53rd Amstel Gold Race - 260km

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

I hope anybody but Valverde.

I will grant him this race because he never won it on the condition he will not win fleche wallonie and liege.

I hope he sweeps them just to experience the inevitable tears of hate. It will be joyous.

The Ardennes Triple is one of those few things still missing from his palmares. This year is as good as any to finally check that off the list.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

Sagan was far stronger than Greg last year, and would have won both Ronde and Roubaix if not for bad luck. All part of the game.

Naesen had more bad luck last year in roubaix and still finished ahead of sagan. Greg would've also won the ronde if sagan didn't make him crash.

Very bad trolling. :lol:

Except it's true. Mate you were practically crying all season about sagan's performance, so don't get cocky now. He couldn't drop someone who was in the early break.

And Van Avermaet couldn't catch someone who couldn't drop someone who was in the early break. And Gilbert couldn't even follow someone who couldn't catch someone who couldn't drop someone who was in the early break.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

Sagan was far stronger than Greg last year, and would have won both Ronde and Roubaix if not for bad luck. All part of the game.

Naesen had more bad luck last year in roubaix and still finished ahead of sagan. Greg would've also won the ronde if sagan didn't make him crash.

Very bad trolling. :lol:

Except it's true. Mate you were practically crying all season about sagan's performance, so don't get cocky now. He couldn't drop someone who was in the early break.

And Van Avermaet couldn't catch someone who couldn't drop someone who was in the early break. And Gilbert couldn't even follow someone who couldn't catch someone who couldn't drop someone who was in the early break.

where did I claim GVA was strong this year? Sagan fanboys are claiming Sagan would've won everyrhing with ease last year if it wasn't due to bad luck which is 100% BS.

 

[Eli]

Hahahaha how can you with a straight face on say Sagan could have won both PR and RVV last year if it wasn't due to bad luck? Sagan is clearly the better Rider overall however GVA was better last spring.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

Bahrain have the firepower to blow this race apart, they will probably try something.

But why would they want to blow it? Their best bet is Colbrelli from reduced sprint. I doubt Nibali can finish this solo, or any of them...

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Bahrain have the firepower to blow this race apart, they will probably try something.

But why would they want to blow it? Their best bet is Colbrelli from reduced sprint. I doubt Nibali can finish this solo, or any of them...

They already said that Colbrelli wasn't at his best before the RVV, if he isn't in great shape we could see Nibali, Ion or Gorka on the attack.

 

[Bardamu]

Re: Re:

Bahrain have the firepower to blow this race apart, they will probably try something.

But why would they want to blow it? Their best bet is Colbrelli from reduced sprint. I doubt Nibali can finish this solo, or any of them...

They already said that Colbrelli wasn't at his best before the RVV, if he isn't in great shape we could see Nibali, Ion or Gorka on the attack.

Any of those three need to join attacks from the big guns in the last 50km.

 

[Keram]

Can you please stop this post about Sagan and Gva and who has better form last spring? It is annoying.

As for the race if it is reduced bunch sprint Sagan for the win. I hope it will be not too much controled. If Valverde wants to win this Movistar need blow this race into pieces.

 

[ppanther92]

Re: Re:

Sagan was far stronger than Greg last year, and would have won both Ronde and Roubaix if not for bad luck. All part of the game.

Naesen had more bad luck last year in roubaix and still finished ahead of sagan. Greg would've also won the ronde if sagan didn't make him crash.

Very bad trolling. :lol:

Except it's true. Mate you were practically crying all season about sagan's performance, so don't get cocky now. He couldn't drop someone who was in the early break.

And he distanced all the other favorites while doing most of the work, riding with a crooked handelbar and losing about 10 seconds while fixing it. So whats your point? Strongest rider won today. Look at the time gaps. He increased them big times. Only Terpstra (an Dillier) were close to him today.

 

[ppanther92]

Re: Re:

Bahrain have the firepower to blow this race apart, they will probably try something.

But why would they want to blow it? Their best bet is Colbrelli from reduced sprint. I doubt Nibali can finish this solo, or any of them...

They already said that Colbrelli wasn't at his best before the RVV, if he isn't in great shape we could see Nibali, Ion or Gorka on the attack.

That said, Colbrelli wasn't too bad at the Ronde.

 

[WheelofGear]

Gilbert mentioned Hill 29, Kruisberg as the best place launch a punchy attack. That is where the race will be decided. I except something from Wellens and Benoot there.

Eyserbosweg is more similar to Mur De Huy. A longer uphill drag. It's much harder to attack there unless you a Purito, but you can set a nice pace on it after having attacked on Kruisberg.

 

[Durden93]

I thoroughly enjoyed last years race. Looking forward to it ahead of the bore at Fleche.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

I thoroughly enjoyed last years race. Looking forward to it ahead of the bore at Fleche.

I'm fine with Flèche being a 1k sprint but they need to do something about Liege at least. It's a 1k sprint as well these days. :lol:

 

[Sartorius]

I usually don't have time to sit in front of TV for 4-5 hours so I often watch only last 10 km...and I acually enjoy Flèche and Liege very much...also it's more entertaining for me than 50 km solo ride, enen though I respect solo victory more...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

Gilbert mentioned Hill 29, Kruisberg as the best place launch a punchy attack. That is where the race will be decided. I except something from Wellens and Benoot there.

