De Ronde van Vlaanderen (270.8 km), 2024 March 31 (Sunday)

[Keldergoat]

I'm not so sure about MvdPs win as the polls suggest. As Berniece points out, isolating Lidl and Visma top dogs to make it a one to few encounter will require him to attack early, which will require a lot of energy. Also, his team just doesn't convince me at all. SKA and Vermeersch are subtop at best, of which the former always seem to have his offday in Flanders (best result 53rd in 2018). In essence Philipsen could be a good domestique, but I have never seen him really play this role passionately (one could argue PR last year, but there his domestique role was quite passive). For some reason, MvdP always seem to manage it without a top notch team surrounding him, but this year feels like it could be different with a vital role to be played by Lidl.

 

[RedheadDane]

Look. I'm not saying that I secrectly got rather happy when my mother said she's planning on having Easter Dinner Saturday rather than Sunday.
But, yeah: I secretly got rather happy when my mother said she's planning on having Easter Dinner Saturday rather than Sunday.

 

[tobydawq]

Look. I'm not saying that I secrectly got rather happy when my mother said she's planning on having Easter Dinner Saturday rather than Sunday.
But, yeah: I secretly got rather happy when my mother said she's planning on having Easter Dinner Saturday rather than Sunday.

I have raised my parents well enough so that they know Easter Sundays are no-gos.

 

[RedheadDane]

I have raised my parents well enough so that they now Easter Sundays are no-gos.

If she had planned on having it Easter Sunday, I'd probably just have borrowed her laptop, and plopped myself onto the coach in the "sewing room".

 

[Berniece]

Look. I'm not saying that I secrectly got rather happy when my mother said she's planning on having Easter Dinner Saturday rather than Sunday.
But, yeah: I secretly got rather happy when my mother said she's planning on having Easter Dinner Saturday rather than Sunday.

We moved dinner to later in the evening, but I said I only watch with my brother at his place. I can't stand people around me that barely watch cycling at such moments. It's already hard enough having a brother as WVA fan, while I'm a MVDP fan. Mostly hard for him actually.

 

[Slavique Nuke]

MvdP easily wins by more than 1 minute

 

[ashhutch1997]

How come they took the Muur out? Even when they had it far out it still played an important part of the race (like Arenbourg), and it's the most iconic climb in flanders period.

 

[scribers]

I’ll eat my hat if mvp has anything left to contest this effectively. He’s gone deep at everything since cyclocross season

Hear me out. The only way mvp is fully prepared for this race is it philipsen wins gent wevelgem.

All that energy spent. Couldn’t contest the sprint against pedersen (it’s always the other way around between him and mads) and the entire peloton was right behind them.

 

[Barkintheeye]

MVDP better than ever but Trek-Lidl showing some good form. If Visma works together with TL and other teams are being opportunistic and don't interfere Van der Poel might find himself in a tough spot. But as someone already said he is quite used of doing it all by himself. With Pogacar in the mix the race would be quite different and these two would most likely work together until the later part of the race. Clearly best option for the other stronger teams is to put their second best options in early breakaways (eg Benoot, Stuyven etc) and either hope that those stick or that their favorite man (WVA or Pedersen) get a nice ride before the final showdown.

 

[Ricco']

Dylan van Baarle also out of Dwars door Vlaanderen due to illness, let's see if he can recover to Ronde.

They wish they could be Visma | Lease a Rider now.

 

[Rob5091]

WvA's first of his two goals for the entire year. If he's going to win, then it seems his team will not be the usual support. Sticking to MvdP's wheel appears to be the realistic tactic.

 

[kn0s]

Hear me out. The only way mvp is fully prepared for this race is it philipsen wins gent wevelgem.

All that energy spent. Couldn’t contest the sprint against pedersen (it’s always the other way around between him and mads) and the entire peloton was right behind them.

Always like that between them? How many of these kind of sprints have they had? I can think of zero.

MvP can be beaten in sprints with the right strategy, Wva, Asgreen and now Mads have shown that.

 

[Offline]

Dylan van Baarle also out of Dwars door Vlaanderen due to illness, let's see if he can recover to Ronde.

They wish they could be Visma | Lease a Rider now.

Baarle also missed RVV last year. Unlucky!

