97th Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2011

[movingtarget]

Sorry, forgot immature



I am 100% convinced that, had they stayed behind Gilbert the whole time, they would have been accused of being "wheelsucking pu$$ies" by the esprits distingués that frequent this forum. The outcome wouldn't have been differently though. Gilbert is out of this world and he would have gladly pulled them to the finish, just like he pulled the final peloton in AGR to the finish.

The Schlecks are, as I am sure you are aware, not very versatile riders. As climbers, their only chance to win was to attack on the climb, and they did exactly that. They dropped everyone except Gilbert who was the strongest and deserved to win, so they did everything they could.

The only others who are excused are Evans and Vinokourov. The rest never stood a chance.

Finally someone has noticed that climbers don't outsprint sprinters especially when they are chasing the sprinter up the final climb ! Those Schlecks sure are dumb...........

 

[Kvinto]

I think Roche aux Faucons can be considered as another iconic climb of classic races, 4th time in the LBL and 4th time decisive.

Whatever we can say about Shlecks tactics, they were too tired in the end and can not do anything. It looked really disgraceful, but I'd like to point something in their defence: Frank was the only rider in this year's Ardennes campaign not to be dropped after Gilbert's attack (on the Saint-Nicolas climb). Not that much to be proud of, but...

 

[Christian]

Righteous indignation is definately the way to ignore your heroes performing like cowards...

What about all the other pre-race favourites who didn't attack at all? Are they all cowards as well?

 

[hrotha]

I am 100% convinced that, had they stayed behind Gilbert the whole time, they would have been accused of being "wheelsucking pu$$ies" by the esprits distingués that frequent this forum. The outcome wouldn't have been differently though. Gilbert is out of this world and he would have gladly pulled them to the finish, just like he pulled the final peloton in AGR to the finish.

Haha, a true Schleck fan! The alternatives are: pull, or wheelsuck. No room for fancy tactics like "attacking on the flat or on the descends."

 

[hrotha]

My point is: It's so freaking easy to sit down behind the screen laughing.

Yes, it's easy. It's also the whole point of a cycling forum. (And no, I'm not laughing at the Schlecks. I'm quite indignant, actually)

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Gilbert was the strongest on every on of them.

They should have done more (I don't know if they had it in them to do more) but I really doubt that it would have changed the result..

Yes, but if you read the quote, Mr Leopard believes they did everything they possibly could. That is demonstrably false. They would probably, as you say, have failed, but to not try at all is what prompts most people to question them.

 

[movingtarget]

Yes, but if you read the quote, Mr Leopard believes they did everything they possibly could. That is demonstrably false. They would probably, as you say, have failed, but to not try at all is what prompts most people to question them.

Well maybe the Schlecks know better and saw it as the pointless exercise it would have been. They had their chance.

 

[jens_attacks]

i'm not a fan of schlecks at all but i have to excuse them.they were fried,fucced and served,both of them,andy was even dropped like a baby after an abortion.i mean what the hell,gilbert was more than a beast,he could have beaten anyone today.another incredible performance.chapeau!
let's hope valverde will come back strong otherwise gilbert will dominate 2012 as well.

 

[Altitude]

Looks like A Schleck has a promising career as a lead out man. It's a good thing - Bennati could use one

 

[Christian]

Get over your fanboyism, your just as bad as the person you quoted.

I am a fan of particular riders (like almost everyone on this forum) yes, but rarely do I qualify people as "bumbf*cks" (or "dumbf*cks", it appears he edited it)

The problem is they brought Gilbert with them and then didn't attempt to attack him. If you have 2 riders in a winning break, you always send one up the rode on an attack or at least attempt too. It's cycling 101 and not doing so is a complete fail.

It is beyond me how you can watch Gilbert drop A. Schleck on a climb and then expect Schleck to create a gap on the flat.

sorry for interrupting but evans didnt race

My point exactly

Did you miss the climbs after that initial attack? Catch them on the replay.

You mean where Gilbert dropped Andy?

Gilbert was the strongest on every on of them.

They should have done more (I don't know if they had it in them to do more) but I really doubt that it would have changed the result..

My point exactly

Haha, a true Schleck fan! The alternatives are: pull, or wheelsuck. No room for fancy tactics like "attacking on the flat or on the descends."

Again. It baffles me how people can watch Gilbert drop Andy on a climb and then expect Andy to create a gap on the flat.

i'm not a fan of schlecks at all but i have to excuse them.they were fried,fucced and served,both of them,andy was even dropped like a baby after an abortion.i mean what the hell,gilbert was more than a beast,he could have beaten anyone today.another incredible performance.chapeau!
let's hope valverde will come back strong otherwise gilbert will dominate 2012 as well.

My point exactly

 

[movingtarget]

Cunego does not seem to be the classics rider he used to be. Would have been more interesting if Valverde and Evans were there but I have my doubts that they would beat Gilbert in this sort of form.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The Schlecks made me lose my bet

Idiots

 

[hrotha]

Again. It baffles me how people can watch Gilbert drop Andy on a climb and then expect Andy to create a gap on the flat.

No, I wouldn't expect Andy to create a gap on the flat, but to force Gilbert to work and tire himself if only a little while Fränk sits comfortably on his wheel. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Christian]

Yes, but if you read the quote, Mr Leopard believes they did everything they possibly could. That is demonstrably false. They would probably, as you say, have failed, but to not try at all is what prompts most people to question them.

I'd be interested to see how exactly you want to demonstrate that they did not do everything they possibly could. In order to do so, you would have to prove that they had a lot left in the tank. The evidence certainly suggests otherwise, as they were either dropped or hanging by a thread on the last climb

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well maybe the Schlecks know better and saw it as the pointless exercise it would have been. They had their chance.

