95th Ronde van Vlaanderen - April 3 2011

[El Pistolero]

It wasn't Boonen's intention, it wasn't even a tactic.

No, technically speaking it's stategy and not tactic. You're right.

Knowing that your "enemy" will have too much confidence in his own skills and using it against him is definitely a strategy.

But like I said, it wasn't Boonen's intention.

 

[El Pistolero]

I find it funny how everyone keeps saying Hushovd has some amazing form and Boonen sucks yet he finished in front of Hushovd every time(not talking about the forum alone, more the whole media)

 

[beer_thirty]

Despite him only being in half decent shape, Boonen's last k was still pretty impressive. Gotta give him that. I really hope he pulls it off at PR.

+1

I thought it was the best ride he could have done today, and makes me feel a lot better about his chances next week. After how shaky he looked on the Kemmel last week I would not have been surprised to see him 2:30 down today. Glad to see him there at the end.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I find it funny how everyone keeps saying Hushovd has some amazing form and Boonen sucks yet he finished in front of Hushovd every time(not talking about the forum alone, more the whole media)

i don't get the "boonen has no form" statements. Is this just an unrealistic expectation of him, I think so.

 

[Jancouver]

What happened to Pozzato? He isnot even in the Top 80 ...

 

[Damiano]

According to the official results Pozzato abbandoned (he isn't on it at least)

But CyclingNews has this photo of him after the Ronde: http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-of-flanders-upt/tour-of-flanders/photos/166373

Did he in fact abbandon?

 

[roundabout]

chavanel was never going to survive without someone or a group bridging, don't be ignorant. Tommeke was either going to get away have a go, bride with chav and work or force spartacus to show his hands. Was risky, but it paid of to an extent.

Yeah, apparently not being able to hold Cancellara's wheel is now "forcing him to show his hand".

Boonen ****ed that one up. Not his only mistake in the race. Chavanel got second not because of Boonen's attack "paying off".

 

[luckyboy]

Congrats to Guillaume Van Keirsbulck, finishing his first Ronde in 67th place - aged 20




Wow, Devolder nearly 5 mins down

 

[beer_thirty]

Knowing that your "enemy" will have too much confidence in his own skills and using it against him is definitely a strategy.

Yeah, I'm guessing Wilfried Peeters probably doesn't have his own dog-eared copy of 'The Art of War' in the car with him..

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Yeah, apparently not being able to hold Cancellara's wheel is now "forcing him to show his hand".

Boonen ****ed that one up. Not his only mistake in the race. Chavanel got second not because of Boonen's attack "paying off".

Maybe boonen thought he was able to hold the wheel, but yeah he probably should have confined to the fact that he clearly isn't good enough to hold spartacus wheel and not even bother. real stupid

Heck he should have done what he did last year, wait and let spartacus drop everyone closer to the finish.

I'm not suggesting Boonen's attack helped chav. But it probably helped destroy spartacus.

 

[roundabout]

Maybe boonen thought he was able to hold the wheel, but yeah he probably should have confined to the fact that he clearly isn't good enough to hold spartacus wheel and not even bother. real stupid

Heck he should have done what he did last year, wait and let spartacus drop everyone closer to the finish.

I'm not suggesting Boonen's attack helped chav. But it probably helped destroy spartacus.

Nice bit of retconning with some straws thrown in. And even one of these "" as well.

Quickstep got lucky. There was nothing clever or brilliant or even smart about boonen's move.

hell, they haven't even won the race despite supposedly "destroying" Cancellara.

Quite amusing really.

 

[The Hitch]

Id like to take a moment to make a special, "We were right, you were Wrong" pitch for me and roundabout who said Cancellara would get caught immediately after the attack, against the flurry of "game over" posts


I know it might sound egomaniacal to do this but then, i could have made a thread out of it, and at the time it really did seem like us vs the world.

Anyway here is the hall of fame from the first couple of minutes after the attack.

GAME OVER!

Better luck next year peloton.

cancellara gone...
for victory

Wow that was exciting.

and the race is over..

