Amstel Gold Race -18th April -257km

[luckyboy]

Delighted to see Gilbert take the win - now for la Doyenne

Even without the tremendous bias I have, I think he can/will win L-B-L.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Just returned, what a weird race!

The strong guys in the race all burned themselves up. But the one who did the most effort (Gilbert), won it in the end!

Hesjedal, Gasparotto and Bert de Waele?? What the ****.

Also, EVERYONE was dead at the cauberg. They really looked awful. Nobody had energy left except Gilbert

 

[Digger]

Delighted for the guy. Thought he was killing himself before the Cauberg, but he was incredibly strong.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Appearently Saxo Bank rode so fast in the part with the longest climbs (Drielandenpunt etc), that everyone was dead in the final.

 

[Steel4Ever]

Ah yes! Wouldn't be a 2010 [EDIT!] race without...

Ha! That dude in red STILL looks ****ed that he has to be on the same stage with his "nudie" team! lol

 

[sadfitty]

Dude, it's 2010....

 

[Steel4Ever]

Dude, it's 2010....

Yeah....it's also the weekend....expect me to be SOBER?!? ha!

 

[Parrot23]

Yep, but at least Spartacus wasn't there today whereas Gilbert seems to have conserved his incredible form since the Ronde... One might get silly assumptions that way

LOL, and Gasparatto's form is holding nicely from Tirreno. But seriously, when one is not visiting the gas station for fill-ups form tends to hold more predictably (fewer outlandish peaks/outliers and valleys), ahem.

 

[theyoungest]

Such a weird race... it's like the forces of nature conspired to make sure that a Cyclingnews race preview actually made sense. Hesjedal and Barredo: both mentioned in the preview, and both visible in the final. Gesink: no mention of him in the preview, and complete suckage in the race.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Such a weird race... it's like the forces of nature conspired to make sure that a Cyclingnews race preview actually made sense. Hesjedal and Barredo: both mentioned in the preview, and both visible in the final. Gesink: no mention of him in the preview, and complete suckage in the race.

Yeah lol, total weirdness, but if they use that to get back at me, fxck them. Hesjedal was invisible for most of the race. Energy saver like Kroon always is. Bleh.

Gesink was held up by Mandri's fall just before Kruisberg. If you have to move up and pass riders there, you're done, your race is over. Which is what happened.
Although I think if he didn't work on the flat for Freire/Martens he would've been the best Rabo rider on the Cauberg. He had more power left then the ones waisting energy in attacks.

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah lol, total weirdness, but if they use that to get back at me, fxck them. Hesjedal was invisible for most of the race. Energy saver like Kroon always is. Bleh.

Gesink was held up by Mandri's fall just before Kruisberg. If you have to move up and pass riders there, you're done, your race is over. Which is what happened.
Although I think if he didn't work on the flat for Freire/Martens he would've been the best Rabo rider on the Cauberg. He had more power left then the ones waisting energy in attacks.

Apparently he also injured his knee there. Let's hope it didn't ruin his chances for La Fleche.

 

[theyoungest]

Midweek I'd look out for Gilbert again and Martens, Leukemans. maybe Ignatiev.

I dont think Evans has the punch to get away, though he did look decent today.

Did you ever actually watch La Fleche? Evans is the only one of these guys who can win it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Ah yes! Wouldn't be a 2010 [EDIT!] race without...

Ha! That dude in red STILL looks ****ed that he has to be on the same stage with his "nudie" team! lol

Cappucino - Servetto

What about BMC? Using Evans to protect Kroon was a huge mistake. He could have done something today

True, but gilbert was awesome! One of my fav riders so I am happy.

Midweek I'd look out for Gilbert again and Martens, Leukemans. maybe Ignatiev.

I dont think Evans had the punch to get away, though he did look decent today.

(edited quote)

Agreed. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see him pick up a win at either. I've always enjoyed watching Cadel in one-day races more than GTs as he rides so much more agressively.

+1
Very impressed that he still rode strongly after working hard on the front and attacking for kroon. Looks very good for fw, lbl. I think he could do something there, seriously!

 

[Cobblestones]

Nah, he's looking for another team already, LOL.

To top it off, Wigans scored 3 goals in last 10 min today against Arsenal for a 3:2 win.

 

[tgsgirl]

Gesink was held up by Mandri's fall just before Kruisberg..

That looked bad. Does anyone know if he's alright?

 

[pmcg76]

Just watched the last hour, AGR is an absolutely mad race but a great race today.

Delighted to see Gilbert win, did anyone seriously have that podium? well done Gasparotto and Hysdejal. When I saw De Weale attack on the Cauberg, I was thinking WTF, Landbouwkredit!!!

All in all, a good race with a strange podium apart from the best guy winning.

 

[Nearly]

8 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
9 Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team

If this were a boxing match, it would have been stopped long ago.

or no, let's move on from your Vacansoleil v BMC fixation. It is not a boxing match between those two .... Shack were behind them, Sky & Columbia were nowhere; were the French teams and Footon even racing? Besides Cadel was an agressive 13th (and could well have gone close if he had been the main man) and BMC, for all the knocking and mocking, were the only team with 2 contenders in the group still left when things got serious on the Cauberg. They do need a win though!

 

[blaxland]

Cappucino - Servetto

True, but gilbert was awesome! One of my fav riders so I am happy.

(edited quote)


+1
Very impressed that he still rode strongly after working hard on the front and attacking for kroon. Looks very good for fw, lbl. I think he could do something there, seriously!

Agree...Great win Gilbert...and good rides by Kroon and Evans...Cant wait for Fleche and Liege??

 

[Ferminal]

Fantastic race... Probably my favourite so far this season.

Gilbert looked so strong all day, deserving winner... Poor Kolobnev

Can't wait for Fleche!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Can't see Cadel exploding the peloton on the Muy, come Wednesday.

Gilbert versus the stronger teams of Katusha and Saxo, again?

Surprise, surprise!

 

[Mellow Velo]

and BMC, for all the knocking and mocking, were the only team with 2 contenders in the group still left when things got serious on the Cauberg. They do need a win though!

Apart from Rabo, Katusha, Liquigas, QS, Lotto and the Schlecks, that is.

 

[Ferminal]

Apart from Rabo, Katusha, Liquigas, QS, Lotto and the Schlecks, that is.

The first two from BMC were down a combined 22s.

Now imagine if we had a "Team Classification" for the one day races, in which only the first two count.

BMC would be the illustrious winners of the TEAMS classification, making them the BEST TEAM (who cares which individual can finish first?).

 

[theyoungest]

The first two from BMC were down a combined 22s.

Now imagine if we had a "Team Classification" for the one day races, in which only the first two count.

BMC would be the illustrious winners of the TEAMS classification, making them the BEST TEAM (who cares which individual can finish first?).

If you take into account the third rider, the teams classification becomes a whole lot different, all of a sudden

 

[Ferminal]

If you take into account the third rider, the teams classification becomes a whole lot different, all of a sudden

Probably a DNF?

 

[Nearly]

Apart from Rabo, Katusha, Liquigas, QS, Lotto and the Schlecks, that is.

There was quite a gap after the 11 sec group (and BMC were the first to get 2 riders home)... but enough splitting hairs on my part - the point simply was they were amongst it.