106th Ronde van Vlaanderen: April 3rd, 2022

[Lequack]

If they make Pog any more angry he might just go an win another Tour.

 

[jono]

In the end, Pogi himself has settled the matter, he is not mad. And I said Pogi made the mistake of not taking one last pull, but the great bluff is on VDP. Astute, yes, praiswothy depends on how you like to see a race end.

Option 1: Pogacar actually goes to the front in the final km.
Option 2: Van der Poel leads him out for a sprint.
Option 3: What actually happened.

Option 1 was up to Pogacar, so is VDP leading out Tadej the only "praiseworthy" (whatever the heck that is supposed to mean) option? Van der Poel hardly risked his own result (in the end he easily dusted the other 3) and crushed his rival. That seems the sort of racing to be admired.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

If they make Pog any more angry he might just go an win another Tour.

The guy showed he's good at 2-5 minute cobbles climbs but the Tour is another story: long, high-altitude climbs may prove too much for this classics specialist.

 

[Extinction]

Why is it an ugly style? Poga could have gone away if he wasnt happy with the approach. Each one used its strengths - Poga drilling on every hill and MvdP waiting for a short burst sprint.

Can we possibly say that MVP used his "approach" by hanging on to Pogi on the bergs, when he usually makes the moves. A clean two-up sprint between them would have been just.

 

[Extinction]

Option 1: Pogacar actually goes to the front in the final km.
Option 2: Van der Poel leads him out for a sprint.
Option 3: What actually happened.

Option 1 was up to Pogacar, so is VDP leading out Tadej the only "praiseworthy" (whatever the heck that is supposed to mean) option? Van der Poel hardly risked his own result (in the end he easily dusted the other 3) and crushed his rival. That seems the sort of racing to be admired.

Option 1 for Pog. Option 2 for VDP. Option 3 major pussyfooting on the part of MVP.

PS. MVP was fortunate that at the moment he opened up his sprint, the other two came from behind and only disrupted Pogi's. True, in the end, it was Pogi's own fault, but I still think VDP's win was due to cunning rather than strength.

 

[jmdirt]

LOTTE! Congrats!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

LOTTE! Congrats!

She's not LK?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Good interview but blech, I will never understand mayonnaise on fries (frites).

So many times this. How many times do I see a perfectly decent item of food ruined because some complete *** just decided to put mayonnaise on it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think there will now be bad blood between him and van der Poel

?
Vdp did nothing wrong. I think Pog is mad at Madaouas and Van Baarle

 

[Panda Claws]

I expected this to be the first time that QST was not in the Top-10 but surprisingly this was also the case in 2013,

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He's had an interrupted prep and a lack of race days. We've seen him in the past wasting efforts making ill-advised attacks and still having enough to win. Did he even make one attack in this race?

No. None. He only countered/followed.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I expected this to be the first time that QST was not in the Top-10 but surprisingly this was also the case in 2013,

Qst was beaten by Danny van Poppel (16th)

Just let that sink in.

 

[Lequack]

MVDP is now the favorite to win the Tour.

 

[gunara]

?
Vdp did nothing wrong. I think Pog is mad at Madaouas and Van Baarle

Or just at himself.

or maybe at van Aert lol, things could've been different with him in there

 

[Extinction]

?
Vdp did nothing wrong. I think Pog is mad at Madaouas and Van Baarle

He said he is mad at himself. VDP indeed did nothing wrong, but personally I wasn't excited by the outcome.

 

[Lequack]

Carlton Kirby, when MVDP and Pogacar was distancing the others:
"Its a slap in the face for everyone, it's almost like the Oscars "

 

[yaco]

I thought before today that Pogacar was a freak - Today reinforced my opinion.

 

[jmdirt]

She's not LK?

Yes she is but I love the name Lotte!

 

[postmanhat]

So many times this. How many times do I see a perfectly decent item of food ruined because some complete *** just decided to put mayonnaise on it.

Pfft. Belguim's 3rd greatest export to the Anglosphere was making us realise ketchup was completely unacceptable as a condiment.

 

[Breezy1985]

So many times this. How many times do I see a perfectly decent item of food ruined because some complete *** just decided to put mayonnaise on it.

It's especially disgraceful when you remember that you could have beautiful curry ketchup instead

 

[RedheadDane]

It's especially disgraceful when you remember that you could have beautiful curry ketchup instead

BTW, still stuck on the train?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

He slowed down to force Pog to the front or, if not, let the others come back. Right tactic, but ugly style after Pog made all the difference for him before.

I still don’t get it. He’s trying to win a race. He out-thought Pogacar and played the finale in a way that minimised his chance of losing. For a guy who usually wins just by being the strongest, I thought it was interesting to see him be calculating, clever and ruthless. He doesn’t usually need to use his brain much, but I don’t see why winning without having to use his brain is somehow more beautiful. as it turn out, he would have won just by being the fastest in the sprint anyway but it certainly wouldn’t have been more entertaining for the viewer without the tactical element.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

PS. MVP was fortunate that at the moment he opened up his sprint, the other two came from behind and only disrupted Pogi's. True, in the end, it was Pogi's own fault, but I still think VDP's win was due to cunning rather than strength.

“Fortunate”, do you mean it was luck?
I think it was brilliant timing, VDP completely outplaying Pogacar in that moment. No luck involved.

 

[Sciatic]

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

Watch the overhead again

 

[Extinction]

I still don’t get it. He’s trying to win a race. He out-thought Pogacar and played the finale in a way that minimised his chance of losing. For a guy who usually wins just by being the strongest, I thought it was interesting to see him be calculating, clever and ruthless. He doesn’t usually need to use his brain much, but I don’t see why winning without having to use his brain is somehow more beautiful. That certainly wouldn’t have been more entertaining for the viewer without the tactical element.

I get all that, chapeaux VDP, but for me it still was ugly to watch. To each his own and I had no particular interest in seeing Pogi win.