95th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 3 2011

[thrawn]

Cancellara to win. Garmin have a lot of strong riders so will need to continuously send one up the road every time a break gets caught to have any chance of beating him.

 

[lancaster]

I don't get how he was the strongest at Mendrisio. Anyway, he could be targeted out for his stregth. The other favourites will be less willing and more attentive when he makes his move. OR they should be.

i wasn't trying to provoke you, (i know ACF Baiting is a popular pastime here).

he was super strong, and the others forced him to do the work, again and again. (Cadel was V strong (and the jersey fully deserved), but i do feel that because FC was so strong, everyone watched him, and not each other (as much as they migh), every attack they left for him to cover.)

all i was trying to say was that tactics matter. you have to be much stronger than the field to win if everyone is against you (by an agreement, or just good individual tactics).

 

[lancaster]

the worst outcome, for spectators, is if (like at P-R) last year, nobody thinks they can win (apart from Boonen) so there was no chase when FC went.

i for one don't want to see the last 30/40/50/60 (delete as appropriate) kms of FC time trialling away from a group of big names, not working and whining at each other.

 

[Lanark]

What was the last long solo in de Ronde van Vlaanderen? Devolder was about 25km in 2008, I can't really remember any from before that. A 40-50 kilometer solo would be pretty unique in Vlaanderen (that happens more often in Roubaix).

 

[Winterfold]

I don't get how he was the strongest at Mendrisio. Anyway, he could be targeted out for his stregth. The other favourites will be less willing and more attentive when he makes his move. OR they should be.

He wasn't - he was the most arrogant - and he paid the price. He was not strong enough the break Cuddles who had plenty left for that last climb.

 

[Tuarts]

BMC have to do something here. After Garmin, the team I think the most pressure is them.

Van Avermaet is in some good form for RVV and Ballan should be looking to be strong in P-R.

I think Gilbert will be Cancellara's main adversary. Boonen will be up there but have one eye on Roubaix.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

i wasn't trying to provoke you, (i know ACF Baiting is a popular pastime here).

he was super strong, and the others forced him to do the work, again and again. (Cadel was V strong (and the jersey fully deserved), but i do feel that because FC was so strong, everyone watched him, and not each other (as much as they migh), every attack they left for him to cover.)

all i was trying to say was that tactics matter. you have to be much stronger than the field to win if everyone is against you (by an agreement, or just good individual tactics).

had the course been something like pr or flanders at the wc in 09' I am certain spartacus would have been world champ. The course simply didn't suit him enough, and was much more suited to someone like evans. Spartacus did pretty well all things considered (he was super strong..).

Barring bad luck, it will be very difficult to beat him this weekend. Tactics wont be enough.

 

[Archibald]

Agreed. Also the idea of a strong break with the lieutenants in it sounds like a realistic plan.

so if there was a break with several lieutenants that included O'Grady, would cancellara chase? or would he be happy to let Stuey go for the win depending on who else was there in that group?
and would others sit back (like Boonen should there be an acceptable Quckstep rider there), also content to let that group go so as to not do Cancellara a favour by reeling it in?

just who should/could be in that group in such a situation with O'Grady?

 

[Ferminal]

so if there was a break with several lieutenants that included O'Grady, would cancellara chase? or would he be happy to let Stuey go for the win depending on who else was there in that group?
and would others sit back (like Boonen should there be an acceptable Quckstep rider there), also content to let that group go so as to not do Cancellara a favour by reeling it in?

just who should/could be in that group in such a situation with O'Grady?

Depends who is in it... If it's O'Grady and one of the strong Vacan, BMC, and Garmin boys then he doesn't have a great chance of winning (although he can just sit at the back).

Cancellara could of course bridge across a 1-2minute gap, but it depends if Leopard chase enough to get it to that point. Also I don't think Boonen and Gilbert are just going to sit around in the peloton and wait for the break to get an unassailable lead.

I think their best option is to have Klemme in the break and O'Grady organising the chase. Stuey would be a better candidate for the break the week after.

 

[Archibald]

Depends who is in it... If it's O'Grady and one of the strong Vacan, BMC, and Garmin boys then he doesn't have a great chance of winning (although he can just sit at the back).