Was going to post the same words... If they don't catch him in 2km it is.

Is that it then. All over?

Game, set, and match folks.

this is ridiculous.

Great... and Paris-Roubaix will be so interesting too...

the race for 2nd is now on!

Well, no-one is going to chase him down, so the only way Canc doesn't win now is if Chav can hold his wheel. I don't see that happening.

Race over, why does Cancellara have to make the best races of the year boring, can't he just toy with them till 10kms to go and keep it interesting?

the race for 2nd will be pretty good at least :S

They're not even chasing.

see you Monday guyz

Yes, race over.

It doesn't matter. Canc will not be caught.

This is stupid...

so dissapointing

Yip, nobody in Australia has to worry about lack of sleep anymore.

2nd = Boonen
3rd= EBH

Only if they can ride faster than him.

Which they can't.

Against.

This aint over.

The group WILL work together.

+1. I don't trust the timing, but the gap hasn't really gone out (yet).

Nicely done boys.

Nicely done

 

[Thomsena]

Nice one, Hitch

 

[beer_thirty]

Nicely done boys.

Nicely done

I bow to you, Oh Omniscient Clairvoyant One!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Nice bit of retconning with some straws thrown in. And even one of these "" as well.

Quickstep got lucky. There was nothing clever or brilliant or even smart about boonen's move.

hell, they haven't even won the race despite supposedly "destroying" Cancellara.

Quite amusing really.

indeed. 2nd and 4th is a horrible result. shame on them.

Q/Step gave it a real go today, did did well.

wow offended at a smiley ey.

lol @ hitch, must have been hell to find all those posts

 

[Wasilij]

No, no, no!

"An inmpressively clever ride from Nuyens. Congratilations to him, a truly great spring classic rider, and to Riis, for getting even with Cancellara."

Nyet, nyet, nyet! A memorable finish, but a forgettable winner (I won't call him "victor").

 

[maltiv]

Well EBH did a really good race in my opinion. Most importantly he didn't just fall through the peloton when the group was caught but stayed in there and ALMOST made the front group, he was just a few meters behind at the top. This shows that he can indeed handle the distance, despite not being at his best after being injured for a while.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ha, not one quote by me.

Then again, I didn't believe it was over either with Chavanel in the wheel.

I did express my amazement that Cancellara kept the gap at 1 minute even though BMC was working with 7 men

 

[hatcher]

Well EBH did a really good race in my opinion. Most importantly he didn't just fall through the peloton when the group was caught but stayed in there and ALMOST made the front group, he was just a few meters behind at the top. This shows that he can indeed handle the distance, despite not being at his best after being injured for a while.

Looked stronger than I thought he would.

 

[theyoungest]

Well EBH did a really good race in my opinion. Most importantly he didn't just fall through the peloton when the group was caught but stayed in there and ALMOST made the front group, he was just a few meters behind at the top. This shows that he can indeed handle the distance, despite not being at his best after being injured for a while.

He looked okay. Although in that chase group with Boonen, Pozzato, and Boom he seemed completely cooked, not taking a single pull.

 

[hatcher]

He looked okay. Although in that chase group with Boonen, Pozzato, and Boom he seemed completely cooked, not taking a single pull.

I think he looked pretty cooked before he even bridged to Chavanel and Clarke. That he hung in there was the positive, imo.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

He looked okay. Although in that chase group with Boonen, Pozzato, and Boom he seemed completely cooked, not taking a single pull.

Boom appeared to have made some improvements from last year also. Was a good ride.

 

[Cobblestoned]

"An inmpressively clever ride from Nuyens. Congratilations to him, a truly great spring classic rider, and to Riis, for getting even with Cancellara."

Nyet, nyet, nyet! A memorable finish, but a forgettable winner (I won't call him "victor").

Who cares about beeing called Victor or not by some people, if you get free beer in whole Belgium for lifetime and have het mooiste in palmares ?

 

[luckyboy]

Can anyone see what it says on Nuyens' arm?

 

[roundabout]

Didn't someone already answer that it were his kids names.

Or not.