95th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 3 2011

[luckyboy]

Yeay De Ronde!


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Official Startlist in PDF

Thanks to TeamSkyFans for the last two.

 

[luckyboy]

Martijn Maaskant is listed on that startlist though, so I damn well hope he'll be replaced with Vanmarcke seeing as he isn't down for Roubaix either

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Shall go out on a limb and suggest a Spartacus victory

I'd love to see Gilbert win, or Terpstra podium

 

[Tuarts]

All these profiles would be great if you had eyes like hawk. Don't they want people to read them?

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

I think Haussler is going to blow our minds and come away with the biggest win of his career. yeeehaw!

 

[luckyboy]

All these profiles would be great if you had eyes like hawk. Don't they want people to read them?

Found a PDF of larger versions, so I just made pngs of them and now you can see them if you click the pictures.

 

[Raceoftruth]

Not sure if on the startlist but will take a punt on roger hammond!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I think it will be between Gilbert and Boonen.

...for second place of course.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I really don't understand why they don't do De Berendries?
OK, there are roadworks, but for no more than 20m!! They could have easily fixed that temporary...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Cancellara won't win.

 

[luckyboy]

Cancellara won't win.

I don't think so either for some reason.

Stijn's been lulling everyone into a false sense of security.


From the favourites, obviously I'd want to see Gilbert win. Then Ballan + Devolder. Boonen I'd be happy with too.
Not so much Cance or Garmin.

 

[Astana1]

Judging the way Garmin has raced, they don't have a chance to win, safe bet for a top five and another lame "moral victory".

Cancellara should win this unless he is unlucky. Excepting that, he will rip everyone else's legs off. Boonen looked to labored on the climbs yesterday.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Gilbert "Pozzato can chase Cancellara next sunday"

 

[theyoungest]

Gilbert "Pozzato can chase Cancellara next sunday"

Maybe Gilbert (and the Belgian press) should shut up about Pozzato and focus on his own race? Pick your battles.

 

[icefire]

I've got the feeling that watching De Ronde this year is going to be as entertaining as reading The Death of Ivan Ilich. The outcome is known before the start, but the interest is in when and how the events unfold.

 

[Cimber]

I've got the feeling that watching De Ronde this year is going to be as entertaining as reading The Death of Ivan Ilich. The outcome is known before the start, but the interest is in when and how the events unfold.

Ye I feel the same way. But I got some naive hope that Boonen, Hushovd etc can do something extraordinary to atleast make it interesting. Prais-Robaix migth be even less interesting if Spartacus again makes a move with 40 km to go. I really hope to see Boonen take one of them. The victory in Gent-W might have boosted his confidence.

 

[la.margna]

Cancellara will be marked so heavily and has a rather weak classics team. So while I hope, he can defend his title, I have strong doubts that he might suceed again.

 

[Chuffy]

I think Haussler is going to blow our minds and come away with the biggest win of his career. yeeehaw!

That would please me, but it's almost impossible to bet against the Candelabra. Hope it's a good race because I'll be there watching.

Best user-name ever btw.

 

[Jamsque]

The only interesting point of speculation is where and when Cancellara will drop everyone and how big his advantage will be by the finish.

 

[goggalor]

Wake me up for the Giro.

 

[Moondance]

Gilbert for second

 

[boomcie]

What do I remember about this weekend.

1) Cancellara did some insane stuff. It was entirely off the chart and it has crushed most of my hopes and dreams for the following two Sundays. It looked even more impressive than last year. When people say the field in Harelbeke wasn't strong: that's bull****. Most definitely it wasn't the strongest field, but Cance did make it look like it was his kinder garden and if he does half of that on Sunday that will be sufficient IMO.

2) Boonen did a good job. He rode a strong sprint and looked confident after the finish (he always does). He did not look impressive on the hills though. But Boonen doesn’t need a pat on the shoulder; I remain confident he will be there on Sunday.

3) Gilbert had absolutely no business in Wevelgem. He should have been at the start in Harelbeke; a course that suits him much better. He looked strong in Wevelgem, but I don’t find it a very reliable measure for Vlaanderen.

4) Garmin failed miserably again. Haussler looked good in the E3, but he wasn’t able to keep Cance’s wheel. Hushovd looked decent in both races, but he didn’t impress. Farrar failed to deliver in Wevelgem, he had no help whatsoever in the final. That was a huge opportunity for the team and they ****ed it up big time.

5) Who else do I remember?
a. Sep Vanmarcke did great, he confirmed his potential.
b. O’Grady was the best domestique, by a long shot.
c. Terpstra was really good on Saturday, he is not a winner though.
d. Sagan did good. He tried spicing up the final on Sunday. Props. He has the legs, but sometimes lacks the brain IMO.
e. Rabo was strong on Saturday, but they lack a real leader (Breschel maybe).

 

[Hugo Koblet]

What do I remember about this weekend.

1) Cancellara did some insane stuff. It was entirely off the chart and it has crushed most of my hopes and dreams for the following two Sundays. It looked even more impressive than last year. When people say the field in Harelbeke wasn't strong: that's bull****. Most definitely it wasn't the strongest field, but Cance did make it look like it was his kinder garden and if he does half of that on Sunday that will be sufficient IMO.

2) Boonen did a good job. He rode a strong sprint and looked confident after the finish (he always does). He did not look impressive on the hills though. But Boonen doesn’t need a pat on the shoulder; I remain confident he will be there on Sunday.

3) Gilbert had absolutely no business in Wevelgem. He should have been at the start in Harelbeke; a course that suits him much better. He looked strong in Wevelgem, but I don’t find it a very reliable measure for Vlaanderen.

4) Garmin failed miserably again. Haussler looked good in the E3, but he wasn’t able to keep Cance’s wheel. Hushovd looked decent in both races, but he didn’t impress. Farrar failed to deliver in Wevelgem, he had no help whatsoever in the final. That was a huge opportunity for the team and they ****ed it up big time.

5) Who else do I remember?
a. Sep Vanmarcke did great, he confirmed his potential.
b. O’Grady was the best domestique, by a long shot.
c. Terpstra was really good on Saturday, he is not a winner though.
d. Sagan did good. He tried spicing up the final on Sunday. Props. He has the legs, but sometimes lacks the brain IMO.
e. Rabo was strong on Saturday, but they lack a real leader (Breschel maybe).

You could just copy/paste this next monday and it will fit almost perfectly on RVV and next monday again and it would fit almost perfectly on PR

 

[Cimber]

And if you add Dwars Nuyens and Thomas looked strong. Oh and in E3 Hushovd looked strong as well.

Really to bad that Breschel is injured. With him on board Rabobank would be dynamite.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

where will cancellara go?