97th Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2011

[luckyboy]

97th Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2011

Seeing as the other monuments so far have had a thread a week early..

(Bigger profile + map should be available nearer Sunday)

2000 Paolo Bettini (ITA) Mapei-Quickstep
2001 Oscar Camenzind (SUI) Lampre-Daikin
2002 Paolo Bettini (ITA) Mapei-Quickstep
2003 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC
2004 Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner
2005 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) T-Mobile Team
2006 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
2007 Danilo Di Luca (ITA) Liquigas
2008 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne
2009 Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank

2010
1 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana 6h 37' 48"
2 Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) Team Katusha + 6"
3 Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto + 1' 04"
4 Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC Racing Team + 1' 04"
5 Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank + 1' 07"
6 Igor Antón (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi + 1' 07"
7 Chris Horner (USA) Team RadioShack + 1' 07"
8 Frank Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank + 1' 07"
9 Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana + 1' 07"
10 Thomas Voeckler (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom + 1' 18"

STARTLIST

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Phille FTW! An AGR-LBL double

 

[luckyboy]

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Oh and I guess Vino won't be riding for Back-to-back wins, he wasn't good enough today.. he'll probably won't be good enough in Liège

 

[Lanark]

Actually Vinokourov has probably only been good once in the AGR (2003), I don't think he ever made the first group (if there was any selection) in any edition after that. LBL suits him much more, although I don't think he is good enough to win either (but I thought that last year as well ).

Would like to see Kolobnev win, man does that guy deserve a big win.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Actually Vinokourov has probably only been good once in the AGR (2003), I don't think he ever made the first group (if there was any selection) in any edition after that. LBL suits him much more, although I don't think he is good enough to win either (but I thought that last year as well ).

Would like to see Kolobnev win, man does that guy deserve a big win.

True that, but I still wan't phille to take it more

 

[Anonymous]

Details of the climbs are wrong. Should be like Below.

Final climb is 5k from the end, and no cote de niy

 

[The Hitch]

I see the attempts to overtake my PR greatest race thread ever title now involve starting race threads a week early, before the previous stage has even begun

I knew Gilbert would win Amstel and he deserved it but im hoping for someone other than Gilbert here. If he wins it in style though, Ill be happy.

Its difficult to see who can stop him though. No Valverde. Cunego and Killer off form. Vino a year older. Rodriguez, I cant see it.

Oh yes, that Euska superpatnership can do something. Anton and Samu in the same race. Wow. Samu is nowhere near good enough atm to do it but with Anton on the team he can (or otherway round).

Also if Killer can improve then Katusha have a great chance. On Amstel and Fleche it dont matter so much having 3 favourites there because it comes down to a sprint. But in Liuk that is one super team.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Don't see much amstel guys who werent good improving towards Liege
Only vino and hesjedal (who had the ****s) maybe

but we'll see. First there is fleche wallone

 

[mulletCobra]

What about Nibali for this?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Also if Killer can improve then Katusha have a great chance. On Amstel and Fleche it dont matter so much having 3 favourites there because it comes down to a sprint. But in Liuk that is one super team.

Anyone, and I mean anyone, but Di Luca. God I'd hate it if he'd win

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gilbert would be epic.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Gilber says LBL suits him better than AGR.
I'd doubt that though...

 

[dlwssonic]

One of the schlecks probably andy will take it have ggreat confidence in them

 

[Jan the Man]

I am hoping for Gilbert here. He deserves it and it would be nice seeing a Walloon win their home race again.

It also might mean he tries to peak for the first three monuments, and in particular RVV.

 

[Ferminal]

Gilber says LBL suits him better than AGR.
I'd doubt that though...

How can he think that? AGR is ideal for him, almost the perfect race.

L-B-L he will be alone, and having to defend against many attacks. Even if he is in the front (very small) group at St Nick, and drops everyone, he will probably not be able to ride solo to the end. Just like last year when he dropped Piti and Evans.

So unless he's clearly stronger than the other major contenders, it will be a tougher one to win.

 

[theyoungest]

How can he think that? AGR is ideal for him, almost the perfect race.

L-B-L he will be alone, and having to defend against many attacks. Even if he is in the front (very small) group at St Nick, and drops everyone, he will probably not be able to ride solo to the end. Just like last year when he dropped Piti and Evans.

