85th/24th La Flèche Wallonne, April 21st, 2021

[CyclistAbi]

Horner basically again saying they did everything wrong. Like Roglič could for sure outpunch Alaphilippe today if staying behind him to the last 50m.

I just don't see it like that.

 

[Panda Claws]

Idk man Horner did win a Vuelta.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Then again a bunch of knuckleheads, his words, achieved more.

Man, show some respect. That is all i am saying.

 

[cen]

Lanterne killing it with the highlights

 

[Carols]

Idk man Horner did win a Vuelta.

That doesn't make him any less of a knucklehead!

 

[jaylew]

She knew she wasn't going to win in a sprint against van der Breggen or Vollering, so trying to get away or tiring the opponents was her only option. She probably would have finished on the podium if she had been less agressive though.

I don't know. I think she'd have had a better chance to win if she hadn't burnt that substantial match.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

That doesn't make him any less of a knucklehead!

It’s all about raising the profile of his youtube channel. Controversy gets clicks. He’s not being stupid, he’s being cynical.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Pidcock better than expected, i thought he might have finished behind Tulett. Then again, Tulett had already attacked once, still finished 12th at the age of 19... Good result for Brenner as well.

I feel like Tulett's performance has gone under the radar a little. I couldn't tell you exactly when a teenager last finished so high on the Mur de Huy, but it definitely wasn't this century.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I feel like Tulett's performance has gone under the radar a little. I couldn't tell you exactly when a teenager last finished so high on the Mur de Huy, but it definitely wasn't this century.

Giuseppe Saronni came 2nd to Moser as a 19 year old in 1977 (not on the Huy though). Gesink and Gaudu both made top ten more recently as "only-recently-ceased-to-be-teenagers".

But one has to wonder what he has done to p off the Eurosport commentators, as they normally cannot wait to jabber incessantly about anything done by an anglophone, esp British.

 

[BlueRoads]

I feel like Tulett's performance has gone under the radar a little. I couldn't tell you exactly when a teenager last finished so high on the Mur de Huy, but it definitely wasn't this century.

Marco Brenner has a chance to do it next year, though.

 

[BlueRoads]

Giuseppe Saronni came 2nd to Moser as a 19 year old in 1977 (not on the Huy though). Gesink and Gaudu both made top ten more recently as "only-recently-ceased-to-be-teenagers".

But one has to wonder what he has done to p off the Eurosport commentators, as they normally cannot wait to jabber incessantly about anything done by an anglophone, esp British.

Mabe they were too focused on Pidcock to realize Tulett?

 

[djconnel]

I've never ridden the Mur de Huy, but I simulated it on RGT Cycling yesterday (course here), and despite having seen the statistics, I was surprised it wasn't as tough as I'd expected. It averages 9.5%, and has two corners in the 22% range, and one in the 17% range, so of course that means there's sections at substantially less than 9.5% to get that average. Passing 1300 meters, then 900 meters, I kept thinking "when does this get really hard?"

I just read the Mike Woods article: he broke from the team plan to follow Rogič. This only works if he has a similar power profile as Rogič. But he doesn't: Rogič is more explosive. Woods would have been better off playing to his own strength, I suspect. The thing about finishes that short is reacting to opponents is less of a factor,optimizing to ones own strength is moe of a factor.

 

[Red Rick]

I've never ridden the Mur de Huy, but I simulated it on RGT Cycling yesterday (course here), and despite having seen the statistics, I was surprised it wasn't as tough as I'd expected. It averages 9.5%, and has two corners in the 22% range, and one in the 17% range, so of course that means there's sections at substantially less than 9.5% to get that average. Passing 1300 meters, then 900 meters, I kept thinking "when does this get really hard?"

I just read the Mike Woods article: he broke from the team plan to follow Rogič. This only works if he has a similar power profile as Rogič. But he doesn't: Rogič is more explosive. Woods would have been better off playing to his own strength, I suspect. The thing about finishes that short is reacting to opponents is less of a factor,optimizing to ones own strength is moe of a factor.

Just going by Woods' Strava, the entire pacing of the Mur by Woods and even Roglic seems insane to me. It's less even, and it includes hitting the highest watts on a flatter section. It could be just this specific edition of the route, but if you have a guy like Woods or Roglic you should really aim to have 2 domestiques with your leader at the bottom so they can drill it. IIRC Woods did like 7.2W/kg for the first 2/3rd of the Mur, which is more in line with an 8 to 10 minute effort rather thana sub 3 minute effort.

 

[masking_agent]

I was suprised that the breakaway stayed away for most of the race. I must admit it was a pretty boring race to watch. All the action came in the last 500m. It is unfortunate what our sport has become. Nothing to really watch until 1-2km's to go every race nowadays. What a shame.

 

[Bonimenier]

I was suprised that the breakaway stayed away for most of the race. I must admit it was a pretty boring race to watch. All the action came in the last 500m. It is unfortunate what our sport has become. Nothing to really watch until 1-2km's to go every race nowadays. What a shame.

Yeah, races have been extremely boring this year!

 

[CyclistAbi]

Mur de Huy didn't disappoint. Among some other races with interesting outcome and some good racing involved there was Tour of the Basque Country.

Hence i don't agree spring racing was boring.