Spring (autumn) classics *spoilers*

rick_chasey
rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
edited October 2020 in Pro race
Might as well kick this off.

Paris Roubaix is a month away today.



one quarter of the women's race is cobbled...

Oof.
_
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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    God, feels so long ago that Gilbert won the last PR.

    _
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,596
    rick_chasey said:

    God, feels so long ago that Gilbert won the last PR.

    It feels so long ago that I was convinced he didn't win the last one and went and checked.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    I just had a 5 minute blank about 2018 winner then realised it was some bloke called Sagan.....
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Rick starts a thread about the re-arranged Spring classic by giving us the very last race on the schedule.
    I might try that for the Giro.....
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,646
    blazing_saddles said:

    Rick starts a thread about the re-arranged Spring classic by giving us the very last race on the schedule.
    I might try that for the Giro.....

    I wouldn't if I were you. Conflicts with Paris-Roubaix and the Vuelta Tourmalet stage. ;-)
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,613
    I've got a horrible feeling that the way the numbers are going in France will mean no PR.
    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.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Anyhow, it's chocks away, as The 84th La Flèche Wallonne kicks off the Northern classics 2020, this Wednesday.







    Top competitors

    ALAPHILIPPE Julian
    MOLLEMA Bauke
    MARTIN Dan
    COSTA Rui
    KWIATKOWSKI Michał
    ULISSI Diego
    URÁN Rigoberto
    PORTE Richie
    SÁNCHEZ Luis León
    KREUZIGER Roman
    DUMOULIN Tom
    POGAČAR Tadej
    WELLENS Tim
    HIRSCHI Marc
    BERNAL Egan
    LANDA Mikel
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Bernal riding? That's a surprise isn't it?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    DeadCalm said:

    Bernal riding? That's a surprise isn't it?

    Both PCS and CyclingFever having him as starting, but quite a few teams are yet to be confirmed.
    Goodness knows when the Giro startlist will be complete.
    Everything is being left until the last minute.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    blazing_saddles said:

    DeadCalm said:

    Bernal riding? That's a surprise isn't it?

    Both PCS and CyclingFever having him as starting, but quite a few teams are yet to be confirmed.
    Goodness knows when the Giro startlist will be complete.
    Everything is being left until the last minute.

    Today he tweeted a video of him doing physio saying "working hard to get back on the bike". That doesn't seem like someone racing any time soon
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    I’m thoroughly enjoying the wonky calendar and rhythm of bike racing this year. Mostly because it’s counteracted all the normal highs and lows.
    Normally, there’d be the post Tour lull as another year of hype and expectation passes (and yet another winner doesn’t come from France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, etc, bwahahah)... then there’s the Vuelta run, into the WCs and then Lombardia...followed the lull of all lulls. But this year, Allah and Covid willing, we’ll still have proper racing when they’ve turned the Christmas lights on.
    It’s as though a rehab centre put everyone on cold turkey for four months then said ‘oh sod it...’ and opened the drug cabinets for everyone...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Prize for first spot of rider on podium with Christmas themed face mask.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,907
    gweeds said:

    I've got a horrible feeling that the way the numbers are going in France will mean no PR.

    Spain is well bad too
    "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
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,613
    mididoctors said:

    gweeds said:

    I've got a horrible feeling that the way the numbers are going in France will mean no PR.

    Spain is well bad too
    True. I’m just grateful for the fact that we’ve had more that we expected a few months back. Anything else is a continued bonus.
    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: 75,661
    From tomorrow onwards there is 48 days straight of WT level racing.
    _
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,820
    Amazing. Just read through the calendar, it's spring classics and Grand Tours for the foreseeable now
  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    gweeds said:

    I've got a horrible feeling that the way the numbers are going in France will mean no PR.

    As reported in the local newspaper today, it might be off.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,878
    rick_chasey said:

    From tomorrow onwards there is 48 days straight of WT level racing.

    One of the best things about the whole coronavirus thing is just how much sport there is on a the moment. Provided it continues to happen.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    JA is skipping Fleche Wallonne, which is a shame.
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,461
    rick_chasey said:

    JA is skipping Fleche Wallonne, which is a shame.

    Seems strange, I thought he be favourite for it.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Pross said:

    rick_chasey said:

    JA is skipping Fleche Wallonne, which is a shame.

    Seems strange, I thought he be favourite for it.
    Bigger fish to fry?
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,692
    he's won it twice now hasnt he?

    I think I saw he's focussing in LBL (which I'm assuming he's not won...)

    (Informed me...)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,646
    Pross said:

    rick_chasey said:

    JA is skipping Fleche Wallonne, which is a shame.

    Seems strange, I thought he be favourite for it.
    Tour, Worlds and then Fleche Wallone 3 days later was a bit much for him, which sounds reasonable to me
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    If there was a race to cancel, surely it's Fleche. Or at least just get them all to go on a socially distanced 4 hour steady ride in groups of 6, then congregating at the bottom of the Mur for 2 minutes of high HR, low speed racing.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Eurosport player has updated their schedules and it looks like they will have live coverage of the women's race:

    Fleche Wallonne | Uninterrupted Coverage

    10:10-11:35

    Men's race:
    Fleche Wallonne | Uninterrupted Coverage

    12:00-16:00
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Hatch and Stephens commentating on the web players.
    120kms to watch on a wet Wednesday.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Is dry for the men so far.

    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Doesn't look as cold as it is here - mostly short sleeves from everyone.
    _
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,907
    rick_chasey said:

    JA is skipping Fleche Wallonne, which is a shame.

    Very he had to be up there as a possibility
    "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
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,907
    Only got "normal Eurosport" just watching now
    "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

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