2014 - 98th Ronde van Vlaanderen, 259km, Sunday 6th April (1.UWT)

[therhodeo]

Great ride from GVA. Kristoff too. Makes,me look forward to Roubaix.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

As Cancellara seems to preferre winning his monuments in pairs, do we really need to race the P-R or should we not just hand him the cobblestone.

He's definitely a huge favorite there.

 

[Netserk]

As far as the classics are concerned, same rider for both. Definitely the same by next week.

Thanks for proving he is overrated

 

[Parrulo]

It's a pity that in the last 5 years, Canc and Boonen did only fight one year with their full strength, in 2010.

It still is pretty easy to say who was stronger in each year imo.

Canc was stronger in 2010, 2011 and this year.

Boonen was stronger in 2012

It's impossible to known about 2013 as Boonen never really got going that season but it would have been great if he was at his 2012 level. If that were the case imo Canc would have won the Ronde and Boonen Roubaix.

Pre 2010 is not really much of a discussion. . . . Damn Devolder

 

[Miburo]

It still is pretty easy to say who was stronger in each year imo.

Canc was stronger in 2010, 2011 and this year.

Boonen was stronger in 2012

It's impossible to known about 2013 as Boonen never really got going that season but it would have been great if he was at his 2012 level. If that were the case imo Canc would have won the Ronde and Boonen Roubaix.

Pre 2010 is not really much of a discussion. . . . Damn Devolder

Wtf!? LOL

You really gonna claim that? Based on what?

But 2013 is impossible to determine...

 

[burning]

Then you can say that Canc won MSR ans multiple TT world titels

And the olympic title

+ Tour de Suisse, Tirreno Adriatico, about 3 weeks worth of yellow jersey and being an excellent support rider for many races.

 

[Parrulo]

Then you can say that Canc won MSR ans multiple TT world titels

And the olympic title

BRB ITT's

BRB Canc giving away all his itt wins in the worlds and olympic for a proper rainbow jersey.

 

[jaylew]

Not as long as people keep overrating him. Just because he is really great doesn't mean that he isn't overrated.

Yes it does. I never see anyone overrating him around here. Your contention just winds up making you look bitter.

I will never understand how you can see a cyclist that won RVV-PR double last year, and RVV so far this year (tying the record) as overrated. He's performing exactly how people are expecting him to perform, better in fact.

Exactly.

 

[The Hitch]

It was quite clear Canc held back when he pulled. Yes Vanmarcke should've pulled, but not closing it for him, and not so fast. Canc played him.

Canc didn't play him. All he did was not get played. He took a long pull at the front. If he had not taken a pull and demanded Vanmarke did all the pulling back, then that would have been playing him and it would have been cheap- and not something that is tactically clever, but just desperation.

But if Canc has been pulling for the majority of the time since 17 to go, and he has been pulling this group back for a good 20 seconds, then getting out of the way and suggesting Vanmarke contribute, is just them working together.

What you are suggesting is the nuclear option of crossing your arms like a 5 year old and demanding that your opponent does all the work and tows you to the win as if they were your domestique, or you are taking your ball and going home.

I respect Vanmarke greatly for not doing that both this year in RVV nor last year in PR, while weaker men on this forum have suggested it. If he did it, not only would he have lost Flanders this year, people wouldn't trust him in future breaks.

why did you delete the post lol

I deleted the post cos I felt sorry for Boonen fans and thought, maybe I shouldn't rub it in

 

[Parrulo]

Wtf!? LOL

You really gonna claim that? Based on what?

But 2013 is impossible to determine...

Looked the strongest in every race before the ronde. Just like Cancellara looked last year and this year. It usually is a good sign of form.

But ofc for Cancellara fans Cancellara is always stronger every time, their memory also doesn't go further back than 2010.

 

[Netserk]

Yes it does. I never see anyone overrating him around here. Your contention just winds up making you look bitter.


Exactly.

I guess you're not a Metallica fan and don't get the reference

 

[jaylew]

I
Boonen was stronger in 2012

Seriously? No way you can say that and then turn around and say we have no way of knowing about 2013

 

[burning]

Cancellara is still playing poker in Sporza's studio

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Not so dumb this Spartacus!
Bravo!