Eyserbosweg is more similar to Mur De Huy. A longer uphill drag. It's much harder to attack there unless you a Purito, but you can set a nice pace on it after having attacked on Kruisberg.

Eyserbosweg isn't much harder to attack. It's THE place were Boogerd placed the deciding (final group forming) attack nearly every year from 2000-2005.

Riders are just too pussy nowadays. They should use hills like Eyserbosweg, Kruisberg, Keuteberg instead of riding them up as group

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Gilbert mentioned Hill 29, Kruisberg as the best place launch a punchy attack. That is where the race will be decided. I except something from Wellens and Benoot there.

Eyserbosweg is more similar to Mur De Huy. A longer uphill drag. It's much harder to attack there unless you a Purito, but you can set a nice pace on it after having attacked on Kruisberg.

Eyserbosweg isn't much harder to attack. It's THE place were Boogerd placed the deciding (final group forming) attack nearly every year from 2000-2005.

Riders are just too pussy nowadays. They should use hills like Eyserbosweg, Kruisberg, Keuteberg instead of riding them up as group

I'm pretty sure they attacked on the keutenberg last year, no?

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Gilbert mentioned Hill 29, Kruisberg as the best place launch a punchy attack. That is where the race will be decided. I except something from Wellens and Benoot there.

Eyserbosweg is more similar to Mur De Huy. A longer uphill drag. It's much harder to attack there unless you a Purito, but you can set a nice pace on it after having attacked on Kruisberg.

Eyserbosweg isn't much harder to attack. It's THE place were Boogerd placed the deciding (final group forming) attack nearly every year from 2000-2005.

Riders are just too pussy nowadays. They should use hills like Eyserbosweg, Kruisberg, Keuteberg instead of riding them up as group

I'm pretty sure they attacked on the keutenberg last year, no?

Yeah, right at the bottom. It's 22% there, very narrow, I think they come off a corner so you don't start at regular speed, and then it becomes a false flat while everyone is gassed where you really open up the gap. Keutenberg is definitely the most explosive of the AGR hills.

And I think AGR is one of the races that will be a lot more open with smaller teams

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Gilbert mentioned Hill 29, Kruisberg as the best place launch a punchy attack. That is where the race will be decided. I except something from Wellens and Benoot there.

Eyserbosweg is more similar to Mur De Huy. A longer uphill drag. It's much harder to attack there unless you a Purito, but you can set a nice pace on it after having attacked on Kruisberg.

Eyserbosweg isn't much harder to attack. It's THE place were Boogerd placed the deciding (final group forming) attack nearly every year from 2000-2005.

Riders are just too pussy nowadays. They should use hills like Eyserbosweg, Kruisberg, Keuteberg instead of riding them up as group

I'm pretty sure they attacked on the keutenberg last year, no?

No. Henao, Gilbert and co. attacked on Kruisberg, Kwiat bridged on Keutenberg...

 

[Samamba]

Benoot opened the race on the Kruisberg last year, guys like Henao en Gilbert followed. Kwiat en co tried to bridge on the Keutenberg, only Kwiat succeeded.

I wouldn't be surprised if LTS tries to do exactly the same thing this year. Benoot on the Kruisberg and Wellens staying on the wheels of the big guns.

 

[Asero831]

Sagan's odds remained the same despite the PR win.
Valverde's odds shortened considerably.

 

[Durden93]

Re: Re:

I thoroughly enjoyed last years race. Looking forward to it ahead of the bore at Fleche.

I'm fine with Flèche being a 1k sprint but they need to do something about Liege at least. It's a 1k sprint as well these days. :lol:

I don't mind fleche either. I'll just watch the final 2km. 10km at most.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I never watch FW live anymore. Just the youtube highlight of the final km is enough to see Valv win another boring sprint. That race should be downgraded to 1.2

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

After Pais Vasco Matthews is at good odds as well.

McCarthy?

Not entirely out of the question. If he did win, I’d feel a lot better about watching him ride away on Saturday morning criteriums every summer :lol:

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I never watch FW live anymore. Just the youtube highlight of the final km is enough to see Valv win another boring sprint. That race should be downgraded to 1.2

Yeah, Valverde is so good that it makes the race bad and super predictable. But even if Valverde hadn't dominated to the extent that he has done (and probably will continue until '19), it would still be a boring race. Would be fun to see them shake things up like the Amstel has done - they really deserve credit for that. Im sure we will have a cracking race again.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

I never watch FW live anymore. Just the youtube highlight of the final km is enough to see Valv win another boring sprint. That race should be downgraded to 1.2

Yeah, Valverde is so good that it makes the race bad and super predictable. But even if Valverde hadn't dominated to the extent that he has done (and probably will continue until '19), it would still be a boring race. Would be fun to see them shake things up like the Amstel has done - they really deserve credit for that. Im sure we will have a cracking race again.

A Valverde fan that dares to admit this. For this you earn some respect. Hopefully this year's AGR is as good as last year. I don't expect PhilGil to be good here though. He's not as good as last year and Roubaix isn't the best prep rqce for the AGR.