Spring (autumn) classics *spoilers*
Comments
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I see the doom and gloom mongers have been out in force again.
Can't be as bad as Spain and the Vuelta is going ahead, albeit with fans banned from the climbs.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta-a-espana-fans-banned-from-basque-climbs/
Now, on a more optimistic note, tomorrow and in Belgium we get the traditional warm up semi classic for the race that the silly Dutch government put a stop to.
De Brabantse Pijl - La Fleche Brabanconne
Alaphilippe and MVDP go head to head again, with the world champ trying to reverse last year's result.
The race also sees the return of Romain Bardet, after his concussion injury at the Tour. Plus a dozen or more big name puncheurs and sprinters.
Both men's and women's races have extensive live coverage on the Eurosport player and GCN."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Paris-Roubaix is relatively easy to control. Most bars and restaurants are closed on Sundays in France and the majority of the crowds on most of the route are people standing outside their houses. You'd then have to limit crowds on the main cobbled sections (and Velodrome) which, even if you didn't are nowhere, near as deep as in parts of the Tour of Flanders.gweeds said:I’d be amazed if either PR or Flanders go ahead now.
I've been on the Kwaremont and the Carrefour de L'Arbre and it's much easier to observe social distancing on the Carrefour de L'Arbre. Oudenaarde is also a fairly big town which is packed on the day.
On the flipside, the Tour of Flanders is far more important to the Belgians (both socially and economically) than Paris-Roubaix is to the French (most travelling fans are Belgian)1 -
They could ban fans from parts of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. I suppose an abnormal Tour of Flanders is better than none.blazing_saddles said:I see the doom and gloom mongers have been out in force again.
Can't be as bad as Spain and the Vuelta is going ahead, albeit with fans banned from the climbs.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta-a-espana-fans-banned-from-basque-climbs/
Now, on a more optimistic note, tomorrow and in Belgium we get the traditional warm up semi classic for the race that the silly Dutch government put a stop to.
De Brabantse Pijl - La Fleche Brabanconne
Alaphilippe and MVDP go head to head again, with the world champ trying to reverse last year's result.
The race also sees the return of Romain Bardet, after his concussion injury at the Tour. Plus a dozen or more big name puncheurs and sprinters.
Both men's and women's races have extensive live coverage on the Eurosport player and GCN.0 -
They should revert the Flanders route to the Ninove finish as it's a lot easier to enforce social distancing when the route doesn't incorporate strategic climbs repeatedly in an attempt to attract corporate hospitality.2
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Amusing to see continental racing finally catching up with the long history of mystical cabals running furtive British 10 mile TTs...
Look forward to the announcement of next year's TdF route just being a list of unexplained codes with the odd mention of roundabouts.3 -
Talking of coverage, I note that both today's De Brabantse Pijl and Sunday's Gent -
Wevelgem sees Eurosport/GCN prioritise the women's races over the men's.
Both women's races are being covered live an in full, while for the men's races they are only covering the final 90 minutes - 2 hours live.
This could be an issue with G-W, as it will mean that they will miss the first lap of climbing and possibly even the crucial gravel sections.
This might be a case of them leading the horse to water but being unable force it to drink.
For me this is a disappointing turn of events.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Is it possibly just a resource / economy thing? I can imagine a situation where there's a limited number of camera bikes and they can't/won't pull them off the female race just as it comes to a conclusion.
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Am I the only one who can't even pretend to care about the women's races? Just like in football, they make the mistake of attaching a women's team or race onto something with a lot of history and prestige. Ultimately, I want to see the best in any sport and that means watching the men's version. Sport in general is also far more popular with men than women.0
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What time does the Belgian coverage start?blazing_saddles said:Talking of coverage, I note that both today's De Brabantse Pijl and Sunday's Gent -
Wevelgem sees Eurosport/GCN prioritise the women's races over the men's.
Both women's races are being covered live an in full, while for the men's races they are only covering the final 90 minutes - 2 hours live.
This could be an issue with G-W, as it will mean that they will miss the first lap of climbing and possibly even the crucial gravel sections.
This might be a case of them leading the horse to water but being unable force it to drink.
For me this is a disappointing turn of events.
FWIW, even during the Tour, Sporza would only tune in at around 1:30 CET.
There are only two races they show from flag to finish, and that PR and Flanders.
I suspect that is what's happening here too. When there have been women's races in Belgium that aren't the ToF, they will show the women's race from flag to finish in the morning (as there isn't much on Belgian TV in the morning), which normally takes them to 13:00-30 CET, they'll do half an hour bumpf on the men's race and go live at 13:30-14:00 CET0 -
Women's Brabantse Pijl isn't a bad watch. Grace Brown clinging on with a 20s lead, pulling it out to 25ish seconds with 10k to go. Lippert trying to chase her down solo now.1
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Great ride from Brown to keep pulling time out on the two chasing Sunweb riders0
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Sorry I have been otherwise engaged for a while.rick_chasey said:
What time does the Belgian coverage start?blazing_saddles said:Talking of coverage, I note that both today's De Brabantse Pijl and Sunday's Gent -
Wevelgem sees Eurosport/GCN prioritise the women's races over the men's.
Both women's races are being covered live an in full, while for the men's races they are only covering the final 90 minutes - 2 hours live.
This could be an issue with G-W, as it will mean that they will miss the first lap of climbing and possibly even the crucial gravel sections.
This might be a case of them leading the horse to water but being unable force it to drink.
For me this is a disappointing turn of events.
FWIW, even during the Tour, Sporza would only tune in at around 1:30 CET.
There are only two races they show from flag to finish, and that PR and Flanders.
I suspect that is what's happening here too. When there have been women's races in Belgium that aren't the ToF, they will show the women's race from flag to finish in the morning (as there isn't much on Belgian TV in the morning), which normally takes them to 13:00-30 CET, they'll do half an hour bumpf on the men's race and go live at 13:30-14:00 CET
Sporza didn't cover the women's race at all and the men's race is on tv from 2-30pm our time.
Due to finish sometime before 4-30pmBST."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
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AND HE TAKES THE LEAD and starts to power away!!!
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Extends the gap to 30s. This is an ELECTRIC attack!
Good god I think we've found an event Carlton is actually suited to!
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VICTORY!!!!
History has been made in Leogang as Tom Pidcock brings home Britain's first ever e-MTB World Championships. This surely stands him in great stead to win Sports Personality of the Year and who knows if her majesty will be calling in the New Year? He sparking attack away from the Frenchman Jerome Gilloux and Gill-who knows how he felt as Pidcock motored away...
How about that Sean?
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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what? you mean men play football as well as women? when did that start? I can't imagine it is very interesting to watch to be honest.nickice said:Am I the only one who can't even pretend to care about the women's races? Just like in football, they make the mistake of attaching a women's team
BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
Instagramme0 -
Ignore him. Why come on to say you don't care about the sport. If you don't care why post about it.davidof said:
what? you mean men play football as well as women? when did that start? I can't imagine it is very interesting to watch to be honest.nickice said:Am I the only one who can't even pretend to care about the women's races? Just like in football, they make the mistake of attaching a women's team
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Oh joy. C fkn K0
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So some deets I suspect Carlton won't be giving - that stretch where JA just attacked a moment ago was where his girlfriend was standing by the side of the road.0
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