84th Gent-Wevelgem: 27 March, 2022

[Pantani_lives]

In spite of its name this classic will start for the third time in Ieper (Ypres) at the Menenpoort, an important World War I monument. Over a distance of 249 km the riders will face the "Moeren" at sea level, the "plugstreets" in Ploegsteert and nine hills. The Kemmelberg is often the breaking point. The final 34 km are flat. Sometimes a strong sprinter can win here, but attrition warfare with echelons is also possible. The weather will be dry with a light northeast wind. They start at 10 AM.

Recent winners:
2012 Tom Boonen
2013 Peter Sagan
2014 John Degenkolb
2015 Luca Paolini
2016 Peter Sagan
2017 Greg Van Avermaet
2018 Peter Sagan
2019 Alexander Kristoff
2020 Mads Pedersen
2021 Wout Van Aert

Multiple winners:
3x Van Eenaeme, Van Looy, Merckx, Cipollini, Boonen, Sagan

The women's race will take place for the eleventh time. They start at 13.50 PM, and will finish after the men.

Former winners:
2012 Lizzie Armitstead
2013 Kirsten Wild
2014 Lauren Hall
2015 Floortje Mackaij
2016 Chantal Blaak
2017 Lotta Lepistö
2018 Marta Bastianelli
2019 Kirsten Wild
2020 Jolien D'hoore
2021 Marianne Vos

Another date to look forward to!

 

[RedheadDane]

So, I have a bit of a question; Blume Levy, Gudmestad, and Wærenskjold are all on the startlist for the U23 race. However, the ride for the Uno-X ProTeam. What if something had happened during the week to cause Uno-X to find themselves several riders short? Could management at Uno-X have asked the Danish and/or Norwegian National Team(s) if any of those three riders could swap over?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Another borefest of WVA and Laporte combo

 

[Netserk]

Little wind, wrong direction:

Maybe we can hope for some action on the plugstreets, the wind is most dangerous there.

 

[Samamba]

bunch sprint or some Jumbo attack making it to the end.

 

[Red Rick]

I just hope for no sprint

 

[RunningRouleur]

Wish MVDP was riding, him and Asgreen look like the only two guys that can hang with JV.

 

[Boes]

Sprint of 20-ish guys with QS trying to control for Jakobsen.
Other 3 star contenders are WVA and Pedersen.

I'd love to see Arnaud De Lie hanging in there, but it's probably still a few years to early for him.

 

[OlavEH]

Hopefully, Van Aert will feel yesterday's race in his legs, and won't be able to attack on Kemmelberg and do the same as in E3. That will give a more open race.

Tomorrow, I'm especially expecting more from Danish guys like Pedersen and Kragh Andersen. The latter showed in MSR that his form is good, and given his big engine, he should be candidate for an attack on the last flat 30 km. The same applies for Pedersen, and he should also be a favorite if it comes to a sprint in a bigger group of 20-30 riders.

And what has happened the last couple of years to a rider like Politt? After his performances in the 2019 season, I expected him to be one of the most dominating cobble riders in the coming years. That has been really far from the case.

 

[RedheadDane]

Tomorrow, I'm especially expecting more from Danish guys like Pedersen and Kragh Andersen. The latter showed in MSR that his form is good, and given his big engine, he should be candidate for an attack on the last flat 30 km. The same applies for Pedersen, and he should also be a favorite if it comes to a sprint in a bigger group of 20-30 riders.

I too, expect more from SKA!

Spoiler: Very Important Stuff!

It's the Classic CQ Game!

 

[Pantani_lives]

Jumbo will make the race hard to drop sprinters like Merlier, Jakobsen, Groenewegen and Démare. The other opponents are the same as two days ago. Pedersen will probably do better than Friday.

The women's event might be another confrontation between Balsamo and Wiebes; but in a selective race Vos, Kopecky and Bastianelli will also be candidates.

 

[postmanhat]

Interesting team for Norway in the U-23 race with two of last year's junior stars making the step up.

World Champion Hagenes, and Paris-Roubaix winner Fredheim.

 

[vladimir]

Don't know why he has been removed from the PCS startlist, but Kristoff has recovered from his cold and will start tomorrow.

 

[Orbit501]

Among other things, I'm most curious about the condition of Trentin having fallen victim to the mass sickness at PN.
Also, who is likely to have most chance of making any potential reduced bunch sprint out of Merlier and Philipsen.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

5 stars- WvA
4 stars - Laporte
3 stars - Benoot
2 stars - Teunissen
1 star - The Peloton

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Taco time!

 

[Sciatic]

Sagan to shine as of old for this one day and take the win (half-joking, but he did have a history of riding pretty well in this race in the old days).

 

[search]

Among other things, I'm most curious about the condition of Trentin having fallen victim to the mass sickness at PN.

he didn't fell sick but abandoned because of a concussion after his crash. Afterwards he didn't train for a while, but says he is feeling better every day now.

 

[RedheadDane]

Sagan to shine as of old for this one day and take the win (half-joking, but he did have a history of riding pretty well in this race in the old days).

He had a history of riding pretty well in a lot of races in the old days.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Good column by Cancellara on the dominance of Jumbo-Visma.

 

[Orbit501]

he didn't fell sick but abandoned because of a concussion after his crash. Afterwards he didn't train for a while, but says he is feeling better every day now.

Ah, ok thanks. I missed that. I just assumed that as it had record number of DNS's due to sickness that the same thing happened to him.
He was going well again so far this season, especially with that win in Le Samyn, so hoping he can be in the mix tomorrow again.

 

[Salvarani]

Taco time!

Im afraid there is only a jumbo sandwich left on the menu.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Sprint of 20-ish guys with QS trying to control for Jakobsen.
Other 3 star contenders are WVA and Pedersen.

I'd love to see Arnaud De Lie hanging in there, but it's probably still a few years to early for him.

I'm going for a 20 -ish sprint but with all the pure sprinters out of it..
Senechal to win.

 

[Sciatic]

He had a history of riding pretty well in a lot of races in the old days.

Very true, but he actually used to win here -3 times I think and something like 5 podiums in a 6-year stretch.

 

[Pantani_lives]

I'm going for a 20 -ish sprint but with all the pure sprinters out of it..
Senechal to win.

Possible, but if Sénéchal is still there Pedersen will probably still be there as well, and Van Aert will still have people to launch his sprint. Another scenario is that Benoot or Laporte attacks on the final flat part and no one reacts.

In a group sprint Merlier, Jakobsen, Groenewegen and Ballerini would have a chance, but they will probably be dropped by Jumbo on the Kemmel.