95th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 3 2011

[boomcie]

where will cancellara go?

To infinity and beyond... I hate those movies.

 

[theyoungest]

Rabo was strong on Saturday, but they lack a real leader (Breschel maybe).

Their three strongest classics men (Langeveld, Breschel, and Freire) are sick or injured, that doesn't help.

 

[Roland Rat]

On current form, it's got to be Cancellara or Boonen.

Scenario 1 - Cancellara attacks, group hold him, Boonen wins sprint.

Scenario 2 - Cancellara rides off, group don't work to chase as Boonen would likely win the sprint.

Flipping a coin, it's tails.. which is Boonen (and yes, I actually did just flip a coin ).

 

[Cimber]

Scenario 2 - Cancellara rides off, group don't work to chase as Boonen would likely win the sprint.

To be honest it doesnt matter if they chase or not. If he gets a gap its game over. They really need to stick on his weel asap when he makes a move to have a chance.

 

[boomcie]

To be honest it doesnt matter if they chase or not. If he gets a gap its game over. They really need to stick on his weel asap when he makes a move to have a chance.

I agree. They will always hold back a little in the chase. Cance pedal to the metal.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cancellara won't win.

I have a gut feeling we will have surprise this year meaning not Boonen or Cancellara. Devolder? Ballan? Gilbert? Nuyens? O'Grady? Hoste?

 

[Jamsque]

If it ain't Canc or Boonen then it sure as hell won't be Devolder or Ballan. Gilbert maybe, but I doubt it. Flecha probably has the best chance out of the rest of the field.

 

[El Pistolero]

I have a gut feeling we will have surprise this year meaning not Boonen or Cancellara. Devolder? Ballan? Gilbert? Nuyens? O'Grady? Hoste?

Phil winning the Ronde and Luik would be a surprise, no?

Hasn't been done since Michele Bartoli in 1997.

Lol @ Phil's interview:

"I have a secret weapon: Filippo Pozatto"

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Leif Hoste will win this!

 

[auscyclefan94]

If it ain't Canc or Boonen then it sure as hell won't be Devolder or Ballan. Gilbert maybe, but I doubt it. Flecha probably has the best chance out of the rest of the field.

Both former winners of the race...it's not out of the realms of a victory for vacansoleil or bmc

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

haha, that is funny

 

[boomcie]

Leif Hoste will win this!

Anyone up for a round of shoe-eating?

 

[Havetts]

Boom?

Either Cancellara will win it hard or its going to be a surprise victory.

 

[El Pistolero]

In the prediction game I'm picking Fabian, but my heart says Phil will destroy them all

I do think that a good Phil CAN drop Fabian @ the Muur van Geraardsbergen.

 

[boomcie]

In the prediction game I'm picking Fabian, but my heart says Phil will destroy them all

I do think that a good Phil CAN drop Fabian @ the Muur van Geraardsbergen.

And then be plowed again by the train that Cance is? Depressing really.
Anyway, let's hope we see a great race on Sunday.

 

[Jamsque]

Both former winners of the race...it's not out of the realms of a victory for vacansoleil or bmc

It's not out of the realm of possibility, but do you really think either of Devolder or Ballan have showed the kind of form they would need to win on Sunday? Ballan's results fell off a cliff after he won Worlds, he's looked OK so far this year but nowhere near the level of Canc, Boonen and Flecha. Stijn has stuck his nose in the wind a few times in the warm-up classics but he has never looked like winning anything.

 

[Roland Rat]

Devolder only won because he had Boonen rear-gunning for him.

 

[Archibald]

And then be plowed again by the train that Cance is? Depressing really.
Anyway, let's hope we see a great race on Sunday.

yep. really don't want another 50-60km TT like PR last year.
would really like a surprise or underdog to come through, but that's only likely to happen should spartacus and a few others get caught in a crash on one of the latter bergs...

 

[boomcie]

In E3 it felt like Cancellara rode 3 races and won them all. Who needs competition?

 

[Dutchsmurf]

I expect an early break with some good riders, but no favorites. Like O'Grady, Voeckler and the like. Because all big teams send someone, nobody feels the need to chase them. And they are all afraid for Cancellara, so why chase only to see him ride away? The classic team of Cancellara isn't strong enough to close the gap either, so someone from the break wins.

 

[spalco]

^^
That's the most realistic Cancellara-not-winning scenario I've heard so far.

 

[Flamin]

Definitely day of the year. Anyone else going to the race?

Tommeke is our big hope of course, but he has his doubts about being 100% himself (and in my eyes, it looks like he isn't too), while he needs to be 105% to beat Cancellara. So, I guess another demonstration from Canc...

Great forum btw

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

^^
That's the most realistic Cancellara-not-winning scenario I've heard so far.

could be a 2001-bortolami/dekker group scenario

 

[Lanark]

I would be really disappointed If Canc doesn't win at least one of them

Still, even when you are the favorite by a large margin (which he is), you still only have a 50% to win, meaning his chance to win both is 25% There is so much that can go wrong in a race like Vlaanderen. In E3 you can have some bad luck, and be strong enough to win, in Vlaanderen that's impossible.

I don't think the other guys will race to make Cancellara lose, it won't be all against one. Boonen and Gilbert will always race to win, most of the other guys are probably happy they can get a second of third place.

 

[Magnus]

Phil winning the Ronde and Luik would be a surprise, no?

Hasn't been done since Michele Bartoli in 1997.

Lol @ Phil's interview:

"I have a secret weapon: Filippo Pozatto"

IIRC Rolf Sørensen won Tour des Flandres in '97