1 Lump or 2? Flanders Fortnight and the Road to Roubaix *Spoilers*

joey54321 wrote:

I love that the WVA Vs MVdP rivalry has moved from cross to road. It's the new Boonen Vs Cancellara!

Allegedly so, but I think on the road van der Poel has quite a significant edge. Van Aert has a look of Sep Vanmarcke about him.. very unlikely to win a sprint but will be heavily marked

BigMat wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

VdP tore it up early. Real deal innee?

He's going to win a lot. Is there going to be a world tour bidding war for him?

I don't think World Tour has much to offer him. Also, Canyon already pay him over 1M a year.

AndyRAC wrote:

gsk82 wrote:

BigMat wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

VdP tore it up early. Real deal innee?

He's going to win a lot. Is there going to be a world tour bidding war for him?

Ineos need someone

He'll only move somewhere that allows him to combine disciplines - so at the moment he's at the right team. CX, MTB, Road...... and seemingly World class in all 3....Ridiculous talent.

So long as he doesn't do a Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and over stretch himself.

I would have thought trying to combine a full on road season with CX and MTB would be too much.

arnuf wrote:

BigMat wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

VdP tore it up early. Real deal innee?

He's going to win a lot. Is there going to be a world tour bidding war for him?

I don't think World Tour has much to offer him. Also, Canyon already pay him over 1M a year.

But when does he get bored of cross? And also when do the public and Canyon get bored of VdP?

Don't just tease it! :P

The Welsh bloke on the Bespoke podcast told an amusing story about being in Flanders for De Ronde

My retelling of the story:
A Welshman walks into a bar
Barman: Alright, how are you
Welsh: Good, I'm here for the Tour of Flanders, you up for it.
Barman: No I hate cycling and everything about it. So where are you from? England?
Welsh: No Wales
Barman: I reckon Geraint Thomas has got a chance
Welsh: I thought you hated cycling
Barman: Just because I hate it, it doesn't mean I don't know about it.

gsk82 wrote:

Cruff wrote:

Luke Rowe has been mightily impressive this year. Sneaky feeling about either the Ronde or PR...

He's looked strong mostly. But hasn't been in a decisive move out ever looked liked winning. Take it his support work in Paris Nice, what had he done in the classics apart from be in an unsuccessful move in Gent Wevelgem?

I'd love to see him do something at the weekend, but I haven't seen aything yet this eason that makes me think he has the punch to stick with the attacks on the bergs at the business end of proceedings. That said, if he can keep within toucing distance, that long run in to Oudenaarde suits him pretty well...

Overall, he seems better suited to Roubaix, as is Stannard, so maybe Sky / Ineos can do something there (Moscon seems to be finding some form as well which would help).

Rowe seems to be going well for sure, but I am not sure he has a 'winning move'. He won't win in a sprint from a small group so really has to get away solo. Perhaps while other favourites are marking each other out he could slip away?

BigMat wrote:

gsk82 wrote:

Cruff wrote:

Luke Rowe has been mightily impressive this year. Sneaky feeling about either the Ronde or PR...

He's looked strong mostly. But hasn't been in a decisive move out ever looked liked winning. Take it his support work in Paris Nice, what had he done in the classics apart from be in an unsuccessful move in Gent Wevelgem?

I'd love to see him do something at the weekend, but I haven't seen aything yet this eason that makes me think he has the punch to stick with the attacks on the bergs at the business end of proceedings. That said, if he can keep within toucing distance, that long run in to Oudenaarde suits him pretty well...

Overall, he seems better suited to Roubaix, as is Stannard, so maybe Sky / Ineos can do something there (Moscon seems to be finding some form as well which would help).

Yeah, I think PR is a better shot for him. Unless a select group gets away on the run in at ToF and doesn't include anyone with a sprint, like GVA or Sagan, he hasn't got enough of a sprint to win. Ideal situation for him would be a group like Jungels, Benoot, Vanmarcke and a pro conti rider or two. He seems to ride the cobbles well, but has sh1tty luck, and with PR being a bit of a lottery its not out of the realms of possibility that he gets away with a select group and punctures on the run-in

This year he looks like he's got the legs to go with some moves, but he's either choosing not to or isn't in the right position to. Unfortunately this looking like he had the legs to go with the moves is after they've already gone.

Rowe would do well to get top 5. I suspect he's got less than evens to be top 5.

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

gsk82 wrote:

Cruff wrote:

Luke Rowe has been mightily impressive this year. Sneaky feeling about either the Ronde or PR...

He's looked strong mostly. But hasn't been in a decisive move out ever looked liked winning. Take it his support work in Paris Nice, what had he done in the classics apart from be in an unsuccessful move in Gent Wevelgem?

Well, considering his terrible injury that effected last year, as well as being singled out for ridiculous Dqf in Flanders and having his '17 classics campaign ended by Vanmarcke taking him down and out, again in Flanders:

5th
Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres ('16)
5th
Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne ('17)
6th
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad ('17)
6th
Dwars door Vlaanderen - A travers la Flandre ('19)
6th
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite ('16)
8th
Paris - Roubaix ('15)

He's seriously strong, in pn it looked like he was playing in the wind for fun as he destroyed the peloton, I really hope he has enough of a punch to make it to a win.

that's the thing. he's got a monster engine but has to be allowed to get away. which, of course he won't.

hanshotfirst wrote:

Does anyone have any essential Pre-Flanders video recommendations? Watching with the girlfriend on Sunday so something to show a newbie to be like "this is going to be awesome, here, watch this while I nip down to ASDA to buy 12 Duvels."

Have her check out Mitchelton Scott's backstage pass for the year Matthew Heyman won Paris Roubaix on YouTube. Is P-R and not Flanders, but she will definitely enjoy it. Isn't that long either which helps at the beginning. Roubaix is coming up then and she will be primed for it.

hanshotfirst wrote:

Does anyone have any essential Pre-Flanders video recommendations? Watching with the girlfriend on Sunday so something to show a newbie to be like "this is going to be awesome, here, watch this while I nip down to ASDA to buy 12 Duvels."

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/de-ronde-1 ... ronde-102/

This sh!ts on anything else in the recent past re flanders.

About a third of it is in English and the rest is fairly self explanatory. Gives a great view of how stressful the race is and how hard these guys really are racing.