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

[Jelantik]

Indeed, EBH is incredibly uncomfortable on cobbles, wastes way too much energy by stressing. But his form looks great imo. I hope he starts AGR.

i guess sky believes everything is scientific. Including high altitude training in Tenerife for their classic squad. I guess classic can't be replicated by just being in training.

 

[jaylew]

Lotto on the podium and no OPQS in the top 10. No Sky either. I actually thought EBH looked strong today, certainly strongest for Sky. He didn't do himself any favors by trying to go with Sagan and Cancellara, though.

Netserk, your sig was already a little silly given Canc's palmares but it looks worse now. If he wins PR too, it's going to start to look a bit sad. Maybe we could do some kind of sig bet, though it's a shame Boonen is out. I could have agreed to some kind of sig boasting him as the "greatest northern classics ever" if he'd have beaten Fabian as I am definitely not a Boonen fan.

 

[movingtarget]

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.

Sounds like nothing was broken just some bad bruising and some stitches in one knee.

 

[Lanark]

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?

His 2008 season as a whole was probably his best, in the 2010 cobbled classic season he was obviously much better, even a blind person could see that.

Why dismiss 2008? Because he didn't do a single thing in the cobbled classics that year. Yeah, he dropped Maaskant, O'Grady and Hoste in Roubaix, but he can do that with half a leg. For any serious observer it was clear that in 2008 Cancellara peaked for the Eroica - Sanremo period, and his form tapered off after that.

But why dismiss 2010, because Boonen lost?

 

[HiCadence]

Sagan took a second serving of humble pie today.

Now if that clown can show a little respect to the sport and his competitors and not have to keep reading the over-hype on these forums i might enjoy some of Sagan's victories.

 

[El Pistolero]

His 2008 season as a whole was probably his best, in the 2010 cobbled classic season he was obviously much better, even a blind person could see that.

Why dismiss 2008? Because he didn't do a single thing in the cobbled classics that year. Yeah, he dropped Maaskant, O'Grady and Hoste in Roubaix, but he can do that with half a leg. For any serious observer it was clear that in 2008 Cancellara peaked for the Eroica - Sanremo period, and his form tapered off after that.

But why dismiss 2010, because Boonen lost?

Boonen peaked too early then(second place in San Remo and only stage win ever in T-A).

That's your reasoning. Watch Roubaix 2008, Boonen, Cancellara and Ballan were on a whole different level then the rest of the field. And you call that not doing a single thing?

As if.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

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.

Exactly my point.

 

[hfer07]

well- It was inevitable-Sagan did a magnificent job, but not enough to match Fabu. I do believe the reason Sagan lost is because of his excessive racing calender-he should have rested a bit prior to the RVV

 

[maltiv]

Kristoff has won the bunch sprint from the peloton in 3/4 classics he has started this year (M-SR, Dwars door, RVV)

Too bad there's usually no definite peloton in P-R...

 

[HiCadence]

well- It was inevitable-Sagan did a magnificent job, but not enough to match Fabu. I do believe the reason Sagan lost is because of his excessive racing calender-he should have rested a bit prior to the RVV

LOLOLOL Knew there would be an excuse somewhere

 

[Netserk]

Lotto on the podium and no OPQS in the top 10. No Sky either. I actually thought EBH looked strong today, certainly strongest for Sky. He didn't do himself any favors by trying to go with Sagan and Cancellara, though.

Netserk, your sig was already a little silly given Canc's palmares but it looks worse now. If he wins PR too, it's going to start to look a bit sad. Maybe we could do some kind of sig bet, though it's a shame Boonen is out. I could have agreed to some kind of sig boasting him as the "greatest northern classics ever" if he'd have beaten Fabian as I am definitely not a Boonen fan.

So a great rider can't be overrated?

I have already named Canc as a cycling legend, but that doesn't change the fact that he is overrated. It doesn't say that he is bad. In fact it says that he is really good. Is that wrong?

 

[doperhopper]

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.

absolutely - but can yo imagine Spartacus just to sit down as his "no motorpacing" doctrine suggests?

 

[Lanark]

Boonen peaked too early then.

Source? On what results do you base your position that Boonen peaked too early in 2010? I haven't seen you give a single reason why you think 2010 wasn't the only time they both were 100%. It's obvious for everyone that Cancellara in 2010 was better in the Ronde and Roubaix than he was the years before.

