2017 Tour of Flanders / Ronde Van Vlaanderen - April 2, 260k

[sir fly]

Re:

***Sagan, GVA
** Gilbert, Vanmarcke
* Stybar, Terpstra, Kristoff, Degenkolb, Naesen, Rowe, Stuyven, Benoot, Durbo, Trentin

*Keuk

 

[ThePirate81]

***** Sagan,Van Avermaet,Gilbert
**** Naesen,Terpstra,Degenkolb
*** Vanmarcke,Durbridge,Benoot,Trentin
** Stybar,Stuyven,Boasson Hagen
* Rowe,Kristoff,Boonen

 

[Jungle Cycle]

T.Martin+Kristof to try a long one only to get caught by an angry Sagan.
Curious to see what he got planed for celebration at line....

 

[Hellyea]

***Sagan, Sagan's mechanical, Sagan's crash
**GVA,Gilbert
*Sep

 

[kingjr]

Re: Re:

Why?

It's an entirely different situation. People come to a place, if they have the numbers and technology, they don't need to adapt to anyone, they just make it their own. This isn't gonna work for the refugees Scarponi mentioned, however.

I understand, but I don't think that people can be angry about one and then just not care about the other.

I can agree with that. I'll leave it at that, this isn't the right thread to go really in depth on this topic

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Lol, don't take it so seriously.

But maybe not the smartest thing to do by Sagan to 'provoke' the strongest team in the race when you're gonna be all alone

Remind me again how exactly QS helped Sagan last year? They will be dead after Kwaremont (maybe except for Gilbert)

Don't understand your point? I said QS helped Sagan last year? Where?

I meant that Sagan won no matter what QS did. They are completely irrelevant to him at RVV. They don't have legs to stop him, just like they didn't have them last year. That was my point.

Can't compare now to last year. It was a different race, different circumstances (Canc still there for example) etc. Last year they indeed didn't have the team to trouble Sagan, but they're stronger this year. I'm not going as far as saying they actually CAN make Sagan lose if they want, obviously. But you think having words (or whatever you wanna call it) with the strongest team in the race is what you want? No matter how small the chance is that he will actually need an ally with Quick Step, I'd rather have them by my side just in case.

 

[Laplaz]

***** - Sagan, GVA
**** - Gilbert, Degenkolb
*** - Naesen, Terpstra, Durbridge
** - Stybar, Lampaert, Benoot
* - Trentin, Boonen, Kristoff, Vanmarcke, Colbrelli, Rowe, T. Martin, Andersen, Matthews, Keukeleire, Boasson Hagen

 

[Valv.Piti]

Am I wrong when saying its the first time in a long time it has looked this good for Belgian classics riders? They obviously have some of the absolute biggest favourites for the upcoming RvV in Gilbert, GVA and Vanmarcke who all are well established at this point. But then you also have Stuyven, Benoot, Naesen, Lampaert and Keukeleure who all are pretty young and have shown to be very capable in this terrain this year. It looks very promising for them which the season so far also has shown.

 

[frisenfruitig]

Yeah we're doing pretty damn well. Doesn't look like we have a new Boonen coming up but yeah, not really realistic to expect something like that I suppose. We have a lot of good young guys for the cobbled classics though I do wish we had some more good climbers as well. We don't really have anyone that can challenge for the Ardennes at the moment, maybe Wellens on a rainy day. I think Benoot and Stuyven have the most potential. Benoot is still only 23 years old, I wonder how much more he will progress. Stuyven seems like a guy that will definitely win PR one day.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: 2017 Tour of Flanders / Ronde Van Vlaanderen - April 2,

And I actually forgot Boonen. :lol:

Then there's also the lesser riders Backaert, Theuns, Debusschere, Keirsbulck etc. who still have many years ahead of them as well.

 

[Sciatic]

Re:

C'mon, people,... What kind of discussion is this?!
Cultural differences are way to better understanding, not to confrontation.

I quite enjoy these "what's in a name" discussions (at least the postings without the bigotry)--they are a cultural education on the fly!

Ironic, though, that despite the anglicizing of so many race names, for the most famous race (for non-forumites) most English news and journal outlets use the French spelling (In case you missed it, "de" is not an English conjunction).

 

[movingtarget]

It's hard to see anyone winning this apart from the top three or four favorites. GVA is flying. I just can't see a surprise winner unless crashes play a part towards the finish.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

It's hard to see anyone winning this apart from the top three or four favorites. GVA is flying. I just can't see a surprise winner unless crashes play a part towards the finish.

I have a feeling it will pay out that way, I think it's more likely that we see a surprise winner at Roubaix.

 

[The Hegelian]

Agree with the last two posts. It's been a great classics season already, but I can't help but feel that RVV will be a bit of an anti-climax. Sagan, GVA & maybe Gilbert are a level above, and in a race like this there's no faking it. The selection will be made, it will be elite, they won't be caught.....editorials will rightly glorify the winner.....

and then we all move on to the half-lottery that is PR.

 

[Jagartrott]

***** GVA, Sagan (although part of me wonders if Sagan has peaked early)
**** Gilbert, Degenkolb
*** Naesen
** Terpstra, Stybar, Keukeleire, Benoot, Kristoff, Vanmarcke, Boonen, Theuns
* Trentin, Colbrelli, Boasson Hagen, Oss, Chavanel

 

[SafeBet]

**** GVA, Sagan
*** Phil Gil
** Degenkolb, Naesen, Durbridge, Stybar
* Terpstra, Boonen, Kristoff, Keukeleire, Vanmarcke, Benoot

 

[Flamin]

I guess Dege made some great impressions in GW (haven't seen the race yet) to rate him so high here, because I'd definitely rate him below guys like Kristoff, Terpstra, Vanmarcke.

 

[WheelofGear]

Based on the season so far:

*** Sagan, GVA, Gilbert
** Naesen, Durbridge
* the rest

 

[King Boonen]

All in for Vanmarcke for me, really want to see him get the big win.

 

[Lexman]

Re:

All in for Vanmarcke for me, really want to see him get the big win.

might be dark horse, no one speaks about him since he has had his disease at E3 and skipped GW

RVV might be "just not" for him but must be at 110 % at PR

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

I guess Dege made some great impressions in GW (haven't seen the race yet) to rate him so high here, because I'd definitely rate him below guys like Kristoff, Terpstra, Vanmarcke.

Ronde might be a tad too hard for him, but yes, he looked back to his old self in GW.

 

[Mr.White]

I would send Boonen or Terpstra quite early in the attack, or even both! QS needs to put huge pressure on GVA and Sagan, and the best thing to do that is to send big riders. Lampaert or Vermote or even Trentin wouldn't do the job. Second pass of Kwaremont is the latest point where should they strike. After that is too late, and then only Gilbert can fight with the biggest favorites

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

I can understand it to a degree, but it's not the end of the world.

Post of the day

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

All in for Vanmarcke for me, really want to see him get the big win.

might be dark horse, no one speaks about him since he has had his disease at E3 and skipped GW

RVV might be "just not" for him but must be at 110 % at PR

To be honest, even in top form, I think he'd to struggle to win. He can stick with the leaders but he's not quite got the ability to get away and make it stick or wait and win the sprint, but a bit of luck of GVA/Sagan/QS watching each other and I think he has a chance.

 

[Martin]

Re: Re:

I can understand it to a degree, but it's not the end of the world.

Post of the day