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

[Trofinios]

Was Nibali with Sagan after Keutenberg? Or was Sagan alone? Couldn't understand why Sagan chased down Voeckler. Maybe he was alone and was afraid Voeckler would go away.

 

[Popchu]

Anyone top 20 or something?

 

[Parrulo]

if cunego hadn't crashed into nordhaug, he would have won this and by now he would be already half way up the mur the huy

anyway love how so many people are making a fool out of themselves calling cunego an idiot without even watching the replay that clearly shows ignlisnky hitting cunego who then hits nordhaug.

and if any1 should be mad is cunego who looked much better then nordhaug for the win. but oh well. . . .

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.1274419

link for the last k so you guys can see it yourselves.

 

[Trofinios]

Nordhaug on his way for x-ray in a hospital now. Will probably miss FW and LBL. I am ****ed now ; /

That sucks! Nordhaug had top 5 in sight. Shame he crashed.

 

[Bala Verde]

Last K online

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVC7uEY80nE

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Cunego covered Gilbert's first move then got boxed when Gilbert went again. PANIC. Went straight right into Nordhaug. He should have known there was still plenty of climb left at that point and there was no need to panic

Actually having watched it again I think I'm wrong and everyone who said it was Iglinsky who made the move to cause it is correct

 

[The Sheep]

Was Nibali with Sagan after Keutenberg? Or was Sagan alone? Couldn't understand why Sagan chased down Voeckler. Maybe he was alone and was afraid Voeckler would go away.

Nibali was gone by then, think he did have someone else there.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I dont agree.

If for example CVV Kreuziger and Cobo beat Contador Schleck etc in the TOur de France, would we say, oh its because the race was hard?

No becuase these guys, Contador and Schleck in 1 example, Purito Valverde in the other, are precisely the kind of guys who benefit from the race being hard.

Then you assume a rider is always going to be at his best, no way a rider can have a below-par day here and be amongst it (well to some extent anyway, Gilbert is pretty good to get a good place here imo). This race is often decided by what rider has most left in his tank (of course he has to be capable on this terrain dont get me wrong).

It is not implausible for jrod to have an off day, and if the case I wouldn't expect him to do well here. Valverde whilst obviously good return, has been a while since he has ridden a long classic like this at thing distance, he has also never won AGR I believe. probably his weakest of the 3 races.

 

[Panda Claws]

Amazing 5th by Voeckler.

 

[Bala Verde]

Looks like after 8 Garmin/Wegman, a guy in 9 white (AG2R? Badret??) came in, followed by 10 Mollema 11, Astana (Iglinsky?) and Radioshack 12 Frank Schleck?

Cunego (at 1:05-1:10 in the link i posted of the last k) was seemingly forced of his line by an Astana rider (Iglinsky?) and then crashed into Nordhaug.

 

[Flamin]

Super boring race, pretty epic Cauberg sprint.

Sagan beast again. Imagine this boy would have actually peaked for the Ardennes, he would have humiliated everyone like there is no tommorow

 

[Pippo_San]

anyway love how so many people are making a fool out of themselves calling cunego an idiot without even watching the replay that clearly shows ignlisnky hitting cunego who then hits nordhaug.

and if any1 should be mad is cunego who looked much better then nordhaug for the win. but oh well. . . .

+1. Cunego knows perfectly how to handle a bike, and he for sure isn't a noob anymore. In the end, these are bike races, **** like this happens everytime.

 

[spalco]

I've watched the crash multiple times now, and I disagree that it's the Astana rider's fault. He does bump into Cunego who goes down as if hit by a 50.cal bullet taking Nordhaug with him but the Astana guy basically goes a straight line the whole time.

It's Cunego who makes a sharp turn to the right straight into Nordhaug based on a very minimal contact from Iglinsky. Imo it's all on Cunego.

 

[hrotha]

Then you assume a rider is always going to be at his best, no way a rider can have a below-par day here and be amongst it (well to some extent anyway, Gilbert is pretty good to get a good place here imo). This race is often decided by what rider has most left in his tank (of course he has to be capable on this terrain dont get me wrong).