 

[El Pistolero]

Source? On what results do you base your position that Boonen peaked too early in 2010? I haven't seen you give a single reason why you think 2010 wasn't the only time they both were 100%. It's obvious for everyone that Cancellara in 2010 was better in the Ronde and Roubaix than he was the years before.

Yeah, because he improved in the Ronde in 2010. Doesn't mean he wasn't 100% the years before. He just wasn't nearly as good then.

2008 Roubaix was still a battle between two guys in top shape.

And Boonen himself said he peaked a little too early in 2010, but those are all excuses any cyclist uses anyway. 2010 Milan-San Remo was his best Milan-San Remo ever. And his T-A stage win then is still his only win on Italian soil.

 

[theyoungest]

Source? On what results do you base your position that Boonen peaked too early in 2010? I haven't seen you give a single reason why you think 2010 wasn't the only time they both were 100%. It's obvious for everyone that Cancellara in 2010 was better in the Ronde and Roubaix than he was the years before.

I think it's obvious to everyone that when they're both in top shape, Cancellara is simply the better rider. Boonen was hanging on for dear life on the wheel of Ballan and Pozzato last year on the climbs. Cancellara is a level above.

 

[Lanark]

Yeah, because he improved in the Ronde in 2010. Doesn't mean he wasn't 100% the years before. He just wasn't nearly as good then.

If he was better in 2010, he wasn't a 100% in the years before. Maybe for what he could achieve at that moment, but that wasn't his ultimate potential. So the only time we saw them at full strenght was in 2010, I'm glad you aren't denying that anymore.

 

[saganftw]

Sagan took a second serving of humble pie today.

Now if that clown can show a little respect to the sport and his competitors and not have to keep reading the over-hype on these forums i might enjoy some of Sagan's victories.

dont you dare start enjoying sagan victories,who will troll if not you

#cut4hicadence

 

[El Pistolero]

If he was better in 2010, he wasn't a 100% in the years before. Maybe for what he could achieve at that moment, but that wasn't his ultimate potential. So the only time we saw them at full strenght was in 2010, I'm glad you aren't denying that anymore.

Who says Boonen was as good in 2010 as he was in 2005/2006 then?

That's why your statement is redundant.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think it's obvious to everyone that when they're both in top shape, Cancellara is simply the better rider. Boonen was hanging on for dear life on the wheel of Ballan and Pozzato last year on the climbs. Cancellara is a level above.

It was obvious he had shifting problems. Your first clue should've been the 50km solo in Roubaix a week after.

If he was hanging on for dear life he'd have lost the sprint to pozzato like in the E3 Prijs 2009.

 

[hfer07]

LOLOLOL Knew there would be an excuse somewhere

but there isn't -In fact- If you check my previous posts I predicted Fabu to win it.
Sagan to me is too young still to handle Cancellara in top shape-as simple and plain as that-However- I do observe he's racing too much, because of the greed of Cannondale.

 

[Orbit501]

Sagan took a second serving of humble pie today.

Now if that clown can show a little respect to the sport and his competitors and not have to keep reading the over-hype on these forums i might enjoy some of Sagan's victories.

I'm assuming you don't like Sagan's victory line antics (a talented young man just having fun), but can you point me to occasions where he's been disrespectful to the sport and his fellow competitors?, because I must have missed something.

He even respected Canc today on the podium, pointing to him with a, 'you the man', finger that showed he acknowledges greatness when he sees it.

 

[The Hitch]

Boonen peaked too early then(second place in San Remo and only stage win ever in T-A).
.

As I recall before Flanders Boonen said he felt as good as ever.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

It was obvious he had shifting problems. Your first clue should've been the 50km solo in Roubaix a week after.

If he was hanging on for dear life he'd have lost the sprint to pozzato like in the E3 Prijs 2009.

So when Boonen wins everyone else was in their best form and at 100%. But when he loses, well, he was never 100% anyway or in his best form?

 

[l.Harm]

Sagan won't ride next week. Preparing for AGR.

 

[El Pistolero]

As I recall before Flanders Boonen said he felt as good as ever.

He said that, but he also said he peaked too early in 2010. Boonen often says things that contradict each other.

I'd look for a source for you, but the thing is, Boonen gets one article in the newspapers here every day, so a bit hard to find.