2015 Ardennes: 79th La Fleche Wallonne - Mur de Huy - 205.5k

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

Gesink 25th and ahead of R.Costa in his 2nd race of the season. Lol...

edit: also ahead of Kwiat

It doesn't really matter who you beat to 25th place since riders so far back either dont have it or isn't trying too hard.

Still good to see Gesink back racing again.

It does matter if you know where Gesink is coming from.

25th is a good result for him, I agree. But the fact that he beat Costa and Kwiat doesn't really make the result any better or worse.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

Kwiat also really weak. Alaphilippe saved Etixx here

Seriously didnt expect that from him.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

Gesink 25th and ahead of R.Costa in his 2nd race of the season. Lol...

edit: also ahead of Kwiat

It doesn't really matter who you beat to 25th place since riders so far back either dont have it or isn't trying too hard.

Still good to see Gesink back racing again.

It does matter if you know where Gesink is coming from.

boy i remember PR '08, what a rider he was back then. Sad really, i wish he went to sky, maybe they can do something for him.

 

[rainman]

Club runs on critical parts of PR - Arenberg and Mons, also on Cauberg in AGR now amazingly on Huy. Couldn't believe how slow that climb was after such a good FW. I wish Wellens could have somehow held on, fantastic rider.

 

[SkyTears]

another example of the most overrated boring set of races , also named "classics"

you can resume 5h of racing :

Gilbert crash, Froome crash, Valverde sprints 100m

bring on some stage races faster!

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Club runs on critical parts of PR - Arenberg and Mons, also on Cauberg in AGR now amazingly on Huy. Couldn't believe how slow that climb was after such a good FW. I wish Wellens could have somehow held on, fantastic rider.

You can't have it both ways though. You either have a good first 200km, with lots of attacks, a hard pace towards the end, the chance of a breakaway winning and only a small group making it to the Mur; or you have nothing for the first 200km, then an all-action flat out sprint up the Mur.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but after such a hard last 50km, everyone's tank was empty by the end.

 

[hrotha]

How hard were the last 50 km really when you had a gazillion guys in the group until the second to last climb.

 

[Fernandez]

Too many cryings around here, is it because Valverde won? The race was entertaining, the penultimate climb was a success as they only reach at the botton of Huy just the best, not so much fight for positions, and won the very best of the world, i mean mister Alejandro Valverde Belmonte. Where was the "world champion" today?

 

[Asero831]

Mur de Huy
2015:1 km@11,1%---2:53---average speed 20.81 km/h(Alejandro Valverde)
2014:1 km@11,1%---2:41---average speed 22.36 km/h(Alejandro Valverde)-RECORD
2013:1 km@11,1%---2:48---average speed 21.43 km/h(Daniel Moreno)
2012:1 km@11,1%---3:00---average speed 20.00 km/h(Joaquim Rodriguez)
2011:1 km@11,1%---2:44---average speed 21.95 km/h(Philippe Gilbert)
2010:1 km@11,1%---2:45---average speed 21.82 km/h(Evans-Rodriguez-Contador)
2009:1 km@11,1%---2:46---average speed 21.67 km/h(Davide Rebellin)
2008:1 km@11,1%---3:02---average speed 19.78 km/h(Kim Kirchen)
2007:1 km@11,1%---2:45---average speed 21.82 km/h(Davide Rebellin)
2006:1 km@11,1%---2:51---average speed 21.05 km/h(Valverde-S.Sanchez-Kroon-F.Schleck)
2005:1 km@11,1%---3:01---average speed 19.89 km/h(Di Luca-Kirchen-Rebellin)
2004:1 km@11,1%---2:46---average speed 21.67 km/h(Davide Rebellin)
2003:1 km@11,1%---3:20---average speed 18.00 km/h(Igor Astarloa)
2002:1 km@11,1%---2:59---average speed 20.11 km/h(Frigo-D.Etxebarria-Boogerd)
---3:13---average speed 18.65 km/h(Mario Aerts)
2001:1 km@11,1%---3:00---average speed 20.00 km/h(D.Etxebarria-Casagrande-Frigo-Rebellin-Boogerd-Luttenberger)
---3:14---average speed 18.56 km/h(Rik Verbrugghe)
1999:1 km@11,1%---3:36---average speed 16.66 km/h(Michele Bartoli)
1998:1 km@11,1%---3:11---average speed 18.85 km/h(Bo Hamburger)
1997:1 km@11,1%---3:10---average speed 18.95 km/h(Laurent Jalabert)
1996:1 km@11,1%---3:03---average speed 19.67 km/h(Lance Armstrong)
1994:1 km@11,1%---3:12---average speed 18.75 km/h(Argentin-Furlan)
1993:1 km@11,1%---3:39---average speed 16.44 km/h(Maurizio Fondriest)
1992:1 km@11,1%---3:15---average speed 18.46 km/h(Giorgio Furlan)
1991:1 km@11,1%---3:52---average speed 15.52 km/h(Moreno Argentin)
1989:1 km@11,1%---3:31---average speed 17.06 km/h(Claude Criquielion)
1988:1 km@11,1%---3:47---average speed 15.86 km/h(Rolf Golz)
1986:1 km@11,1%---3:42---average speed 16.22 km/h(Laurent Fignon)
1985:1 km@11,1%---3:31---average speed 17.06 km/h(Claude Criquielion)

