Challenge Mallorca Jan 29 - Feb 01, 2015

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Wellens dropped K?nig immediately when the final climb started.

Km. 164. 2-09 de Valverde a Wellens, 2-17 a Konig y 2-40 al primer grupo

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

K?nig

What?! No umlauts?! That's pretty pathetic for a forum concerning a sport that is mainly practiced in continental Europe.

Can I say rodr?guez?

nope can't do accents either....

(also... how did I only just notice this?!)

 

[Coat-O]

Wellens dropped K?nig immediately when the final climb started.

Didn't see that coming. Wellens is a future man for the Ardennes classics for sure. Could be the next Gilbert.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

1. Valverde
2. Wellens
3. K?nig

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Valverde relegates the rest of the field

 

[roundabout]

let's try

K?nig

hmm, used to work before

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Didn't see that coming. Wellens is a future man for the Ardennes classics for sure. Could be the next Gilbert.

Well the second part of last season Wellens was amazing. Not just his results, but also the way how he got his results.

 

[roundabout]

He won Roma Maxima and GP Miguel Indurain in that way. He was also very aggressive in Dwars Door Vlaanderen. In small races, he is on fire.

he had Pozzovivo for company in the Roma Maxima

 

[Dazed and Confused]

ok, this race could be worth watching from km zero.
Now awaiting the tube stream.

Solid podium.

Chapeau to the riders.

 

[Coat-O]

Valverde relegates the rest of the field

Get ready for the full year-peak.

 

[Coat-O]

he had Pozzovivo for company in the Roma Maxima

Yeah. He was swallowed by the rest of the peloton about 50 meters (or even less) before the line.

 

[peloton]

Credit where it's due, that was one ballsy ride by AV.

Look forward to the highlights later

 

[del1962]

1. Valverde 2.Wellens 3.Konig 4.Rojas 5. De Maar 6.Visconti 7.Bole 8.Benoot 9Schleck 10. Kudus

At least Kudus got some cq points

 

[Carols]

Bala, awesome Bala

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Pretty good from Kudus.

He was in the Valverde group and I think he stayed with Valverde for more than 10km when Valverde attacked before getting dropped in the descent. Although, the updates we rely on are of course a bit ambiguous something. But it does look like he stayed with Valverde for quite some time at least. I don't know what the time gaps are, but Kudus is not explosive at all, so I can imagine those final shorter climbs didn't do him much good.

EDIT; yes Kudus is the s.t. as Visconti and the riders between. He was last from his group in the sprint. Strong ride by him!

Also, I was kind of obsessed with Kudus and Wellens, but I forgot to mention, Valverde did a great ride of course.

If only Valverde rode like this in bigger races (he would get caught and lose because the teams chasing him would be much stronger)

 

[pastronef]

another good race for Koenig. it bodes well for the beginning of the season. I liked him before, now after he signed for the evil team, I liked him even more.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

let's try

K?nig

hmm, used to work before

The powers that be are aware.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

so 47 finished the race with 9 OTLs (yea, I know many don't care about finishing).
Proper racing.
Thank god for these smaller events.

 

[Carols]

If only Valverde rode like this in bigger races (he would get caught and lose because the teams chasing him would be much stronger)

He always does well early in the year due to great base level and other teams not firing their best shots yet. But he can hold a very high level through most of the season. He is truly a man for all seasons just has to play it more cagey when the big guns are around.

Yesterdays highlights were great, can hardly wait for todays!

 

[Bushman]

Pretty good from Kudus.

He was in the Valverde group and I think he stayed with Valverde for more than 10km when Valverde attacked before getting dropped in the descent. Although, the updates we rely on are of course a bit ambiguous something. But it does look like he stayed with Valverde for quite some time at least. I don't know what the time gaps are, but Kudus is not explosive at all, so I can imagine those final shorter climbs didn't do him much good.

EDIT; yes Kudus is the s.t. as Visconti and the riders between. He was last from his group in the sprint. Strong ride by him!

Also, I was kind of obsessed with Kudus and Wellens, but I forgot to mention, Valverde did a great ride of course.

If only Valverde rode like this in bigger races (he would get caught and lose because the teams chasing him would be much stronger)

Kudus not explosive at all? It's not like he is a Wiggins/Leipheimer uphill.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Kudus not explosive at all? It's not like he is a Wiggins/Leipheimer uphill.

Well maybe I put it a bit too strong, but I've never really seen anything else by him than steady climbing. But then again, we haven't seen too much from him anyway.

(Also, not being explosive doesn't equal being a Wiggins/Leipheimer; Gesink isn't explosive at all, but he does ride quite aggressively if he's good enough compared to the rest of the field - which isn't very often - and he's even got some good results on terrain that is normally suited to more explosive riders)

 

[DFA123]

Get ready for the full year-peak.

Early days, but it look as though he may even have stepped up a level from last year!

You can get very good odds on him for a LBL + Tour de France double

 

[postmanhat]

Great win by Cummings.
Nice kit for MTN-Q.
Put Bala and the Sky guys right!

Steve seems to be good early season:
didn't he win at Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria February a year or two back?

I think he got nearly all his points in the first month or so of last year as well. Before crashing out, a lot

Really hope he avoids the tarmac this year, as he could have a cracking season

 

[icefire]

What?! No umlauts?! That's pretty pathetic for a forum concerning a sport that is mainly practiced in continental Europe.

Can I say rodr?guez?

nope can't do accents either....

(also... how did I only just notice this?!)

I can say Rodr?guez and K?nig, so it's not the forum, it's you

 

[May0maniac]

Yeah. He was swallowed by the rest of the peloton about 50 meters (or even less) before the line.

Yes, but Valverde was the one that pulled the whole time, Pozzovivo only stayed on his wheel, it was the smart thing to do but in the end he was swallowed by the rest.