2013, Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne 10/04/13 200km (1.HC)

[Maaaaaaaarten]

2013, Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne 10/04/13 200km (1.HC)

So the hilly classics will start soon with the Brabante pijl. This is kind off my home race, so I figured I'd make a race thread. If you've any question about the parcour feel free to ask me, because I've cycled the finishing lap loads and loads of times.

Map

Profile

Climbs on the finishing parcour:
Hagaard 660m @ 5.3% max 13%
Hertstraat 760m (cobbled) @ 3.7% max 10%
Holstheide 955m @ 5.4% max ??
IJskelderlaan 440m (partly cobbled) @7.3% max 12%
Schavei 720m (partly cobbled) @ 5.4% max 11%

I think the Holstheide climb is new, they used to do 5 laps, with 4 climbs, but the lap is significantly longer with Holstheide, so now it's 3 laps with 5 climbs, actually almost 4, because they do almost the entire lap al ready before they start counting the laps. This makes the parcour a bit easier I think. Also imo, they should have taken the Holstheide from the other side, which is a 16% wall

2012 Results:
1. Thomas Voeckler
2. Oscar Freire
3. Pieter Serry
4. Fabio Duarte
5. Greg Van Avermaet
6. Alex Howes
7. Jelle Vanendert
8. Dries Devenyns
9. Laurens Ten Dam
10. Michael Matthews

Notable Starters:
Thomas Voeckler, Philippe Gilbert, Greg van Avermaet, Peter Sagan, Moreno Moser, Daniel Martin, Simon Spilak, Zdenek Stybar, Gianni Meersman, Maxim Monfort, Tony Gallopin, Bjorn Leukemans, Thomas Degendt, Wouter Poels

Complete startlist

 

[Roderick]

This man's ready to take the double

 

[wiggos sideburn]

Well Stybar won't win after Sunday's exertions. Voeckler probably favourite with Gilbert, Sagan maybe Dan Martin as an outsider

 

[wiggos sideburn]

Whats the finish like is it uphill?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Wouldn't discount the Shack youngsters: Gallopin and Jungels.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Whats the finish like is it uphill?

Yes, it finishes on the Schavei. 720m @ 5.4%

The beginning of the Schavei is false flat up and cobbled then you get a 10% slope and then a few hundred meters of false flat to the finish. Very tempting to attack on the 10% slope and then fall still and be outsprinted in the final false flat bit. (IIRC that's what happened to Duarte last year)

 

[TeoSheva]

Van Avermaet has a really good form...but maybe he's too tired...

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I was in Leuven in november, never realised that's where this race starts. Lots of good beer!

Anyway; A long shot, but I'm picking Leukemans - he's looked really good here before, and was reasonable the last couple of weeks.

 

[Afrank]

Sagan or Voeckler probably the favorites to win. Could see Moser being up there too if he has the form, will be a could indicator of how he will be heading into Ardennes.
I'm going to say GVA for the win though, he's got good form right now, and I would really like to see him get a win instead of his usual top 10.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I'm very curious as to what effect the extra climb, the Holstheide, in the finishing lap will have. It comes with exta kilometers of flat and some relatively big roads where they could organise a chase more than on the narrow twisty roads on the rest of the lap. It seems to me it will be a bit less favourable for attackers.

I also think the Holstheide is a pretty easy climb compared to the others. I don't know for sure, because I never actually climbed it, but I've used it at as a descent often enough, it seems like a fairly steady grade and a relatively big road. At least I don't think it has any >10% parts like all the others climbs.

 

[Netserk]

Props @ Maaaaaaaarten for a good OP.

 

[cineteq]

Vino/Other option is no longer a joke.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Vino/Other option is no longer a joke.

It's more than a joke, it's a tradition

 

[cineteq]

It's more than a joke, it's a tradition

Traditions were made to be broken.

 

[jens_attacks]

Traditions were made to be broken.

nope. you mean laws.

 

[Pentacycle]

In a few years time Voeckler could be close to Vino status though.

 

[cineteq]

nope. you mean laws.

No, I meant: I expect this to be the last time I see the Vino/Other option in a poll.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

No, I meant: I expect this to be the last time I see the Vino/Other option in a poll.

Well there were vino-options in most recent polls, like the Paris Roubaix one and the Pais Vasco stage threads. Seems like it's a living tradition to me.

 

[hfer07]

No Team Colombia???

how come my countrymen from Team Colombia weren't invited????
Duarte did really good last year...

 

[Panda Claws]

Vino/other is being overused as a joke. It is used even when it is not the slightest bit relevant.

 

[will10]

Gilbert lives.

Vino/other is being overused as a joke. It is used even when it is not the slightest bit relevant.

That is exactly the point. The legend lives on.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

 

[roundabout]

hell naw...

 

[Panda Claws]

Gilbert lives.



That is exactly the point. The legend lives on.

Yeah. But before it was only used when it was a bit relevant. Now it is even used in "yes or no" polls.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

hell naw...

......