Baloise Belgium Tour 2023 (June 14-18)

[yaco]

Only MVDP could be in the break which is caught 5kms from the finish and then do a text book lead out for Philipsen - I doubt Lotto D'stny can take Ewan to the TDF unless he fights more in the final.

 

[KZD]

Sad to see Ewan like this.

Philipsen and Jakobsen clearly a level (or two) above the other sprinters here.

 

[Samamba]

I doubt Lotto D'stny can take Ewan to the TDF unless he fights more in the final.

He's obviously going to the Tour. You have been saying this for over a year, but I still haven't gotten an alternative for him. It's not like Lotto can send a bunch of climbers or another good sprinter. De Lie was never gonna go, but now with his injury it's completely impossible. And there's like 7 sprintsstages. Leaving Ewan at home isn't really an option. It would be completely different if Lotto had like 4 climbers that could win a stage somewhere but they don't.

 

[jono]

Not sure how impressed to be with MVDP/Alpecin given the level of competition here. But they sure bossed the race. Is there anyone who can put enough time into MVDP in the TT to threaten the leader's jersey (once he takes over from Philipsen)? Or does Mathieu win that stage?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

David finally beat Mathieu!

 

[jaylew]

Only MVDP could be in the break which is caught 5kms from the finish and then do a text book lead out for Philipsen

Attacked at 90k to go, 50k to go, went hard on the climbs to whittle down the break, went for all 3 bonus sprints near the end, caught with under 5k to go and then does the final lead out for the team win. Yeah, he should be ready for the Tour.

 

[search]

the youth jersey seems to be sponsored by @Lequack

 

[postmanhat]

He's obviously going to the Tour. You have been saying this for over a year, but I still haven't gotten an alternative for him. It's not like Lotto can send a bunch of climbers or another good sprinter. De Lie was never gonna go, but now with his injury it's completely impossible. And there's like 7 sprintsstages. Leaving Ewan at home isn't really an option. It would be completely different if Lotto had like 4 climbers that could win a stage somewhere but they don't.

Didn't see the stage but sad to hear Ewan performing again like this, especially the sitting up. Had done, relatively speaking, really well in his last three races and seemed to have a bit of aggression and confidence back. He could be heading down the Vivianni/Bouhanni path of career decline in the next couple years?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

the youth jersey seems to be sponsored by @Lequack

Did they make the youth jersey yellow to potentially appease Remco?

 

[Bushman]

Not sure how impressed to be with MVDP/Alpecin given the level of competition here. But they sure bossed the race. Is there anyone who can put enough time into MVDP in the TT to threaten the leader's jersey (once he takes over from Philipsen)? Or does Mathieu win that stage?

Lampaert probably the biggest threat for the tt or perhaps u23 WC Wærenskjold can pull it off. Wouldnt be surprised to see Van der Poel win the stage though

 

[postmanhat]

Lampaert probably the biggest threat for the tt or perhaps u23 WC Wærenskjold can pull it off. Wouldnt be surprised to see Van der Poel win the stage though

Pedersen beat MVDP in a flat 11k prologue at Tirenno this year, and judging from today, he could be Soudal's leader for this race and possibly one of the few who could hang on to MVDP on stage 4? Both he and Waerenskjold looked really strong last weekend.

 

[Samamba]

Pedersen beat MVDP in a flat 11k prologue at Tirenno this year, and judging from today, he could be Soudal's leader for this race and possibly one of the few who could hang on to MVDP on stage 4? Both he and Waerenskjold looked really strong last weekend.

Waerenskjold should be way too heavy for Durbuy stage, same with someone like Vermeersch who has a good TT en seems to be in really good form. Pedersen can climb a bit so he's a good shout and probably QS best best indeed. For the rest, I don't know. Tiller is looking really good and Intermarché has some good guys for the hills, but they can't TT (like Rota for example). There's also Trek with Stuyven who was looking really good and Vacek. Israel was riding for Hermans today who finally somewhat looks like old Hermans again.

I'm talking about GC here ofcourse, not just the TT.

 

[Didinho]

Mathieu being Mathieu. He always needs to go really hard to get his extra gear later on for the Tour. What a way to give your team an easy day and Philipsen a not to lose sprint. Jakobsen matched his speed and looked good all day.

Haven't read anything yet but what happened to Thibau Nys? Never saw him the last 90km.

Looking forward to the Durbuy stage, I was there riding last week, could be a really tough stage.

 

[jaylew]

Didn't see the stage but sad to hear Ewan performing again like this, especially the sitting up. Had done, relatively speaking, really well in his last three races and seemed to have a bit of aggression and confidence back. He could be heading down the Vivianni/Bouhanni path of career decline in the next couple years?

It's starting to seem that way. Same for another guy born in the same year - Gaviria.

 

[Bushman]

Pedersen beat MVDP in a flat 11k prologue at Tirenno this year, and judging from today, he could be Soudal's leader for this race and possibly one of the few who could hang on to MVDP on stage 4? Both he and Waerenskjold looked really strong last weekend.

That is true. He has been riding well all year and seems to have rediscovered himself after the switch to Soudal. Still, I dont see him beating specialists like Lampaert, Wærenskjold and Van der Poel when they are all in shape, but I expect him to be around the top 5 for sure.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not sure how impressed to be with MVDP/Alpecin given the level of competition here. But they sure bossed the race. Is there anyone who can put enough time into MVDP in the TT to threaten the leader's jersey (once he takes over from Philipsen)? Or does Mathieu win that stage?

Philipsen said before the race start yesterday that apparently MVDP worked on his TT during training camp.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mathieu being Mathieu. He always needs to go really hard to get his extra gear later on for the Tour. What a way to give your team an easy day and Philipsen a not to lose sprint. Jakobsen matched his speed and looked good all day.

Haven't read anything yet but what happened to Thibau Nys? Never saw him the last 90km.

Looking forward to the Durbuy stage, I was there riding last week, could be a really tough stage.

I think Nys struggled with the heat. Because he got dropped way earlier than some sprinters he'd normally easily beat. His father also often struggled on hot days

 

[jono]

Philipsen said before the race start yesterday that apparently MVDP worked on his TT during training camp.

MVDP doesn't have a long resume in TTs, but most of his results have been creditable. I don't put a lot of stock into his Tirreno TT (his second race of the entire season), but for example he's never finished outside the top 5 in a Grand Tour TT.

 

[RedheadDane]

Crash. Philipsen and Ewan both down. Ewan looks hurt.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Sprint sholder-barge at 3km out?

 

[RedheadDane]

And Jakobsen got his win. Delivered by DSB.

 

[DNP-Old]

Renaat thought that Trek would be sprinting with Hellemose.

 

[Samamba]

Looks like Yaco will be right after all, no Ewan to the Tour. Not cause of the reason he thought it would be, but still. Nightmare for him and honestly even for Lotto. Massive amount of points gone if he doesn't make it. Doub't they'll send Menten out of nowhere.

 

[Didinho]

Sad for Philipsen. Was a perfect finish for a monster Mathieu leadout. Almost won himself, came from to far.
Quickstep played it perfectly and Jakobsen the winner we all expected after the crash.

 

[Boehmand]

That Pedersen-Moerkoev combo in front of Jakobsen is deadly, they are both excellent at positioning and both very fast.

Pedersen gave Jakobsen 10 meters on the Uno-X train, when he delivered Moerkoev!