2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 28th Feb, 200km, 1.HC

[goggalor]

I guess EQS were too obssessed with trying to make sure Boonen was the one who'd win, and by the time they realised Terpstra was stronger once Boonen had attacked, it was too late.

Exactly. One of quite a few things which played in Stannard's favour.

 

[dlwssonic]

I wonder what upgrade sky have gotten, look much better compared to a up and down season last year.

 

[TourOfTexas]

Vandenberg screwed up. When Terpstra went after Boonen was brought back, Stannard was distanced. Vandenberg was a little off the wheel. If he had let the wheel go, I don't think Stannard wouldn't have made it back and Niki would have won.

It was predicted in this thread at the start that Stijn would mess it up somehow.

Prescient.

 

[theoldbiker]

stannard won this race on his own, be fair to a terrific performance from a genuine cyclist.

 

[Poursuivant]

Amazing!

I missed the start, why are people saying Stannard owes Vanmarcke?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Love the look on Boonen's face at the end: "WTF just happened?".

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

There must be a lot of potatoes in the Low Countries.

 

[Arredondo]

I had to laugh at the moment Terpstra attacked, and Vandenbergh reacted immediately.

 

[Lexman]

Terpstra's sprint was also really bad. Stannard was riding to keep Boonen at bay, perfect position to force Stannard to start the sprint early on, but still Terpstra started the sprint head on too far out.... why oh why??

Terpstra sprinted as a youngster, should have let Stannard keep the lead....maybe he tried to drop the tempo for Boonen to come back...

 

[theyoungest]

Vandenberg definitely made the biggest tactical error. What the hell was he doing going after Terpstra, you could see that Terpstra was confused as well.

It almost seems like he didn't want Terpstra to win, which is understandable given Terpstra's character, but still.

 

[PremierAndrew]

I wonder what upgrade sky have gotten, look much better compared to a up and down season last year.

Better luck, a reality check in the form a horrible season last year and a Team Principal who is no longer devoting about 30% of his time to a track team. Better luck by far the main reason though - Stannard's injuries, Froome's crash on stage 4 of Tdf, crash in Dauphine, Thomas in Paris-Nice etc etc last year...

 

[WildspokeJoe]

stannard won this race on his own, be fair to a terrific performance from a genuine cyclist.

Of the four he was the strongest but how can QS let that happen. Brutal.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Also, the biggest surprise of the day might be that Kristoff did not win the peloton sprint in a classic. He got beaten by Rowe and Demare!!

 

[PremierAndrew]

Amazing!

I missed the start, why are people saying Stannard owes Vanmarcke?

VM kept the pressure on Etixx trio to work instead of ganging up on Stannard from an earlier point

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

The entire situation played out so stupidly but hey at least it was a billion times more interesting than the last 2 years

 

[TourOfTexas]

Amazing!

I missed the start, why are people saying Stannard owes Vanmarcke?

For leading the chase and forcing the Etixx three to tire themselves to stay clear. GVA deserves the same credit.

 

[Big Doopie]

I wonder what upgrade sky have gotten, look much better compared to a up and down season last year.

lol. but lets not wonder about the upgrade that etixx had that reminded us quite a lot of fleche '94 and a couple of paris-roubaix 1-2-3s.

 

[sir fly]

An epic racing day in Flanders!
Epic fail by Etixx.
I guess they've couldn't attack from further behind and risk being caught by Vanmarcke's group. But there was Stybar so - why not?!
Really entertaining opening of the season.

 

[skidmark]

Amazing!

I missed the start, why are people saying Stannard owes Vanmarcke?

Vanmarcke was clearly the strongest rider in the race but had 2 key punctures. He led the chase from 35 seconds back to just 13 (him and GVA and Stybar) ensuring the 'Steppers in front had to work to keep him at bay and therefore were tired out enough to mess things up as thoroughly as they did. Without that, they're fresher and can close those gaps and we get a different end.

 

[indianfanboy]

Amazing!

I missed the start, why are people saying Stannard owes Vanmarcke?

coz Vanmarcke blew the race apart and Stannard was in his wheel followed by the 3 steppers and then Vanmarcke even dropped Stannard but he flatted bummer

 

[jaylew]

Go back and look at that point when Terpstra went after Boonen was caught. He had a gap. Why on earth did Vandenberg go with him? He actually struggled to get onto Niki and Stannard was struggling a little to get onto Vandenberg. He bascially just pulled Stannard back into a winning position. He was tired from bringing back Boonen - make him close the gap. If he had just let Niki go solo it's game over.

That said, Stannard was incredible. Kudos to him.

 

[jens_attacks]

bloody amazing, gotta love yogi for this. i also do think by the way that he would have beaten boonen on the uphill sprint. but they could have attacked him earlier with 3 vs 1 is just crazy to lose. and yet it happened....
i think now is sure that tom will never win this race

 

[deValtos]

Amazing!

I missed the start, why are people saying Stannard owes Vanmarcke?

Vanmarcke being the beast that he is kept the gap around 20 seconds for the last 40km (with some help from GVA) which prevented to some extent Etixx working over Standard. So Standard got a nice ride while the 3 Etixx guys were relaying hard to stop Vanmarcke.

 

[May0maniac]

Also, the biggest surprise of the day might be that Kristoff did not win the peloton sprint in a classic. He got beaten by Rowe and Demare!!

The race was only 200km long, things like that can happen.

 

[etymology]

Fail of the year

no way - there's a whole season of racing ahead.

HOWEVER: the "fail of the year" bar has been set so high, it is difficult to imagine any other season fails jumping over it.