52nd Brabantse Pijl 196km

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Of course not, he already won nice races this season. Come back when Dekker does something. One bad day is not the end of the season

so you are contradicting yourself

first being a fan of meersman because he does big talk before a race. And saying you are only a dikke nek when you fail.
then meersman fails completely but you're still a fan?

At least Dekker has been humble since his comeback and he outperformed Meersman by a lot today

 

[El Pistolero]

so you are contradicting yourself

first being a fan of meersman because he does big talk before a race. And saying you are only a dikke nek when you fail.
then meersman fails completely but you're still a fan?

At least Dekker has been humble since his comeback and he outperformed Meersman by a lot today

Erm no, Meersman has been confident for a reason: because he won some nice races already. Every cyclist has a bad day sometimes. I fail to see how Meersman is failing this season?

Of course Dekker is humble, had to eat a lot of humble pie already

 

[Lexman]

at least Vanendert showed himself, hoping he will deliver the coming races...

 

[c&cfan]

at least Vanendert showed himself, hoping he will deliver the coming races...

i'm curious about him.

pretty much every contender has underachieved this year. witch races is sagan going to do?

 

[Kwibus]

Erm no, Meersman has been confident for a reason: because he won some nice races already. Every cyclist has a bad day sometimes. I fail to see how Meersman is failing this season?

Of course Dekker is humble, had to eat a lot of humble pie already

It's always fascinating to see how you twist words in a way your still right.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

But he isn't. Not today. Can't twist your way out of everything.

 

[mewmewmew13]

at least Vanendert showed himself, hoping he will deliver the coming races...

I'll bet that he will have a big day in the Tour this year as he did last.

 

[burning]

First victory in this season for Voeckler and a big one, i'm delighted at the moment

 

[will10]

I'll bet that he will have a big day in the Tour this year as he did last.

He'll have a big day within the next 10 days.

 

[RHRH19861986]

-> Geschke and Martens: in my opinion, both are able to win Brabantse Piil.

I was clearly wrong...

In general, Rabobank is so disappointing, and has been all year. The greatest disappointment to me, however, is Ag2R. Hope they´ll disappear from World Tour in 2013... Argos, Netapp, Cofidis, Europcar, all showing results, Ag2R just don´t. These guys are currently happy covering Top10 places in their domestic Coupe de France 1.1 races.
Vino once wanted to spend his last year as a pro with Ag2R and mainly Vincent Lavenu, who ran the Casino squad in the 90ies where Vino became a professional. He won´t do so for good reasons.

 

[Museeuw]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

 

[RHRH19861986]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

Yes, it was strange to see what Voeckler did, or was allowed to do... But probably he was really strong and many others didn´t have the legs. I think, for example, van Avermaet would´ve loved to win if he was able to do so, to do the next step after Paris-Tours in 2011. Instead, he missed the podium once again quite tightly. Hats off to Freire in his last season. He´s won the race three times before, and is completely motivated to go for second place here.

But I agree, races in which Voeckler shines with results instead of only playing clown (in Brabant, he did both), will always seem strange. Let´s see what he offers in AGR on Sunday. Top10 would be a HUGE result for him.

 

[greenedge]

Congrats to Voeckler. DD and JV looked strong. Freire was always going to win if Voeckler was reeled back, that is why the gap ballooned. Nice to see Duarte attack but he should have with 1km to go.

 

[hrotha]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

Do you even know who Voeckler is, or are you too distracted by his antics?

 

[grimpeur]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

Seriously? You are confused. TV has something you'll never have; panache.

 

[taiwan]

...D class clown,,,Voeckler

1. [AUS] EVANS Cadel BMC 86h12'22"
2. [LUX] SCHLECK Andy LEO 01'34"
3. [LUX] SCHLECK Fränk LEO 02'30"
4. [FRA] VOECKLER Thomas EUC 03'20"

 

[For The World]

1. [AUS] EVANS Cadel BMC 86h12'22"
2. [LUX] SCHLECK Andy LEO 01'34"
3. [LUX] SCHLECK Fränk LEO 02'30"
4. [FRA] VOECKLER Thomas EUC 03'20"

In addition to that result - he's always been a fairly consistent rider. Here's his results for 2010 & 2011 (his season in 2011 was, like Cancellara in 2010, Gilbert in 2011 and Boonen this year, a brilliant season):

2010
1st National Road Race Champion
1st Stage 15 Tour de France
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna

2011
1st Overall Tour du Haut Var
1st Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
1st Stage 4 Four Days of Dunkirk
1st Stage 1 Tour Méditerranéen
1st Stage 4 Paris-Nice
1st Stage 8 Paris-Nice
1st Cholet-Pays de Loire
1st Stage 2 Giro del Trentino
4th Overall Tour de France - Held Maillot jaune from Stage 10–19

D-Class rider indeed...

 

[aahmadhu]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

voeckler? D class?? bad for cycling??? seriously??

culdnt resist posting

 

[greenedge]

He has the best pal mares out of all the french riders/ career victories and has made an art form of succeeding in attacks that seem futile.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

wow, idiot troll alert. talking about doping and naming museeuw a great winner

 

[Froome19]

Yes, it was strange to see what Voeckler did, or was allowed to do... But probably he was really strong and many others didn´t have the legs. I think, for example, van Avermaet would´ve loved to win if he was able to do so, to do the next step after Paris-Tours in 2011. Instead, he missed the podium once again quite tightly. Hats off to Freire in his last season. He´s won the race three times before, and is completely motivated to go for second place here.

But I agree, races in which Voeckler shines with results instead of only playing clown (in Brabant, he did both), will always seem strange. Let´s see what he offers in AGR on Sunday. Top10 would be a HUGE result for him.

Not after yesterday's perfomnace

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

why? yesterday can't be compared at all with agr. agr is way harder, longer, more technical and finish on a hill of 12%

 

[Museeuw]

wow, idiot troll alert. talking about doping and naming museeuw a great winner

F''k you too!

Who is talking about doping?

Have to say that Johan just did what everyone else of his generation did. Simple as that. But was he clean when he took his big victories? No one has proven opposite.

 

[El Pistolero]

wow, idiot troll alert. talking about doping and naming museeuw a great winner

He wasn't talking about doping.

 

[DominicDecoco]

OK, I can easily understand what Tom did in P-R. He is AAA class rider.

But now I'm totally confused. How the hell D class clown can stay away from guys like GVA, Freire, etc.

Something is not right. I think reason is that so few of good riders are motivated to win races like this. And that is very bad for cycling.

I thought this was good race with winners like Museeuw, Boogerd, Chavanel but then Voeckler wins. And this race is worth of nothing to me anymore. I could accept if D class monkey wins because of tactics.But today not even one of A class riders were motivated to win and it's really shame.

Isn't that why we love the sport? 150 + riders from start and all with a chance of winning - some with higher chances of winning than others, obviously, but they are still in there to race the race. And calling Voeckler a D-rider...? You might love or hate the guy but he's has proven himself quite a rider in the last 1½ year hasn't he. And this fighter will to win a race like this is no 'new skill' of his.