BMC in disarray?

[dlwssonic]

LOL ... but it was ... they only did a 39.2kph average this year instead of the 39.9kph they did last year ...

they were so soft pedaling!!!

Yeah! Plus there were the harsher weather conditions this year.

 

[Jan the Man]

Cunego isn't ridding Fleche.

Liege is really difficult to call this year given the fact that Gilbert hasn't looked anywhere near as strong as last year.

He did look ok at Amstel Gold, though did take up the front too early.

I suspect Liege will have the usual suspects contending- Gilbert/Schlecks/Valverde/Cunego and Nibali if he is racing.

New possible contenders could be Vockler and Vanendert. Tough one to call really.

 

[Lanark]

Liège is indeed tough to call. The Schleck's usually animate that race, but don't seem capable of that this year.

Valverde hasn't looked strong enough to handle LBL all season.

Sanchez doesn't ride.

Gilbert looked pretty good in Amstel, but the racing style there suited him tremendously (not a single attack on the Eyserbosweg or Keuteberg, the easiest final since 2005), and that's the spring classic that he is always at his best (the route fits him like a glove).

Cunego is good, but hasn't shown he can win a classic in three years. Nibali's peak is behind him.

Rodriguez was the only one who looked strong in the preperation for this week, but sucked last sunday, and I think LBL is too hard for him.

Best case scenario we get is something like 2005, with the semi-favorites making it a great race from far out. Worst case scenario is a repeat of last sunday, with none of the big men feeling confident, and everyone waiting and waiting and waiting....

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Liège is indeed tough to call. The Schleck's usually animate that race, but don't seem capable of that this year.

Valverde hasn't looked strong enough to handle LBL all season.

Sanchez doesn't ride.

Gilbert looked pretty good in Amstel, but the racing style there suited him tremendously (not a single attack on the Eyserbosweg or Keuteberg, the easiest final since 2005), and that's the spring classic that he is always at his best (the route fits him like a glove).

Cunego is good, but hasn't shown he can win a classic in three years. Nibali's peak is behind him.

Rodriguez was the only one who looked strong in the preperation for this week, but sucked last sunday, and I think LBL is too hard for him.

Best case scenario we get is something like 2005, with the semi-favorites making it a great race from far out. Worst case scenario is a repeat of last sunday, with none of the big men feeling confident, and everyone waiting and waiting and waiting....

Vanendert looks good though. So does Voeckler.

 

[Panda Claws]

He is one of the favorites only because the rest of the big names are not riding particularly well.

That's hard to say after just the Amstel. We can only conclude that Andy Schleck sucks

 

[Lanark]

Vanendert looks good though. So does Voeckler.

I counted them as semi-favorites, but you're right, at this moment the should be seen as some of the favorites for next sunday.

 

[roundabout]

That's hard to say after just the Amstel. We can only conclude that Andy Schleck sucks

Well yes, it is difficult to conclude a lot from a passively raced Amstel and next races are slightly different in nature but I didn't see any standout performances that would make me think this particular rider is one of a small list of favorites.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

LOL ... but it was ... they only did a 39.2kph average this year instead of the 39.9kph they did last year ...

they were so soft pedaling!!!

you shouldn't look at averages. steady tempo makes a race "easier" then tempo changes. which didn't happen at all.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

yeah because we all know the colombian riders will take the top 5 spots

1 duarte
2 henao
3 uran

you heard it here, first

 

[Gloin22]

1 duarte
2 henao
3 uran

you heard it here, first

You really think so about Henao better than Uran ?

Giro has some long and tough stages. Henao didn't struggle at Amstel but still was outperformed by Nordhaug until the crash. I dont think Henao will cope enough with longer stages. Uran is my bet by far after seeing Amstel. Although I gladly may be proven wrong soon

 

[sTTevie]

you shouldn't look at averages. steady tempo makes a race "easier" then tempo changes. which didn't happen at all.

yeah, they're all just riding from hill to hill in the final in a friendly manner ...

 

[roundabout]

Did anyone really attack on the hills?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

You really think so about Henao better than Uran ?

Giro has some long and tough stages. Henao didn't struggle at Amstel but still was outperformed by Nordhaug until the crash. I dont think Henao will cope enough with longer stages. Uran is my bet by far after seeing Amstel. Although I gladly may be proven wrong soon

maybe not in liege. but in fleche probably yes. henao is better natural climber than uran. henao doesn't have the experience yet for lbl, although it wouldn't surprise me he will be better there as well.

I wouldn't see much into agr. it's henao's first ever wt classical race and it's quite amazing he is there. urans first agr he finished outside the time limit.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Evans has been sick with a virus. He said before the start that he would support Gilbert in the race as long as possible but wasn't sure whether he would make it to the finish.

So it seems. I hadn't seen anything in print.
Now I see that this sinus infection has ended his Ardennes campaign.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cadel-evans-withdraws-from-remaining-ardennes-races

Last year, he had the perfect preparation, so we got the best ever Tour Cadel.
This year, things have so far not got to plan, so the chances of him achieving that same peak are dwindling.

