2013 97th Ronde van Vlaanderen, 257km, Sunday 31th March

[Don't be late Pedro]

Stannard was bad. Thomas had bad luck, the rest not good enough. Hagen was pretty average himself too. He doesnt seem that suited to cobbles to me. Basically he let the gap fall to Cancellara/Sagan

Thomas seemed to lose position at the front and struggled to regain it. That probably caused his crash in the end.

Not sure if that was tiredness or something else though. Though he seems to have made a habit of crashing recently.

 

[Lanark]

2008 is Cancellara's best year ever.

He only had competition in Roubaix then.

In 2008 Cancellara peaked (probably unwillingly) for the Eroica - Tirreno - MSR period, he was already past his prime in the E3. 2010 is the only time we saw a 100% Cancellara against a 100% Boonen.

 

[Parrulo]

bring back the old ronde, this is just pathetic

 

[ChewbaccaD]

bring back the old ronde, this is just pathetic

It wouldn't have changed the winner, but it would have made for a more exciting race for sure.

 

[El Pistolero]

In 2008 Cancellara peaked (probably unwillingly) for the Eroica - Tirreno - MSR period, he was already past his prime in the E3. 2010 is the only time we saw a 100% Cancellara against a 100% Boonen.

What about 2006? They looked both in super form to me there lol.

And in 2007.

 

[movingtarget]

bring back the old ronde, this is just pathetic

Not a classic edition just a dominant performance.

 

[luckyboy]

What I wonder is what the **** happened to the rest of Sky today. They've been rock solid the entire spring, but today pretty much everyone but EBH were dropped with 100 km to go.

Perhaps they had a bad breakfast?

Their team can win a B-race or two but nobody who can win Roubaix or Ronde. EBH is never good enough, Thomas is a second tier guy who could win Ronde one day with luck but he's never gonna be a guy like Cance/Boonen are/Sagan will be.

Also they can't strangle these races like they like to control stage races, so thank god for that.

 

[Lanark]

What about 2006? They looked both in super form to me there lol.

And in 2007.

I'm sure they did to you. Cancellara hadn't won a single Belgian classic untill 2010.

I'm going to do you a favor and assume your 2007 comment was a joke.

 

[Gloin22]

Their team can win a B-race or two but nobody who can win Roubaix or Ronde. EBH is never good enough, Thomas is a second tier guy who could win Ronde one day with luck but he's never gonna be a guy like Cance/Boonen are/Sagan will be.

Also they can't strangle these races like they like to control stage races, so thank god for that.

To be fair it was absolutely boring even without any team really controlling it

 

[Parrulo]

It wouldn't have changed the winner, but it would have made for a more exciting race for sure.

i don't care who the winner is if the racing is this bad.

the ronde was already mighty disappointing last year but i gave them the benefit of the doubt for being the first time on the new course, but this year was even worse. . .

 

[brilleaben]

I am sure that Sky and OPQS's riding today was a protest against the new route.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

bring back the old ronde, this is just pathetic

What is the SPECIFIC difference? No Muur and no Ten Bosse?

 

[El Pistolero]

I'm sure they did to you. Cancellara hadn't won a single Belgian classic untill 2010.

I'm going to do you a favor and assume your 2007 comment was a joke.

Cancellara's 100% just wasn't as good as Boonen's 100% before 2010.

Though in 2006 and 2008 Cancellara was definitely in the best possible shape for that period. In 2007 he almost beat Boonen in the E3 and then mysteriously sucked in Roubaix. No crash, no illness, no excuse.

 

[movingtarget]

I'm sure plenty of people prefer the old course. It was just a matter of when Cancellara was going to pull the pin and who was going to be able to go with him and even that was predictable.

 

[The Hitch]

Race was horrible, but for me it was worth it all for that 10 second moment where Cancellara dropped Sagan. All the way up the Oude of Joy and Pattenberg I thought Sagan would hold on and at that moment i realised the Canc was gonna win. Intense.

Especially after the horrible luck of last year and the all v 1 screwjob of 2011, I gladly take a super dull race if Canc has his hands up in the air at the end.

 

[Lanark]

Cancellara's 100% just wasn't as good as Boonen's 100% before 2010.

Though in 2006 and 2008 Cancellara was definitely in the best possible shape for that period. In 2007 he almost beat Boonen in the E3 and then mysteriously sucked in Roubaix. No crash, no illness, no excuse.

In 2007 he did one good race, he was pretty weak the rest of the spring, couldn't even drop Steegmans in the Ronde.

But you are right, Cancellara has really stepped up his game in 2010, and has been better than he was in 2006 and 2008, ipso facto we've only seen a 100% Cancellara has battled against a 100% Boonen once, in 2010.

 

[Netserk]

Especially after the horrible luck of last year and the all v 1 screwjob of 2011, I gladly take a super dull race if Canc has his hands up in the air at the end.

The same will happen in a week

 

[movingtarget]

Sagan closed a small gap on the second last climb and I thought one more climb could break him. It was all over as soon as he had to get out of his seat on the final climb, Cancellara was away and motoring.

 

[Kwibus]

Impressive win by cancellara. Sagan almost managed to keep cancllaras wheel till the top of the Paternerg. If he made it we wouldve seen a different race.

Didnt expect him to keep up that long, so kudos.

 

[Ferminal]

What is the SPECIFIC difference? No Muur and no Ten Bosse?

Everything from Kwaremont-Paterberg-Koppenberg. About the same difficulty.

But apparently some magic forces would have made other teams attack early, and Cancellara not wait for Muur-Bosberg.

 

[El Pistolero]

In 2007 he did one good race, he was pretty weak the rest of the spring, couldn't even drop Steegmans in the Ronde.

But you are right, Cancellara has really stepped up his game in 2010, and has been better than he was in 2006 and 2008, ipso facto we've only seen a 100% Cancellara has battled against a 100% Boonen once, in 2010.

Nah, I still think his 2008 season was better than 2010 - all year long.

2008 was a worthy duel of 2 juggernauts. Why dismiss it? Because Cancellara lost?

In 2006 Cancellara was also at 100% of his current capabilities, so that's another worthy duel between them.

 

[movingtarget]

Impressive win by cancellara. Sagan almost managed to keep cancllaras wheel till the top of the Paternerg. If he made it we wouldve seen a different race.

Didnt expect him to keep up that long, so kudos.

Yes no disgrace at all for Sagan and Roelandts hung in well.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Agree on the course change. What exactly was wrong with the old course??

Great win for Canc on a perfect attack. Not a fan of TB, but seeing him in agony on the ground in agony wasn't easy. Hope he's okay.

 

[Pentacycle]

i don't care who the winner is if the racing is this bad.

the ronde was already mighty disappointing last year but i gave them the benefit of the doubt for being the first time on the new course, but this year was even worse. . .

Blame RS and the other favourites for bad racing, not the route. The last 70 km until 12 to go has enough opportunities for an attack, but apparently the 'big names' except Roelandts kept their powder dry hoping to match Sagan/Canc, partially forced by the high tempo of Leopard and a few other teams.

 

[Gloin22]

Agree on the course change. What exactly was wrong with the old course??

Nothing. This course gets them more money. Due to more VIP seats near the end...