53rd Amstel Gold Race - 260km

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

Cobbled classic specialists >>>>>>>>>>>>> hilly classic "specialists"

How do you figure from this race?

Top 10 had 2 cobbled riders of which 1 won, but you can argue about valgren being a cobbled specialist. Valgren was 2nd on a cauberg finish before.
If anything valgren is a very complete rider, which is perfect for this race.

AGR is more similar to the Ronde (but without cobbles) than LBL.

Paris-Roubaix is a terrible prep for AGR though (just look at Gilbert), so Sagan was once again very impressive.

This race is perfect for him. IMHO.
He just need some teammates at least to 20 km mark which should not be a problem as it is ridden very conservative till last 50 km

Sagan should focus on the cobbled classics a few more years, try to win Milan-San Remo and then he should start thinking about the Ardennes classics. With a better preperation and better team he can at least win AGR and probably also LBL.

But he did really well today, so you should not be disappointed. Other cyclists who rode Roubaix got dropped. Sagan appears to be stronger than I though this season. Although he definitely lacked a little something in the Flemish classics this year.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Good racing today. What a great spring for Valgren.

Sagan and Valverde marked each other out.

No, Sagan was done. He cannot close down 50 percent of attacks alone. I wasexpecting much better performance from his team.

I think you may be right. He looked really tired at that point and might have been vulnerable if Alaphillipe and Valverde had bridged but I don't think they realized that.

I don't think it's a question of not realizing it, it's just not so easy tactically for Alphalippe and Valverde bridge? They're hardly going to have a chat with 2km to go and agree to share the work getting across because Sagan is looking a bit jaded. And whoever moves first is just going to end up dragging loads of riders across and losing any chance they would have in the sprint.

It's a key tactical factor in cycling races. The fastest sprinters are always vulnerable to late attacks from a small group because they are all so concerned about giving any kind of edge to the other fastest sprinters. And it's great that it's like that, because otherwise guys like Valgren would never win races.

 

[Laplaz]

Sky continues to disappoint in this years classics.

 

[movingtarget]

Anyone know if Matthews got back on after his puncture or did he get back and get dropped later ?

 

[rehy90]

I have not seen Kreuziger this strong in a long time. Hope he will win Liege this year, he would really deserve it.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Wow! I so disagree. Yes, a lot f movement in the final 25-30km, but the last 3km...bummer for me. I would have loved a Valverde-Sagan-Alaf showdown.

I just don't understand why some people prefer to always see the same riders again and again and again. There's not exactly a lack of races dominated by Valverde or Sagan. I love to see new faces and surprise winners. Not that Valgren is a huge surprise, though...

I hear what you're saying and it was absolutely a well deserved podium for the three. Still, a Gaspa-Valgren-Kreuziger showdown doesn't have quite the same "oomph" as the one Tonton proposed.

 

[Laplaz]

Re:

Dark horses for the win: Valgren (ok, not too dark), Konrad, Serry, Vanendert.

Well...

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

[quote="

AGR is more similar to the Ronde (but without cobbles) than LBL.

Paris-Roubaix is a terrible prep for AGR though (just look at Gilbert), so Sagan was once again very impressive.

This race is perfect for him. IMHO.
He just need some teammates at least to 20 km mark which should not be a problem as it is ridden very conservative till last 50 km

Sagan should focus on the cobbled classics a few more years, try to win Milan-San Remo and then he should start thinking about the Ardennes classics. With a better preperation and better team he can at least win AGR and probably also LBL.

But he did really well today, so you should not be disappointed. Other cyclists who rode Roubaix got dropped. Sagan appears to be stronger than I though this season. Although he definitely lacked a little something in the Flemish classics this year.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/viewtopic.php?p=224[/quote

I am not disappointed when I see so much racing in one hour.
For me this was the best race of the year.
Peter gammbled that one attack will be closed by Bala or Ala. But if he closed again he would loose anyway. He rode perfect race probably only mistake was his attack on flat. That match was burnt for nothing.

 

[Netserk]

Great, great finale. Only a little bit disappointed that Kreuziger took the front with 400m(?) to go. I think Valgren would still take the win from the front though. I expected an attack from Sagan, but with his weight he was clearly on the limit on the climbs, I think. Very impressive though, as the only rider in front who rode Roubaix.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Good racing today. What a great spring for Valgren.

Sagan and Valverde marked each other out.

No, Sagan was done. He cannot close down 50 percent of attacks alone. I wasexpecting much better performance from his team.

I think you may be right. He looked really tired at that point and might have been vulnerable if Alaphillipe and Valverde had bridged but I don't think they realized that.

