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

[Volderke]

Beating Gilbert in Eneco 2013 was not really the hardest thing to do?

Fact is he was totally cooked after Carrefour after not having done one single turn in the front. That is quite an achievement for a so-called favorite. Vanmarcke, Cancellara, Boonen, even Vandenbergh and Terpstra were better at that point. I just don't see the 'super' in Stybar. Maybe some more experience will help.

As for Geraint Thomas, I see him evolving into something big. He now has the experience and he seems to much better know the parcours (super important) now than some years ago. That is also the thing that Cancellara had to learn for some years before winning.

 

[ILovecycling]

Beating Gilbert in Eneco 2013 was not really the hardest thing to do?

Fact is he was totally cooked after Carrefour after not having done one single turn in the front. That is quite an achievement for a so-called favorite. Vanmarcke, Cancellara, Boonen, even Vandenbergh and Terpstra were better at that point. I just don't see the 'super' in Stybar. Maybe some more experience will help.

As for Geraint Thomas, I see him evolving into something big. He now has the experience and he seems to much better know the parcours (super important) now than some years ago. That is also the thing that Cancellara had to learn for some years before winning.

Im just loosing my patiance there
How do you know he was cooked?
Its a total nonsense,he reacted on every single pace change ("attack") from Cancellara and VM,in the middle of Carrefour Cancellara upped the pace quite a lot,he reacted better than VM (he is explosive and he "shoulderded" him out of Canc rear wheel),so how the ... he was tired?
On the contrary, he was huge favourite for the sprint in Velodrome.Im not saying he would have won,but imo he could.

 

[Volderke]

I say you he was cooked as I race myself, and his body language on the asphalt just after Carrefour was that of a cooked rider.
+ I timed his Gruson cobbles sector just after Carrefour. Average on 1km = 33km/h
If you are not cooked, you do this sector at 38km/h.
I can do this sector fresh at 37km/h. Strava has this sector by Jasper Stuyven (great Trek talent) at 41km/h.

So yes, just based on the facts, he was cooked. But that is the last thing I have to say, because, and sorry to say, the level of knowledge/experience here is pretty low.

 

[Bushman]

Beating Gilbert in Eneco 2013 was not really the hardest thing to do?

Fact is he was totally cooked after Carrefour after not having done one single turn in the front. That is quite an achievement for a so-called favorite. Vanmarcke, Cancellara, Boonen, even Vandenbergh and Terpstra were better at that point. I just don't see the 'super' in Stybar. Maybe some more experience will help.

As for Geraint Thomas, I see him evolving into something big. He now has the experience and he seems to much better know the parcours (super important) now than some years ago. That is also the thing that Cancellara had to learn for some years before winning.

I dont even know where to start. Maybe I could start by saying that Boonen wasn't even in the race. Secondly, several posters have pointet out, that they dont see him as a favourite, but as a strong outsider, but you still keep saying how you can't understand why he is a favourite. Third, he wasn't totally cooked after the carrefour, but you dont just close a 5-6 second gap on Cancellara and Vanmarcke.

 

[ILovecycling]

I say you he was cooked as I race myself, and his body language on the asphalt just after Carrefour was that of a cooked rider.
+ I timed his Gruson cobbles sector just after Carrefour. Average on 1km = 33km/h
If you are not cooked, you do this sector at 38km/h.
I can do this sector fresh at 37km/h. Strava has this sector by Jasper Stuyven (great Trek talent) at 41km/h.

So yes, just based on the facts, he was cooked. But that is the last thing I have to say, because, and sorry to say, the level of knowledge/experience here is pretty low.

if i didnt have time i would just post some face palm pictures ,but i want to say you that your "facts" are weak as Sir "Grandma" Wiggins bike handling skills.

