Baloise Belgium Tour 2021 (June 9-13)

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Looked like Groenewegen could have done better this time but had issues with his gears?

 

[gerundium]

Looked like Groenewegen could have done better this time but had issues with his gears?

Dropping a gear indeed.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Great sprint Cav! Has to ride either Tour or Vuelta surely?

I think they might want to take Jakobsen to the Vuelta (this is pure speculation on my part, i haven't heard anything from the team). But it's still not clear whether or not he'll be in good enough shape to actually be able to contend in the sprints. Maybe if they don't have someone for GC in the Vuelta, they could take two sprinters if that even makes sense with the Vuelta route (haven't really checked).

 

[RedheadDane]

Well, Holm really wanted to take both Cavendish and Jakobsen to Denmark. However, that was before Cavendish started winning again, and Jakobsen had his come-back.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Great sprint Cav! Has to ride either Tour or Vuelta surely?

if Bennett is injured, the Tour is very possible.

 

[SHAD0W93]

if Bennett is injured, the Tour is very possible.

Bennett is also not coming back though and PL can be petty.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Bennett is also not coming back though and PL can be petty.

Sure, but he is also generally a firm believer in getting maximum results out of anyone who he is currently paying money to. When he planned a Tour team mostly consisting of a sprint train for Bennett, he already knew Bennett wasn’t signing again for the kind of money QS pays sprinters.

 

[Panda Claws]

Looks like Ewan is past his prime.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Sure, but he is also generally a firm believer in getting maximum results out of anyone who he is currently paying money to. When he planned a Tour team mostly consisting of a sprint train for Bennett, he already knew Bennett wasn’t signing again for the kind of money QS pays sprinters.

Because at the time Bennett was the one that gave him the best chance for results. Bennett is injured, on top of leaving. This isn’t like he is 95% or higher.

 

[RedheadDane]

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Looked like Groenewegen could have done better this time but had issues with his gears?

yeah shame, i think he could've won today...

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Looks like Ewan is past his prime.

You gathered that from one sprint?

 

[Broccolidwarf]

After Cavs win today, I have changed my mind, I think DQ should bring him to the Tour.

Previously I did not think he was good enough to win stages, but the sprint today proved otherwise.

It would be a shame if they don't give him the shot at the record, now that he is actually good enough for one last trip around France.

 

[Leinster]

After Cavs win today, I have changed my mind, I think DQ should bring him to the Tour.

Previously I did not think he was good enough to win stages, but the sprint today proved otherwise.

It would be a shame if they don't give him the shot at the record, now that he is actually good enough for one last trip around France.

Ewan won 2 bunch sprints at this race with Cav nowhere. There aren’t 4 dead flat stages at the Tour.

PL knows that with a fit Bennett, he will have someone contesting all 6/7 bunch sprint finishes at this year’s Tour, and probably winning 2 or 3 of them, and with a good chance of collecting the Green Jersey too (this will be a minor concern). Cav on his form this season isn’t 100% guaranteed to make it to Paris.

The decision will come down to Bennett’s injury. If DQS think Sam is fit enough to complete the Tour, he will ride the Tour.

 

[BlueRoads]

I didn't watch any of the stages. Can you say anything about Ballerini's form?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I didn't watch any of the stages. Can you say anything about Ballerini's form?

Better than a while ago, but not where it was early season. In the "queen stage" (ahaha) he did a lot of work for Evenepoel, and in the final kilometers of the stage, the team started working for him. He still managed to sprint to 3rd place. In the first stage he was the only one to manage to stay in the wheel of Gilbert (who was chasing Evenepoel & Campenaerts, and the two early breakaway riders)... until he completely bonked on one of the hills. And by bonked i mean like Greipel climbing the Zoncolan.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Ewan won 2 bunch sprints at this race with Cav nowhere. There aren’t 4 dead flat stages at the Tour.

He's never worked with Moerkoev as his lead out before, it always takes a few races (stages) for that connection to be perfected - but clearly they made it happen in the end.

Of course it is only relevant if Bennett is not ready for the Tour, he is obviously the main sprinter, so my point was based off him not being ready.

 

[Leggitte]

I have little sympathy when these bars are clearly designed specifically to exploit what they thought was a gray area in the rules. As they say, play stupid games...

This is all true of course, and Van Schip has been in the news before because of his handle bars a couple of years ago. But when you hear an interview with Van Schip (in Dutch) you can't help to have a lot of sympathy for the guy. What you see is what you get kind of person, no hidden agendas.

