2024 Classics thread - Not a spoiler thread
Comments
-
I don't think we are going to see 9 stages all.won by the same sprinter . Going to be hard to get under that super low bar even if we know the winner 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 pm0 -
The thing that irks me is the sense that the "Galaticos" are avoiding each other ...I think this is false sense brought about by chance and crashes
It's more circumstances have conspired to stop them lining up .,. Just unlucky
"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 pm1 -
Milan san Remo wasn't a bad edition
"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 pm0 -
In terms of an exciting finish MSR was the pick of the bunch (other the FW where the big guns didn’t turn up). It’s a shame that some really impressive performances have created dull finishes.
0 -
Overall an individually impressive yet oddly unsatisfying classics season for me. Whilst admiring the level the big players are at it makes for some dull racing. Rather like Red Bull and F1.
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.0 -
Yeah, crashes have definitely not helped with that though. Remco v Pog yesterday would have been interesting, even more interesting if Jonas was fit and rode (although his previous rides there have been mediocre at best).
0 -
Jonas has literally only won a single one day race, and that wasn't WT level, I doubt he's going to light up LBL any time soon
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Sure but I think he'd be more than capable if it was a priority. At present his big advantage for the Tour over Pog is probably that he is specialising whereas Pog just seems to want to win everything he possibly can.
1 -
I just don't think Jonas really has the punch to win races like LBL. His strengths are ability to recuperate (giving him a third week advantage in GTs) and long climbs with a bit of altitude. Give him a 15km climb to 2200m with sections at 9-10% and he'll smoke everyone. Put it in the third week and he'll take minutes. A couple of KM at 10% just won't do it, no matter the 4000m height gain over the race
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
There was an interesting interview with MvdP before LBL start. He was asked what his tactics would be for the race. He said (paraphrased) "this race won't have tactics, it's just the strongest riders fighting it out at the end". The whole season has been like that. Feels like only Mads P brought his brain with him, because he knew he couldn't win a straight strongman battle (he brought tactics last season as well). Helped him win Wevelgem, but he definitely forgot to pack his thinking helmet in Flanders.
In general it feels like we've gone from a sport that's described as "chess on two wheels" to one that's "Top Trumps played from the DS car"
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
I think you're being a bit harsh on Mads in Flanders.
He was still recovering from that awful crash - I suspect the tactics suited the legs.
0 -
He said it himself afterwards "In Flanders I rode with my head up my arse" 😅 He's always brutally honest
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Fair enough. He does currently fill the old Simon Gerrans role of being the tactically smartest rider with a decent finish.
0 -
Arguably without the palmares to match. Yet.
0 -
He just comes across as rude in most interviews to be honest. Not sure why he seemingly revels so much in making interviewers uncomfortable for doing their job.
0 -
He can be pretty brusque sometimes if he thinks the interviewer is asking stupid/low-quality questions. Ask better questions and you get better answers. His Danish interviews are full of detail and humour
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