Cancellara could of course bridge across a 1-2minute gap, but it depends if Leopard chase enough to get it to that point. Also I don't think Boonen and Gilbert are just going to sit around in the peloton and wait for the break to get an unassailable lead.

I think their best option is to have Klemme in the break and O'Grady organising the chase. Stuey would be a better candidate for the break the week after.

if Roelandts or Greipel and say, Chavenel or Terpstra or Steegmans were there, would Boonen and Gilbert still want to chase?
Luekemans for Vac?
throw in Eisel, Hincapie, Cooke, Hayman, Bodnar, Hoste, Offredo and Hammond...

 

[Ferminal]

if Roelandts or Greipel and say, Chavenel or Terpstra or Steegmans were there, would Boonen and Gilbert still want to chase?
Luekemans for Vac?
throw in Eisel, Hincapie, Cooke, Hayman, Bodnar, Hoste, Offredo and Hammond...

Well it depends if the director thinks they have a better chance of winning pounding Cancellara, or rolling a dice on a 15man break.

 

[Rocksteady]

I think teams need to stop trying to hurt Canc by pulling the peleton. I think the only stratagy for teams with multiple "semi-leaders" is to get group after group of dangerous riders off the front.

Sky, Vacan, OPL, BMC and Garmin should plan on coordinating breaks and make Canc's team do all the work to pull each back.

 

[Fus087]

What was the last long solo in de Ronde van Vlaanderen? Devolder was about 25km in 2008, I can't really remember any from before that. A 40-50 kilometer solo would be pretty unique in Vlaanderen (that happens more often in Roubaix).

The longest successful solo I can think of was Durand's in 1992. 217 km in front.
Not all by himself, but nevertheless awesome.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Meh. Roubaix's route is selective enough in every kind of weather conditions whatsoever and doesn't need to be rainy for it. Of course, a rainy Roubaix is awesome but we don't need it. A sunny Roubaix also means a lot of dust. It rocks.

Flanders is not as selective in hot sunny days but sure is if it is rainy. It needs rain more (see 1969).

OK, we don't really need a rainy Roubaix. But it's been way to long since the last one. (If I remember correctly)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

2001, Knaven...that one was rainy... or at least muddy

 

[rghysens]

2001, Knaven...that one was rainy... or at least muddy

2002 too, 2004 was...damp, but not really rainy. But we were talking the ronde, not P-R

 

[rghysens]

The longest successful solo I can think of was Durand's in 1992. 217 km in front.
Not all by himself, but nevertheless awesome.

If it wasn't by himself, than it isn't a solo.

 

[Fus087]

If it wasn't by himself, than it isn't a solo.

True.
I still think of it as way more impressive than some semi-favourite's solo from 30-40 km out.
He (and Wegmüller) went less than two hours into the race. Nobody gave them a chance, but Durand clutched to that minimal chance - and made it.
Stuff of legends, and nothing Devolder (or Cancellara) has done can ever come close to this.
Unless Cancellara decides to go into TT-mode around Roeselare on Sunday...

 

[Flamin]

Free beer from Vannieuwkerke for everyone waving with a banner in favour of Pozzato in the Ronde Though, not really a smart thing to say.

 

[El Pistolero]

It's only normal that Pozatto is going to suffer on sunday
And suffer he will xD

 

[theyoungest]

Free beer from Vannieuwkerke for everyone waving with a banner in favour of Pozzato in the Ronde Though, not really a smart thing to say.

Yeah, after first making people like El Pistolero believe that Pozzato is their arch nemesis.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, after first making people like El Pistolero believe that Pozzato is their arch nemesis.

If you watch cycling you get to hate Pozzato. Nothing to do with the commentators. He always sucks wheels, and does litteraly nothing else. He's an overpaid cyclist who hasn't gotten a big win since 2006.

 

[theyoungest]

If you watch cycling you get to hate Pozzato. Nothing to do with the commentators. He always sucks wheels, and does litteraly nothing else. He's an overpaid cyclist.

Pozzato is only hated in Belgium. Nowhere else.

 

[El Pistolero]

Pozzato is only hated in Belgium. Nowhere else.

You should read an Italian newspaper from time to time.

 

[theyoungest]

You should read an Italian newspaper from time to time.

Yeah, Italians hate Pozzato