That’s more of a Saturday night rev up.

    Let me hear you say ‘yeaaah    ’
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    Alright I've got about 15 interviews to get through on Sporza, but what I've heard so far beyond the usual pre-Omloop platitudes:

    Edward Theuns has hurt his thumb, and Gilbert says he's a week behind where he wanted to be because of illness.
    _
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,819
    simey.haine said:

    You can get a bus from Oudenaarde out to Kwaremont - its is free and laid on by the organisers. We walked back to Oudenaarde from the Paterberg. It's a few miles but you pass through the village at the base of the Koppenberg if you are interested in seeing it.

    I'm also staying in Ghent for that weekend - I take it walking back from the Paterberg to Kwaremont after the riders have been through for the final time would still enable us to pick up the bus back to Oudenaarde ?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584










    Some photos of riders checking out Saturday's route.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    edited February 2020
    Quick step start list
    For saturday:
    • Jasper Asgreen (Den)
    • Tim Declercq
    • Bob Jungels (Lux)
    • Iljo Keisse
    • Yves Lampaert
    • Florian Sénéchal (Fra)
    • Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)

    and for Sunday:
    1. Kasper Asgreen (Den)
    2. Fabio Jakobsen (Ned)
    3. Bob Jungels (Lux)
    4. Iljo Keisse
    5. Yves Lampaert
    6. Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)
    7. Bert Van Lerberghe
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    Maybe it's my bad memory but I don't remember such small team sizes...
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    Ah there's a 90 minute Sporza podcast. Will report back tomorrow.
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,385
    New thing to stop Sky winning the Tour innit...Sorry, I mean make races more unpredictable
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,812
    edited February 2020
    rick_chasey said:

    Ah there's a 90 minute Sporza podcast. Will report back tomorrow.


    That's longer than Eurosport's KBK coverage on the telebox.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    rick_chasey said:

    Quick step start list
    For saturday:

    • Jasper Asgreen (Den)
    • Tim Declercq
    • Bob Jungels (Lux)
    • Iljo Keisse
    • Yves Lampaert
    • Florian Sénéchal (Fra)
    • Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)

    and for Sunday:
    1. Kasper Asgreen (Den)
    2. Fabio Jakobsen (Ned)
    3. Bob Jungels (Lux)
    4. Iljo Keisse
    5. Yves Lampaert
    6. Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)
    7. Bert Van Lerberghe
    Asgreen changed his name between Saturday and Sunday? Or he has a brother with a very similar name...
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    Exciting stuff... wind, rain and cold weather is what makes the classics the classics.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,812
    2 other new "classic" races also on this weekend. Both held in the regions of Ardèche and Drôme.

    Saturday.
    20th Faun-Ardèche Classic (1.Pro)



    Sunday.
    8th Royal Bernard Drome Classic (1.Pro)



    Alaphilippe, Nibali, Mollema, Bardet, Latour, Madouas, Bettiol, Barguil, Calmejane, Kreuziger, Visconti all riding one or both.

    I only mention them as Eurosport player has both races live, which means replays will be available to round off a perfect opening weekend.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,584
    bobmcstuff said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Quick step start list
    For saturday:

    • Jasper Asgreen (Den)
    • Tim Declercq
    • Bob Jungels (Lux)
    • Iljo Keisse
    • Yves Lampaert
    • Florian Sénéchal (Fra)
    • Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)

    and for Sunday:
    1. Kasper Asgreen (Den)
    2. Fabio Jakobsen (Ned)
    3. Bob Jungels (Lux)
    4. Iljo Keisse
    5. Yves Lampaert
    6. Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)
    7. Bert Van Lerberghe
    Asgreen changed his name between Saturday and Sunday? Or he has a brother with a very similar name...
    No, my mistake. Same guy.


    ---


    More worringly, MvdP will likely miss this week's racing as he has the flu.
    _
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,564
    Sadly now confirmed. Out of the weekend.
    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.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,308
    bobmcstuff said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Quick step start list
    For saturday:

    • Jasper Asgreen (Den)
    • Tim Declercq
    • Bob Jungels (Lux)
    • Iljo Keisse
    • Yves Lampaert
    • Florian Sénéchal (Fra)
    • Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)

    and for Sunday:
    1. Kasper Asgreen (Den)
    2. Fabio Jakobsen (Ned)
    3. Bob Jungels (Lux)
    4. Iljo Keisse
    5. Yves Lampaert
    6. Zdenek Stybar (Tsj)
    7. Bert Van Lerberghe
    Asgreen changed his name between Saturday and Sunday? Or he has a brother with a very similar name...
    Kasper kan be a bit forgetful...

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