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

[Cimber]

The Secret Pro‏@IamtheSecretPro28m
Who's your pick for Flanders? Hard to look past Sagan right now, but an outsider like Breschel would be good to see.

 

[Telmisartan new]

I don't want to interrupt your discussion, but saying that Sagan didn't want to win the E3 is pure nonsense. Canc completely destroyed the field there, including Sagan.

Was E3 a target for Cannondale? I honestly didn't know that.I am surprised your not still reeling from telling me Thomas was clearly the best over Slagter at TDU.Embarrassing eh?

 

[Pentacycle]

Was E3 a target for Cannondale? I honestly didn't know that.I am surprised your not still reeling from telling me Thomas was clearly the best over Slagter at TDU.Embarrassing eh?

What has the TDU to do with this? If Cannondale didn't want E3, they'd leave Sagan out of their selection for the race.

 

[Telmisartan new]

What has the TDU to do with this? If Cannondale didn't want E3, they'd leave Sagan out of their selection for the race.

We'll see what Sunday brings.I am tipping Sagan for the win.If Cancellara rides away on his own he deserves it.

 

[will10]

Cant see it myself,E3 wasn't the target for Sagan,he knows he can't win every race,RVV is the one he wants,no chance Cancellara drops him on the Kwaremont like some have mentioned he might,no chance,Sagan is too strong at this moment.I'll eat my hat if that happens.

Well this obviously needs to be quoted, just in case. Do you have a youtube account? We'll want video evidence of the hat eating for sure.

 

[Telmisartan new]

Well this obviously needs to be quoted, just in case. Do you have a youtube account? We'll want video evidence of the hat eating for sure.

No problem.Must dash now,stuff to do.

 

[jmspinto]

Just hope Cancellara wins it leaving Sagan behind!..

 

[Savant12]

If Sagan gets into a small group to the finish then that's his best chance to win. If he tries to go alone with Cancellara then he will be a worthy winner if he doesn't get dropped like he did in E3 when he tried to mark Cancellara but couldn't stay with him.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Gee....just read the whole thread for first time,people are really convinced Fab is going to ride away from everyone alone to the finish,can he just ride an alert top form Sagan off his wheel like that,not convinced he can tbh.

Everyone (well, nearly everyone) was convinced Sagan would win going to win MSR. That said they are favourites for a reason and it is hard to look past either.

Can't write off Boonen either. Sure it has not been an ideal run in but given his results and he has a few decent team mates that can be put in the break. A Boonen/Sagan sprint would be interesting.

Am interested to know how Sky will set out their team. They have a strong team but do they all ride for Thomas? Surely must stick someone in a break to take the pressure off being forced to chase? Stannard would seem a perfect fit however he has no sprint. EBH has a decent sprint but has not really shown to much thus far.

 

[Telmisartan new]

Am interested to know how Sky will set out their team. They have a strong team but do they all ride for Thomas? Surely must stick someone in a break to take the pressure off being forced to chase? Stannard would seem a perfect fit however he has no sprint. EBH has a decent sprint but has not really shown to much thus far.

Yes,Sky tactics will be interesting but according to Servais Knaven they are all riding for Thomas.

This should be a cracker,don't know how some folk think they can predict the shape and outcome of a race like this,stuff will be happening all over the place,crashes,surprise attacks,all sorts,even my vote for Sagan is cast tentatively,anything can happen,that's bike racing.I'll say it again,if Cancellara drops Sagan on the Kwaremont i'll be amazed.

 

[SKSemtex]

I am so f..g excited. Never ever before in my live I have wanted the Friday to jump directly to Sunnday. I love Saturdays but not today. I wish I can be in Belgium now. Must be really something special. Next year I´ll do my best to be in Paterberg even if Peter is not riding.
Let the best win.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Yes,Sky tactics will be interesting but according to Servais Knaven they are all riding for Thomas.

Not sure if this is the article you read but he expands on their plans a little.

Sky at Flanders

 

[tomorrow]

Cancellara has some interesting observation skills.

"I don't say my excuse is that I have won already, but what I have seen on Sunday, they had Peter in the front with the other riders and they bring him to the finish line."

