2023 Brabantse Pijl, April 12th

[Samu Cuenca]

After surviving Basque walls and/or French/Flandrien cobbles in recent weeks, the riders are now making their way to the Ardennes with Brabantse Pijl being the hors d'œuvre before the three (W)WT races. INEOS and SD Worx dominated last year, where Magnus Sheffield and Demi Vollering were crowned champions. The latter is the biggest favourite yet again, but the young Norwmerican won't be defending his title. The big guns like Van der Poel, Van Aert, Pogačar, Roglič, Evenepoel, Vingegaard and Alaphilippe won't be there either, so it'll be up to other men to shine.

On the women's side, Fem van Empel will be riding her first pro road race for JV, but she won't feel all alone with other skilled CX riders like Shirin van Anrooij, Yara Kastelijn and Blanka Vas, who'll ride her first road race of the season, also present.

It looks like there will be both some rain and wind tomorrow, but we'll see how that will affect the races.

Men's start list: https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=77&y=2023&k=8

Women's start list: https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=9400&y=2023&k=8

Spoiler: Route details men's race

Spoiler: Route details women's race

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Liane for another podium!

Unless the motos take her out again like in 2019!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Liane for another podium!

Unless the motos take her out again like in 2019!

I wouldn't mind her winning either, but that won't be easy.

 

[search]

are there still roadworks on the Schevel, or does someone really like this new finish?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

This is an exceptionally poor field in the men's race compared to recent years. Usually a few of the big guns are here, now Ben Healy is joint third favourite with the bookmakers.

 

[Didinho]

are there still roadworks on the Schevel, or does someone really like this new finish?

Schavei is back open to ride.

One of my favorite races because it's my training ground. Have to babysit tomorrow but there's a small chance I could make it to see the race on the Moskesstraat.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

This is an exceptionally poor field in the men's race compared to recent years. Usually a few of the big guns are here, now Ben Healy is joint third favourite with the bookmakers.

You mean third from his team, surely?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This is an exceptionally poor field in the men's race compared to recent years. Usually a few of the big guns are here, now Ben Healy is joint third favourite with the bookmakers.

A Danish bookmaker has Corbin Strong as the second biggest favourite behind Cosnefroy, so I guess RhD must have bet everything she owns on him.

 

[tobydawq]

This is an exceptionally poor field in the men's race compared to recent years. Usually a few of the big guns are here, now Ben Healy is joint third favourite with the bookmakers.

Yeah, it's weird. Especially given that it's a big chance for many (of course not WT, but probably the most prestigious non-WT race on the calendar alongside Kuurne and Emilia) with the absence of Wout, Mathieu, Tadej et al.

 

[tobydawq]

A Danish bookmaker has Corbin Strong as the second biggest favourite behind Cosnefroy, so I guess RhD must have bet everything she owns on him.

Axelgaard has Strong as number one.

 

[DNP-Old]

Axelgaard has Strong as number one.

How many does he have as * star favorites, 83?

 

[Salvarani]

This is an exceptionally poor field in the men's race compared to recent years. Usually a few of the big guns are here, now Ben Healy is joint third favourite with the bookmakers.

Nicolas Roche had too many guinness last night and accidentally put down a thousand instead of a tenner, which made the bookmakers drop the odds. He has become such a gambling addict post retirement. Dont take my word for it though.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Axelgaard has Strong as number one.

Well I guess that must be the reason then, though looking closer at the start list, it's probably not that outrageous.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Cosnefroy, Bagioli, Hermans, Cavagna, Simmons, Kron, Dewulf, Strong, De Lie, Skujins, Trentin, Hirschi... And somehow Healy is 3rd favorite according to the bookies?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Absurdly weak field, won Amstel last year, targeting Ardennes, team built around him, unless there is something I've missed then Kwiatkowski at 40/1 is absolutely criminal.

I was actually shocked at how easily Healy dispatched a really good UAE team in Industria, it was on the same day as the Catalunya final stage so I imagine it wasn't well viewed.

 

[tobydawq]

How many does he have as * star favorites, 83?

22. Why the need to mock him? He clearly just gives stars a different way than others, what's the problem with that?

I never give stars, I find that fairly superfluous and not really telling.

 

[Didinho]

Bagioli to finally win again, hopefully. He was strong in Itzulia, and with Julian's problems maybe the leader for the next weeks.
I also expect De Lie on this circuit with the rain.
Curious how Hirschi will do, hope he can get some results again.

 

[Anderis]

Piccolo to show a small improvement.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

22. Why the need to mock him? He clearly just gives stars a different way than others, what's the problem with that?

I never give stars, I find that fairly superfluous and not really telling.

Because it usually looks like he is covering his ass rather than knowing what he's talking about. I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's talking about, though i have seen some outlandish predictions by him, but that is the impression you get by saying half the peloton can win.

 

[search]

Schavei is back open to ride.

thanks, no idea why they don't use it then. This course without it is actually pretty easy, I'd say, even it was was selective the past two editions. 1st one had van Aert, and last year's bad weather to make up for it.

But looks like there could be rain again tomorrow as well.

 

[search]

Because it usually looks like he is covering his ass rather than knowing what he's talking about. I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's talking about, though i have seen some outlandish predictions by him, but that is the impression you get by saying half the peloton can win.

on 1st of April they had a "fools' day" article about him using ChatGPT to write his previews. That's actually exactly what they look like to me.

 

[tobydawq]

Because it usually looks like he is covering his ass rather than knowing what he's talking about. I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's talking about, though i have seen some outlandish predictions by him, but that is the impression you get by saying half the peloton can win.

Believe me, he knows what he's talking about.

 

[tobydawq]

on 1st of April they had a "fools' day" article about him using ChatGPT to write his previews. That's actually exactly what they look like to me.

I suppose they have been using that since 2013, then

 

[DNP-Old]

22. Why the need to mock him? He clearly just gives stars a different way than others, what's the problem with that?

I never give stars, I find that fairly superfluous and not really telling.

I do not mock him or his previews, he mocks himself. Well, I do mock him for a lack of a hairline, but that's something different. The man is omega try harding, has a weird, ridiculous case of reverse FOMO. I can hear sweat trickling down his cheeks, in constant and utmost fear of not having named a rider who might win. He is capable of naming Ceriel Desal to win Roubaix. Who? Precisely.

 

[search]

I suppose they have been using that since 2013, then

I obviously know that they don't, but imo his previews are mainly a load of unnecessary information, and in its length completely unreadable. I'm not saying that he doesn't know what he is talking about, but some lessons in journalistic writing surely wouldn't hurt.