2012 Montepaschi Strade Bianche

[LugHugger]

did you watch the race at all? BMC should have won this with Ballan-they just lost it due to poor tactics

What??? Ballan couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag, He'll never win a classic/semi classic race against any kind of half decent group like we saw today. He doesn't have the guts or the brains to win without prep.

 

[LugHugger]

I'm afraid it's going to be a boring cobbled classics season again by the way

Boring watching the best cobbled classic rider win? WTF is wrong with you???? Cancellara has the potential to become the new Mr PR - if it's boring, it won't be his fault, it will be the fault of his opponents. There are no forgone conclusions on the cobbles, see last year for evidence.

 

[profff]

you are talking about somebody who won a monument ( flanders) and has been world champion, something that very few have accomplished

 

[LugHugger]

Spartacus...the Beast is Back He showed form in Oman..... Even though I have no use for RSLT, I hope he has a great spring!

+100% I'm all for variety but when you see a guy a like Cancellara ride, you just have to say 'chapeau'. The rider I hate to love

 

[LugHugger]

you are talking about somebody who won a monument ( flanders) and has been world champion, something that very few have accomplished

one word - preparation

 

[roundabout]

last 3 years Ballan has been rather anonymous. Not quite Devolder anonymous, but more anonymous than one would expect from a man of his "accomplishments".

 

[Froome19]

last 3 years Ballan has been rather anonymous. Not quite Devolder anonymous, but more anonymous than one would expect from a man of his "accomplishments".

That could be interpreted as a clinic post

 

[maltiv]

last 3 years Ballan has been rather anonymous. Not quite Devolder anonymous, but more anonymous than one would expect from a man of his "accomplishments".

He was back to his usual level last year, really. With a little more luck he could've won RVV again.

 

[Maxiton]

Haha Cancellara accidentally gets out of the saddle at 2:07. But then he's like LOL WTF AM I DOING and sits back down.

LOL. So true.

It's a pleasure to watch this machine that is Spartacus racing and winning again.

All the Cancellara wins in the world won't make me like his team, but his team won't lesson my enjoyment of watching him race.

 

[LugHugger]

He was back to his usual level last year, really. With a little more luck he could've won RVV again.

Hmmm, given the guys still riding strongly in the last 5km, make that a miracle...

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

The spring is here because the god Fabu is back on form, and by will alone he allows it to be spring time. This year he will take horrible revenge on those who conspired against him last year! Besides the joyous bellowing of drunkards on the side of the road, reveling in the glory of Fabu, we will hear only the shrill cries of agony from those pathetic mortals who would try to make his heart rate go above 76%, or cause him to perspire, whichever might come first.

 

[Maxiton]

The spring is here because the god Fabu is back on form, and by will alone he allows it to be spring time. This year he will take horrible revenge on those who conspired against him last year! Besides the joyous bellowing of drunkards on the side of the road, reveling in the glory of Fabu, we will hear only the shrill cries of agony from those pathetic mortals who would try to make his heart rate go above 76%, or cause him to perspire, whichever might come first.

An inspired post. My commendations.

 

[Angliru]

Well, hindsight is always 20/20, but when GVA went, my first thought was "Okay, in 2-3 minutes Fabu will pull a Fabu and solo to victory". I think they should have sandbagged until the finish and constantly 1-2 there.

That was my similar sentiment but maybe a bit earlier than the finish. It may not have mattered though. He was obviously the strongest.

 

[woodenswan]

The spring is here because the god Fabu is back on form, and by will alone he allows it to be spring time. This year he will take horrible revenge on those who conspired against him last year! Besides the joyous bellowing of drunkards on the side of the road, reveling in the glory of Fabu, we will hear only the shrill cries of agony from those pathetic mortals who would try to make his heart rate go above 76%, or cause him to perspire, whichever might come first.

well said sir!

 

[Angliru]

The spring is here because the god Fabu is back on form, and by will alone he allows it to be spring time. This year he will take horrible revenge on those who conspired against him last year! Besides the joyous bellowing of drunkards on the side of the road, reveling in the glory of Fabu, we will hear only the shrill cries of agony from those pathetic mortals who would try to make his heart rate go above 76%, or cause him to perspire, whichever might come first.

