Cobbled Classics 2022 *** Spoilers***

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  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,601
    Blythe is going along nicely now. His only weakness is "Remco" who I assume must be his secret son.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    poweredbyidris said:

    For all the plaudits for Blythe, thought Rob Hatch was abysmal for the finish on Saturday. Must be difficult to commentate on a fella that's out on his own, but it was a solid 10 mins of hyperbole that got tiresome real quick

    The repeating himself thing is getting worse too, the repeating himself thing is getting worse too!
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    edited March 2022
    Pross said:

    poweredbyidris said:

    For all the plaudits for Blythe, thought Rob Hatch was abysmal for the finish on Saturday. Must be difficult to commentate on a fella that's out on his own, but it was a solid 10 mins of hyperbole that got tiresome real quick

    The repeating himself thing is getting worse too, the repeating himself thing is getting worse too!
    <<Hatch>>That is the best post on the Pro Forum EVER. People will be talking about that post for years to come.<</Hatch>>
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,475
    edited March 2022
    DeVlaeminck said:

    I'm not saying he's a doper but assuming the data on blood lactate accumulation is accurate wouldn't some forms of doping affect that anyway ? In other words the doping might be the reason his physiology appears exceptional.

    Not meant rhetorically.

    Seems entirely plausible. I don't know enough about doping to say; but would certainly only be logical for doping efforts to target areas like lactate rate, VO2 max, or muscle synthesis.

    Regarding Hatch, as mentioned before, he would probably be decent if he could simply tone himself down. I find him almost as unbearable as Kirby, but if he could simply relax and let the race breathe and not try to turn every race and every performance into the greatest ever, he may be decent.

    I find Millar, Lloyd, Stephens much better. Blythe is really good. Jose Been is a bit like Hatch unfortunately. Haven't heard enough of McEwan yet.

    By living in Europe for so long, you tend to pick up a little bit of languages through osmosis, so sometimes listening in to the other broadcasts on YouTube or wherever is quite nice. While hardly understanding them is a major issue, tonally I enjoy the Danish, Belgian and Dutch commentaries much more than the ones I'm fluent in (German, English).
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I find Millar has the opposite effect, you could be watching the genuine 'race of the century' and he'd be talking about it like it was a dull Tour transition day.
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,475
    Yes, there is a point to that, but if you put him with 1-2 more excitable people it can balance out quite well.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    ..
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,166
    Pross said:

    I find Millar has the opposite effect, you could be watching the genuine 'race of the century' and he'd be talking about it like it was a dull Tour transition day.

    Are you saying he needs to find some way to enhance his performance?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    Next up, tomorrow afternoon we have the 76th Danilith Nokere Koerse 190kms.

    The route has been slightly beefed up this year, with smattering of some minor climbs and some pave, most notably on the finishing circuit, which at first glance looks unchanged.


    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    Quite a few crashes in the women's race, mostly on the cobbles and the ones that had coverage, were on uphill cobbles.

    Lorena Wiebes made it two on the trot, to get the dominant Dutch back in charge.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    I don’t really know where to put this but since we are talking Classic: Julian Alaphilppe has bronchitis and is out of Saturday’s Milan-San Remo.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,927
    blazing_saddles said:

    I don’t really know where to put this but since we are talking Classic: Julian Alaphilppe has bronchitis and is out of Saturday’s Milan-San Remo.

    I'd put in the MSR thread.
  • jam1e
    jam1e Posts: 1,068
    TheBigBean said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    I don’t really know where to put this but since we are talking Classic: Julian Alaphilppe has bronchitis and is out of Saturday’s Milan-San Remo.

    I'd put in the MSR thread.
    I'd put MSR in the shit small races thread.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    This is what is left after the UCI take a perfectly fine, little stage race and reschedule and repackage it. Today's excuse for a Belgian semi classic.



    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    They missed a bit with the iron at the beginning
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    I notice there’s still room for a 7th rider for UAE at E3, according to procyclingstats. What chance you-know-who might slot in as an option?
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    None, it would seem - to answer my own question…
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    edited March 2022
    OK, it's time to get serious in Belgium with the run into Flanders and the first of a double header weekend. The most Ronde-like race on the calendar, E3 kicks things off tomorrow.





    Hills:

    Katteberg (750 m; 6%) – 175 km
    La Houppe (1880 m; 4,8%) –116 km
    Kanarieberg (1050 m; 7,7%) – 111 km
    Oude Kruisberg (800 m; 4,8%) – 102 km
    Knokteberg (1260 m; 7%) – 96 km
    Hotondberg (1200 m; 4%) – 92 km
    Kortekeer (1000 m; 6,4%) – 84 km
    Taaienberg (700 m; 6,3%) – 80 km
    Berg ten Stene (1300 m; 5,2%) – 70 km
    Boigneberg (1000 m; 5,2%) – 67 km
    Eikenberg (1250 m; 6,2%) – 62 km
    Stationsberg (700 m; 3,2%) – 57 km
    Kapelberg (750 m; 7,1%) – 45 km
    Paterberg (400 m; 12,9%) – 42 km
    Oude Kwaremont (2200 m; 4%) – 39 km
    Karnemelkbeekstraat, E3 Col (1530 m; 4,9%) – 31 km
    Tiegemberg (750 m; 5,6%) – 19 km


    Top competitors:

    VAN AERT Wout
    MOHORIČ Matej
    ASGREEN Kasper
    KÜNG Stefan
    LAPORTE Christophe
    VAN POPPEL Danny
    STUYVEN Jasper
    VAN BAARLE Dylan
    SAGAN Peter
    SENECHAL Florian
    PEDERSEN Mads
    VALGREN Michael
    TURGIS Anthony
    VAN AVERMAET Greg

    Preview with a Sporza narration:

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553
    Proper racing. Love it.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Apologies if I missed it but is there a start list?
    _
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    rick_chasey said:

    Apologies if I missed it but is there a start list?

    For E3? https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/e3-harelbeke/2022/result/startlist
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Thanks. That's perfect.
    _
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    draft..........
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    Honoré (Quickstep) and Ackermann (UAE) both non starters
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited March 2022
    Some strong teams here but Quick Step ain't one of them.

    Jumbo, AG2R, Total and Trek
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    rick_chasey said:

    Some strong teams here but Quick Step ain't one of them.

    Jumbo, AG2R, Total and Trek

    Jumbo have lost Tosh after a crash
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    We are now live with 111kms to go with Dan Lloyd and Robbie McEwen on comms
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,822
    Onto the Kruisberg

    This is proper Flandrien

    1st Jupiler of the day being opened
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Glorious weather.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    takethehighroad said:

    Onto the Kruisberg

    This is proper Flandrien

    1st Jupiler of the day being opened

    Definitely, so I think I will join you with a Leffe.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.

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