I race too so what?Doesnt mean one have knowledge then.About body language...are you kiddin me right?You NEVER EVER can read into someone face or body in amateur nor proffesional cycling.Its just NOT possible to know anything about sensations of a rider.
After that fall he controled his equipment,than tried catch the rythm and he didnt know what to do,he even wait in particular sections.He finaly gave up on chasing.So your times arent applicable at all.

 

[ILovecycling]

You are just trying to figure it out,but it cant be figured,coz we dont know how the race could unfold.

 

[fauniera]

Its a total nonsense, he reacted on every single pace change ("attack") from Cancellara and VM,in the middle of Carrefour Cancellara upped the pace quite a lot,he reacted better than VM (he is explosive and he "shoulderded" him out of Canc rear wheel),so how the ... he was tired?

Stybar was doing ZERO work while Vanmarcke was riding hard. Do you understand the difference? As soon as that wheelsucker had to ride himself he got blown away by Canc/Sep.

I liked Stybi a lot in cross, but on the road he is always sucking wheels, it's really disappointing.

 

[ILovecycling]

Stybar was doing ZERO work while Vanmarcke was riding hard. Do you understand the difference? As soon as that wheelsucker had to ride himself he got blown away by Canc/Sep.

I liked Stybi a lot in cross, but on the road he is always sucking wheels, it's really disappointing.

But VM didnt have to react on Cancellara massive attack,he was in front!For me he had more in the tank than Styby coz it was a huge effort to held Canc rear wheel in his FIRST appearance in P-R with no freakin knowledge of P-R cobbles.
What else he could do in his first race.Do you know what experience means in this type of race lol
There was only one scenario,to suck wheels,he had VDB in first group,so what the ... he should have done better?

 

[Sprite0309]

But VM didnt have to react on Cancellara massive attack,he was in front!For me he had more in the tank than Styby coz it was a huge effort to held Canc rear wheel in his FIRST appearance in P-R with no freakin knowledge of P-R cobbles.
What else he could do in his first race.Do you know what experience means in this type of race lol
There was only one scenario,to suck wheels,he had VDB in first group,so what the ... he should have done better?

Exactly, some people fail to remember that it was his first paris-roubaix in his first full road seson, his task was to follow Cancellara and he did it perfectly till the spectacular crash with spectator. He was ONLY rider who managed to react all the Fabian´s attacks. That was really impressive.

What about Fauneria´s thesis of sucking wheels by Styby? I donť really understand why one can say that Styby is always sucking wheels. E.g. in Eneco tour, he attacked in final stage on Denderoordberg and nobody was capable to react and match him (and Boom was trying really hard). Now, Styby is in great form and I hope he will prove his class on Sunday.

 

[Pentacycle]

It's indeed pretty harsh to call Stybar a wheelsucker based on one race, he's always been an aggressive rider. The Roubaix crash was still his own fault though, every rider knows you should ride in the middle to avoid bad luck. It was either inexperience or fatigue.

 

[ILovecycling]

It's indeed pretty harsh to call Stybar a wheelsucker based on one race, he's always been an aggressive rider. The Roubaix crash was still his own fault though, every rider knows you should ride in the middle to avoid bad luck. It was either inexperience or fatigue.

I think it was just a bad luck,could have happened to Fabian or VM too.Not saying they shouldt ride in the middle,they should!


Hey,you are from Nederlands,surprise for me,I thought you are from Spain

 

[Jancouver]

Stybar was doing ZERO work while Vanmarcke was riding hard. Do you understand the difference? As soon as that wheelsucker had to ride himself he got blown away by Canc/Sep.

I liked Stybi a lot in cross, but on the road he is always sucking wheels, it's really disappointing.

You probably didnt watch a lot of cycling this year, otherwise you would have seen Styby attacking and in breakaways etc.

He is a pretty smart rider and he knows there is no reason for him to do any work on the front when he can just follow and conserve energy. I hope he will suck some wheels all the way to the Ronde finish. Even in MSR he was the last man to lead out Cav and still managed to get top 10.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

What races was Stybar aggressive in though? (outside of cyclocross)

 

[fauniera]

You probably didnt watch a lot of cycling this year, otherwise you would have seen Styby attacking and in breakaways etc.

