2012 Grand Prix de Wallonie (1.1) 12th September

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yeah, we all know Boonen struggles after 250km. Didn't you say Boonen peaked too early at the Tour of Qatar?

again your short of understanding is stunning. I didn't say he struggles after 250 km. but after 250 km with 20 hills he has no chance

 

[El Pistolero]

El Pistrollero, there is a difference between a TDF stage with only 6 hills and 200km (where most of the hills were easy) and this worlds course

There is no comparison. If you want comparison, compare with AGR of the past few years.

Lol, yet you use a 200km race with few hills as evidence he won't win. Did you even watch the race or just checked the results by the way?

Anyway, this Worlds is one of the easiest if we ignore last year.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Anyhow, just to digress a moment from the Boonan dissection.
Great edition, today. Had it all.
Far better than the average Fleche Wallone, even if the field is rather thin in comparison.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Lol, yet you use a 200km race with few hills as evidence he won't win. Did you even watch the race or just checked the results by the way?

Anyway, this Worlds is one of the easiest if we ignore last year.

this wc isn't easy at all. it finish on the cauberg after 250 km

 

[Netserk]

not the same finish at all. but after a meaningless/easy stage of little more than 200 km, or do you think bennatti and orgers will be contenders here also?

I think you misunderstood me. According to the official website, there is the same distance of flat after Cauberg as in 2006. I used it as an argument that EVEN on an easier parcours with the same ~last 2km Boonen couldn't win. = he won't win a sprint at the worlds either.

Worlds '12 are hillier and raced harder than a Tour stage= more trouble for Boonen.

I think the favourites are Piti and Gilbert, NOT Benatti. When Boonen (in '06 when he was stronger than he is now) can't beat Benatti, then no way he can beat Piti.

And one more time: I think you misunderstood me.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think you misunderstood me. According to the official website, there is the same distance of flat after Cauberg as in 2006. I used it as an argument that EVEN on an easier parcours with the same ~last 2km Boonen couldn't win. = he won't win a sprint at the worlds either.

Worlds '12 are hillier and raced harder than a Tour stage= more trouble for Boonen.

I think the favourites are Piti and Gilbert, NOT Benatti. When Boonen (in '06 when he was stronger than he is now) can't beat Benatti, then no way he can beat Piti.

And one more time: I think you misunderstood me.

He had a flat tire at the Cauberg and we all know why Kessler won there. Boonen wasn't actually in good sprint form at all during the Tour '06.

 

[Miburo]

He had a flat tire at the Cauberg and we all know why Kessler won there. Boonen wasn't actually in good sprint form at all during the Tour '06.

Don't think you can use that as an example. Besides in the WC teams will be focused in dropping Boonen.

If the spanish team will focus on Boonen he's pretty much done, problem is that the spanish team always seems to fail.

And easiest WC of the last years? Well i don't know, don't remember the exact profile of the previous ones but i doubt it though.

EDIT: Benatti isn't selected is he?

 

[Pippo_San]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOi6isjujdM&feature=share

watched the last 20kms here, a VERY good race, those last 3kms were awesome (and great sights too!).

a bit disappointed Bakelandts didn't make the last split, he looked very strong...also GVA looked in control, but really wonderful sprint by Simon...Paolini is always there, I guess age caught up on him, he just doesn't have the required sprinting prowess anymore.

 

[ILovecycling]

again your short of understanding is stunning. I didn't say he struggles after 250 km. but after 250 km with 20 hills he has no chance

Exactly.Only leader should be Gilbert.

 

[El Pistolero]

The Ronde has 16 hills.

But of course Ballan, Peter Sagan, Oscar Freire, Thomas Voeckler, Nikki Terpstra, Greg van Avermaet, Bjorn Leukemans, Sylvain Chavanel, Luca Paolini, Matti Breschel and Filippo Pozzato are just third rate cyclists.

 

[brilleaben]

Nationality is a great threat to common sense.

 

[For The World]

I noticed this race didn't get any coverage on the main page of the site. I suspect if Boonen or another big name rider had won it, it might have been different. Just a thought.

 

[The Hitch]

He had a flat tire at the Cauberg and we all know why Kessler won there. Boonen wasn't actually in good sprint form at all during the Tour '06.

And he sure as hell hasnt had much good sprint form since.

 

[Willy_Voet]

The Ronde has 16 hills.