Illness continues to dump on BMC's season.

 

[Ferminal]

Last year, he had the perfect preparation, so we got the best ever Tour Cadel.
This year, things have so far not got to plan, so the chances of him achieving that same peak are dwindling.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-out-of-amstel-gold-race

Out of Ardennes, right for Romandie, which is apparently a goal next week. Not too dissimilar to last year?

 

[Mellow Velo]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-out-of-amstel-gold-race

Out of Ardennes, right for Romandie, which is apparently a goal next week. Not too dissimilar to last year?

Thanks. I'd also missed that.
So, it's a double whammy: Illness and injury.

 

[Ferminal]

Thanks. I'd also missed that.
So, it's a double whammy: Illness and injury.

Sorry, I'm referencing last year where he was also forced out of Ardennes

 

[Mellow Velo]

Sorry, I'm referencing last year where he was also forced out of Ardennes

Sorry, I didn't check the link date..........or read the bottom of your post.
Eurosport said he'd packed in before they were live, so I just assumed they'd got it wrong.........again.
My bad.

Yes, not too dissimilar, then.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Gilbert was 7 seconds slower up the cauberg as compared to last year
http://www.nieuwsblad.be

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gilbert was 7 seconds slower up the cauberg as compared to last year
www.nieuwsblad.be

So that means Gasparotto was about as fast as Gilbert last year.
Not comparable anyway. Last year they went up the Cauberg through the centre of Valkenburg, with flat in front. Now they went up the Cauberg straight from the descent of the Daalhemmerweg
Also, shows how good these top riders are. After 260km in 1m30 (theraround). Kruijswijk on training (full-out) 1m36s and that was without the added fatigue of 260km.

Best guys in the tourist version (day before) around 2 minutes...
My best time ever was 2:50 lol

 

[Zam_Olyas]

So that means Gasparotto was about as fast as Gilbert last year.
Not comparable anyway. Last year they went up the Cauberg through the centre of Valkenburg, with flat in front. Now they went up the Cauberg straight from the descent of the Daalhemmerweg
Also, shows how good these top riders are. After 260km in 1m30 (theraround). Kruijswijk on training (full-out) 1m36s and that was without the added fatigue of 260km.

Best guys in the tourist version (day before) around 2 minutes...

Not comparing, posting what was said on http://www.nieuwsblad.be/

 

[jens_attacks]

Gilbert was 7 seconds slower up the cauberg as compared to last year
http://www.nieuwsblad.be

regarding phil 2011,he was pretty much extraordinary,a beast.basically he clocked the fastest ascents in history i think on every hill he attacked including cauberg and mur de huy.

last times on cauberg look like this:

2012:---1:33---(Gasparotto-Vanendert-Sagan)
2011:---1:26---(Philippe Gilbert)
2010:---1:31---(Philippe Gilbert)
2009:---1:43---(Sergey Ivanov)
1:41---(Gilbert-Cunego-Kolobnev)
2008:---1:33---(Cunego-F.Schleck)
2007:---1:51---(Stefan Schumacher)
1:46---(Davide Rebellin)
2006---1:47---(Frank Schleck)
2004---2:10---(Davide Rebellin)
1:56---(Bettini-Di Luca-Van Petegem)

this year it was cold weather though and as always impossible to really compare the ascents.but phil still hasn't reached yet his 2011 level no doubt.maybe at liege...

gilbert around 10-11 seconds slower on the cauberg this year than in 2011

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Phil will great stronger says his brother

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GI33ORBK9

 

[jens_attacks]

So that means Gasparotto was about as fast as Gilbert last year.
Not comparable anyway. Last year they went up the Cauberg through the centre of Valkenburg, with flat in front. Now they went up the Cauberg straight from the descent of the Daalhemmerweg

still they had to break in the corner,probably almost the same speed of launching the cauberg as in the last years or less but not by much

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

regarding phil 2011,he was pretty much extraordinary,a beast.basically he clocked the fastest ascents in history i think on every hill he attacked including cauberg and mur de huy.

last times on cauberg look like this:

2012:---1:33---(Gasparotto-Vanendert-Sagan)
2011:---1:26---(Philippe Gilbert)
2010:---1:31---(Philippe Gilbert)
2009:---1:43---(Sergey Ivanov)
1:41---(Gilbert-Cunego-Kolobnev)
2008:---1:33---(Cunego-F.Schleck)
2007:---1:51---(Stefan Schumacher)
1:46---(Davide Rebellin)
2006---1:47---(Frank Schleck)
2004---2:10---(Davide Rebellin)
1:56---(Bettini-Di Luca-Van Petegem)

this year it was cold weather though and as always impossible to really compare the ascents.but phil still hasn't reached yet his 2011 level no doubt.maybe at liege...

but this year they had tailwind on the cauberg (i know because i was there). So that is favourable for a fast time.
Also in 2004 Boogerd and Rebellin where almost riding at a standstill before they started the sprint. Small group sprints are therefore also not comparable. They never went full from the bottom there