51st Brabantse Pijl - 204km

[auscyclefan94]

Wednesday 13th of April: Brabantse Pijl - 204km

Start time:12:30
Predicted finish time: 17:10-17:38

Race Map

Race Profile

Road book

Official Site

 

[Bala Verde]

 

[taiwan]

I had already started, so here's a big profile.

 

[Ferminal]

I had already started, so here's a big profile.

Thanks, I've added BIG PROFILE as a hyperlink on the original one.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Startlist

Karsten Kroon and Taylor Phinney aren't riding which is different to what this startlist states. Chad beyer and John Murphy have replaced them.

History
2001 Michael Boogerd (NED) Rabobank
2002 Fabien De Waele (BEL) Mapei-Quick Step
2003 Michael Boogerd (NED) Rabobank
2004 Luca Paolini (ITA) Quick Step-Davitamon
2005 Óscar Freire (ESP) Rabobank
2006 Óscar Freire (ESP) Rabobank
2007 Óscar Freire (ESP) Rabobank
2008 Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Cofidis
2009 Anthony Geslin (FRA) Française des Jeux
2010 Sébastien Rosseler (BEL) Team RadioShack

Riders of note
Freire, Martens, Matthews, Van Avermaet, Howard, Gilbert, van den Breakaway, Chavanel, Millar, Hunter, Devolder, Leukemans, Hoogerland, Visconti

 

[nvpacchi]

No Rosseler to defend his title... I find it difficult to bet against Gilbert at this point.

Or maybe Devolder will try something to salvage his complete waste of a season.

 

[Ryaguas]

Van Avermaet will make Back2Back, first Here and then AGR
ACF and Ryaguas told you that 1st!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Van Avermaet will make Back2Back, first Here and then AGR
ACF and Ryaguas told you that 1st!

That's right!!!! We've been saying this since last year!

Go GREG!!!!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I'm gonna wave my poptart in your face when he fails on sunday.

I hope leukemans can salvage something from his form.

 

[Ferminal]

That's right!!!! We've been saying this since last year!

Go GREG!!!!

I hope he does something, so you can get a new picture to use

Btw, I haven't watched this before, what are the climbs like, how tough is the finish? Obviously Freire has won here before so it's easier than Cauberg! But it seems to favour Gilbert, Visconti and Greg more than Galimzyanov, Howard and Matthews?

 

[Moondance]

Glad to see this is a HC race now.

Also, Poels FTW.

 

[theyoungest]

Before the season, Jurgen VDB said that this is where he wanted to try and get his first pro win. I guess he'll first have to ask Gilbert if that's okay

 

[search]

Riders of note
Freire, Martens, Matthews, Van Avermaet, Howard, Gilbert, van den Breakaway, Chavanel, Millar, Hunter, Devolder, Leukemans, Hoogerland, Visconti

Sylvain is not starting.

Don't know about Sebastien

 

[craig1985]

Does anybody else find it random that Andalusia is doing this race?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I really like this race, because it's finally a smaller Flemish hilly race with a different course

 

[roundabout]

I hope he does something, so you can get a new picture to use

Btw, I haven't watched this before, what are the climbs like, how tough is the finish? Obviously Freire has won here before so it's easier than Cauberg! But it seems to favour Gilbert, Visconti and Greg more than Galimzyanov, Howard and Matthews?

There's a profile of the last 3km on page 12 of the road book

http://www.debrabantsepijl.be/system/files/195/original/BPL11-Roadbook.pdf?1302280953

 

[theyoungest]

Btw, I haven't watched this before, what are the climbs like, how tough is the finish? Obviously Freire has won here before so it's easier than Cauberg! But it seems to favour Gilbert, Visconti and Greg more than Galimzyanov, Howard and Matthews?

There's been a course change since Freire won it. Last year was the first time they used it, and the race has become significantly harder. No chance for those sprinters you mention. I don't think even Freire can win it anymore.

 

[El Pistolero]

Gilbert made a mistake last year or he could've won it. So, hard to look past Gilbert, but Leukemans is also good in this kind of race.

 

[dlwssonic]

Watch out for van avermaet hope he finally gets some wins for the dissapointing BMC team. IMO every other rider in BMC classics team has been pretty dissapointing other that the great van avermaet and maybe ballan

 

[will10]

Devolder FTW

 

[Ryaguas]

Watch out for van avermaet hope he finally gets some wins for the dissapointing BMC team. IMO every other rider in BMC classics team has been pretty dissapointing other that the great van avermaet and maybe ballan

Quinziato even after his health problems He has done very well tho... but his luck is something serious...

Hey anyone having problems to see the pics that ACF posted in his first post? I just see the frog in an ice cube

 

[Mellow Velo]

Time to give this thread a sticky, I think.
Seeing the trials of Chavanel on Sunday, has reminded me how good his win back in 2008 was. A long solo effort, holding off the cavalry charge led by Phil Gilbert, if I recall correctly.

 

[luckyboy]

Gilbert ftw

 

[greenedge]

Think Howard can just make it to the end, as he has good track experience. However he might not pack the sprint at the end of a Avermaet. Too many teams will want to win this and a breakaway might go away FTW. Think favourites would have to be Gilbert and Chavanel, if it's a hard race.
Rabobank have a few cards to play ( garate and Barredo ) it will take pressure off the CAT, who should be undisputed favourite if it comes to a sprint.
Would be nice to see Fischer go for the win with Garmin. He seems to participate in all the midweek races and not on the classics, which is a shame.
Vaconsoleil should focus on making the race hard and then launching ( Devolder, Leukemans, Poels or DE Gendt). I want to see them get at least one win this classic campaign.

 

[Ferminal]

There's been a course change since Freire won it. Last year was the first time they used it, and the race has become significantly harder. No chance for those sprinters you mention. I don't think even Freire can win it anymore.

Thanks heaps, that's the answer I was looking for.