But of course Ballan, Peter Sagan, Oscar Freire, Thomas Voeckler, Nikki Terpstra, Greg van Avermaet, Bjorn Leukemans, Sylvain Chavanel, Luca Paolini, Matti Breschel and Filippo Pozzato are just third rate cyclists.

But, but, but, those hills are cobbles and these hills are paved.

 

[El Pistolero]

But, but, but, those hills are cobbles and these hills are paved.

Yet he won the Ronde twice on the Valkenberg.

 

[El Pistolero]

And he sure as hell hasnt had much good sprint form since.

43 sprint wins(not including overall GCs or green jersey in tour) not good?

And that's after not being invited in the Tour 2008 and having crashed out/get sick in every GT since 2008. You think Cancellara has bad luck? Think again.

 

[Ferminal]

I'm with Pisti

Boonen gets dropped by Nacer Bouhanni, therefore he will be get destroyed on Cauberg 10 days later.

Are we writing off Freire too, because he's spent a couple of days in the break?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

The Ronde has 16 hills.

But of course Ballan, Peter Sagan, Oscar Freire, Thomas Voeckler, Nikki Terpstra, Greg van Avermaet, Bjorn Leukemans, Sylvain Chavanel, Luca Paolini, Matti Breschel and Filippo Pozzato are just third rate cyclists.

other than sagan yes. they are 2nd rated cyclists. none of them come close to winning a real monument like lbl

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Nationality is a great threat to common sense.

one only has to look to el calimero here. it must suck to be belgian I guess.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I'm with Pisti

Boonen gets dropped by Nacer Bouhanni, therefore he will be get destroyed on Cauberg 10 days later.

Are we writing off Freire too, because he's spent a couple of days in the break?

no because freire never stands a chance on cauberg and he never did

 

[El Pistolero]

other than sagan yes. they are 2nd rated cyclists. none of them come close to winning a real monument like lbl

Lol, Freire just won 3 WC and 3 MSR and come extremely close to winning AGR this year. And Voeckler was actually doing very well at LBL and without bad luck could've even won... This year he won the KoM in the Tour along with 2 stages in the mountains. His Brabantse Pijl victory was also very impressive this year. Ballan is a freaking WC and ex-winner of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. He didn't have much problem riding the likes of Contador off his wheel at the Muur in the Eneco Tour. Filippo Pozzato won Tirreno-Adriatico at a very young age. He won Milan-San Remo in style just like he won Omloop het Volk and E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. He's a very talented cyclist, but his racing style and attitude have cost him many wins. Luca Paolini was a super domestique for Paolo Bettini. Yet he has 3 podiums at Monuments and a podium at the WC. It's thanks to him and him alone that Paolo won Milan-San Remo.

Who won LBL? Maxim freaking Iglinsky. The guy that struggled to stay with Boonen and Pozzato during the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen.

Of the Ronde van Vlaanderen podium ALL have won a Monument/GT stages/classics and 2 of them are ex-world champions. Of the LBL podium NO ONE had won a Monument before. You make no sense like usual, but don't let facts distract you.

Greg van Avermaet and Bjorn Leukemans are cyclists that can ride top 10 in just about every Monument they ride, so they're a very good indication of the level of every Monument.

 

[theyoungest]

Van Avermaet and Leukemans are better in the hills than Boonen. It's just on cobbles that Boonen has an advantage.

If Van Avermaet can top-10 in both Flanders and Liege, that doesn't mean that Boonen could do the same.

 

[El Pistolero]

Van Avermaet and Leukemans are better in the hills than Boonen. It's just on cobbles that Boonen has an advantage.

If Van Avermaet can top-10 in both Flanders and Liege, that doesn't mean that Boonen could do the same.

Of course Boonen can't top ten in LBL(although if Cancellara dropped some weight and gave up on Paris-Roubaix I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he did a top 10 there). The hills in the Ronde are much more similar to the hills of Limburg. I was just calling Ryo out on the second rate competition of the Ronde which isn't true.

And like I said, Boonen could drop GvA any day of the week on a hill like the Valkenberg. GvA also got dropped hard on one of the hills of Paris-Tours while Boonen stuck to Gilbert's wheel lol. And last but not least, he won the Belgian Nats against Gilbert in Remouchamps. Ever been there?

I'm not saying Boonen will become WC, just that some here underrate him. I'm cheering for Phil anyway. Boonen won enough this year.