Amstel Gold *SPOILER*

135

Comments

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    Saxo lost out a tad there...

    Ryder coming through was good to see looked suitably annihilated at the finish

    Gilbert was impressive I thought he had blown it at the bottom of the Cauberg and everyone would come around him...

    gesink?
    "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
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Freire?!

    Glad Andy or Frank didn't get it. I hope they don't get anything at Fleche (if they are entering) and then are super bloody motivated for Liege...then Valverde or Cunego takes it!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243

    gesink?

    Burried himself to get the break back as I am aware.

    Hence my comment regaring Omega's winnings....
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Freire?!

    Glad Andy or Frank didn't get it. I hope they don't get anything at Fleche (if they are entering) and then are super bloody motivated for Liege...then Valverde or Cunego takes it!

    Why?
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Freire?!

    Glad Andy or Frank didn't get it. I hope they don't get anything at Fleche (if they are entering) and then are super bloody motivated for Liege...then Valverde or Cunego takes it!

    Why?

    ^^^
    this

    Why would anyone want Valverde to win a race at the moment.

    Anyway, after his interval session this afternoon, Cadel will probably go for it
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    iainf72 wrote:
    Freire?!

    Glad Andy or Frank didn't get it. I hope they don't get anything at Fleche (if they are entering) and then are super bloody motivated for Liege...then Valverde or Cunego takes it!

    Why?

    ^^^
    this

    Why would anyone want Valverde to win a race at the moment.

    Anyway, after his interval session this afternoon, Cadel will probably go for it

    I'm not fussed about Valvarde winning or not.

    I can't see why anyone would have it in for the Schlecks?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Well I am not defending why I like Valverde for the umpteenth time. I would be very happy if Cadel won too.

    I don't like the Schlecks much, apart from watching the sometimes very interesting dynamic of them working together.

    edit: i don't 'have it in' for the Schlecks, just prefer other riders a lot more.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Well I am not defending while I like Valverde for the umpteenth time. I would be very happy if Cadel won too.

    Regardless of that, it's awful for the sport Frenchie. Wouldn't you prefer the winner of LBL or the Ardennes races not to be banned a month later?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    iainf72 wrote:
    Well I am not defending while I like Valverde for the umpteenth time. I would be very happy if Cadel won too.

    Regardless of that, it's awful for the sport Frenchie. Wouldn't you prefer the winner of LBL or the Ardennes races not to be banned a month later?

    Seems to happen a lot at Amstel anyway.

    2007 results of Amstel:

    1 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner 6.11.49 (40.697 km/h)
    2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 0.21
    3 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 0.22
    4 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Astana 0.23
    5 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 0.24
    6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.27


    Only Boogerd hasn't been banned somewhere, and even he got fingered for Vienna didn't he? Though nothing came of it. Then again, he was retired.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    And look at recent LBL

    2003 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC
    2004 Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner
    2005 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) T-Mobile Team
    2006 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
    2007 Danilo Di Luca (ITA) Liquigas
    2008 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne

    Someone like Pip or Cadel winning would make a nice change of pace :wink:
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ok for further clarification, I don't want Valverde over and above other riders, he is just up there with a handgul of other riders I would be happy to see take the win.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    iainf72 wrote:
    And look at recent LBL

    2003 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC
    2004 Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner
    2005 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) T-Mobile Team
    2006 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
    2007 Danilo Di Luca (ITA) Liquigas
    2008 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne

    Someone like Pip or Cadel winning would make a nice change of pace :wink:

    I thought it was a change of pace that let that lot win? :P
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Those two rankings are pretty interesting, revealing and sad.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Either way, a much better race than last year.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Why doesn't Gilbert have a nickname? A rider as great as him and as liked.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Devastating sprint by Gilbert. Head and shoulders above everyone else today - allez Phillipe! :lol:
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646

    gesink?

    Burried himself to get the break back as I am aware.

    Hence my comment regaring Omega's winnings....

    yes but why?
    "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
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243

    gesink?

    Burried himself to get the break back as I am aware.

    Hence my comment regaring Omega's winnings....

    yes but why?

    At a guess, Freire?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646

    At a guess, Freire?

    doesn't track with me... but you could be right.
    "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
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Sporza apparantly spotted Freire in that final group.


    Could have been Nuyens.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    It might be that he was already struggling and knew he couldn't sprint up the Cauberg, so the team told him to do what he could for Freire. It's a long shot, but if Oscar was feeling good and Gesink was feeling crap, it's better than nothing.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    I don't care who wins the bleeding races.
    I just want to watch a quality, exciting race.
    I can't understand why anybody would prefer to be rider-centric, over race-centric.

    Hopefully Valverde will still be grounded, then he can take God to CAS.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Kolobnev was a little unlucky at the end. He gave it a very good shot though.

    dsc_8590_600.jpg

    Who was that Liquigas rider that attacked hard just when the four were caught?
    Contador is the Greatest
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    Valverde driving with Luisle and Pasamontes to Belgium...2000km :)
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    I don't care who wins the bleeding races.
    I just want to watch a quality, exciting race.
    I can't understand why anybody would prefer to be rider-centric, over race-centric.

    .

    This.

    Unless it's Boonen obviously. :wink:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Kolobnev was a little unlucky at the end. He gave it a very good shot though.

    dsc_8590_600.jpg

    Who was that Liquigas rider that attacked hard just when the four were caught?

    Nibali.
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    As far as Rabo goes, Martens finished 11th, 11 seconds down in the Kroon group, Freire finished 14th at 17 seconds.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Let's be honest; not the first time Rabo have had questionable tactics.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    I think the Rabo's today simply weren't good enough. The Eyserbos is always a pretty clear indication of who's strong, and no Rabo there was pretty telling.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    FJS wrote:
    I think the Rabo's today simply weren't good enough. The Eyserbos is always a pretty clear indication of who's strong, and no Rabo there was pretty telling.

    yeah they rode as though they had a potential race winner.. its that home race must show for he sponsors thing I guess
    "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