I don't think it's a question of not realizing it, it's just not so easy tactically for Alphalippe and Valverde bridge? They're hardly going to have a chat with 2km to go and agree to share the work getting across because Sagan is looking a bit jaded. And whoever moves first is just going to end up dragging loads of riders across and losing any chance they would have in the sprint.

Sure, but I was more thinking about a super early bridge or even an immediate response but I obviously didn't make that clear.

 

[Bardamu]

Great race from Gulperberg onwards. Seeing how everybody died in the wheel of Valverde on the Geulhemmerberg was amazing to see. Valgren has proven himself to be a great all-round one-day racer. The cobbled-specialists disappointed today. I guess the race is too hard for riders like Vanmarcke, Stuyven, Naesen and Terpstra.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re:

Anyone know if Matthews got back on after his puncture or did he get back and get dropped later ?

I think he would be dropped anyway. This was too aggressive race for him

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re:

Sky continues to disappoint in this years classics.

No doubts, yes.
We have to wait for GT races..

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Yeah, dude rode Liege-Amstel-Fleche 4-5 times in his career but he's a cobbled guy just because of El Pickle wanted to troll today.

Also, Lance was a cobbled specialist as he rode Ronde and Gent-Wewelgem at some point in his career.

He just said he wants to ride Roubaix in the future.

Nibali has said the same thing

 

[DNP-Old]

Not a bad decision to lay Valverde after all.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Wow! I so disagree. Yes, a lot f movement in the final 25-30km, but the last 3km...bummer for me. I would have loved a Valverde-Sagan-Alaf showdown.

I just don't understand why some people prefer to always see the same riders again and again and again. There's not exactly a lack of races dominated by Valverde or Sagan. I love to see new faces and surprise winners. Not that Valgren is a huge surprise, though...

I hear what you're saying and it was absolutely a well deserved podium for the three. Still, a Gaspa-Valgren-Kreuziger showdown doesn't have quite the same "oomph" as the one Tonton proposed.

True, but those 3 were beaten and ended up right behind the podium. Its not like they didnt feature in the finale.

 

[Red Rick]

I think that in the next years there will be both more fight to get into the break and that they won't be given 15 minutes anytime soon

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

Great race from Gulperberg onwards. Seeing how everybody died in the wheel of Valverde on the Geulhemmerberg was amazing to see. Valgren has proven himself to be a great all-round one-day racer. The cobbled-specialists disappointed today. I guess the race is too hard for riders like Vanmarcke, Stuyven, Naesen and Terpstra.

Roubaix is not a good prep for the AGR, it takes a few days to recuperate from Roubaix. And I don't think Terpstra was all that focused and motivated anymore.

 

[Jancouver]

Great move/win by Valgren.
Great ride by Kreuziger and Gaspa.
Great to see Sagan finishing ahead of Piti. Once again, he made it clear to everyone that you will not win if you don't take action.

Good race with a worthy podium.

 

[Anderis]

I think it's fair to say that the race has benefitted from changing the route. LBL should consider changing something as well.

When was the last time a rider from an early breakaway managed to finish inside top10 in AGR, FW or LBL? That tactic often works in cobbled races but not here I think.

 

[Velolover2]

AGR has almost become a cobbled classics with the new route. It's raced like one.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

I think it's fair to say that the race has benefitted from changing the route. LBL should consider changing something as well.

When was the last time a rider from an early breakaway managed to finish inside top10 in AGR, FW or LBL? That tactic often works in cobbled races but not here I think.

FW and LBL should definitely change routes. The finish in Ans especially is just ugly, like it takes place in some Eastern Bloc country, a disgrace to Belgium.

 

[Brullnux]

Very good race (Valverde attacked!) and great podium too. Nice to see Craddock up there as well, even if he was only there because he was in the break.

I think the foruncolo has destroyed Nibali's Liege prep

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

I think it's fair to say that the race has benefitted from changing the route. LBL should consider changing something as well.

When was the last time a rider from an early breakaway managed to finish inside top10 in AGR, FW or LBL? That tactic often works in cobbled races but not here I think.

FW and LBL should definitely change routes. The finish in Ans especially is just ugly, like it takes place in some Eastern Bloc country, a disgrace to Belgium.

How elitist, you know industrial areas have to exist right? And considering the modern history of Belgium, they are probably the most important area.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

I think it's fair to say that the race has benefitted from changing the route. LBL should consider changing something as well.

When was the last time a rider from an early breakaway managed to finish inside top10 in AGR, FW or LBL? That tactic often works in cobbled races but not here I think.

FW and LBL should definitely change routes. The finish in Ans especially is just ugly, like it takes place in some Eastern Bloc country, a disgrace to Belgium.

How elitist, you know industrial areas have to exist right? And considering the modern history of Belgium, they are probably the most important area.

The industry in Wallonia has been dead for years now lol. Have you ever even visited places like Charleroi?