95th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 3 2011

[Chef_Vodnik]

Well done Boonen for attacking and forcing Canc to go so early. It broke him.

Could you explain this, if you don't mind me asking? Cancellara simply felt stronger and created a gap after which he chose to stay in front and keep riding. That does not have anything to do with Boonen attacking early on to provoke a selection, at least in my book - by that time, the selection was already half-way done to begin with.

Or am I seeing this wrong? Where did he "force" Canc to attack? There only was Chavanel up front with about 50k (?) to go who already had some K's in the legs in form of a breakaway. I don't think he would have held them off all alone, tbh.

 

[craig1985]

This is why I think races should give out a 'best domestique' award, Geraint Thomas deserves some recognition for what he did today.

Sky aren't paying him enough IMO.

 

[Cimber]

yes, real surprise that a man who had a second place before managed to win.

Almost as dumb as suggesting that riis can win Flanders with EE.

Ah come-on, it was a huge surprise. Just ask your bookie

 

[FignonLeGrand]

What I mean is he just sitting on cancellara wheels, that really pi$sed me off.. He could do better..

This is professional cycling, he did exactly the right thing. He sits there and waits for a sprint or for Boonen to bridge. Chav seemed to have the best legs but Nuyens did great, and he won fair and square so no one should complain.

Great that someone got a back to back, maybe a shame it was riis and not cancelarra, he blew big time on the muur never seen 45 seconds evaporate so quickly.

What a great race!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Could you explain this, if you don't mind me asking? Cancellara simply felt stronger and created a gap after which he chose to stay in front and keep riding. That does not have anything to do with Boonen attacking early on to provoke a selection, at least in my book - by that time, the selection was already half-way done to begin with.

Or am I seeing this wrong? Where did he "force" Canc to attack? There only was Chavanel up front with about 50k (?) to go who already had some K's in the legs in form of a breakaway. I don't think he would have held them off all alone, tbh.

I thought he meant the sprint...

 

[Francois the Postman]

I am betting that is the last time we will see images broadcast from the Garmin team car.

I am kinda loving how he threw himself up as the spokesman for race radios and attractive racing. Great PR there.

 

[rghysens]

the last 15 km's made up for the rest of the race

 

[turtlesoup]

So two outsiders winning at each monument so far..

Hmm, Roubaix next.

I hope the trend continues, fantastic race today, nuyens deserved the win. How could he cross the line first after a race like that and not deserve it?

I most certainly have a new found respect for chavanel

 

[Kazistuta]

everyone in the peloton is clearly ride against cancellara..

Do trolls come from Malaysia?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Um, that is a bit of revisionist history there JV. HE told them to stop working. Period. They "had no one left to ride"...yea, because you told them to be wimpy wheelsuckers instead of riding like men.

I hate to interrupt the festival of hate, but what Vaughter's tweeted does actually fit. Garmin were screwed by that point, with their main Classics riders cooked. Having Farrar hang on and hope for a sprint was a sensible tactical decision. What was he supposed to do? Send his non-existent bunch of fresh contenders to the front?

I don't think a decision to have Farrar ease up reflects badly on Garmin. I do think however that the fact that only Farrar was in a position to even consider pulling on the front at that point in the race pretty clearly demolishes the Classics 'superteam" hype.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

I thought he meant the sprint...

Don't think so - he talks about attacking, not really about starting the sprint. But you could be right, we'll see once Hog responds

 

[Ferminal]

So, how's this 'make cycling interesting' thing going for you, JV?

Well obviously he would want more video + audio coming out of team cars in his New Cycling, makes him look real good

 

[roundabout]

Ah come-on, it was a huge surprise. Just ask your bookie

I don't bet on cycling.

or anything else for that matter.

Nuyens looked in fine form this spring to anyone who was paying attention. Surprise my foot.

 

[For The World]

They were not making a deal, they were congratulating each other on the race or something like that. Think about it - what kind of deal would they be making? For Chavanel to get the win? Spartacus doesn't need a second or third place. For Spartacus to get the win? Why would Chavanel agree to that? To go out an get a beer after the race? Possibly, but hardly relevant.

To me, it looked as though Chavanel felt he wasn't as strong as Cancellara, thought that Nuyens wasn't that good, and decided to settle for second. Then the situation changed at the last second. That's how I see it.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Yes, chavanel is very strong here but I just can't swallow the fact that he and quickstep is going all against fabian.. In my opinion, quickstep just racing for second place and to stop fabian.. Thats their mission

When you're the only survivor of an early breakaway, and you get caught by the biggest favorite, you don't cooperate. Never.

 

[Jacques Tati]

Garmin todays big loser.....lets be honest JV was a crap rider what ever made him or anybody esle ever thing he was going to be a good manager.

Great race..right to the end. Chavenal gets the man of the match award.

 

[Ferminal]

I don't bet on cycling.

or anything else for that matter.

Nuyens looked in fine form this spring to anyone who was paying attention. Surprise my foot.

Cancellara not winning = surprise

Cancellara, Boonen or Gilbert not winning = very big surprise.

 

[spalco]

Riders of the day-

Chavanel
Cancellara
Thomas
Gilbert
Scheirlinckx

Team of the day-

BMC

I agree, but I'm afraid you have to put Nuyens in their too, even if he was a bit of an opportunist.

 

[simonk]

Give Bjarne Riis the Euskaltel team and they would win RVV and P-R with ease. Incredible...

Sky once again with a great race but without getting anything out of it. Garmin-Cervelo the biggest failure of the year.

So true! Riis is the best manager in pro cycling. Make miracles every time. Take that, Saxo Bank-haters

Riis > Kim Andersen
Saxo Bank > Leopard Trek

 

[Francois the Postman]

Shout out to BMC for not giving up at a key moment, and letting all of us discover that Cancellara wasn't invincible today. Without that burst of organization, it could easily have ended up as JV had "planned" it.

 

[jaylew]

Um, that is a bit of revisionist history there JV. HE told them to stop working. Period. They "had no one left to ride"...yea, because you told them to be wimpy wheelsuckers instead of riding like men.

They had no one left to ride because the only guys they had left in that big group were Tyler and Thor. Seems like it was the right move. Neither of them had the legs even without working. Hushovd working when he did (just before the Boonen attack) was their worst tactical move. Anyway, the bottom line is they just didn't appear to have anyone strong enough to podium in any scenario save a group sprint.

 

[Nearly]

Well done Boonen for attacking and forcing Canc to go so early. It broke him.

+1 (masterstroke foiled only by a malingering Chavanel)

 

[goggalor]

Woo, Nuyens! Riis does it again.

GC overtakes Sky 2010 in the battle for all time greatest hype-to-results ratio.

 

[El Pistolero]

Disapointments of the day:

Garmin-Cervelo
Boonen
Gilbert(although only a little)

Highlights of the day:

BMC was great as a team. They did all they could.
Chavanel. Wouldn't have even minded if he beat Nuyens!
Nuyens. Great job mate! Learned those Luxembourgish fouls a hard lesson

Strongest man of the race:

Cancellara. Too bad you cracked. No, I'm just joking. Glad you cracked

 

[luckyboy]

Hate how UK Eurosport has 5 mins of talking then goes straight to some other sport. Went straight to a Belgian stream to see the podium/aftermath.