 

[Leinster]

He's never worked with Moerkoev as his lead out before, it always takes a few races (stages) for that connection to be perfected - but clearly they made it happen in the end.

Of course it is only relevant if Bennett is not ready for the Tour, he is obviously the main sprinter, so my point was based off him not being ready.

I don’t think the leadout was the problem on Ewan’s stage wins; Morkov was 2nd on stage 3. My point is, Cav’s stage win came on the easiest profile of the race. I think he’s still going to struggle on any stage with a lumpy finish in France. Which is a lot of them.

 

[Pinot's goat]

I don’t think the leadout was the problem on Ewan’s stage wins; Morkov was 2nd on stage 3. My point is, Cav’s stage win came on the easiest profile of the race. I think he’s still going to struggle on any stage with a lumpy finish in France. Which is a lot of them.

There is no sprint stage at the Tour as hilly as Ewan's 2nd win. For the 1st win, Cav just lost Morkov's wheel and got boxed in.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I don’t think the leadout was the problem on Ewan’s stage wins; Morkov was 2nd on stage 3. My point is, Cav’s stage win came on the easiest profile of the race. I think he’s still going to struggle on any stage with a lumpy finish in France. Which is a lot of them.

Why are you limiting it to lumpy finishes?

8 stages are called "flat" at the Tour.

I think 8 chances at a bunch sprint win, is plenty to justify bringing another sprinter, if Bennett is not ready, and currently Cavendish is the 2nd best DQ has got.

 

[SHAD0W93]

The second stage win is pretty much a tailor made Ewan stage that Cav could have contested on his prime. I’m more curious on his endurance and stamina after a fast paced stage, even if it’s flat, or arriving at the finish of a rolling stage and if he still has the energy to compete.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

The second stage win is pretty much a tailor made Ewan stage that Cav could have contested on his prime. I’m more curious on his endurance and stamina after a fast paced stage, even if it’s flat, or arriving at the finish of a rolling stage and if he still has the energy to compete.

True, but let's not forget, Bennett is not exactly a mountain goat either.

Stages like stage 2, would always be where Ewan has the upper hand on DQ.

Obviously Bennett is a better sprinter on the flat than Cavendish these days, but the scenario we are debating is what DQ should do, if Bennett is not healthy enough to go.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

OK, fine.

"In a mature way?" Hilarious coming from the guy whose initial response to me included condescending statements like "And maybe unknown to you" and "But you probably unknown"

Bypassing the horrendous English which I'll let slide since I assume it isn't your 1st language, yeah, it's known.

And I see you're a bit of a newbie judging by when you joined and your inability to determine where I'm from so I'll just say yeah, I've ridden a bike a few times. Done probably 3-400 races in multiple countries including in "harsh conditions"and even had the chance to race against some current and former WT pros. When I'm done with this post, I'm heading out for 150k.

Go back and watch the footage. I'm guessing you don't actually know how Covid is spread. And I remember the Evans incident well. Comparing that to that time Evans slapped that guy is laughable. Go back and watch them both and you'll see why.

Big Doopie had a great response:

https://forum.cyclingnews.com/threads/baloise-belgium-tour-2021-june-9-13.36994/post-2576625

I think it was a little of that. I know I've barely wanted to move after every hard TT I've done let alone be ushered somewhere faster than I wanted to go.

I'm not crucifying him or anything, I just thought he could have handled it with a bit more decorum but ultimately, I don't think it's that big a deal.

What the hell, reacting on my English. Shame on you. Another proof you haven't arguments at all. Of course, English isn't my mother tongue. Without any language training, except at school, 50 years ago, I'm able to discuss (in written and oral) in three different languages (but far from perfect). Besides my mother tongue of course. And you ? Oh, I'm convinced you gonna answer you're a polyglot and speak and write fluent 7 or more languages.
Your reaction is totally incomprehensive, even confused. Both in content and language. I presume English isn't your native language either, considering what you have written down.

The Evans incident ? You apparently don't know Evans and his career at all. There were a lot of incidents. He had his personal bodyguard, making sure he wasn't touched and embraced before and after the finish. And if you had been competing in extreme conditions, you wouldn't have wished you were touched after strenuous exercise in the heat.

And in our country, Belgium, due to the Corona pandemic, it's not allowed to touch someone without consent and the way we saw on television. And absolutely not by a person not belonging to its own bubble or team.

So please, react on a normal and mature way, and preferably with knowledge. You can still learn courtesy, looking forward to it.. But I doubt that knowledge and expertise about cycling is for you.