106th Ronde van Vlaanderen: April 3rd, 2022

[Zinoviev Letter]

Welp, this sucks

Why? it’s a really entertaining set up for the finale. basically nobody who had a chance is out of it yet, but the biggest favourites will have to do something worth watching to win. What more do you want at this point?

 

[Didinho]

Big gap now, it's getting really dangerous

 

[SafeBet]

Domestiques needs to give everything in the next 10 km and hope to get the gap down. It's more than a minute now.

 

[Salvarani]

Peloton have a change if the soon bigger group dont cooperate. With +20 riders. There is always gonna be riders skipping turn. The ones being caught wont help much. They will likely start attacking each other.

But a big effort is needed from the favorites in the peloton. Not totally impossible if they got plenty left in the tank.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

If the peloton is actually 1:13 down very few if any will see the front of the race again.

 

[postmanhat]

No need to be pessimistic. The favorites have to go all out on the Kwaremont now to have a small chance. Will be a very interesting finale because of it.

Agreed. This is a great scenario for the last 60K

 

[ice&fire]

I can't see G2 staying together after Kwaremont, Paterberg and Koppenberg. This is far from over for G3.

 

[KZD]

1min is a huge difference right now, Pedresen might really win this after all.

 

[glassmoon]

Over 1 minute to really strong group... seems 50/50 right now

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Agreed. This is a great scenario for the last 60K

So much more fun when no team is in the position to gain a stranglehold on the race.

 

[glassmoon]

If the G2 is going to win... I hope it's Pedersen

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

i forget who Bahrain are even working for.

 

[Volderke]

The peloton had to wait for dropped riders; between Kanarieberg and Kwaremont are 14 kms.
If Pogacar attacked on Kanarieberg, he would have done the same as in Dwars: end up in no-mansland.

So their only hope now is to get the difference down to around 30 seconds and go full on Kwaremont.

 

[Mayomaniac]

i forget who Bahrain are even working for.

Maybe Mohoric

 

[Netserk]

Place your bets on the best finisher of those up ahead, before the Kwaremont begins.

My bet: Van Hooydonck
Dark horse: Haller

 

[Peyroteo94]

Very smart decision from the peloton. Now they have a lot of domestiques to close the gap

 

[Devil's Elbow]

What on earth is G2 doing? Surely almost all of them have the incentive to keep going...

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah... G2 getting a bit too big now. Everybody dont want to pull.

Peloton have a chance to gain time.

 

[Volderke]

G2 is a bit too big. Some are saving for Kwaremont. Vermeersch is obviously dragging.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Moer (Alpecin) going back to the car.

Mid-race transfer?

 

[ppanther92]

If they keep it within 20-25 seconds until the kwaremont I think they can. If the gap is larger as it is now, I think it might be quite difficult.

Thing is that quite a few of the riders might stop working in Group2. But guys like Pedersen, Bettiol etc. Are no joke.

Looks worse now.

 

[Didinho]

Alpecin 5 guys in front of Mathieu. They will u the pace in the last part before the Kwaremont

 

[KZD]

gap is below 40 seconds now, I think Alpecin will attack in Oude Kwarenmont

 

[Salvarani]

Far from over.

 

[Netserk]

What on earth is G2 doing? Surely almost all of them have the incentive to keep going...

But the distribution of work is hardly a trivial matter.