Like where?

Even in MSR he was the last man to lead out Cav and still managed to get top 10.

He didn't lead out Cav, he was sprinting on his own.

 

[Der Effe]

A multiple page discussion on whether Stybar is a wheelsucker or not... This site ceases to amaze me. /sigh

 

[podunavac]

I hope the race won't be locked until Koppenberg, with just a protocol kind of breakaway in front.
By putting it closer to the finish organizers certainly wanted to give it a more important role (that's what they've said, too), but it equally can lock the race.
The character of Koppenberg is unpredictable and it can affect the race in various strange ways (especially if it's soaked), so I hope teams will try to avoid the risks and start racing earlier.

 

[greenedge]

Fool forgot EBH

I've lost faith

Now, if you list half the starters , you should have included Demare, he won't win, but I am more convinced of him in the 2** section than most of the names which are actually there

I always do that.

I sort of forgot about him... but don't think he'll be there by the end.

 

[Afrank]

My analysis: he had a very fine day sucking wheels, but when he had one small issue, he showed very vulnerable compared to Vanmarcke or Cancellara. He can win a big race, but to call him a favorite when he hasn't placed a single big attack in a classic (unlike all other favorites), is a bit too naïve.

It was more then just a "small issue" that anyone else would have come back from. He just managed to keep himself upright then had to take extra time to get clipped back in. He was unable to react after the incident for a little over 6 seconds. In that time a substantial gap had already opened up. There's not many, or any, that could close that gap in that situation. Maybe a Boonen in top form, can't think of many other current top cobbled contenders that could close the gap after having a problem like Stybar had.

 

[Afrank]

Stybar was doing ZERO work while Vanmarcke was riding hard. Do you understand the difference? As soon as that wheelsucker had to ride himself he got blown away by Canc/Sep.

I liked Stybi a lot in cross, but on the road he is always sucking wheels, it's really disappointing.

Except he had to ride for himself because of a run in with a spectator. So he really didn't get "blown away" did he? After a gap opens up between you and a charging Cance and Vanmarcke, your not going to be closing that gap any time soon. Best to save some energy and fall back to the next group on the road.

It's a mystery to me why people keep disregarding his incident. It effectively took him out of being in the final selection of Cance and Vanmarcke. Stybar was following well until that point and I don't see anything that would indicate that he would have been unable to continue to hang with Cance and Vanmarcke had he not had the incident.

 

[Tournesol]

Its been said several times and I agree,Stybar was finished after the spectator incident,once Cancellara flies either alone or with a rider to work with him its effectively good night.Bye Bye.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Transfer news.
Astana just signed Betancur.

From recon: More pictures here: http://www.steephill.tv/2014/tour-of-flanders/photos/page-01/

 

[SafeBet]

Some wonderful pictures, thank you.

 

[Pentacycle]

What races was Stybar aggressive in though? (outside of cyclocross)

Vuelta, Eneco and Tour of Poland last year. And in the Four days of Dunkirk and two occasions. And that's from what I can remember.

 

[ILovecycling]

An unexpected road closure threatened to prevent Sagan from going over the Oude Kwaremont during his reconnaissance, but the youngster showed invention – and, perhaps, a little bit of cheek – to climb it from the other side before dropping down to salute the policeman who had blocked his way. For Sagan, it seems, there are no obstacles. (CN)

"We said we wanted to see because we were racing here on Sunday, but he stopped me," he said with a smile. "So after I went up [the other side] and then came back to say ‘hello, it’s open, what’s the problem?’"

Lol,like this guy,really easy-going

 

[ILovecycling]

Omg,according to staff of OPQS Boonen will be the leader.
Stating he is stronger than Terpstra and Stybar now,thats brainless