Where did Sir Brad finish?

 

[JRanton]

Hoped Vanmarcke would take that but he'll win one soon (maybe next week...).

 

[jaylew]

I guess you're not a Metallica fan and doesn't get the reference

I do like Metallica. For me:

Master of Puppets
And Justice
Ride the Lightning
Metallica (Black Album)
Kill em All

Load sucked and I never gave anything after that a real shot.

 

[Afrank]

Thanks for proving he is overrated

Those are not the palmares of an overrated cyclist.

And that's just his record in monuments.

 

[Parrulo]

Seriously? No way you can say that and then turn around and say we have no way of knowing about 2013

Cancellara crashed on the Ronde and that ended his cobbled season. But he was having a normal season without any bad luck up to that point.

Boonen spent a good part of his off-season and early season on the hospital over 2 different serious health problems.

Can you spot a difference?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well at least we can stop overrating Sagan now in races +200km. Seems to go the Edvald Boasson Hagen way
Soon he'll be slaving away in some mountain train for *name random new superclimber*

 

[Parrulo]

Those are not the palmares of an overrated cyclist.

And that's just his record in monuments.

Overrated-Anything that is given too much credit and hype.

Source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=overrated

When you say Cancellara and Boonen are the 2 best classics riders of the past decade or something like, you are being fair.

When you say Cancellara is clearly GOAT like you were just saying, you are overrating him.

 

[Netserk]

Those are not the palmares of an overrated cyclist.

And that's just his record in monuments.

So because he is really good, he can't be overrated?

That's absurd.

I know how good he is. He is truly great, one of the legends. Still overrated.

 

[Lanark]

Looked the strongest in every race before the ronde. Just like Cancellara looked last year and this year. It usually is a good sign of form.

But ofc for Cancellara fans Cancellara is always stronger every time, their memory also doesn't go further back than 2010.

It's preposterous to claim it's 'pretty easy to see' who was stronger in 2012. Cancellara was fantastic in the Strade Bianchi and MSR that year. E3 and GW ended in a bunch sprint, hardly something he could compete in, whatever shape he is in.

Canc didn't play him. All he did was not get played. He took a long pull at the front. If he had not taken a pull and demanded Vanmarke did all the pulling back, then that would have been playing him and it would have been cheap- and not something that is tactically clever, but just desperation.

But if Canc has been pulling for the majority of the time since 17 to go, and he has been pulling this group back for a good 20 seconds, then getting out of the way and suggesting Vanmarke contribute, is just them working together.

What you are suggesting is the nuclear option of crossing your arms like a 5 year old and demanding that your opponent does all the work and tows you to the win as if they were your domestique, or you are taking your ball and going home.

I respect Vanmarke greatly for not doing that both this year in RVV nor last year in PR, while weaker men on this forum have suggested it. If he did it, not only would he have lost Flanders this year, people wouldn't trust him in future breaks.


I deleted the post cos I felt sorry for Boonen fans and thought, maybe I shouldn't rub it in

Yeah, can't really fault Vanmarcke. He doesn't ride with the goal of making Cancellara lose, he rides to win himself. He is extremely strong, not afraid to work, fast, I'm sure he'll wil plenty of big races in the future. Cancellara has been in plenty of situations like Vanmarcke was today, and eventually became stronger and smarter because of it. When Cancellara en Boonen get weaker in the next couple of years (if that hasn't already happened for Boonen), Vanmarcke could become the big man in these races. Certainly in Roubaix.

 

[pastronef]

Where did Sir Brad finish?

when the 2nd group made contact with the head of the race, before the last Oude Kwaremont, he was still there. not bad

 

[The Hitch]

The guy who still has won more cobbled races and a world champ road race?

Here is a poll.
http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=19502

This is back from when Boonen had 7 monuments to Cancellara's 4.

You think it will be different now that they are tied on 7 each?

 

[Grupetto1]

when the 2nd group made contact with the head of the race, before the last Oude Kwaremont, he was still there. not bad

Id say for him in a race completely against his style that's really good.
Brilliant race to watch and congrats to Fabian. His win won me about £1.50...