So unless he's clearly stronger than the other major contenders, it will be a tougher one to win.

That's true, but he is really just impossibly strong right now. Maybe he has even peaked a little too early (I don't think so though). Freire said his Amstel win was the most impressive thing he'd ever seen. And he should know, he was in Gilbert's wheel, after all.

When you have the capacity to wait for the sprint, chase down attacks and win the sprint, or attack yourself, and you're the best at all of those options, I really don't see Gilbert losing this. And he deserves the win in his dream race.

 

[boomcie]

That's true, but he is really just impossibly strong right now. Maybe he has even peaked a little too early (I don't think so though). Freire said his Amstel win was the most impressive thing he'd ever seen. And he should know, he was in Gilbert's wheel, after all.

When you have the capacity to wait for the sprint, chase down attacks and win the sprint, or attack yourself, and you're the best at all of those options, I really don't see Gilbert losing this. And he deserves the win in his dream race.

I'm starting to like Freire. The things he says lately are just crazy. He always speaks his mind.

 

[movingtarget]

No Evans or Valverde but I see Andy Schleck and Vino plus Kolobnev as serious threats to Gilbert. I don't think Gilbert will have many team mates around him near the end if any. Much different race to the Amstel.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gilber says LBL suits him better than AGR.
I'd doubt that though...

Last 3 years you get the idea that Amstel Gold Race is tailor made for him and it's proven now.

But LBL? I don't think it suits him better. LBL allows for more tactical racing. It isn't an advantage. Last year he was the strongest in LBL on the Saint Nicolas but still couldn't win because of Vino's move for instance.

 

[Kvinto]

Since Cote de la Roche aux Faucons was introduced in 2008 it is decisive every year. The tactics is simple - you can let the breakaway go at Cote dela Redoute but if you've lost the attack at the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons (or a bit after, like Vino) you've lost the race. I don't think Gilbert will do the same mistake this year but anything can happen.

 

[greenedge]

Seeing as the other monuments so far have had a thread a week early..
2010
1 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana 6h 37' 48"
2 Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) Team Katusha + 6"
3 Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto + 1' 04"
4 Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC Racing Team + 1' 04"
5 Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank + 1' 07"
6 Igor Antón (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi + 1' 07"
7 Chris Horner (USA) Team RadioShack + 1' 07"
8 Frank Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank + 1' 07"
9 Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana + 1' 07"
10 Thomas Voeckler (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom + 1' 18"

Man Cadel was in the form of his life last yr. Pity he cannot contend F-W, anyone know if he might be avaliable for this.

I hope Leopard can get a win eventually, maybe getting Fuglsang on the top JVS style.

Think Gilbert, Schleck's and Vino are favourites.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Man Cadel was in the form of his life last yr. Pity he cannot contend F-W, anyone know if he might be avaliable for this.

I hope Leopard can get a win eventually, maybe getting Fuglsang on the top JVS style.

Think Gilbert, Schleck's and Vino are favourites.

even if he was he, the fact he missed fw and agr suggest he wouldn't be any good or in form just a couple days later.

 

[movingtarget]

even if he was he, the fact he missed fw and agr suggest he wouldn't be any good or in form just a couple days later.

Last I heard, Evans will miss both the Ardenne races and compete next in the Tour of Romandie. LBL is a long difficult race and he would not be in shape to win it as you said. Plus BMC don't have another serious contender he could ride in support of. Could not see a BMC rider making the the podium.

 

[El Pistolero]

I see the attempts to overtake my PR greatest race thread ever title now involve starting race threads a week early, before the previous stage has even begun

I knew Gilbert would win Amstel and he deserved it but im hoping for someone other than Gilbert here. If he wins it in style though, Ill be happy.

Its difficult to see who can stop him though. No Valverde. Cunego and Killer off form. Vino a year older. Rodriguez, I cant see it.

Oh yes, that Euska superpatnership can do something. Anton and Samu in the same race. Wow. Samu is nowhere near good enough atm to do it but with Anton on the team he can (or otherway round).

Also if Killer can improve then Katusha have a great chance. On Amstel and Fleche it dont matter so much having 3 favourites there because it comes down to a sprint. But in Liuk that is one super team.

Andy Schleck.

I'd be surprised if the winner isn't Andy, Gilbert or Joaquim Rodriguez.

No one is going to beat Gilbert at the sprint in Luik by the way.