Can somebody please explain to me, what race he was looking at on Sunday? How can he be telling about others bringing sagan to the finish line, when mainly Sagan, Bodnar and Haussler were working on not being caught by the peloton and the others were just sitting on and waiting to do a Ciolek? And in the end, Sagan just left everybody 4 kms to go?

 

[movingtarget]

Cancellara has some interesting observation skills.

"I don't say my excuse is that I have won already, but what I have seen on Sunday, they had Peter in the front with the other riders and they bring him to the finish line."

Can somebody please explain to me, what race he was looking at on Sunday? How can he be telling about others bringing sagan to the finish line, when mainly Sagan, Bodnar and Haussler were working on not being caught by the peloton and the others were just sitting on and waiting to do a Ciolek? And in the end, Sagan just left everybody 4 kms to go?

Bizarre comment. Misquote ?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Weak mindgames

 

[tomorrow]

Bizarre comment. Misquote ?

well the quote is taken from article here on cycling news. But it's true that it does not necessarily contradict with what you said.

 

[Yingge]

I am so f..g excited. Never ever before in my live I have wanted the Friday to jump directly to Sunnday. I love Saturdays but not today. I wish I can be in Belgium now. Must be really something special. Next year I´ll do my best to be in Paterberg even if Peter is not riding.
Let the best win.

I was there (top of the Oude Kwaremont) last year, well worth the effort and expense of seeing it in person.

 

[Scott SoCal]

It will be interesting to see how Sagan handles the constant fight for position. I watched the E3 again and if he has a fault it's that he doesn't seem to float around the bunch with the same ease as Boonen and Cancellara.

Burning matches fighting to be in a good spot could explain why he had trouble holding Cancellara's wheel on the Kwaremont.

Sagan's team could really use a rider like Andreas Klier... not sure if they have that road captain that knows when the chili needs to be thrown down.

 

[tomorrow]

It will be interesting to see how Sagan handles the constant fight for position. I watched the E3 again and if he has a fault it's that he doesn't seem to float around the bunch with the same ease as Boonen and Cancellara.

Burning matches fighting to be in a good spot could explain why he had trouble holding Cancellara's wheel on the Kwaremont.

Sagan's team could really use a rider like Andreas Klier... not sure if they have that road captain that knows when the chili needs to be thrown down.

Well, I'd say that sagan's positioning is pretty good, given how many results he was able to establish practically without his team's support in the previous years. This year the team support is much more evident. However, the positioning is also depending on a luck a little bit. If you have some mechanical and you're in phase of geting back to the bunch(e3 this year) or if you are caught behind a crash(last patterberg before the decisive kwaremont on RVV last year), it's not that easy to position well either due to strength or time issues. And that's why the classics are so fun to watch, anything can happen.

 

[iZnoGouD]

What do you guys think is the chance(in %) of Gerain Thomas winning this?

 

[Netserk]

what do you guys think is the chance(in %) of gerain thomas winning this?

< 1%

..........

 

[webbie146]

What do you guys think is the chance(in %) of Gerain Thomas winning this?

Hmm for me personally like 10/20% chance of winning. Not because Thomas is such a good rider, but hey, he rides for sky

 

[Gloin22]

< 1%

..........

Really? In my opinion he has same chance as Chavanel, if not better due to his better sprint.

Not in the league of Sagan or Cancellara though, so I doubt he will win.

3rd is possible though.

However if situation like last year came up, and Thomas latched on Cance and Sagan before the long flat drag to the finish, he has some chance.

 

[jens_attacks]

g is a great rider with a big engine but i can't see him on the podium tomorrow. hope he will be prove me wrong

 

[Lanark]

Really? In my opinion he has same chance as Chavanel, if not better due to his better sprint.

Not in the league of Sagan or Cancellara though, so I doubt he will win.

3rd is possible though.

However if situation like last year came up, and Thomas latched on Cance and Sagan before the long flat drag to the finish, he has some chance.

Chavanel was a lot better the last couple of races, so he is a bigger favorite. Thomas is probably below Cancellara, Sagan, Boonen and Chavanel as a favorite, at the same level as guys like Pozzato, Langeveld, Van Avermaet, Roelandts etc. Less than 1% seems a bit harsh, but it's not much higher.