Amstel Gold Race -18th April -257km

[Mellow Velo]

The Dutch Minister of Transport has allowed the television choppers to fly tomorrow. There will be live tv.

Beat me to it. My guesstimate was there shouldn't be a problem. The ash cloud being around the 5000 metre mark and Dutch climbs are not quite that high!
I doubt even the plane gets close to that altitiude.

Maybe there's a part time job going Willy Voet transporting riders and their stuff across the borders.

 

[Cosette]

I'm not sure who Captain Planet is, but in that picture DavidZ. reminds me of Doctor Who...

The start list is also up on cyclingnews. Though someone may want to take Bradley Wiggins off. I don't believe he'll be challeging 'Arthur' any further...

 

[issoisso]

I'm not sure who Captain Planet is, but in that picture DavidZ. reminds me of Doctor Who...

You don't know who Captail Planet is?

But...but he's a hero! He's gonna bring polution down to zero. Or something.

 

[tgsgirl]

Someone tell Eurosport, because Kenny Van Hummel has just retweeted this message from a Dutch Eurosport journo:

RT @dnelissen: NEWS for all international followers no tv production of the #AGR. Eurosport shows LIVE 8th stage of tour of (TUR).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nelissen and Van Hummel are behind

Eurlings (minister) gave permission for helicopters to fly tomorrow.
So there will be TV

I know danny Nelissen myself and informed him about Eurlings decision.

 

[Cosette]

You don't know who Captail Planet is?

But...but he's a hero! He's gonna bring polution down to zero. Or something.

I just did a Google search on that 'person'... Somehow I might have been better of not knowing... XD

So the conclusion is that Eurlings gave the ok, and there will be a live-broadcast of the AGR?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yes, that's definite

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

btw people are really overdoing on the 'a lot of riders not showing up' part

WRONG PEOPLE

Only Caisse and Euskaltel. And who do we really miss? Valverde, the dopeur, won't be a hard miss.

Wiggans was never going to do anything here, his form is utter poo (proven in Basque Tour), Sastre? Sastre the classic specialist? Hell no.
I heard Ivanov was stuck as well, then he and Valverde are the only riders I think are favorites that are gone. I didn't see LL Sanchez winning on this type of course either.

So, I don't see why the Dutch are suddenly favorites now, because Valverde misses the race?

 

[Cosette]

True, there are only about 15 riders not starting...
That is excluding Euskatel, as they are on the startlist with 7 riders.. Speaking of which, are they still in Spain, or on the road to Limburg or what? I'm utterly confused by now. It has been mentioned that they got stuck in Spain, but they are still on the startlist...

As for predictions.. I'm saying these three:
Andy Schleck
Philippe Gilbert
Karsten Kroon

 

[palmerq]

I'm going to go for fabian wegmann to win... like srsly :S

also I hope pozzatto does something.......but i dont think he will which is a shame i like that fellow

 

[icefire]

Tondo was driving by car from Barcelona (~12 hours). And the Spanish riders from Footon-Servetto were driving from Santander (+13 hours). If riders from Euskaltel don't show up there is no reason for it other than lack of ability to change their travel plans. As for the others, I don't care who is in the start list and who isn't.

I've just read that Sastre is expecting flights to be resumed on time (presumably next Monday) to get to Fleche-Wallonne. Any serious professional would have found an alternative by now, even if that means departing by car from Madrid today or tomorrow (~18 hours drive) before it's too late. The same would apply to the guys stuck in Murcia.

 

[ferryman]

Tondo was driving by car from Barcelona (~12 hours). And the Spanish riders from Footon-Servetto were driving from Santander (+13 hours). If riders from Euskaltel don't show up there is no reason for it other than lack of ability to change their travel plans. As for the others, I don't care who is in the start list and who isn't.

I've just read that Sastre is expecting flights to be resumed on time (presumably next Monday) to get to Fleche-Wallonne. Any serious professional would have found an alternative by now, even if that means departing by car from Madrid today or tomorrow (~18 hours drive) before it's too late. The same would apply to the guys stuck in Murcia.

+1

The forecast is not stable for air travel.

fOR THE RACE:

Rodriguez
Gilbert in a sprint over:
Baba Schleck

 

[Michele]

From Dave Z twitter:

Truth be told...it's not volcanic ash...Chuck Norris sharted... 1:05 PM Apr 16th via web

 

[Mellow Velo]

From Dave Z twitter:

Truth be told...it's not volcanic ash...Chuck Norris sharted... 1:05 PM Apr 16th via web

He could be right. Both about the same age!

 

[craig1985]

Tondo was driving by car from Barcelona (~12 hours). And the Spanish riders from Footon-Servetto were driving from Santander (+13 hours). If riders from Euskaltel don't show up there is no reason for it other than lack of ability to change their travel plans. As for the others, I don't care who is in the start list and who isn't.

I've just read that Sastre is expecting flights to be resumed on time (presumably next Monday) to get to Fleche-Wallonne. Any serious professional would have found an alternative by now, even if that means departing by car from Madrid today or tomorrow (~18 hours drive) before it's too late. The same would apply to the guys stuck in Murcia.

According to the Sastre, the travel company that works for Cervelo tried to find every alternative (wrt to flights) possible.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Tondo was driving by car from Barcelona (~12 hours). And the Spanish riders from Footon-Servetto were driving from Santander (+13 hours). If riders from Euskaltel don't show up there is no reason for it other than lack of ability to change their travel plans. As for the others, I don't care who is in the start list and who isn't.

I've just read that Sastre is expecting flights to be resumed on time (presumably next Monday) to get to Fleche-Wallonne. Any serious professional would have found an alternative by now, even if that means departing by car from Madrid today or tomorrow (~18 hours drive) before it's too late. The same would apply to the guys stuck in Murcia.

Even if flights do start up, there's going to be a huge backlog of stranded travelers trying to get on planes. This is going to take a couple days to get straightened out, even assuming the airlines try to put extra flights in the air. I agree that the teams should be making backup travel plans to get up there in time to rest before Wednesday.

 

[Willy_Voet]

Maybe there's a part time job going Willy Voet transporting riders and their stuff across the borders.

You know, one time, ONE STINKING TIME, they take a look in the trunk and a decade later, I still can't live it down.

 

[Ferminal]

Got bets on Gilbert, Kroon and Gesink.

Rodriguez could spoil that though!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

getting excited

Finger crossed for a gesink, kroon, hoogerland, kreder top 4

now back to reality... yeah I can see Rodriguez winning this.

 

[blaxland]

getting excited

Finger crossed for a gesink, kroon, hoogerland, kreder top 4

now back to reality... yeah I can see Rodriguez winning this.

+1 agree...but Kroon will be hard to beat...

 

[Galic Ho]

Someone call Captain Planet

Alternatively, Valverde could get there on a sled pulled by Piti

Is there still snow across Spain, France and Holland in April? I didn't think so. Nice try, funny, but pointless.

Why don't these idiots take a train? Or hire a bus for all the teams and drive during the night? Riders sleep whilst the drive is on and then arrive in the morning. The teams can transport gear, bikes, etc at a different time. Heck, if you have to you can borrow a bike.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

And here is what we'll get

 

[Bala Verde]

If they work:

http://www.amstelgoldrace.nl/live/
http://www.bvls.eu/cycling.php
http://www.amstelgoldrace.nl/l1/
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=73064&part=sports
http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/755

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I'm off to the Cauberg in about 2.30 hours, beautiful weather, it will be CROWDED!

 

[Moondance]

I'm off to the Cauberg in about 2.30 hours, beautiful weather, it will be CROWDED!

Have mucho fun.... If you see Mart Smeets kick him from me