 

[Volderke]

All that energy spent. Couldn’t contest the sprint against pedersen (it’s always the other way around between him and mads) and the entire peloton was right behind them.

I kind of agree with any other rider than MvdP and Pog that GW was too much energy spent, but as we all have seen before, MvdP has incredible recovery, and he is for sure not overraced this season with MSR his first road race.

I also fear other teams will be neutralizing each other (e.g. Trek leading the peloton chasing whoever, while MvdP is in the wheel --> even without team, MvdP most likely will still have a team riding on the front).

 

[hayneplane]

I have raised my parents well enough so that they now Easter Sundays are no-gos.

I just arranged a time to go visit my dad for a meal at a time that allows me to watch the whole race before setting off

 

[hayneplane]

An epic race and even more so now we are in the era of flag drop to finish line ad free coverage. Will sit down for the preview and not move except to get snacks and toilet breaks.

Gutted that Pogacar is not there this year to defend his crown. What would be the latest time for him to do a secret entry and show up.

 

[Boes]

Visma and Trek to control the break for MVP (I mean for Wout and Pedersen).
MVP puts the hammer down on 2nd Kwaremont with 40k's to go with only Stuyven and Wout that can follow.

Wout and Stuyven to relay with MVP until final kwaremont. MVP outwatts them all and wins his 3rd RVV.
WVA to outsprint Stuyven for 2nd place as per usual.

- insert generic rabofail comment -

 

[scribers]

My dark horse: Milan

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

MVDP better than ever but Trek-Lidl showing some good form. If Visma works together with TL and other teams are being opportunistic and don't interfere Van der Poel might find himself in a tough spot. But as someone already said he is quite used of doing it all by himself. With Pogacar in the mix the race would be quite different and these two would most likely work together until the later part of the race. Clearly best option for the other stronger teams is to put their second best options in early breakaways (eg Benoot, Stuyven etc) and either hope that those stick or that their favorite man (WVA or Pedersen) get a nice ride before the final showdown.

and yet I still wonder what happens, say Visma and Trek send guys out ahead.
And MVDP's team can't help it. And he attacks and they sit on his wheel. And then MVDP just says "ok, then we all don't win, I have 2 of these RVV's already". Will Wout and Pedersen or Stuyven (who also wont get a pass) keep sitting in?

I really wonder.

 

[Volderke]

I have a feeling there aren't many riders that are given just a tiny bit of chance to win this, with MvdP and next some riders (but not many!) like WvA, Pedersen, Stuyven,....

I would like some riders feature deep in the finale, and while it's hard to see past the favourites, I do hope e.g. Trentin, Wellens, Tiller, Neilands, Matthews, Lazkano, Kung, Bettiol, Lampaert... are still in the mix (or in front of the mix) in the last 40K.

My dark horse would have been Narvaez, he's still on the start list, but he's out, no?

 

[staubsauger]

I’m gonna do a 3h recon on Friday. Hope to see a lot of pro’s aswell.

With your race bike or your work bike?

 

[Barkintheeye]

and yet I still wonder what happens, say Visma and Trek send guys out ahead.
And MVDP's team can't help it. And he attacks and they sit on his wheel. And then MVDP just says "ok, then we all don't win, I have 2 of these RVV's already". Will Wout and Pedersen or Stuyven (who also wont get a pass) keep sitting in?

I really wonder.

I think Trek-Lidl and Visma need to send their next best guys in order for that tactic to work, eg keep Pedersen and WVA for a late surge and send Stuyven/Theuns and Jorgensen/Benoot. It may still not work but should potentially give MVDP a little more work to do.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

If she had planned on having it Easter Sunday, I'd probably just have borrowed her laptop, and plopped myself onto the coach in the "sewing room".

Your mum has a coach in the sewing room? How big is her house? Mahoosive!

 

[danielovichdk2]

Haven't read the commentary. But I will go with WvA on this one. His spring campaign has been geared towards the next 2 weeks.

Poel loses a bit of shape. Pedersen can bag it as well but comes just a bit too late when it really matters on one of the kickers.

Trentin had looked good. Politt. Lazkano.

 

[danielovichdk2]

3 racedays?

It's a fair point but the argument was not his road race days, but that he has had a long season already. Those 3 race days has been extremely solid but I too believe he dips a little bit on Sunday.