 

[SeriousSam]

Re:

another example of the most overrated boring set of races , also named "classics"

you can resume 5h of racing :

Gilbert crash, Froome crash, Valverde sprints 100m

bring on some stage races faster!

Most GC stages of relevance are basically a MTF ie the Mur only 10 times longer with most attacks in like the last 2kms, or the least exciting race imagineable, the time trial.

 

[Asero831]

Etixx-Movistar-Orica - When will other teams enter the podium?

 

[bala v]

Re:

another example of the most overrated boring set of races , also named "classics"

you can resume 5h of racing :

Gilbert crash, Froome crash, Valverde sprints 100m

bring on some stage races faster!

It is pretty clear when you have started to watch cycling. Let me guess, 2012?

 

[shalgo]

Froome actually finished the race!?

123. GBR FROOME Chris SKY 12'19"

 

[Asero831]

I tough Purito's 2012 win was deadly but it shows that it took him 3 mins to negotiate Huy

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Froome actually finished the race!?

123. GBR FROOME Chris SKY 12'19"

Surprised by that, looks like no injury then so good news for Romandie.

 

[Asero831]

wow Quintana 2:43 back..Tejay 8 mins back

 

[SeriousSam]

Re:

I tough Purito's 2012 win was deadly but it shows that it took him 3 mins to negotiate Huy

Gilbert's 2011 is probably still the most impressive even if Valverde was a bit quicker last year. iirc, Gilbert in 2011 starte the attack way back and getting a huge and unusual gap by the finish. 2011 Phil was magical.

 

[Fernandez]

Re: Re:

I tough Purito's 2012 win was deadly but it shows that it took him 3 mins to negotiate Huy

Gilbert's 2011 is probably still the most impressive even if Valverde was a bit quicker last year. iirc, Gilbert in 2011 starte the attack way back and getting a huge and unusual gap by the finish. 2011 Phil was magical.

Today Valverde just neednt to attack, he owned everybody

 

[Velolover2]

Alaphilippe > Kwaitkowski for the very steep stuff.

And great win for Valverde. He was by far the strongest.

 

[SeriousSam]

Kwiatkowski just isn't as strong this time. People overestimated him because he Gerran'd Amstel, the reality is that he is weaker than last year.

 

[Arredondo]

Purito's win in 2012 was more impressive because the weather conditions were worse. It does have a influence on how fast you ride up a climb.

Valverde just the expecting winner, the best today.

Purito good, but on this day i admit he isn't the rider anymore he was He looks better when it's not super explosive anymore, and that's why i'm hoping he will have his best day in Liege. But he has to attack from far out, otherwise he doesn't stand a chance against guys like Valverde.

 

[WildspokeJoe]

I never like this race. It's the same sort of wind-up every year.
But I will say this. The strongest rider wins every year. No one flukes it.

 

[jaylew]

Still think Betancur's performance a couple of years back was one of the most impressive I've seen.

 

[Fernandez]

Re:

I never like this race. It's the same sort of wind-up every year.
But I will say this. The strongest rider wins every year. No one flukes it.

Totally agree, here there arent no tricks or tactics, its just pure strengh, and today we saw who really is the real deal in these races.

 

[rainman]

Guess you cant argue with the record of 2014, way faster than the top fuel years.