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

[Captain_Cavman]

Belgium leading UCI WorldTour Ranking after Gold Race.

Cool.

Radioshack leading the UCI WorldTour Team Ranking after Gold Race.

Not cool.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yet, they've scored 70 points less than last year around this time.

Last year they had 630 points, now 560
(edit: this was about Belgium).
So they are regressing.

Good to see the Netherlands already scored 230 points more than last year after the AGR

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Swift has scored more than half GB's points.

Cavendish has scored 0. He needs to crack on if he wants a team round him at the Worlds

 

[sTTevie]

great win by Gilbert, this proves his claim that as long as valverde isn't racing, there's no one that can beat him on a finish like that...

Also a great team effort by Omega Pharma, team took a lot of (deserved) heat in the past for not being strong enough to support their topriders but today they proved otherwise..

strong ride by Hermans and Leukemans too, big up for them!

classic spring turning into the best for the belgians in a few years with the ronde, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel, Gent-Wevelgem, Brabantse Pijl and Dwars door Vlaanderen in the pocket...

not forgetting Nokere Koerse & Driedaagse De Panne

 

[roundabout]

And it's a tough year to be a sprinter.

Difficult to win in Romandie, nothing after stage 12 in the Giro. 1 stage in the Dauphine, 3 stages in the TdS. 2 uphill finishes in the Tour "flat stages" and a couple more which might be complicated.

 

[boomcie]

Yet, they've scored 70 points less than last year around this time.

Last year they had 630 points, now 560
(edit: this was about Belgium).
So they are regressing.

Good to see the Netherlands already scored 230 points more than last year after the AGR

I answer with a quote

...classic spring turning into the best for the belgians in a few years with the ronde, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel, Gent-Wevelgem, Brabantse Pijl and Dwars door Vlaanderen in the pocket...

Last year, only Brabantse Pijl and Amstel.

But I know you're messing around. I shouldn't let myself be fooled like this.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Yet, they've scored 70 points less than last year around this time.

Last year they had 630 points, now 560
(edit: this was about Belgium).
So they are regressing.

Good to see the Netherlands already scored 230 points more than last year after the AGR

Where do you find last year's ranking?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

http://www.uci.ch

They have archives you know

 

[dlwssonic]

LOL BMC still at 6 spot the rankings do lie

 

[Anonymous]

Swift has scored more than half GB's points.

Cavendish has scored 0. He needs to crack on if he wants a team round him at the Worlds

Nah, they should just make Swift team leader and make Cav leadout for him.

 

[Anonymous]

Radioshack leading the UCI WorldTour Team Ranking after Gold Race.

Not cool.

They arent 1st in the ranking that matters

1. Team Garmin - Cervélo PRT 9920
2. Rabobank PRT 9766
3. HTC - Highroad PRT 9613
4. Leopard - Trek PRT 9304
5. Vacansoleil - DCM PRT 9285
6. Team RadioShack PRT 9052
7. Lampre - ISD PRT 8295
8. Sky Professional Cycling Team PRT 8228

 

[roundabout]

they are

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/cqRankingTeam.asp?year=2011

 

[Captain_Cavman]

they are

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/cqRankingTeam.asp?year=2011

Is one on a year on year basis and the other based on the 2011 calendar year?

 

[roundabout]

Correct...

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Correct...

Thanks.

Rogers results have fallen off a cliff haven't they? Over 300 points down on last year already.

Maybe he'll do better in his second year like the other Aussies.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

The race is too hard to be attractive. But I like elimination races.
Strongest guy wins....

Also, I just saw myself and Ryo Hazuki on tv. We were the guys standing behind the Columbian flag at 200m from the finish (Ryo brought it)

Also a random American guy came up to Ryo and talked about the Columbian cyclists, that guy was also a huge fan of columbians

where did you see it??

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

recorded it home, not in the final bits that are on internet.

at the 2nd passage of the cauberg and at some random shots of the cauberg during the race we were visible

 

[greenedge]

Armstrong never won Amstel. He came second twice, in 1999 (beaten by Michael Boogerd) and 2001 (beaten by Erik Dekker). Hw won Fleche Wallonne in 1996.

thx. sorry must have been looking at the wrong gallery

 

[greenedge]

Cancellara undoubtedly threw his toys out of the pram in a spectacularly undignified way. It must have given the other teams a huge lift to see him do it.

But I think it was a reaction of frustration to being the strongest rider in the race with an utterly useless team. Whereas Gilbert's team did an outstanding job of putting him in the position to win the AGR, Cancellara's did nothing to help him in either cobbled classic. And in both races he was undone by good rival team tactics while being the overwhelming favourite, rather than his own lack of ability or effort.


Having watched Lotto let Greipel down for the first quarter of the season, it was something of a shock to see them dominate a race so effectively.

and everyone was talking about the hissy fit he made in the press earlier about him asking for his team's help. Thought JVDB pulled for a long time. Not saying you did but it worked so maybe they did need that motivation after Greipel's start to the season where he had to do work for himself.

 

[greenedge]

Nah, they should just make Swift team leader and make Cav leadout for him.

Cav however won a minor classic that is probably just not counted on their stupid ranking points. Swift i have to say is emerging as a talented sprinter, but it's not against riders like Cav and Greipel yet! He will be soon though.

Liked you guys bagging out Cav for the sprinting stages but a win is a win and if it's on a sprinter's stage and did not win it we would all be worried for him like at last yr's TDF

 

[Kwibus]

The AGR organisation will probably change the course btw.

The problem is they signed a contract with Maastricht that they have to pass the city during broadcasting time. Around Maastricht are pretty much only broad roads. So once they passed the Cauberg for the 2nd time they have to ride 40-50km (Between 80km to 30-40km till the finish) without a proper course.

This causes the race to be boring until 30km to go. I think the contract with Maastricht ends next year or in 2013 though.

 

[Lanark]

The AGR organisation will probably change the course btw.

The problem is they signed a contract with Maastricht that they have to pass the city during broadcasting time. Around Maastricht are pretty much only broad roads. So once they passed the Cauberg for the 2nd time they have to ride 40-50km (Between 80km to 30-40km till the finish) without a proper course.

This causes the race to be boring until 30km to go. I think the contract with Maastricht ends next year or in 2013 though.

Do you have source for that or is it just speculation?

 

[theyoungest]

Do you have source for that or is it just speculation?

I think Vannieuwkerke mentioned something like that during the live broadcast (about the contract expiring, at least) after which a discussion about the Dutch and their thirst for money ensued.

I think it could use a course change, because now nothing interesting happens until about 20 k from the finish line. Every year.

 

[c&cfan]

I think Vannieuwkerke mentioned something like that during the live broadcast (about the contract expiring, at least) after which a discussion about the Dutch and their thirst for money ensued.

I think it could use a course change, because now nothing interesting happens until about 20 k from the finish line. Every year.

for me,almost all the riders are guilty, not the course. i cant blame gilbert rodrigez contador etc for that, but for sure i can blame shlecks etc.

if they cant win in the mur, why not atack earlier?

 

[boomcie]

for me,almost all the riders are guilty, not the course. i cant blame gilbert rodrigez contador etc for that, but for sure i can blame shlecks etc.

if they cant win in the mur, why not atack earlier?

IMO Andy has a better chance on the mur than Gilbert.