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51st Amstel Gold Race, 249km - 17/04/16

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Re: Amstel Gold Race 17/04/16

Gigs_98 said:
Why just why did they change the route. The classics season has been superb so far (with the exception of MS) but I still don't expect anything from Amstel and FW. Liege is a bit harder so maybe something will happen there but for this weekend I wouldnt expect anything more than a sprint up the Cauberg and than either another sprint for the line or a Gilbert solo.
Ironically the reason for the change was to make the final easier so more people attack. But all it has done making it harder to attack and easier to control. They really need to go back to the old course with the Eyserbosweg and Keutenberg much closer to the finish
 
Crashes in the Amstel have not been worse than crashes in the Tour of Flanders, Paris Roubaix or even the Tour de France, or any big race actually. It's just what happens when 200 men want to be in front.
Heck in the Tour half of the top 20 contenders are already out of the race or hurt before the mountains begin, and then they even crash on big wide roads straight through.

It's the peloton itself which causes the crashes.
 
Re: Amstel Gold Race 17/04/16

Dekker_Tifosi said:
Gigs_98 said:
Why just why did they change the route. The classics season has been superb so far (with the exception of MS) but I still don't expect anything from Amstel and FW. Liege is a bit harder so maybe something will happen there but for this weekend I wouldnt expect anything more than a sprint up the Cauberg and than either another sprint for the line or a Gilbert solo.
Ironically the reason for the change was to make the final easier so more people attack. But all it has done making it harder to attack and easier to control. They really need to go back to the old course with the Eyserbosweg and Keutenberg much closer to the finish
Thats so stupid.
Making the finale of a race easier is a good idea if nobody wants to attack early but everyone attacks on the final 10 kilometers. But if you have a race in which nobody attacks anyway an easier route just supports this tactic.
 
Re: Amstel Gold Race 17/04/16

Gigs_98 said:
Dekker_Tifosi said:
Gigs_98 said:
Why just why did they change the route. The classics season has been superb so far (with the exception of MS) but I still don't expect anything from Amstel and FW. Liege is a bit harder so maybe something will happen there but for this weekend I wouldnt expect anything more than a sprint up the Cauberg and than either another sprint for the line or a Gilbert solo.
Ironically the reason for the change was to make the final easier so more people attack. But all it has done making it harder to attack and easier to control. They really need to go back to the old course with the Eyserbosweg and Keutenberg much closer to the finish
Thats so stupid.
Making the finale of a race easier is a good idea if nobody wants to attack early but everyone attacks on the final 10 kilometers. But if you have a race in which nobody attacks anyway an easier route just supports this tactic.

On the cobbles they usually have the hardest part rather 'far' from the finish. This forces early action so it's an bad idea.
If you make the final 20km easier, but you keep the Cauberg as finish then it won't change a thing. Actually it will make it worse. With this final, but finishing before the Cauberg action might certainly start early.

Either way they better return to the old format.
 
I think the current course is not as big a problem as the awful, negative riding and the usual great weather in April. How is it that if you stick these parcours in the Tour in July the weather is usually dreadful, whereas in April it's always great ?

As for the tactics I can't believe they will continue to be as dumb but maybe I expect too much. Van Avermaet refusing to ride with Fuglsang has to be the idiotic thing I've ever seen in a bike race (like Gilbert vs the field was a better bet than Van Avermaet vs Fuglsang ?). See also Martin refusing to ride with Nibali

At least Tim Wellens won't be hanging around for the finale
 
Gilbert has fastest Cauberg ascent every year since 2009 right?

2009: Ivanov wins from a break, GIlbert wins sprint from the chasers
2010: Gilbert wins
2011: Gilbert wins
2012: Gaspa wins AGR but Gilbert fastest over Cauberg at WC
2013: Kreuziger wins from break, Gilbert first over Cauberg from the peloton
2014: Gilbert wins
2015: Gilbert first over cauberg, but matthews in his wheel
 
Some strange comments from Phil today though.

Now he says he was feeling great before the accident. But one week earlier in Volta Limburg he was running behind schedule and would need every day of training to reach his peak for Amstel (which clearly did not work out).
 
I was watching extra time koers (Belgian program about cycling). Bakelants was a guest there and he was asked about Amstel. He litterally said it was pointless to attack from far here. Only thing you can do is wait wait wait and hope you have enough punch on the last time Cauberg.

Pretty depressing that an aggressive rider like Bakelants says this, but what's even more sad is that he's just completely right.
 
Re:

Flamin said:
I was watching extra time koers (Belgian program about cycling). Bakelants was a guest there and he was asked about Amstel. He litterally said it was pointless to attack from far here. Only thing you can do is wait wait wait and hope you have enough punch on the last time Cauberg.

Pretty depressing that an aggressive rider like Bakelants says this, but what's even more sad is that he's just completely right.
Kreuziger must be a cycling god then