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

[Lexman]

Well one thing is for sure, I've never seen anyone in the past few years putting so much hurt on Cancellara on a flat piece of asphalt in a road race.. The moment Vanmarcke closed that gap to GVA/Vandenbergh I think Cancellara was at the breaking point

Indeed one instant of a second I thought Cancellara had to let go....

 

[glassmoon]

I did say it would probably be safer to stand on the side of the road then on a traffic island. But it's not a place you would normally expect to have a problem. And even if the people hadn't been standing there he wouldn't have been able to bunny hop it. You can see in the video there is the first elevated traffic island, and then a second one that even looked like there might be something coming off it. So he would have gone down regardless of people being there.

well the pros are hopping over those traffic islands all the time. he may have wanted to do so this time but when he saw the family standing there he probably went full-brakes and just flew into the lady... but that doesn't change the fact that standing there and WITH THE KIDS is rather dangerous if not plain stupid. it could have ended with dead kid or/and Johan.

 

[barmaher]

Cancellara was in really great form in 2012.

He was very very strong in MSR. He won Strade Bianche very easily. He won the ITT in T-A.

There is no way of knowing whether he would have beaten Boonen in P-R and RVV if he had stayed fit. I actually think he would have. When you consider his performances before RVV that spring, he was in great form:

Strade Bianche he won by nearly a minute and was very very clearly the strongest.
His ITT in T-A was won by a big margin for such a small distance.
In MSR, he kept the pack at bay. I remember reading the list of riders who took pulls on the front group that day. Geschke, Paolini, Gatto and one or two others.
In G-W and E3 he was very unlucky with crashes and punctures.

I can understand someone saying Boonen would win anyway that year if Fabian is fit. I can understand someone saying Fabian would have beaten him. But I cannot understand someone being definite about either opinion.

 

[zigmeister]

Hypocritical how there is even the slight talk/mention of any wrongdoing by a cyclist during a closed course event, yet a car can slam into anybody and kill a cyclist, not even the tiny thought of taking any action against the driver.

Here is a sensible thing, don't stand in the middle of the road on a traffic island with a small child during a race, and have a volunteer that is trained to wave a flag noting the traffic island.

Watching the spectators at some of the bike races in many countries strikes a strange similarity and vision of rally car racing.

 

[Netserk]

@barmaher: I think Canc would've won Ronde, and Boonen Roubaix.

 

[barmaher]

On balance, I think you're probably right, Netserk.

They would have been good races, though!

 

[Kwibus]

Indeed one instant of a second I thought Cancellara had to let go....

Just had the pleasure to watch the RvV again and Cancellara indeed almost had to let go atleast 3 times and I don't think he was acting.

 

[De Snelle Duif]

Just had the pleasure to watch the RvV again and Cancellara indeed almost had to let go atleast 3 times and I don't think he was acting.

Yes, he seemed really close to cracking at some moments. I thought he even said so in an interview?

 

[HSNHSN]

Yes, he seemed really close to cracking at some moments. I thought he even said so in an interview?

Should be this one.

In my view one of the many outriders who preceed the race should have directed the family to safety at the side of the road.

I agree that someone should've told the family, indeed. In fact, I remember visiting the cobblestones in the 2004 Tour de France (Hornaing, I think) with my father and we actually told some other spectators that it would be a lot safer to jump over a small ditch and watch the race from there.

 

[masking_agent]

Yes, he seemed really close to cracking at some moments. I thought he even said so in an interview?

so how do these guys hold off "poppping" without the other riders knowing ? Because if you are on your limit, I'm sure other riders would attack and be able to expose you at this level ? How does he hide such "red lining " ?

 

[sklein]

Got some pictures from the Wolvenberg and Paterberg yesterday

Here you go:

http://www.radfoto.de/cycling-pictures/2014/ronde-van-vlaanderen/

 

[Volderke]

Excellent set of pictures, Sklein!
I really like the look on their faces after the second Paterberg. You can feel the suffering!

What lens/kit are you using? 7D + 70-200?

 

[Lexman]

Lefevere puts some more pressure on the shoulders of his riders (as if this was necessary)

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/SportWereld/cnt/DMF20140407_01059313

"We have to win a classic/monument"

Boonen the main leader, says Stybar and Terpstra still has to prove they can win a classic.

He also says he didn't let VDB ride in RVV because they knew they would be second in that case and gambled on a return of their men.

Said he even received a phone call in the race from Ochowiecz to let VDB ride with GVA

Apparently something happened in the last 30 km which explains their tactics. The article doesn't mention it, one needs to have digital edition of the newspaper...

Someone here maybe?

 

[Flamin]

I just read that article and I was about to ask the same thing. Boonen said they had no communication the last 30-45 minutes, maybe that's it...

 

[Lexman]

I just read that article and I was about to ask the same thing. Boonen said they had no communication the last 30-45 minutes, maybe that's it...

where does he say that? any link or so thanks

 

[Kokoso]

Barta finished 31st, 1:43 behind winner. He was in the first group with Cancellara and co until Oude Kwaremont with 20 km to go, where he had flat on the base of climb and had to go it with flat to the top, where waited his servisman. It's pretty great result, considering lack of team support and, in front of all, he went RvV for the first time.
Hat off.

 

[Flamin]

where does he say that? any link or so thanks

Post-race interview on Sporza. Maybe you can find it on their site.

 

[SafeBet]

Apparently something happened in the last 30 km which explains their tactics.

Nothing can explain their tactics.
They are pro riders, they must know what to do even when left without radios.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

The OPQS failing had nothing to do with tactics. They were simply not good enough.

 

[fauniera]

The OPQS failing had nothing to do with tactics. They were simply not good enough.

Maybe they were not good enough, but their tactics were definitely wrong. All three leaders were waiting for the last Kwaremont, all three got dropped, and that was that. Not very smart. They should have ridden way more actively, Terpstra and Stybar should have went into attacks after Taaienberg. They had the numbers, the other contenders were isolated, but Omega didn't make use of it.

 

[Lexman]

Maybe they were not good enough, but their tactics were definitely wrong. All three leaders were waiting for the last Kwaremont, all three got dropped, and that was that. Not very smart. They should have ridden way more actively, Terpstra and Stybar should have went into attacks after Taaienberg. They had the numbers, the other contenders were isolated, but Omega didn't make use of it.

Yes indeed, when Minard or Leukemans made their moves one of the OPQS could have followed, would have put Cancellara and Sagan to work ...

 

[sklein]

Excellent set of pictures, Sklein!
I really like the look on their faces after the second Paterberg. You can feel the suffering!

What lens/kit are you using? 7D + 70-200?

sorry for my late response.
yes, i use this combination most of the time!

 

[Sciatic]

The woman in the collision with Vansummeren is out of her coma. "She is able to move, but still cannot speak, explained her husband."

From L'Equipe via Het Nieuwsblad:
Percutée par Johan Vansummeren lors du Tour des Flandres début avril, la spectatrice de 65 ans est sortie du coma selon les journaux Het Laatste Nieuws et Het Nieuwsblad. «Elle regarde autour d'elle et elle peut bouger, mais pas encore parler, explique son mari. J'espère que tout ira dans le bon sens. J'en saurai plus en fin de semaine.» Admise en soins intensifs, son pronostic vital était engagé. La phase de réveil est désormais en cours.

 

[podunavac]

Good news.
Thanx for sharing it, Sciatic.

 

[Sciatic]

You're welcome. I was glad to see that news as well.