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

[Ryo Hazuki]

Uran isn't though.

the agr is nothing for him. uran is bad at palcing himself. he doesn't like the race

 

[classicomano]

Going with Gerrans, guy looks so ****ing powerful!

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Going with Gerrans, guy looks so ****ing powerful!

Have to agree..

Gerrans
Evans
Sagan
Gilbert
Valverde

 

[Parrulo]

And this mysterious someone will be Rui Costa

i actually think rui is a good outside bet for AGR. movistar will want to send a man up the road on the later part of the race so piti uses the "man up the road" excuse to save himself and that could give him costa a chance to stay away.

it will also be interesting to see what will the hierarchy in movistar look like for the entire week. ofc we all know piti is the leader but btw costa and visconti who will get a bit of a free role?

 

[Swede1]

So is Samu doing this? It seems stupid not too. He is in really good shape and seems to be perfectly suited to this race with his finishing sprint.

 

[airstream]

no obvious favorites for me. very likely it is a toss-up between alex and simon but i hope there will be a new sensational winner.

 

[skidmark]

And this mysterious someone will be Rui Costa

this is my thought too. Well, maybe more my hope.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

I missed Sammy Sanchez... It'll be a shoot out between Sanchez and Gerrans then, I reckon. Gerrans to win.

This is a race with a lot of people focussed on the win, Rui Costa won't win this one.

 

[Parrulo]

I missed Sammy Sanchez... It'll be a shoot out between Sanchez and Gerrans then, I reckon. Gerrans to win.

This is a race with a lot of people focussed on the win, Rui Costa won't win this one.

Rui is one of the biggest up and coming talents for the ardennes, why couldn't he get the win from a tactical move, or simply step up and win because he is strong? eventually some of the talented young guys have to step up.

just because he doesn't get talked up every 2 threads it doesn't mean he isn't a very talented rider.

 

[Woody22]

Get set for Round 3 of Valverde V Gerrans.

Also, who will be team leader for BMC? I am assuming Gilbert but given his struggles what role will Evans be given?

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Rui is one of the biggest up and coming talents for the ardennes, why couldn't he get the win from a tactical move, or simply step up and win because he is strong? eventually some of the talented young guys have to step up.

just because he doesn't get talked up every 2 threads it doesn't mean he isn't a very talented rider.

Because he'll have to make his move and he won't just be watched. He'd be shut down. He's a talent but he isn't devastating like a Gilbert and lacks the speed of a Gerrans even.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

So is Samu doing this? It seems stupid not too. He is in really good shape and seems to be perfectly suited to this race with his finishing sprint.

he is not suited to this race. the climbs are too short. he isn't that explosive compared to gerrans, purito, sagan

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Rui is one of the biggest up and coming talents for the ardennes, why couldn't he get the win from a tactical move, or simply step up and win because he is strong? eventually some of the talented young guys have to step up.

just because he doesn't get talked up every 2 threads it doesn't mean he isn't a very talented rider.

costa isn't improving much at all in this work so far

 

[mr. tibbs]

Um... Sagan. Has he been tipped already? I'll go with him. I don't think Gerrans will get away from him this time.

I would love to see a lone winner, though. Purito, maybe? Tommy V?

 

[theyoungest]

Rui is one of the biggest up and coming talents for the ardennes, why couldn't he get the win from a tactical move, or simply step up and win because he is strong? eventually some of the talented young guys have to step up.

just because he doesn't get talked up every 2 threads it doesn't mean he isn't a very talented rider.

He has good form, that's for sure. And he's a very smart rider. He might indeed find the winning move.

 

[Parrulo]

Because he'll have to make his move and he won't just be watched. He'd be shut down. He's a talent but he isn't devastating like a Gilbert and lacks the speed of a Gerrans even.

gilbert wasn't exactly destroying the ardennes when he was 25 either, and lets not forget costa rides for unzue who likes to develop his riders very carefully and slowly. And costa isn't exactly slow either, granted he is no valverde who can actually rely on his sprint to win one of the ardennes classics but he is no schleck either.

costa isn't improving much at all in this work so far

he isn't? do tell me why do you think he isn't improving.

 

[Panda Claws]

It will be a question of whether Gilbert's explosiveness has taken as much as a hit as his stamina.

Amstel Gold Race is a pretty easy race for guys like Gilbert, Rodriguez, etc...

It is almost like awaiting a bunch sprint most of the time. If this happens then we have to keep in mind than an in-form Gilbert is much much faster here than anyone else.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

gilbert wasn't exactly destroying the ardennes when he was 25 either, and lets not forget costa rides for unzue who likes to develop his riders very carefully and slowly. And costa isn't exactly slow either, granted he is no valverde who can actually rely on his sprint to win one of the ardennes classics but he is no schleck either.



he isn't? do tell me why do you think he isn't improving.

Sorry why are we talking about Rui Costa as a contender for AGR?

 

[maltiv]

It will be a question of whether Gilbert's explosiveness has taken as much as a hit as his stamina.

Amstel Gold Race is a pretty easy race for guys like Gilbert, Rodriguez, etc...

It is almost like awaiting a bunch sprint most of the time. If this happens then we have to keep in mind than an in-form Gilbert is much much faster here than anyone else.

Last year it was an 11 man group. If it's that selective, chances are Gilbert won't even be there for the finish.

Also, Sagan is much faster than Gilbert and is climbing a lot better at the moment.

 

[Swede1]

he is not suited to this race. the climbs are too short. he isn't that explosive compared to gerrans, purito, sagan

I'd agree but still he has to be a top favorite. He can certainly finish top 5, and maybe he can get in a winning break and win. idk im not his biggest fan or anything, but I think he deserves to be one of the favorites.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

It will be a question of whether Gilbert's explosiveness has taken as much as a hit as his stamina.

Amstel Gold Race is a pretty easy race for guys like Gilbert, Rodriguez, etc...

It is almost like awaiting a bunch sprint most of the time. If this happens then we have to keep in mind than an in-form Gilbert is much much faster here than anyone else.

Have to disagree there Panda Claws, this is a full-on interval session of the highest order.. If you're not in great shape, you're not going to win.

 

[Parrulo]

Sorry why are we talking about Rui Costa as a contender for AGR?

i think people were naming as an outside bet who could win from a tactical move. . . . if that makes him a contender for you so be it. And maybe because we have been discussing the possible winners for months now? And discussing the same thing over and over gets boring so focusing a bit on the outsiders is a nice breeze of fresh air to relieve the boredom?

also nice counter argument there

 

[Parrulo]

Last year it was an 11 man group. If it's that selective, chances are Gilbert won't even be there for the finish.

Also, Sagan is much faster than Gilbert and is climbing a lot better at the moment.

i agree with this, AGR is selective and if gilbert is still on similar shape he has been for the past weeks he won't make the selection at all.

to be honest i think on the cauberg purito is faster then sagan, but the kid keeps proving me wrong every time i don't set the bar extremely high for him so . . . . .

liqui can also play the man up the road card with nibali who isn't fast enough to win on the cauberg so needs to go earlier, much like movistar, in order to force katusha and purito to work.

 

[RHRH19861986]

The 3 Ardennes races should be pretty open this year, which is great. I see Valverde as main contender for all the three, and without having won Amstel in the past, watch out for him on Sunday.
Vanendert could be great in the next 1 1/2 weeks, JRod, Samuel Sanchez, ...; even Thomas Dekker seems to be there in his comeback year.

Amstel weekend to Romandie closing weekend, for me the greatest two weeks in the calendar of pro road cycling. Looking forward to it.

 

[Havetts]

A picture can say thousand words.