106th Ronde van Vlaanderen: April 3rd, 2022

[hayneplane]

Are we definitely sure that they are being fully open about this and not trying to make him seem worse to throw people off a bit. Not like another recon ride is essential to him given how well he will already know the key parts of the route.

 

[TomBonnen2005]

Lmao at people thinking Laporte and Van Aert would do am E3 here with MvdP and Pog here.

Clearly, it's crazy to imagine Laporte/Van Aert replicating Turner/Pidock move to isolate a Pogacar. What happened to Pogacar in DDV cannot happen in the RVV, he now knows he has to avoid race incidents.

And indeed, how could we even imagine that a MVDP who only had one month of training could struggle to follow Laporte/Van Aert after 230km of racing when it was so easy for him to follow JV third men on Wednesday.

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509470972444823556

View: https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1509470972444823556?s=20&t=Z_7ivZF5CD-gUB1B0xeiOw

 

[Lequack]

Seems slender man signals the start of the countdown

 

[tobydawq]

Van Aert getting sick now... What did he imagine would happen when he was crossing the line first in Omloop? Does he know nothing about cycling mythology, smh?

 

[MartinGT]

What a disaster for the race

Lets not jump to massive conclusions.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Is this the same WVA who said his form was unknown going into the cross season, only to obliterate all other competitors throughout his races. Something tells me this is a bluff and he will come out all guns blazing with a super plan.

 

[Lequack]

The Koppenberg Trap (Tour des Flandres 1982)

 

[Breezy1985]

I've done the same journey in the past. Getting there early enough for the start of the women's race and leaving 90 minutes after the finish there were no problems with the train. The only packed train I've seen going to races in that part of the world was the Maastricht to Valkenburg train for the Amstel Gold.

That makes me feel a lot better. My only big race before this were the Leeds Worlds and the train was crazy. I really don't want to miss the bus back to Oudenaarde and have to walk as I plan on having a few Oude Kwaremonts on Oude Kwaremont. Completely forget the women are on the same day and not Saturday. The Day keeps getting better.

Now all I need is for all the top riders to stop getting sick.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Seems slender man signals the start of the countdown

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

In fact it's the director of "Flanders Classics", Thomas Van Der Spiegel. A ex-basketballplayer. Unfortunately, the man has a hand in different sport organisations. He worked after his sportcareer for the very dubious Optima bank. Where he and his boss Jeroen Piqueur scammed hundreds of customers. Customers who were often (ex) athletes. Who invested their money earned during their career in it... and saw this partially or completely disappear.
.
The bank was closed, went bankrupt, but only the big boss Piqueur was prosecuted. Van Der Spiegel then turned its tentacles to various sports organizations. Making big money, manipulation of sports organizations and competitions are now his specialty.

So, not only a slender man, but also a slenderman.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Is this the same WVA who said his form was unknown going into the cross season, only to obliterate all other competitors throughout his races. Something tells me this is a bluff and he will come out all guns blazing with a super plan.

I still believe that the official Jumbo Visma account wouldn't tweet that out without something going on.

 

[Lequack]

In fact it's the director of "Flanders Classics", Thomas Van Der Spiegel. A ex-basketballplayer. Unfortunately, the man has a hand in different sport organisations. He worked after his sportcareer for the very dubious Optima bank. Where he and his boss Jeroen Piqueur scammed hundreds of customers. Customers who were often (ex) athletes. Who invested their money earned during their career in it... and saw this partially or completely disappear.
.
The bank was closed, went bankrupt, but only the big boss Piqueur was prosecuted. Van Der Spiegel then turned its tentacles to various sports organizations. Making big money, manipulation of sports organizations and competitions are now his specialty.

So, not only a slender man, but also a slenderman.

Darn! Thanks for the information, you learn something every day.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I am starting to think Asgreen will win again, last year Quick Step wasn't great too after all

Alaphilippe was really active and important in the phase of the race leading up to Asgreen, MVP and WVA getting away. His attack on Koppenberg for example forced MVP and WVA to work quite hard to catch him. I'm sure Asgreen will miss a team mate with the qualities of Ala this year.

 

[Billie]

Why no Haaghoek-Leberg on the route?

 

[Lequack]

No Kragh Andersen

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I've done the same journey in the past. Getting there early enough for the start of the women's race and leaving 90 minutes after the finish there were no problems with the train. The only packed train I've seen going to races in that part of the world was the Maastricht to Valkenburg train for the Amstel Gold.

that's because the train to Valkenburg is not an intercity train but a "sprinter" which are small compact trains on routes that usually don't transfer a lot of people.

 

[SafeBet]

Lets not jump to massive conclusions.

I don't know if it's massive but it has been a recurring theme this year in the major Classics.
First Strade Bianche, then Sanremo, now Flanders. Every day you wake up and hope a top rider won't pull out.

The race might be more open, but it's still sad.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The best strategy to MVP is attacking with 71 km to go and hoping for Pogacar to follow him.

 

[Lequack]

What does Alphillipe say?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509519887785472001

View: https://twitter.com/EBotteldoorne/status/1509519887785472001?s=20&t=uFcSBJ404ta3rVfov6GFFw

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The best strategy to MVP is attacking with 71 km to go and hoping for Pogacar to follow him.

or hope Alpecin is stronger than they have been and can keep it somewhat controlled and explode on the kwaremont/pater combo

 

[Billie]

What does Alphillipe say?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509519887785472001

View: https://twitter.com/EBotteldoorne/status/1509519887785472001?s=20&t=uFcSBJ404ta3rVfov6GFFw

"Bonne chance dimanche."

"Merci. Je ne fait pas la course hein."

Good Luck Sunday.

Thank you. I do not do the race on sunday.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

"Merci. Je ne fait pas la course hein."

QuickStep to introduce a new rider sunday, with what might appear to be a fake moustache. His name Julio Alapolianski.

 

[Breezy1985]

As MVDP grows stronger, other grow weaker. It's in the prophecy.

New master of the voodoo

 

[MartinGT]

I don't know if it's massive but it has been a recurring theme this year in the major Classics.
First Strade Bianche, then Sanremo, now Flanders. Every day you wake up and hope a top rider won't pull out.

The race might be more open, but it's still sad.

We all want the big riders to race, but MVDP is back, Pidcock looks to be getting stronger and then throw in GVA looking good. Fingers crossed this isnt a dull race!