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94th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 4

Page 5 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Aug 6, 2009
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theyoungest said:
Rumor has it that this is kind of an April Fool's joke. Apparently he was coughing rather too enthusiastically when he picked up the phone to talk to some journalists.

On the other hand people do get sick on the 1st of April too. Plus he retired from the race yesterday. I think it's legit. Certainly it it's a rather lame Aprils Fool if that's what it is since there's nothing unbelievable about it.
 
Cerberus said:
On the other hand people do get sick on the 1st of April too. Plus he retired from the race yesterday. I think it's legit. Certainly it it's a rather lame Aprils Fool if that's what it is since there's nothing unbelievable about it.
I was kidding about the April Fools part, but apparently the illness isn't as serious as Katusha has us believe.
 
Apr 1, 2010
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What does everyone think Garmin's chances are here? Their start list seems to be pretty solid, especially after Millar and Farrar both win in De Panne and Maaskant's placing last year.
 
Apr 17, 2009
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Rocksteady said:
What does everyone think Garmin's chances are here? Their start list seems to be pretty solid, especially after Millar and Farrar both win in De Panne and Maaskant's placing last year.

As a Garmin fan I'd like to consider them a darkhorse, but in reality I don't think so for De Ronde. For some reason I think Roubaix more suits Farrar and Maaskant.

OBTW, don't forget Van Summeren
 
Mar 11, 2009
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El Oso said:
As a Garmin fan I'd like to consider them a darkhorse, but in reality I don't think so for De Ronde. For some reason I think Roubaix more suits Farrar and Maaskant.

OBTW, don't forget Van Summeren

If Summeren is in an OK shape they should work for him. He looked so incredibly awesome last year in Roubaix doing all the work for Hoste and still looking easy. I really hope Maaskant will do well but with him it's mostly holding wheels and sprinting for a decent place. Summie could blow things up for Garmin.
 
Apr 1, 2009
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El Oso said:
As a Garmin fan I'd like to consider them a darkhorse, but in reality I don't think so for De Ronde. For some reason I think Roubaix more suits Farrar and Maaskant.

OBTW, don't forget Van Summeren

Im not really convinced Farrar has the class to win a monument he can get up and win a few but I can never seeing him taking on the big boys in a real class selection. When it comes to Tommeke, pipo and thor fighting it out I just dont think he cuts it.
 
Mar 30, 2010
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Farrar is in good shape but it won't be enought in order to fight with guys like Cancellara or Boonen even in Roubaix. I realy don't see him broking clear after the "Carrefour de l'Arbre" ...

However Van Summeren should do well in Roubaix or in the Ronde because all his team could work for him. And with guys like Maaskant ...
 
Mar 26, 2009
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Cerberus said:
On the other hand people do get sick on the 1st of April too. Plus he retired from the race yesterday. I think it's legit. Certainly it it's a rather lame Aprils Fool if that's what it is since there's nothing unbelievable about it.

Yesterday weather was crap so it made sense to take a day off instead of risking to get sick.

Talking about weather, how will it be on sunday?
 
ak-zaaf said:
If Summeren is in an OK shape they should work for him. He looked so incredibly awesome last year in Roubaix doing all the work for Hoste and still looking easy. I really hope Maaskant will do well but with him it's mostly holding wheels and sprinting for a decent place. Summie could blow things up for Garmin.
Maaskant is a mystery to me. I do his website but you aren't getting wiser from him.
In the peloton they all seem to think he is great form (just like they say about Devolder), I really hope he can show it in Flanders, it didn't look good in other races so far, although he was working for Farrar a lot!
 
Mar 27, 2010
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I don't expect much of Garmin, their only hope is Maaskant I believe, but he is not as suited for Flanders like he is for PR. And for Farrar, come on, are there some people thinking he really has any chance at all in De Ronde. The race is way too hard for him with the steep cobbled climbs, and he is simply outclassed by 10-20 riders in this race
 
Sep 25, 2009
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This race will probably be between Cancellara and Gilbert. If Gilbert have some space on the top of the last climb he will take it.
Dark horses is a Breschel in top form and the unpredictable Flecha.
 
Funny thing is the cyclingnews website preview actually names Farrar as possible outsider, but not Leukemans, Boom or Langeveld. What the hell? And if you name a Garmin rider, at least name someone who actually proved himself in a race like Flanders (Maaskant) :D
 
Apr 1, 2009
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velosiped said:
This race will probably be between Cancellara and Gilbert. If Gilbert have some space on the top of the last climb he will take it.
Dark horses is a Breschel in top form and the unpredictable Flecha.

Gilbert has been there or there abouts in recent races but hasnt had the strength to break away or win the sprint from a bunch, not sure he has the form to win against Canc or Boonen
 
Apr 17, 2009
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FignonLeGrand said:
Im not really convinced Farrar has the class to win a monument he can get up and win a few but I can never seeing him taking on the big boys in a real class selection. When it comes to Tommeke, pipo and thor fighting it out I just dont think he cuts it.

Agree. I just remember reading in an interivew a few years back (I think in CycleSport) that he wanted to focus on the northern classics for his career. Not that that means anything ....

Maybe when the current big boys are done he MIGHT have a chance, but right now I see his chances of beating the big boys in a Tour sprint as higher. And those odds are, well ... :rolleyes:

He just doesn't seem to have that "it" factor, which (most of the time) you need in Roubaix or De Ronde.
 
Aug 6, 2009
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velosiped said:
This race will probably be between Cancellara and Gilbert. If Gilbert have some space on the top of the last climb he will take it.
Dark horses is a Breschel in top form and the unpredictable Flecha.

Are you confusing Gilbert and Boonen? Because I can't think of any reason you'd rank Gilbert above Boonen, or even above Breschel who as you say has shown top form - unlike Gilbert.