Ardennes Classics Discussion thread

[Ferminal]

Anton was very strong at de Jaen in the Vuelta. He is a chance of winning in FW and will at least top5 if on form. Contador's problem will be holding himself together if Rodriguez or Anton attack early.

 

[thrawn]

AGR: Gilbert
FW: Rodriguez
LBL: Evans

 

[theyoungest]

What is that high pitched naisal sound I hear?? Sounds like someone whining about Spaniards whipping on his true love again.

Contador is quoted as saying that his mistake was in making his move too late, so he plans on attacking earlier in the climb. Evans will be a marked man and I see Contador, Anton and Purito battling it out in the end with Contador putting distance between the two for his first classic win. Rodriguez will finally get his win in LBL after years of service to the great one, Valverde.
So prepare yourself for a miserable week.

Evans is actually one of the best riders in the world for these ultra steep finishes. Being a marked man isn't that big of a problem on a 20% wall.

 

[uphillstruggle]

Contador can be beaten by quite a few other riders in the sprint. He will need a gap by the top of the climb if he is to take FW. Evans, Purito, cunego to name a few would take him in the sprint.

Contador is a GC specialist. He is not head and shoulders above the other guys in the same way in these hard classics.

Wouldn't put it pass him winning though

 

[hrotha]

Anton was very strong at de Jaen in the Vuelta. He is a chance of winning in FW and will at least top5 if on form. Contador's problem will be holding himself together if Rodriguez or Anton attack early.

I agree, but Antón hasn't looked too well so far and I think FW comes a bit too early for him. I'm not even sure he'll manage to be on top form for the Giro.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Evans is actually one of the best riders in the world for these ultra steep finishes. Being a marked man isn't that big of a problem on a 20% wall.

this.
being tactically inept - ac - is.
anton has looked mehhh. Samu might be a better choice for eusk.
scarponi, if he held his form is a dangerous prospect.
j-Rod looked pretty good on stage1@Basque.

 

[movingtarget]

I agree with this sentiment; I'm just fairly certain that he'll lose.

The guy's an awesome competitor, but he's never been a champion. Hard to see him starting now. Wouldn't begrudge him a piece of glory, though.

Of course but he seems to ride the classics better than anyone else from Radio Shack, especially the hilly ones. I don't expect him to win but he will be up there at the end.

 

[movingtarget]

Evanss always said that he attacked too early in the Fleche but last year he held back. Most people win it by holding back, not attacking early. Contador with his acceleration would be hard to catch but he gapped Evans last year and still could not win. I think Rodriguez has a better chance than Contador. Contador wins mountain stages by attacking with a kilometre or two to go and I don't think the climbs in the classics suit him as well. That said, I still think he rode a great race last year and I see the same five or six fighting it out this year. Evans even without as much early season racing should still be hard to beat. It's a race he seems to always perform well in.

 

[El Pistolero]

this.
being tactically inept - ac - is.
anton has looked mehhh. Samu might be a better choice for eusk.
scarponi, if he held his form is a dangerous prospect.
j-Rod looked pretty good on stage1@Basque.

Cuddles has got to be one of the most tactically inept riders at the peloton. In GTs he apparently just chose to pick someone's wheel in a stage and follow it the entire stage long. Yeah, that's going to work.

Contador last year was nowhere near his form he had in 2009. This year he seems to be back on that form and there's not much you can do then against Contador on the steep parts. Mende is a tough climb as well and he usually excels there. You know, he took 23 seconds on that "dangerous man" Scarponi on a very easy climb this season.

All that and he's with Bjarne Riis now

 

[roundabout]

Attacking early and upon reflection deciding that the attack was actually too late is a whole other level of ineptitude.

 

[dlwssonic]

Amstel Gold: Phillipe Gilbert( Its the obvious choice he will either break away before the final climb or he will own everyone else on the sprint)
La Fleche Wallone:Cadel Evans
LBL: Andy Schleck

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Cuddles has got to be one of the most tactically inept riders at the peloton. In GTs he apparently just chose to pick someone's wheel in a stage and follow it the entire stage long. Yeah, that's going to work.

Contador last year was nowhere near his form he had in 2009. This year he seems to be back on that form and there's not much you can do then against Contador on the steep parts. Mende is a tough climb as well and he usually excels there. You know, he took 23 seconds on that "dangerous man" Scarponi on a very easy climb this season.