It is not implausible for jrod to have an off day, and if the case I wouldn't expect him to do well here. Valverde whilst obviously good return, has been a while since he has ridden a long classic like this at thing distance, he has also never won AGR I believe. probably his weakest of the 3 races.

I have to agree with Hitch here. One top favourite can have an off day, but when all of them are surpassed by second-tier hilly specialists, it has to be because the race wasn't hard enough. Think of how the race went - it was virtually a FW up the Cauberg.

 

[oevkride]

anyway love how so many people are making a fool out of themselves calling cunego an idiot without even watching the replay that clearly shows ignlisnky hitting cunego who then hits nordhaug.

and if any1 should be mad is cunego who looked much better then nordhaug for the win. but oh well. . . .

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.1274419

link for the last k so you guys can see it yourselves.

The main rason to get upset is Cunego yelling at Nordhaug after the crash. If you look at the clip you linked Nordhaug was starting several positions behind Cunego at the bottom of the hill. at the moment where he's taken down he passes Cunego. Claiming Cunego was at a better shape is rubbish.

 

[markene2]

Exceptional ride from Gasparoto. Shame about Nordhaug though.

 

[Christian]

Looks like after 8 Garmin/Wegman, a guy in 9 white (AG2R? Badret??) came in, followed by 10 Mollema 11, Astana (Iglinsky?) and Radioshack 12 Frank Schleck?

Cunego (at 1:05-1:10 in the link i posted of the last k) was seemingly forced of his line by an Astana rider (Iglinsky?) and then crashed into Nordhaug.

12 Fränk Schleck should be correct. Bardet must not have lost much time at all (if any) because he was in the winners' lounge with Gasparotto & co. right after the finish, probably he was honoured as the most agressive rider

 

[El Pistolero]

sagan gasparoto and jell totally killed phil! great!

Lol, what race did you watch?

Phil was the only real champion in the group, so at least he had the balls to bring Freire back him self because without him Freire would have won.

Even a bad Gilbert is better than Valverde it seems

 

[c&cfan]

12 Fränk Schleck should be correct. Bardet must not have lost much time at all (if any) because he was in the winners' lounge with Gasparotto & co. right after the finish, probably he was honoured as the most agressive rider

if radio loses cancellara, it will become the biggest joke of a team around.
after BMC..

 

[Konfronto]

How the points are to be distributed amongst the riders?

 

[dlwssonic]

if radio loses cancellara, it will become the biggest joke of a team around.
after BMC..

Yeah watever BMC had a decent classics season despite losing Hushovd and Gilbert early to illnesses

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I have to agree with Hitch here. One top favourite can have an off day, but when all of them are surpassed by second-tier hilly specialists, it has to be because the race wasn't hard enough. Think of how the race went - it was virtually a FW up the Cauberg.

It has been in the past also. Riders still feel it, maybe it wasn't ridden hard enough, but if jrod was any good today he would still be amongst it. It is an undulating course this.

 

[rantanplan]

For big names today:

Obviusly Gasparoto

Bardet and Howes, incredible performance and stamina

Freire, really clever atack, he almost got it

 

[c&cfan]

Lol, what race did you watch?

Phil was the only real champion in the group, so at least he had the balls to bring Freire back him self because without him Freire would have won.

Even a bad Gilbert is better than Valverde it seems

sorry kid, i am not going to start with you. gilbert raced really well, but he was totally murdered (20m distance at the final) by his former indian (a great rider.. was always there last year and had a great tour), gasparotto (great heart), and sagan, who previously followed voeckler...

they murdered him. totally. he lost 20m in 2 seconds.. had nothing left..0. was humiliated.

also, if he knew he was going to be humiliated, why bring freire back?

he was worse than pozzato at that MSR. really. at least know pozzato rides like a man..

 

[Parrulo]

The main rason to get upset is Cunego yelling at Nordhaug after the crash. If you look at the clip you linked Nordhaug was starting several positions behind Cunego at the bottom of the hill. at the moment where he's taken down he passes Cunego. Claiming Cunego was at a better shape is rubbish.

it's called positioning, cunego positioned himself properly so he didn't need to pass every1 to reach the front end of the group, do you really believe nordhaug could have won after having to catch up with the guys at the front due to his poor positioning?