49th Amstel Gold Race, 20 April 2014 (WT) 251km

[Carols]

Purito is okay, no fractures. Haematomes/contusions at breast level (ribs), so will still be able to race.

Thanks! Good News

 

[Dazed and Confused]

54 RIBLON Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 5 1:32

Riblon can dig deep when he targets a race.

 

[Panda Claws]

After the race Phil stated he doesn't feel as good as in 2011. Maybe just playing mind games.

You do not need that kind of level to win these races anyway.

 

[Peter von]

awesome ride from BMC to set up Gilbert, i feel like they haven't truly been a very good team to him in the past but today there was no doubt, GVA especially did very well,but also Sanchez with the early surge on Cauberg to get the competition going. But none of it would have mattered if the man himself wasn't great, and great he was.

 

[SafeBet]

You do not need that kind of level to win these races anyway.

He was talking about his chances for FW and LBL. I do believe he needs to be at his very best to win Liege.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Very impressive victory by Gilbert. When he is on form, he is so hard to beat.

 

[manafana]

gilbert and bmc bang on with the tactics today valverde the worst making an error again not to respect that gilbert would have a strong attack. Kwia lacked a little but a good race surely has one in him.

 

[BigMac]

''Gilbert is not on form yet''

 

[theyoungest]

awesome ride from BMC to set up Gilbert, i feel like they haven't truly been a very good team to him in the past but today there was no doubt, GVA especially did very well,but also Sanchez with the early surge on Cauberg to get the competition going. But none of it would have mattered if the man himself wasn't great, and great he was.

I think Gilbert hasn't been a truly great rider for his team in the last few years

This seemed to be quite a good Gilbert again, still I have doubts for him for Fleche and Liege.

 

[dlwssonic]

I think Gilbert hasn't been a truly great rider for his team in the last few years

This seemed to be quite a good Gilbert again, still I have doubts for him for Fleche and Liege.

Yeah I think the team has served gilbert very well like in the last two lbls. He always has people around him to chase down attackers.Maybe one of their failures was not being able to chase down roman In last years agr.

 

[ILovecycling]

is Murito going to be 100% on wednesday?(health)

 

[Arredondo]

is Murito going to be 100% on wednesday?(health)

We don't know yet. Perhaps he arrives in the same kind of form like last year.

 

[the asian]

The Phil is Back !

The greatest hilly classics rider of his generation defies his critics to win in his back yard beating the overrated hack Kwiat and the dumb tactless buffoon Valverde.

Phil will Win back the Ardennes Quadruple and write himself in to Cycling immortality !

Glad I missed the race. I will miss FW and LBL too, hoping Phil wins!

 

[Flamin]

For a second I thought Gilbert was struggling when he left a bit of a gap to Valverde, but then kaboom.

Btw, who said País Vasco was Vanendert's normal level again?

 

[trevim]

The greatest hilly classics rider of his generation defies his critics to win in his back yard beating the overrated hack Kwiat and the dumb tactless buffoon Valverde.

Nice one
[Poor Kwiatko having to deal with two wheelsuckers of the caliber of Gerrans and Valverde]

 

[Dazed and Confused]

For a second I thought Gilbert was struggling when he left a bit of a gap to Valverde, but then kaboom.

Btw, who said País Vasco was Vanendert's normal level again?

lol. but, but, but PV was his normal level.....

 

[Panda Claws]

For a second I thought Gilbert was struggling when he left a bit of a gap to Valverde, but then kaboom.

Btw, who said País Vasco was Vanendert's normal level again?

Ryo probably.

 

[trevim]

For a second I thought Gilbert was struggling when he left a bit of a gap to Valverde, but then kaboom.

Btw, who said País Vasco was Vanendert's normal level again?

Pais Vasco is his normal level. This is an outlier if you look at his career

 

[sTTevie]

Stating Gilbert is at a lower level is something only Gilbert can tell.
Stating Gilbert is at a higher level is something only Gilbert can tell.
Stating Gilbert is at the same level is nonsense.

Stating Gilbert is not at 2011 level actually makes sense, but this is true for every rider in the peloton. How on earth could you say that someone is at the same level? I couldn't even say for myself. Pointless discussion!

But consider he has the fastest climbing time ever on the Cauberg in 2014, so the few indicators we have, tell us that he is at least on a very high level.

they had a huge wind advantage going up the Cauberg today ... east wind blowing at 4 to 5 Beaufort ... that helped as well

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Just like I thought Cauberg was once again the perfect hill for Gilbert. I was at the exact point he accelerated. At the steepest part, just 50m before it flattens out, if you can accelerate there you win 9/10 times. But it seems only Gilbert is capable of doing so after 250km.

But I'm still doubting him for FW/LBL. Longer hills, and besides 2011 he didn't impress there. I think this is the 2010 Gilbert. Not 2011...

edit: can also confirm strong tailwind.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Also

Mr Belgian Schleck

 

[burning]

Also

Mr Belgian Schleck

He abandoned all those races to stay at 0 points

 

[Panda Claws]

Just like I thought Cauberg was once again the perfect hill for Gilbert. I was at the exact point he accelerated. At the steepest part, just 50m before it flattens out, if you can accelerate there you win 9/10 times. But it seems only Gilbert is capable of doing so after 250km.

But I'm still doubting him for FW/LBL. Longer hills, and besides 2011 he didn't impress there. I think this is the 2010 Gilbert. Not 2011...

edit: can also confirm strong tailwind.

When will his performance be impressive enough for you to rate him as a favorite?

Brabantse Pijl Gilbert was not strong enough to win AGR you said and now AGR Gilbert is not good enough to win LBL.

Who showed better form than Gilbert?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

When will his performance be impressive enough for you to rate him as a favorite?

Brabantse Pijl Gilbert was not strong enough to win AGR you said and now AGR Gilbert is not good enough to win LBL.

Who showed better form than Gilbert?

No, I predicted he would do well and probably win AGR, because the Cauberg is perfect for him. You didn't read well. But reading has never been your strongest part. In fact, it seems you didn't read at all

I still think he will fail in LBL/FW. Top 5 maybe, but not more

 

[Panda Claws]

No, I predicted he would do well and probably win AGR, because the Cauberg is perfect for him. You didn't read well. But reading has never been your strongest part. In fact, it seems you didn't read at all

I still think he will fail in LBL/FW. Top 5 maybe, but not more

Who showed more than Gilbert? By the way, I do not recall your stating anything about GIlbert's chances so I prob. missed that. I do recall you stating that he did not show enough in Brabantse Pijl to be a contender for the Ardennes (should have guessed that you only meant FW/LBL probably).

Probably missed your post where you named him as a contender for AGR though.

Anyway, my point is: I don't see who showed more than Gilbert. Valverde?

You cannot just say that he did not show enough and then back someone who showed less especially since there are no cyclists (barring perhaps Valverde) who are better than Gilbert at LBL when they are both at max. level.