46th Amstel Gold Race (The maze) - Sunday April 17, 2011

[jaylew]

Can someone answer a stupid question for me:

Just started watching cycling ... but why when cancellara was so dominant in the cobbled classics was this race not suited for him, is it really that different? (to the point that he was just a domestique)

It doesn't suit him as well, but we'll never really know how he might have done since he crashed right before the action heated up.

 

[mulletCobra]

Evans is the only one on that team that is capable of winning a race.

BMC won't win a race this year with anyone apart from Evans. That's a given.

Which race will Evans win? I don't see how he will win anything left on the calender.

 

[roundabout]

The end climb is WAY too steep for him, he will just stand still compared to the likes of gilbert.

Everybody did except Rodriguez.

So when is Gilbert getting a clinic thread. He is head and shoulders above the rest in races like this.

 

[afpm90]

Don't act surprised ACF, that's how they always ride. Rabo are a team of losers, who will never win something major. When they have the chance they always fail, that's a fact. And all this Rabo bashing is true and deserved, they rode like cowards.

Not to mention the form of Gesink looks worrying. He is better at time trialling then climbing these days, how's that even possible? He completely blew up at the Cauberg, that shouldn't happen with a climber that wants to compete with the best climbers at the Tour.

So much hate...

 

[Bala Verde]

Not to mention the form of Gesink looks worrying. He is better at time trialling then climbing these days, how's that even possible? He completely blew up at the Cauberg, that shouldn't happen with a climber that wants to compete with the best climbers at the Tour.

You must be worried about Schleck as well then....

 

[KassyC]

The end climb is WAY too steep for him, he will just stand still compared to the likes of gilbert.

Ah I see, cheers

 

[Stingray34]

Gilbert is indeed no Cancellara ... unlike the Belgian newspapers stated

Gilbert takes all those f**kin' slepers to the finish & kills 'em all!!!

The boy's a bit special, that's for sure! Can we say Cancellara is the Gilbert of Flanders now?

I have nothing against Rabobank at all, but they were made to look stupid in the final. Amateur, even.

 

[Sasquatch]

Which race will Evans win? I don't see how he will win anything left on the calender.

Evans has already won a race this year. That's the only one BMC will win. If they win another one, Evans will fluke one. None of the other riders are capable of it.

 

[roundabout]

You must be worried about Schleck as well then....

Yes, because they were both in the same break...

 

[Parrulo]

curse you gilbert

if it weren't for you i would have won my bet

anyway he deserved the win too bad i could only watch the last 6 k <_<

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans is the only one on that team that is capable of winning a race.

BMC won't win a race this year with anyone apart from Evans. That's a given.

Didn't you watch tirreno? you said that earlier in the year and you were proved very wrong.

 

[maltiv]

You must be worried about Schleck as well then....

Schleck had attacked earlier and was one of the strongest riders in the race. Besides, unlike Gesink, Schleck was been improving all season, going from utterly horrible in february to quite decent now, while Gesink has been close to top too long I think. But with a good break now he could still be ready for TDF obviously.

 

[mulletCobra]

Evans has already won a race this year. That's the only one BMC will win. If they win another one, Evans will fluke one. None of the other riders are capable of it.

Okay, I thought you meant he would win something in the future.

 

[profff]

great job by VDB
rabo was not able to do anything because he kept the pace very fast for 5-6km
the shame is that they had no legs even to try

finally, a good race from gerrans-
what happened to heisdial ( the canadian garmin rider, i do not know how to spell it )?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans has already won a race this year. That's the only one BMC will win. If they win another one, Evans will fluke one. None of the other riders are capable of it.

Some great rational thinking here... back tracked from your post before tirreno of which you said BMC or Evans won't win a race.

 

[Sasquatch]

Didn't you watch tirreno? you said that earlier in the year and you were proved very wrong.

That's why I said anyone apart from Evans because he has already won a race this year.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Indeed that is worrying. But is it surprising that Rabo ****s another talented rider up? Like they did with countless of other riders, who reached their potential when they left Rabo?

ever occur the guy is just struggling for form. He said he over-trained in the winter and wanted to be good at oman and win for particular reasons.
I suspect that training might have screwed his schedule up to this point.

And for all his poor performance he still has a 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall plus managed to make the main selection of the first hilly classic, whilst a guy liek samu didn't.

Rabo you have screwed up gesink. he may as well quit.

 

[roundabout]

ever occur the guy is just struggling for form. He said he over-trained in the winter and wanted to be good at oman and win for particular reasons.
I suspect that training might have screwed his schedule up to this point.

And for all his poor performance he still has a 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall plus managed to make the main selection of the first hilly classic, whilst a guy liek samu didn't.

Rabo you have screwed up gesink. he may as well quit.

Why the eck would he want to be good at Oman of all races?

 

[Sasquatch]

Don't worry about Gesink's performance.

I know he won't.

He will make up for everything by finishing top 5 or even finishing on the podium in July.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Why the eck would he want to be good at Oman of all races?

First race of his season and wanting to do something for his father I believe.

 

[The Hitch]

Everybody did except Rodriguez.

So when is Gilbert getting a clinic thread. He is head and shoulders above the rest in races like this.

+1. ...............

 

[movingtarget]

Which race will Evans win? I don't see how he will win anything left on the calender.

I thought he would have had a chance in the Fleche or Tour of Lombardy, Romandie ? Who knows whether he can bounce back to his best at the TDF or the Vuelta ? I suppose we will see how his change in preparation has worked, in a few months time. Obviously a grand tour is what he wants to win.

 

[joy118118]

gesink said he had cramps

 

[NickRooz]

ever occur the guy is just struggling for form. He said he over-trained in the winter and wanted to be good at oman and win for particular reasons.
I suspect that training might have screwed his schedule up to this point.

And for all his poor performance he still has a 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall plus managed to make the main selection of the first hilly classic, whilst a guy liek samu didn't.

Rabo you have screwed up gesink. he may as well quit.

Yeah it's logical that he trains to be good at Oman, a race that doesn't really matter anyway. When it really matters, when the real races are ridden with the strongest competitors, Rabo simply doesn't have what it takes to win a race, let it be a major classic or stage race. Maybe they should hire Bjarne Riis, who gets most out of his riders?

In other words:they should think about their strategy. They failed in trying to isolate Gilbert, after that they failed in making a mark in the final stage of the race.

 

[roundabout]

First race of his season and wanting to do something for his father I believe.

I understand the family reasons, but still Oman...