At the same time, at least one of them is now putting their feet up for two months. They could have thought "it may be doomed to fail, but what if?"

Óscar Pereiro's Tour break was doomed to fail. Voeckler and de Gendt were doomed to fail attacking on flat stages in Paris-Nice. Anthony Roux's long escape was doomed to fail in the final week of the Vuelta. Van Summeren getting in the early break was doomed to fail at Roubaix. Oleg Chuzhda's 140km solo in the Volta was doomed to fail. But they all got their rewards for daring.

Is meekly surrendering and being killed at the line really that much better than going out all guns blazing and being killed 2km from it?

 

[Christian]

No, I wouldn't expect Andy to create a gap on the flat, but to force Gilbert to work and tire himself if only a little while Fränk sits comfortably on his wheel. Rinse and repeat.

The problem is I doubt the last 5 km would have tired Gilbert out to the extend that he would lose Fränk Schleck's wheel, be it in a sprint, flat or descent. As I have mentioned before, Gilbert pulled a much larger group for much longer all by himself in AGR and still ended up winning hands down

 

[Christian]

Óscar Pereiro's Tour break was doomed to fail. Voeckler and de Gendt were doomed to fail attacking on flat stages in Paris-Nice. Anthony Roux's long escape was doomed to fail in the final week of the Vuelta. Van Summeren getting in the early break was doomed to fail at Roubaix. Oleg Chuzhda's 140km solo in the Volta was doomed to fail. But they all got their rewards for daring.

Did they attack after brutal 250 km?

 

[Publicus]

Somewhere between Friday and Sunday the forgot their own words.

“For (Gilbert) it doesn’t have to be a really hard race. For us, it has to be,” said Andy Schleck. “We cannot sit back and wait. He can win in a sprint of 100.”

 

[movingtarget]

With 2 km's to go it wouldn't have mattered. They sit behind Gilbert, all three stop working and then the Schlecks miss the podium altogether. Or Gilbert drags them to the finish and wins the sprint. I just don't see how the result could have changed. They lose ugly or they keep swinging and still lose. Sure the finish was a given and not exciting but that's how it goes sometimes even in stage races.

 

[Echoes]

Two interesting post-race interviews on RTBF:

Bernard Hinault: "They [the brothers] could NOT attack. He was much too strong. They did try on St Nicolas but the counter was even more violent." (or something like that).

Fränk Schleck: "We wanted to make the race and be loyal. We've seen in Flanders and Roubaix that many riders wanted to make Fabian [Cancellara] lose and we didn't want that. We wanted to win Liège but not to make another LOSE."


That's my conclusion. The Schleck's may be proud of how they raced. And I'm not a particular fan. Had they raced like Hushovd and Chavanel/QS, we would have been entitled to criticize them but not the way they raced today.

I hope that those who criticize them, approved Hushovd's shameless tactics on the way to Roubaix.

In a way, it reminds me of Gimondi in Mendrisio 1971. He was also criticized for co-operating with Merckx who was faster than him. His response was: "Why shouldn't I? In order to make Guimard win who didn't pull a single time? Nah, Eddy made his jersey wet and deserved to win."

Case closed.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

i did

I think gesink is an outside chance, but it really depends on his mental state, motivation and how his training works out. He can be a great climber, and his position change on a tt bike has done wonders for him (produces a lot of power, so by all rights he should be able to do a good tt)

I hope he has a bit of a break now. Glad that the early part of the season is over for his sake.

He peaked completely wrong. But ok, he'll get it once...
I think the plan for the Tour is ok, height training camp, dauphine, height training camp, tour.

He should be in optimal condition for july

 

[hrotha]

The problem is I doubt the last 5 km would have tired Gilbert out to the extend that he would lose Fränk Schleck's wheel, be it in a sprint, flat or descent. As I have mentioned before, Gilbert pulled a much larger group for much longer all by himself in AGR and still ended up winning hands down

Of course it wasn't likely to succeed, but not doing anything was even less likely and certainly made them look quite worse. The Schlecks are anti-legendary.

 

[luckyboy]

At the same time, at least one of them is now putting their feet up for two months. They could have thought "it may be doomed to fail, but what if?"

Óscar Pereiro's Tour break was doomed to fail. Voeckler and de Gendt were doomed to fail attacking on flat stages in Paris-Nice. Anthony Roux's long escape was doomed to fail in the final week of the Vuelta. Van Summeren getting in the early break was doomed to fail at Roubaix. Oleg Chuzhda's 140km solo in the Volta was doomed to fail. But they all got their rewards for daring.

Is meekly surrendering and being killed at the line really that much better than going out all guns blazing and being killed 2km from it?

Maybe Andy forgot what happened a week ago.

 

[palmerq]

I wouldn't be too surprised if schleks have worked out some deal with gilbert, they talked with him a lot during the race, and gilbert was quite complimentary about them in the after race interview... probably not though..

In my opinion the two were just dead and had 0 left not even the ability to attack. Good work from them for their initial attack today.

gilbert is amazing in these races though I don't think anyone can stop him for the next few years.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Did they attack after brutal 250 km?

No, but Chuzhda rode 40km in a group of 3 followed by 140km over bumpy terrain in the heat of Portugal in August, so I dare say that was pretty brutal.

Again - that they failed is not what people have issue with. That they sat by and let Gilbert take it is what people have issue with. If they weren't going to attack on the final climb, they could at least have not paced Gilbert up it.

Again - Gilbert would probably have won. But they could have made him do a bit more work so he wasn't so fresh for it. They could have bluffed with van Avermaet in the group, and probably did. Once he was gone, they seemed to be content to sit with Gilbert, not even force him to do the work on the front.

It seems that not losing the podium was more important to them than winning. Which wouldn't be the first time.