LOL!! This for some reason reminds me of Cancellara's pronouncement last year to all his opponents prior to either RVV or Paris-Roubaix that the Cancellara plane was about to take off and they all better buckle up (or something like that)! Your name wouldn't happen to be Nygard would it?

 

[Kvinto]

They had 3 guys in the lead group. Farrar, Haussler and Hushovd. Vaugthers told them to do nothing. 5 minutes later, Hushovd and Haussler were dropped - despite doing nothing! So what do you think they should have done? Sent Farrar to the front to make sure Hushovd and Haussler were dropped even earlier?

At that point of race? Of course nothing.
But when the cobbled classics' oriented team is being left with just 3 riders in about 50-men bunch and two out of these three are that spent (while i remember only Hushovd working at front) the first thing that comes to my mind is that they were doing nothing too often that day, no? It might have been just a bad day, i dunno, but that's how i remember that race and Vaughters' comments only emphasized this feeling.

 

[BillytheKid]

OK that was a quick reminder of the CANCELLATOR. Gads! Crushing.
I know I only keep one eye on cycling these days. But Gads!


http://www.steephill.tv/2012/strade-bianche/photos/page-01/#253-PIC262824123.jpg

Great photo...the essence of cycling

Steephill won't load here?

 

[MartinGT]

Fantastic ride by Spartacus, I had him down to take this one.

What happend to Gilbert?

 

[Echoes]

Boring watching the best cobbled classic rider win? WTF is wrong with you???? Cancellara has the potential to become the new Mr PR - if it's boring, it won't be his fault, it will be the fault of his opponents.

I don't even agree with that. It's not their fault if they don't have the same "engine" as Cancellara has. They might be fighting very hard and have to accept one is stronger than him.

If some viewer think Cancellara soloing all the way to Roubaix is boring, that's because they don't like cycling, period.

If I may paraphrase Tarantino: "Some people like cycling and other people like the kind of cycling they like."

http://www.steephill.tv/2012/strade-...C262824123.jpg

Great photo...the essence of cycling

Yup. That's exactly what it is. Thanks for the link. ]
What happend to Gilbert?[/QUOTE]

He's missed the right breakaway, had some mechanical problems and didn't chase because he had Van Avermaet and Ballan in the lead group.

 

[roundabout]

He was back to his usual level last year, really. With a little more luck he could've won RVV again.

You can say that every rider getting caught by a group behind is unlucky.

 

[MartinGT]

He's missed the right breakaway, had some mechanical problems and didn't chase because he had Van Avermaet and Ballan in the lead group.

Thanks. I only got the last 40mins on Eurosport.

 

[maltiv]

You can say that every rider getting caught by a group behind is unlucky.

I didn't say he was unlucky. I said he could've won with more luck. Nuyens certainly wasn't stronger than him, for example. Obviously neither of them was the strongest guy in the race...

 

[El Pistolero]

I didn't say he was unlucky. I said he could've won with more luck. Nuyens certainly wasn't stronger than him, for example. Obviously neither of them was the strongest guy in the race...

He was smarter than him

If the strongest man always won there would be no point in even holding the race anymore. It's more impressive to win a race because you're smarter than it is to win a race because you're the strongest, no?

Nuyens has scored some nice wins by using his brain. He has the reputation of being the smartest cyclist in the peloton for a reason

Was there luck involved? Yes, like in most races. Cancellara could have won if he was smarter, but alas, he wasn't.

 

[roundabout]

I didn't say he was unlucky. I said he could've won with more luck. Nuyens certainly wasn't stronger than him, for example. Obviously neither of them was the strongest guy in the race...

When the discussion starts with the talk of Ballan achievements your post is hardly a glowing endorsement of the man's ability to make a race.

Although I suppose following the right wheel is about right for Ballan to be able to win a major race these days palmares be damned.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't even agree with that. It's not their fault if they don't have the same "engine" as Cancellara has. They might be fighting very hard and have to accept one is stronger than him.

If some viewer think Cancellara soloing all the way to Roubaix is boring, that's because they don't like cycling, period.

If I may paraphrase Tarantino: "Some people like cycling and other people like the kind of cycling they like."






Yup. That's exactly what it is. Thanks for the link.




He's missed the right breakaway, had some mechanical problems and didn't chase because he had Van Avermaet and Ballan in the lead group.

Even if he chased, it would have been too late anyway. Anyone know when he had mechanical problems by the way?