106th Ronde van Vlaanderen: April 3rd, 2022

[red_flanders]

What a disgraceful sprint by van baarle. He clearly change his line

Straight up nonsense.

 

[KZD]

Pogačar should have started his sprint earlier before the chasers came back but even without that Van der Poel would have won since he was the strongest.

 

[Salvarani]

Great race!

QS really really bad though. They dont got much to show for it at the moment. No rider performing on their team.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I don’t even think this is Van Der Poel’s top top form as I didn’t see him making many attacks today.

I think MvdP is absolutely at his peak. Just because he didn't attack doesn't mean he wasn't at his best. He had enough to just follow that Slovenian freak. Just staying in his wheel is a victory in itself.

 

[Blobs]

Pogacar such a spoiled little brat.showing his true colours

Haha yes. It's easy to be nice when you always win.

 

[jaylew]

They just came with more speed from behind and Pog lost the wheel on MVDP. If he had the wheel and didnt lose 5-10 meters, he wouldnt have got boxed in by the others. Van Baarle or Madouas did nothing wrong there.

This exactly. Losing Mathieu's wheel upon his acceleration lost the podium for him. He clearly would have had no shot to win even if it was just the 2 of them.

 

[Scarponi]

I think MvdP is absolutely at his peak. Just because he didn't attack doesn't mean he wasn't at his best. He had enough to just follow that Slovenian freak. Just staying in his wheel is a victory in itself.

Also knowing you can outsprint him 9/10 times , why would you potentially go into the red attacking

 

[Volderke]

Pogacar could never have won from a short sprint (and the odds were already in favour of MvdP in any sprint), he should have gone long (250-300mtrs).

But it clearly was a Dutch trap Pog was in

 

[Blanco]

I don’t even think this is Van Der Poel’s top top form as I didn’t see him making many attacks today.

You'll see his top form in two weeks He has some unfinished business...

 

[Tim Cahill]

With people coming in fast from behind it's always better to be in P1, just a shame that Madouas or Van Baarle didn't have enough left to go full Bradbury

 

[movingtarget]

Beautifully judged sprint by VDP but a cold one and risky. Pogacar's finish was a major f up and he only has himself to blame by letting the other riders come round him. I thought his best chance was to try a long one and test VDP's stamina. He almost cracked VDP on the final climb but VDP dug deep. Enjoyable edition.

 

[Bolder]

How many people could control their emotions after 6 hours of brutal racing ...

Yeah, I'd have been pissed off too, at least in the heat of the moment. He constantly attacked, rode off the front with the strongest one-day rider in recent years. He just played the last 300 meters wrong -- and yes, DvB chopped him a bit. Nothing to be ashamed of or even to criticize him for.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Dylan Teuns with his teen-moustache (or is it mud) reminds me of Toon Hermans.

 

[jmdirt]

How many people could control their emotions after 6 hours of brutal racing ...

This is a very overlooked thing in discussion forums (for all sports...when you are physically and mentally drained at the end...).

 

[limak_]

I don’t even think this is Van Der Poel’s top top form as I didn’t see him making many attacks today.

There was no need to do so, when Pogi attacked on every single climb from 55km.

 

[greyclouds]

MvdP now the favourite for Le Tour

 

[Ricco']

Awesome from Pogacar! 4th in his first Ronde being a GT focused rider? Nothing short of amazing!

 

[spalco]

Wow at MvdP's acceleration from the helicopter shot!

Right. Van Baarle and Madouas were coming up so fast. MvdP putting the afterburners back on again from virtually a standstill and riding off is incredible.

 

[IndurainsTdF1994]

Roglic has the TdF in the bag.

 

[Peyroteo94]

There is a chance of rain in roubaix. Let's pray and dance for the rain! A pity Colbrelli won't be there

 

[OldCranky]

One of the greatest botches in cycling history. He did an amazing job in preparing for the race, he did a great job until the last km... and then decided to play silly buggers at the last.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes...

 

[GuntherL1]

Dutch commentators acting like the Madouas/Van Baarle group is still a threat.

This comment didn't age well

 

[RedheadDane]

Awesome from Pogacar! 4th in his first Ronde being a GT focused rider? Nothing short of amazing!

Indeed. Says something about him that people - himself included, judging by his disappointment - consider that a bad result.

 

[JosefK]

Just got a text message from my buddy Captain Obvious: "This race was many things. Boring was not one of them."

 

[Red Rick]

This comment didn't age well

I wasn't at my quotum of demented takes for the monument yet.