47th Amstel Gold Race (The maze) - Sunday April 15, 2012

[Bala Verde]

Sami rider of the day. How the hell did he manage to end up 7th. ? Incredible.

Amazing effort. Coming back after that puncture in the last 20K (?)

Gasparotto is in good form too. Promising for LBL?

 

[Gloin22]

Heh, Nordhaug was sitting on the wheel of Amstel 2012 winner.... damn but luck ;/

 

[burning]

Gasparotto simply drink all of the beer there

 

[The Hitch]

Sami rider of the day. How the hell did he manage to end up 7th. ? Incredible.

You think so? Only a rider can know how much energy having to come back 20k from the end costs, but its sad if that cost Sammy an ardennes classic.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Sagan's gonna become a classics beast...so much talent on every course

I think PR is the one that could be too much for him.

Other then that the 4 other monuments look fair game for sagan at this point. really talented.

 

[c&cfan]

So this works in the Ardennes too.

Gilbert feeling Cancellara's pain.

stop making stupid excuses. canc was still the best and made the race..

gilbert was murdered by 3 riders.. one is 21.

 

[Trofinios]

Samu 7th with a late flat. He will be dangerous in the worlds.

 

[Bala Verde]

Sanchez was 7th, Gilbert was 6th.

Perhaps the Garmin guy was Hesjedal.

 

[Lanark]

Bit disappointing that Sagan managed to miss out again. He's up there in every classic, but always lacks that last bit to actually win one of them.

Maybe he tried too much this spring, the next couple of years he should make a choice what he's focussing on. But he can't be too disappointed, he's improved a lot this year, those big wins are only a matter of time.

 

[Panda Claws]

stop making stupid excuses. canc was still the best and made the race..

gilbert was murdered by 3 riders.. one is 21.

At least he did better than Valverde and Sanchez

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

They might ride for evans at FW. If the schlecks attack again at LBL he can follow and might have a good chance.

i'd hope they do ride for evans.

but why did he retire?

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Don't want to jinx it, but Astana looks good...

Gaspa especially -- hoping for 2010 prodium?

Oh, wow.
Oh my.

 

[TeoSheva]

stop making stupid excuses. canc was still the best and made the race..

gilbert was murdered by 3 riders.. one is 21.

the 21 is Sagan... not just a 21

 

[BillytheKid]

Gilbert ruined for Freire too

Freire probably knew he did not have enough. It was more Gilbert's to loose.

 

[Trofinios]

Oh, wow.
Oh my.

You rule.

 

[Bala Verde]

Where the hell was Gerrans?

 

[Kwibus]

Strange race. Lots and lots of waiting.

Reallly hoped Freire would win, but nice one by Gasparotto.

 

[The Hitch]

Did Freire pick up any Dutch at Rabo, or is English the principle language for the club?

Yeah i saw that a Pjil. Funny.

 

[dlwssonic]

i'd hope they do ride for evans.

but why did he retire?

Some virus he has had for a few days, I expect him to be able to bounce back by FW.

 

[Konfronto]

FINALLY some from Astana's "classics duo" lives up to expectations.

Now if only Iglinsky could show the same in races that are not Strada Bianchi.

And yeah -- teamwork was really good throughout the race.

At least he's a bit more consistent this year and that gives some hope he'll deliver some decent results one day. The only Kazakh who makes something up there so far.

 

[spalco]

I admit that I didn't see an Astana victory today. Well raced.

The big disappointments are BMC, Rabo, and Movistar. Freire saved the day for Katusha.

Yeah, I didn't see Valverde at all.

I'm not sure you can cal BMC a disappointment though, as long as you apply reasonable standards to them. Gilbert isn't superhuman this year, but he made a good race, and BMC was present all the time. And I'm saying that as a big BMC hater.

 

[DominicDecoco]

You think so? Only a rider can know how much energy having to come back 20k from the end costs, but its sad if that cost Sammy an ardennes classic.

He would have been up there with the best if it hadn't been for the flat. Such a shame. Such an effort.

 

[Panda Claws]

Where the hell was Gerrans?

Where was Rodriguez?

 

[Bala Verde]

Did Freire pick up any Dutch at Rabo, or is English the principle language for the club?

Spanish, Dutch and English. Freire lives in Switzerland too right?

 

[aarnold517]

Looks like the new course did affect the race

Less time to bring freire back meant gilbert had to go earlier and ran out of steam