94th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 4

[Winterfold]

22%....or being able to taste blood in your mouth.

the hill from which I take my nickname is that steep on its steepest section, but it isn't cobbled and I dont race up it

What do we have in the UK that is like those climbs? I guess Swiss Hill aka MILFenberg (Alderley Edge nr Manchester) is close, but I dont think the grad is that steep (16% tops?), although it looks like the Koppenberg is better maintained. Because that makes a massive difference, of course

 

[Eyeballs Out]

It doesn't look like Devolder has received much credit for his two wins here.

Last year it looked like Boonen and Pozzato were clearly best at the 200k mark but Devolder was clearly next best and you have to wonder whether he simply paces himself better by not resorting to the flashy but ultimately ineffective shows of strength that Boonen did. The further they went the stronger Devolder looked whereas Boonen and Pozzato didn't look quite so dominant on the Muur.

The year before it was a similar story. Devolder did quite a lot of riding on the front before he ultimately got away. Maybe Boonen was a bit dispirited but again he didn't look so good in the finale (letting Nuyens and Flecha get away in a move that at one time threatened to put the Quickstep win in question).

If the course is tougher this year then that could be very much in Devolder's favour but of course his form is a bit of an unknown

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'm betting Cancellara will flonk and get left behind on the climbs.

 

[Bala Verde]

so live feed estimated at 7:00AM in USA...?

 

[Anonymous]

so live feed estimated at 7:00AM in USA...?

Feeds start about 12-12.15cet, so about 6am eastern.
Eurosport coverage starts at 1pm cet, 7am eastern

 

[Cerberus]

It's gonna be a helluva tough race, with a harder course and more difficult conditions than previous years, so I think this edition is one for the experienced strongmen, with enough stamina to survive. This probably counts Breschel out for the victory, and favours guys like Flecha and Devolder, along with Boonen and Spartacus, of course. Spartacus is my no. 1 favourite to take this.

Breschel finished 6th last year so it's not like he's totally without experience. Devolder of cause finished 1st, but unless he's deliberately pulling the wool over our eyes he just doesn't have winning form this time around. You're probably right that the weather favours people like Spartacus, but I wouldn't count Breschel out. I'm not sure how he feel about bad whether, but being in the light end of the contenders I would think that he'd be disadvantaged.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Going for Flecha solo tonight. Boonen will get too heavily marked and I don't think Cancellara will get over the climbs as well or as easily as some other riders.

 

[Frosty]

Weather not looking good - rain at times through the day.

 

[BroDeal]

Weather not looking good - rain at times through the day.

Sweet.

A thought: The wet cobbles will be slippery and force many to walk. Carbon soled shoes are slicker than owl sh!t, so what do riders use? MTB shoes? Modifed road shoes?

 

[ak-zaaf]

First attack:
Michele Merlo (Footon-Servetto), Nicolas Rousseau (AG2R), Joost van Leijen (Vacansoleil), Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) en Vicente Garcia Acosta (Caisse d'Epargne)

Aitor Galdos is trying to bridge the gap. Peloton at ± 1 minute.

\o/

 

[mortand]

What?! No David Boucher in that break? No Thomas de Gendt? I'm disappointed! They must be sleeping.

 

[ak-zaaf]

What?! No David Boucher in that break? No Thomas de Gendt? I'm disappointed! They must be sleeping.

Boucher is awake!

10:59 Demarrages
Er wordt nu slag om slinger gedemarreerd uit het peloton. Geert Verheyen (Landbouwkrediet) kiest het ruime sop en ook Olivier Bonnaire (Française des Jeux) en David Boucher (ook al Landbouwkrediet) kunnen hun benen niet stil houden.

 

[mortand]

Ah, that's more like it - you can always count on good ol' David. Has he ever missed an early break in any Belgian cobbles race?

 

[ak-zaaf]

Maaskant got hit by his own teamcar. No news on how bad it is yet.

 

[ak-zaaf]

First 5 are being chased by Boucher, Ignatiev and Bonnaire.

Peloton at 7m30, chasers at 1m20.

 

[rghysens]

situation: breakaway group of 5 (Rousseau, Garcia Acosta, Merlo, Goesinnen, Van Leijen), 3 chasers (Bonnaire, Ignatiev, Boucher) at 30", peleton at 10'30"

 

[joy118118]

video begins!
http://www.vshare.tv/live/44706/Bspor/1

 

[Spare Tyre]

video begins!
http://www.vshare.tv/live/44706/Bspor/1

much appreciated.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

video begins!
http://www.vshare.tv/live/44706/Bspor/1

Thank you.

 

[craig1985]

Lorenzo Bernucci (Lampre) DNS as Italian drug police have raided his house.

 

[bylbyl]

bad weather, early race, and already the masses of fans are out there.

you don't see that anywhere but in flanders!

 

[Publicus]

At what KM do they hit the first cobbles or has that already happened?

 

[Bala Verde]

140km to go... hihaaaa

 

[Anonymous]

That doesn't look like bad weather to me.

 

[bylbyl]

At what KM do they hit the first cobbles or has that already happened?

first climb (den ast) coming up, then a few cobbled sections, but it really starts at about 100km to. Then there's never more then 3-4 km without a climb or a cobbled section.

Section kwaremont-patersberg-koppenberg will be great to watch.