Liege Bastogne Liege-7 hour monument, Sunday, April 21, 2024

[velaso montador]

UAE's Strade Bianche tactic was go full gas from km 0 then when all the guys are done, Pogacar attacks. Let's see if they've come up with something new.

think seeing from the lineup one could expect something more or less the same this time.

 

[Blanco]

Who? I only know MVDP, the guy who will win on sunday.

I said he will attack there, didn't say he will win. Van Der Poel will win of course, who else?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Headwind is what makes group clot together.

Besides, it makes it also less trivial for Pogacar to drop all the others in the first place. It also makes the peloton go slower and thus nerf Pogacars edge in fatigue resistance and flat engine in the final 4h of the race.

There's a reason everyone has waited for RaF before Evenepoel and it's not because Redoute is a naturally great place to attack. And besides, both Evenepoel attacks were with a tailwind IIRC

It's not like the entire peloton is going to stick together until RaF because there is a headwind. So if Pogacar goes on RaF after 240km, it's not like MvdP can sit in the back of a big Alpecin train and wait for others to bring him back. At that time, it will be a reduced group of 10-40 guys and any of the domestiques still there will not be strong enough to control or reel back Pogacar. So whoever still wants to have a chance, will need to get his hands dirty. But who is going to lead a chase into a headwind to catch Pogacar to the benefit of Van der Poel? And all of this is assuming Van der Poel isn't dropped like an hour ago at that point.

 

[Peyroteo94]

UAE's Strade Bianche tactic was go full gas from km 0 then when all the guys are done, Pogacar attacks. Let's see if they've come up with something new.

For what? The strategy should be: ride as hard as possible until La Redoute, Pog will do the rest.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I agree with @Red Rick points regarding head-wind race, which usually sticks riders together. The two main questions are:
1) What will be the state of the peleton once Pogacar decides to attack. Will they be able to form organized head-wind chase or will they be too weak and too few to do anything (due to UAE drilling the pace and generally cold conditions when Teddy burns glicogene like none other).

2) Will anybody be explosive enough to jump on Pogacar's wheel when he attacks (it should be easier in the headwind). If so then who will it be? Pogacar can smoke small boys on the line but not a big boy like MVP (in this case he will probably finish a 2-man sprint in the 4th place).

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Ok, looking at today's race and newest Sunday's forecast (similar to today but maybe less precipitation) I'm changing my mind: it will be a demolition and wind (more cross- than head- in the finale) won't change that.

 

[Potomac]

I'm expecting this race to have a winning time of exactly 7 hours.
Not 6:59.
Not 7:01.
7:00!

That's a bold statement.

 

[RedheadDane]

That's a bold statement.

The headline is a bold statement!

 

[Samamba]

Actually same weather as today predicted for Sunday.... 6 max degrees in the Ardennes, possible snow. Still early ofcourse.

So yeah if this actually turns into a cold wet race again the headwind really won't matter.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Pogacar to go solo 40 kms out, MVDP to realize he has to prepare specifically for this race in order to win.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Pogacar to go solo 40 kms out, MVDP to realize he has to prepare specifically for this race in order to win.

Or perhaps prepare the Ardennes a little better for his own good, e.g. by hammering down the worst hills just a tad in levels, offsetting the slight advantage to his biggest competitor...

Not convinced here that MvDP stands a chance to the experts in this race if raced hard, even in his best version...and it's gonna be raced hard on sunday I'm pretty convinced.

 

[RedheadDane]

Or perhaps prepare the Ardennes a little better for his own good, e.g. by hammering down the worst hills just a tad in levels, offsetting the slight advantage to his biggest competitor...

You'd need a pretty big hammer for that.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

You'd need a pretty big hammer for that.

Ok so, but still easier than moving hills.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Ok so, but still easier than moving hills.

But harder than moving barriers to change the route.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

But harder than moving barriers to change the route.

Sounds spectacular, but admire your thinking out-of-the-box

 

[Gratemans]

Well, Skjelmose doesn't seem to lack confidence...

Mattias Skjelmose reageert koeltjes in aanloop naar Luik: “Ben in de vorm van mijn leven”

Interview Mattias Skjelmose haalde woensdag alle voorpagina’s van de wielermedia. Na de ijsregen in de Waalse Pijl werd hij compleet schokkend en onderkoeld van zijn fiets naar de ploegbus gedragen. Het gaat intussen een stuk beter met hem. “Al voelde de benen tijdens de verkenning van...

www.wielerflits.nl

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Well, Skjelmose doesn't seem to lack confidence...

Mattias Skjelmose reageert koeltjes in aanloop naar Luik: “Ben in de vorm van mijn leven”

Interview Mattias Skjelmose haalde woensdag alle voorpagina’s van de wielermedia. Na de ijsregen in de Waalse Pijl werd hij compleet schokkend en onderkoeld van zijn fiets naar de ploegbus gedragen. Het gaat intussen een stuk beter met hem. “Al voelde de benen tijdens de verkenning van...

www.wielerflits.nl

They came to the shocking conclusion that weight loss has a negative effect in cold circumstances. Who would have thunk it.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

[deleted content]

Teddy looks fat and ready to rule in cold Ardennes!

 

[topcat]

They came to the shocking conclusion that weight loss has a negative effect in cold circumstances. Who would have thunk it.

There's still a lot of drinks that I ain't drunk
Lots of pretty thoughts that I ain't thunk
Lord, there's still so many crazy polls
In this best of all possible worlds

 

[jsem94]

I'm all for a bit of banter and such, but these thread starts have begun to really piss me the **** off at this point. I want the route map and profile, maybe start list in the OP. Maybe even a write up as was common years ago on this forum. At this point, just put a link to PCS and be done with it then.

That being said, Pogi to win by a landslide.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I'm all for a bit of banter and such, but these thread starts have begun to really piss me the **** off at this point. I want the route map and profile, maybe start list in the OP. Maybe even a write up as was common years ago on this forum. At this point, just put a link to PCS and be done with it then.

That being said, Pogi to win by a landslide.

I feel personally responsible for this as I started a race thread for fleche wallone whilst out drinking. You know when your friends go back to the bar, it's too early to be on the dancefloor , but you are still already losing hinhibitions. So I went to cn and made a fleche thread. I didn't mean for this to happen, I think I started a bad trend. I want a nice informative forum. I am sorry

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Quickstep just announced that Fausto is doing this race! MASSIVE NEWS . Hopefully it can be again a great performance if the weather is good.

 

[topcat]

I'm all for a bit of banter and such, but these thread starts have begun to really piss me the **** off at this point. I want the route map and profile, maybe start list in the OP. Maybe even a write up as was common years ago on this forum. At this point, just put a link to PCS and be done with it then.

That being said, Pogi to win by a landslide.

Under no circumstances.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I'm all for a bit of banter and such, but these thread starts have begun to really piss me the **** off at this point. I want the route map and profile, maybe start list in the OP. Maybe even a write up as was common years ago on this forum. At this point, just put a link to PCS and be done with it then.

That being said, Pogi to win by a landslide.

By Redoute he'll be the only rider remaining with all his competitors already in warm buses cheering for him on TV.

 

[Froome]

Quickstep just announced that Fausto is doing this race! MASSIVE NEWS . Hopefully it can be again a great performance if the weather is good.

It's a shame Evenepol will not be there to help the Great Fausto, but i believe Masnada will get the job done!