3daagse De Panne-Koksijde, March 29th - March 31st

[Anderis]

Ouch, 4 Cannondale riders DNFs today. Their cobbled team is truly abysmal this year. At least Bettiol showed himself nicely this time.

 

[burning]

Re:

Ouch, 4 Cannondale riders DNFs today. Their cobbled team is truly abysmal this year. At least Bettiol showed himself nicely this time.

17. Fra Direct Energie PROF 1252
18. Usa Cannondale Pro Cycling Team PRT 1244

I guess training methods from 70's works better than whatever they are doing in past 2 years.

 

[Anderis]

At least they're higher than Etixx in Teams' Classification.

 

[argyllflyer]

very enjoyable racing today, Astana's squabbling at the end highly amusing.

 

[WildspokeJoe]

Wow - is all I could say when I saw how bad Astana bungled it. Talk about disharmony. Gotta blame the DS on this. They had 50+ seconds to develop a proper plan. Right, let's sprint against one of the best sprinters in the world.

 

[Kwibus]

Westra stopped pulling as he was afraid to lose too much time on Kristoff (and Lutsenko). Who did a great TT here as well last year.
I think the biggest f up was made by Lutsenko, but to be honest I had the feeling that Lutsenko and Kristoff were most of all happy to be able to follow Westra.

 

[postmanhat]

Bit gutted for Pedersen that the break fell apart so quickly. All that work for only a five second advantage. Still might be enough for a top ten?

 

[Squire]

Why were De Bie and Pozzato docked 10 seconds? Car drafting?

 

[Kwibus]

I must say that Rowe has been riding really well this Spring. Last year he showed glimpses that he could be a good cobbled rider, but this year he's been at the front pretty much during all races.

Also at Gent - Wevelgem he was in the wheel of GVA and Stybar. He really has a great punch on the cobbled climbs which if he improves his endurance some more could make him a real factor in these races.
Remember he also raced up the Taaienberg with only GVA being able to follow him during the Omloop.

 

[Bushman]

Re:

Bit gutted for Pedersen that the break fell apart so quickly. All that work for only a five second advantage. Still might be enough for a top ten?

He is not too shabby a tt'er on such a course. Last year he was 20 something on this tt as well as top 10 ind Tour of Denmark. This year it seems he took a step forward and he should be really motivated with a good gc placing in sight. I would say a place around 15th is realistic, should at least be able to get into top 20. He might be fatigued by the enormous work he did today, especially if we get a tough stage tomorrow as well.

 

[manafana]

Rowe needs do one thing more in break, think and take more risks, superb and making the right move with big names, but too often sits and waits when he doesn't have sprint to beat them. Yesterday the puncture did him, field of just 138 now thats a small race.

I'd tweeted Kung was an outsider against Phinney, Phinney still long way off being right on cobbles it seems.

 

[del1962]

Re:

Rowe needs do one thing more in break, think and take more risks, superb and making the right move with big names, but too often sits and waits when he doesn't have sprint to beat them. Yesterday the puncture did him, field of just 138 now thats a small race.

I'd tweeted Kung was an outsider against Phinney, Phinney still long way off being right on cobbles it seems.

It would have been interesting to see what Rowe would have done yesterday had he not had puncture at bad time

On Phinney, what is his best result in senior cobbles race, 7th in omloop prior to bad crash, I think he will always be an also ran on the cobbles

 

[Ricco']

Re:

Rowe needs do one thing more in break, think and take more risks, superb and making the right move with big names, but too often sits and waits when he doesn't have sprint to beat them. Yesterday the puncture did him, field of just 138 now thats a small race.

I'd tweeted Kung was an outsider against Phinney, Phinney still long way off being right on cobbles it seems.

Rowe is a good sprinter, in yesterday's break surely not faster than Kristoff but certainly capable of beating Lutsenko and Westra.

 

[SafeBet]

Kungs seems on the right track after his sickness. Looking forward to see him in RVV and PR.

 

[Lexman]

second stage just started

apparently 6 riders try to escape

 

[Lexman]

all together again...

 

[inacion]

Re: Re:

Rowe needs do one thing more in break, think and take more risks, superb and making the right move with big names, but too often sits and waits when he doesn't have sprint to beat them. Yesterday the puncture did him, field of just 138 now thats a small race.

I'd tweeted Kung was an outsider against Phinney, Phinney still long way off being right on cobbles it seems.

Rowe is a good sprinter, in yesterday's break surely not faster than Kristoff but certainly capable of beating Lutsenko and Westra.

If Rowe doesn't have a flat tire maybe Kristoff doesn't had a soo easy win, because he may try to break

 

[Lexman]

Marcin Bialoblocki (One Pro Cycling) in a new attack, big crash announced as well

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Thanks for updates Lexman. Do we have a break yet? Twitter is blocked here

 

[inacion]

Re:

Thanks for updates Lexman. Do we have a break yet? Twitter is blocked here

8 riders, gap 5:50. The only know name is Pim Ligthart

 

[Lexman]

leaders : Bert Van Lerberghe (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal), Ivar Slik (Roompot), Tenbrock (Stölting), Morice (Direct Energie), Tonelli (Bardiani), Zilioli (Nippo) en Stasj (Gazprom)

 

[wirral]

Gap over 7 minutes.

 

[inacion]

Breakaway riders "Ligthart, Van Lerberghe, Tonelli, Slik, Tenbrock, Zilioli, Stash & Morice"

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Thanks for updates Lexman. Do we have a break yet? Twitter is blocked here

8 riders, gap 5:50. The only know name is Pim Ligthart

I'm sure the rest of them knows their names as well!

 

[del1962]

70k complete break has 7 minutes and its raining now