Étoile de Bessèges 2023 (February 1-5)

[Samu Cuenca]

Great ride by De Lie!

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

I didn't get the de lie hype, but now i do...all aboard

 

[Red Rick]

Pedersen and Cosnefroy are no smugs to beat on a finish like this.

 

[DNP-Old]

Van Avermaet needs to retire.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

That was quite a climb from last year's sprint sensation.

 

[Samamba]

He's a monster. I expected him to be good on this but not him to beat Pedersen.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

De Lie might just be
the next best thing
but not quite me

 

[Ilmaestro99]

DeLie is fcking annoying, he's gonna beat all my favourite riders this year whilst looking super ugly on the bike

 

[Squire]

What a beast. Except Pedersen, all the others up there in the top 10 are more climby types.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Pedersen and Cosnefroy both on the limit and still he's able to accelerate. Surely the big wins are just around the corner?

 

[Samamba]

Pedersen and Cosnefroy both on the limit and still he's able to accelerate. Surely the big wins are just around the corner?

Well depends if he can handle 250k ofcourse. He did good in Plouay last year but that's a lower level than the monuments ofcourse.
If GW is like last year he should have a chance tho. And MSR maybe... but that's all about placement imo, not his best quality.

No doubt in my mind that he will win big races in the future tho, just maybe not this year yet.

 

[Berflamand]

It's been said before but it really does look like he's Tom Boonen and PhilGil morphed into one. He's still only 20 years old.

 

[DNP-Old]

Even if Ewan has a big year, which is very possible given how good he's looked without any support from UniSa, Lotto should let him walk and throw all their money in the De Lie, Van Eetvelt, Segaert basket.

 

[Samamba]

Even if Ewan has a big year, which is very possible given how good he's looked without any support from UniSa, Lotto should let him walk and throw all their money in the De Lie, Van Eetvelt, Segaert basket.

I mean they will after 2024 100%. It wouldn't be bad if Ewan wants to leave at the end of 2023 but I doubt he will (he's on a biiiiig contract and he knows he can't get that anywhere else right now).

Also Ridley should 100% push money in to keep De Lie riding on their bikes. Most big bike brands have a superstar riding on their bike, this is Ridley's chance.

 

[DNP-Old]

I mean they will after 2024 100%. It wouldn't be bad if Ewan wants to leave at the end of 2023 but I doubt he will (he's on a biiiiig contract and he knows he can't get that anywhere else right now).

Also Ridley should 100% push money in to keep De Lie riding on their bikes. Most big bike brands have a superstar riding on their bike, this is Ridley's chance.

Meant after this season, yes. Should have specified that. A lot more difficult than it sounds, but if the opportunity arises, capitalize immediately and don't look back, even if Ewan has his best year to date. As bright as the future looks right now, it could be over before it's even well underway, with all three on such short contracts.

 

[Berniece]

Van Avermaet needs to retire.

Why? Didn't he ride for Cosnefroy?

 

[Samamba]

Meant after this season, yes. Should have specified that. A lot more difficult than it sounds, but if the opportunity arises, capitalize immediately and don't look back, even if Ewan has his best year to date. As bright as the future looks right now, it could be over before it's even well underway, with all three on such short contracts.

I honestly think Ewan needs to have a good year for him to leave. He cares about the money (nothing wrong with that) and if he doesn't start winning some bigger races soon noone is going to give him a contract that comes close the one he has at Lotto. Plus, there isn't a lot of teams that go full sprint mode anymore in the Tour for example. Not that many options.

But I do agree btw, If Ewan wants to leave they should not think twice. Way better ways to invest that money. You can build a really solid team around De Lie and probably Van Eetvelt. You have enough talent next to it already too if they also keep making steps (thinking about Campenaerts, Van Moer, Vermeersch, Segaert, Beullens for De Lie and guys like Kron, Van Gils, Moniquet, ... for Van Eetvelt). Should probably find one or 2 more experience decent climbers but that's it I would say.

It's also very important for Lotto that they keep showing to the Belgian youth that they can develop youngsters (Van Eetvelt very important to show they can develop climbers, Lambrechts death hurt the team in more ways than people think) because they are losing some ground in the u23 recruitment proces (with QS Devo and Intermarché Devo team now, but also more foreign teams being interest in the best Belgian juniors).

 

[DNP-Old]

Why? Didn't he ride for Cosnefroy?

Watch the build up to Pedersen's attack/sprint. He got dropped like a stone by De Buyst who was eating wind for about a kilometer. It hurt to watch, yet Greg himself still thinks he can push - prikjes uitdelen, he called it - Van der Poel and Van Aert.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Watch the build up to Pedersen's attack/sprint. He got dropped like a stone by De Buyst who was eating wind for about a kilometer. It hurt to watch, yet Greg himself still thinks he can push - prikjes uitdelen, he called it - Van der Poel and Van Aert.

He let the wheel go to De Buyst, so Pedersen had to accelerate to close it. That was actually pretty smart, if it was deliberate that is.

 

[DNP-Old]

He let the wheel go to De Buyst, so Pedersen had to accelerate to close it. That was actually pretty smart, if it was deliberate that is.

Given how he dropped through the peloton like he was riding with bags of sand on his back, I'd very much doubt it. Can't rewind on the l'Equipe player unfortunately, but from what I saw I am very worried.

 

[Berniece]

Given how he dropped through the peloton like he was riding with bags of sand on his back, I'd very much doubt it. Can't rewind on the l'Equipe player unfortunately, but from what I saw I am very worried.

Here you go

He was indeed dropped hard, but imo it was because he already did a lot of work. It's not like he was the leader and then gets dropped. He put in the work, and his legs explode.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Given how he dropped through the peloton like he was riding with bags of sand on his back, I'd very much doubt it. Can't rewind on the l'Equipe player unfortunately, but from what I saw I am very worried.

It's still early days, and I assume Cosnefroy is the clear leader, so I wouldn't be to worried yet. On the other hand I don't have a lot of trust in him making a great comeback either.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

It's still early days, and I assume Cosnefroy is the clear leader, so I wouldn't be to worried yet. On the other hand I don't have a lot of trust in him making a great comeback either.

I don't see him winning GT or smaller race stages. But the guy has an engine like a truck. Wouldn't be surprised if he podiumed a monument.

 

[Red Rick]

Watch the build up to Pedersen's attack/sprint. He got dropped like a stone by De Buyst who was eating wind for about a kilometer. It hurt to watch, yet Greg himself still thinks he can push - prikjes uitdelen, he called it - Van der Poel and Van Aert.

Wasn't it GvA who blamed the COVID vaccination for not winning anymore, even though he hadn't won *** for like 2 years before COVID even happened?

 

[Didinho]

De Lie is a monster