2017 Flèche Wallone - April 19th - 200.5km

[jaylew]

Break - Fabien Doubey (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Romain Guillemois (Direct Energie) and Daniel Pearson (Aqua Blue Sport) join Yoann Bagot (Cofidis), Nils Politt (Katusha Alpecin) and Olivier Pardini (WB Veranclassic Protect)

 

[sir fly]

My enthusiasm for this race dramatically dropped the moment I've heard Phil won't ride it.
I'm following, though... Hoping for action before the final ascent to Huy.

 

[jaylew]

Valgren down

 

[Der Effe]

Bad crash by Valgren...

 

[Carols]

At least he's up now.....

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Kwiatkowski.

His first attack in AGR to bridge to the leaders was ridiculously strong - on a steep bit of a hard climb. Valverde, GVA + the climbers couldn't go with him.

Agreed. However, in FW I think MK must go early and drop Valverde more than 150m to go. Of course I could be wrong and MK just outkicks the ole Don.

Why would Kwiat have to drop Valverde early? More like the other way around. Anyway, tactics hardly matter. The strongest will win.

I would need to be very generous to say that he would beat him 1 time out of 10 on such finish if they're arriving together!

Kwiat would beat Valverde 1 times out of 10 in a sprint on a 4-5% slope?? If Valverde is stronger, then yes of course, cuz like I said, the strongest will win. But theoretically speaking, when they're equally strong with 150m to go, Kwiat wins most of the times.

I'm going to disagree again. Kwiat has a chance of beating Valverde in a sprint only on the flat (and that chance isn't above 50%). On every uphill sprint Valverde is a favorite, and as the gradient goes up, Valverde's chances also goes up. In fact I don't remember any single occasion when Kwiat beat Valverde uphill. On the flat, they're more evenly matched, although I must say that more often Valverde was beating Kwiat than the other way around, If I remember properly.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Lol I'm sure this year in the flat sprint Kwia would beat Valverde 9 out of 10 times. Valverde would never beat Sagan.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Lol I'm sure this year in the flat sprint Kwia would beat Valverde 9 out of 10 times. Valverde would never beat Sagan.

Not sure Valverde would lose to Gilbert either.

 

[frisenfruitig]

If you're talking about a mass sprint I agree but a flat sprint after a tough race? If Kwiatkowski or GVA can beat Sagan after a tough race so can Valverde I would argue.

 

[frisenfruitig]

Very curious to see if one of the big guns has the balls to attack before the final Mur.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Re: Re:

Lol I'm sure this year in the flat sprint Kwia would beat Valverde 9 out of 10 times. Valverde would never beat Sagan.

Not sure Valverde would lose to Gilbert either.

Valverde in Gilberts situation would have lost by several bike lengths, hes just not that strong in a flat sprint where everyone is fresh.

 

[Hyman]

Re:

If you're talking about a mass sprint I agree but a flat sprint after a tough race? If Kwiatkowski or GVA can beat Sagan after a tough race so can Valverde I would argue.

Valverde has beaten GVA several times on a flat sprint. Eg: Ponferrada 14, AGR 15. He has also beaten Kwiatkowski on LBL 14 & AGR 14.

In fact I can remember Kwiatkowski beating Valverde on AGR 15 but I cant remember GVA beating Valverde on an important sprint

 

[frisenfruitig]

Re: Re:

If you're talking about a mass sprint I agree but a flat sprint after a tough race? If Kwiatkowski or GVA can beat Sagan after a tough race so can Valverde I would argue.

Valverde has beaten GVA several times on a flat sprint. Eg: Ponferrada 14, AGR 15. He has also beaten Kwiatkowski on LBL 14 & AGR 14

I assume you accidentally responded to my post instead of someone else? I was responding to the guy who said Valverde would never beat Sagan or Kwiat in a flat sprint.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Re: Re:

If you're talking about a mass sprint I agree but a flat sprint after a tough race? If Kwiatkowski or GVA can beat Sagan after a tough race so can Valverde I would argue.

Valverde has beaten GVA several times on a flat sprint. Eg: Ponferrada 14, AGR 15. He has also beaten Kwiatkowski on LBL 14 & AGR 14

But kwia and Gva were much slower back then. Gva lost to Stybar in a Roubaix sprint two years ago, now he has beaten him with ease.
Imo Gva>Kwia>Valverde in a sprint.

 

[markene2]

Is Eurosport Player down for anyone else? Cant watch anything....

 

[frisenfruitig]

Re: Re:

If you're talking about a mass sprint I agree but a flat sprint after a tough race? If Kwiatkowski or GVA can beat Sagan after a tough race so can Valverde I would argue.

Valverde has beaten GVA several times on a flat sprint. Eg: Ponferrada 14, AGR 15. He has also beaten Kwiatkowski on LBL 14 & AGR 14

But kwia and Gva were much slower back then. Gva lost to Stybar in a Roubaix sprint two years ago, now he has beaten him with ease.

I don't really think GVA was much slower back then. He's just stronger now and isn't as knackered at the end of a tough race. At the end of a classic it's more a matter of who has the freshest legs rather than who is actually fast.

 

[jaylew]

Betancur going with the attack

 

[sir fly]

This is shaping up into a significant group.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Betancur is such an incredibly gifted cyclist its unfair....

 

[DBotero]

Re:

Betancur going with the attack

 

[sir fly]

I have a feeling that if only a couple of favourites would try to split the group, that would be it.
Martin, Kwiatek... They can't wait for the sprint up Huy against Valverde

 

[frisenfruitig]

Re:

I have a feeling that if only a couple of favourites would try to split the group, that would be it.
Martin, Kwiatek... They can't wait for the sprint up Huy against Valverde

But I fear they will.

 

[jaylew]

Kwia has already said he'll likely keep his powder dry until the final Mur ascent.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

Kwia has already said he'll likely keep his powder dry until the final Mur ascent.

He dropped Valverde the other day, so I can't blame him.

 

[woodburn]

Anybody have usable stream in US?