All that and he's with Bjarne Riis now

hate to break it to you, classics require different tactics to stage races, which is all you covered just then.

 

[luckyboy]

Evanss always said that he attacked too early in the Fleche but last year he held back. Most people win it by holding back, not attacking early. Contador with his acceleration would be hard to catch but he gapped Evans last year and still could not win.

Watched the end of this race a few days ago, and it seemed that once Anton sat down in his seat, they slowed and Evans got back. If AC had gone at that point (around 350m to go), I think he could've got it. He was 75m away from the win anyway.
I think he can do it this year.

 

[Ferminal]

hate to break it to you, classics require different tactics to stage races, which is all you covered just then.

I would say he's been very tactically astute for the last 18months or so. Mendrisio, T-A 2010, Ardennes 2010, Giro 2010, Geelong, T-A 2011.

Can't really fault those performances tactically, beyond a slip-up on the Giro stage where he resorted to fists.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I would say he's been very tactically astute for the last 18months or so. Mendrisio, T-A 2010, Ardennes 2010, Giro 2010, Geelong, T-A 2011.

Can't really fault those performances tactically, beyond a slip-up on the Giro stage where he resorted to fists.

oh I am not faulting evans, rather ac.
Tho evans screwed up on the zoncolan at the giro. Should have gone at this own pace.

AC a couple times at the tour last year could have benefited from better tactics imo. And F-W he screwed up majorly.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yes, like Cuddles screwed up F-W all the years before. About time he timed his attack perfectly.

 

[luckyboy]

And F-W he screwed up majorly.

Are you trying to bait El Pistolero?

edit: haha

 

[roundabout]

At least Cuddles learned from his mistake. Whether or not Contador's "i'll use a bigger hammer next time" plan will work is another matter entirely.

 

[luckyboy]

I'm not sure if I would bet against it working. We'll see anyway.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Yes, like Cuddles screwed up F-W all the years before.

I think you can understand that AC has much more natural ability then cuddles. Unless you think Cuddles was capable of what AC is going up hill in prior years Physically AC should be able to win FW with ease if it ends like it did last year (group together at bottom).

But anyway, I'm willing to accept apart if your comment, because experience is a big part of these races yes; In reality probably the reason as lost last year.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yes, because getting third on your first serious try at a classic is tactically screwing things up

wow lol. Call Contador tactically stupid all you want, but please don't praise Cuddles of being tactically astute as he isn't. Winning F-W is nice and all, but what he did at the Tour de France of 2008 was just epic fail.

 

[luckyboy]

I can't recall any major tactical mistakes by Evans or AC in the past year or so.

 

[The Hitch]

Yes, because getting third on your first serious try at a classic is tactically screwing things up

wow lol. Call Contador tactically stupid all you want, but please don't praise Cuddles of being tactically astute as he isn't. Winning F-W is nice and all, but what he did at the Tour de France of 2008 was just epic fail.

Contador came 2nd in Mende and yet he totaly screwed that up. He could have tried to get VIno the stage win-, get lots of time on Andrew by letting Purito have the stage in return for working with him,, Win the stage.

In the end he refused to work witrh Purito, looked back at Vino, then sprinted on his own and watched as JROD crossed the line. Fail fail and Fail.

So tactically COntador is not the greatest no. But he makes up for that with his awesomness. Most of the time anyway.

 

[El Pistolero]

Contador came 2nd in Mende and yet he totaly screwed that up. He could have tried to get VIno the stage win-, get lots of time on Andrew by letting Purito have the stage in return for working with him,, Win the stage.

In the end he refused to work witrh Purito, looked back at Vino, then sprinted on his own and watched as JROD crossed the line. Fail fail and Fail.

So tactically COntador is not the greatest no. But he makes up for that with his awesomness. Most of the time anyway.

Yes, those 10 seconds he got on Andy were such an epic fail.

It only made sure he had the yellow jersey on stage 15 and thus he was able to start last in the time trial. Who knows, might have won him the Tour

Dumb dumb Contador!

There's a reason why Contador left Astana and it's called Vino. You can't take on the Tour effectively with having to worry if some old dude wins a stage. Vino doing random attacks in the Tour instead of actually helping Contador on the other hand were tactically brilliant

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Are you trying to bait El Pistolero?