Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde 2.HC 26th-28th March 2013

[Winterfold]

In a stage like today, nobody bets on Cav, neither did OPQS. Though as long as Cav is still up there, they could just as well try to keep the group together.
But then Sagan attacks, Cav is over (was already really impressive he was still there), and Chavanel is the only GC rider on the front. (the 2nd best TTer in the front group: Terpstra).
So no, OPQS didn't win this stage, but maybe the won the race, with the next two stages for Cav.

Like I said: perfect race.

OK fair do's for this stage - does seem to be a recurring theme though and more of a ****-up in MSR, and prob GW, than here...

Cav looks like he has done the work and is in much better classics shape (or better motivated ) than last year.

It will only be a perfect race, if the unknown stuff yet to happen comes off though

 

[Winterfold]

Demare took his hands off the bars - he cant really complain, the energy and time he used in that might have won him the stage, as he was clearly going faster at that point

 

[JRanton]

Sagan got very lucky he accidentally blocked off Demare and made him stop and start mid sprint.

Is Sagan's efforts in Tirreno catching up with him? He didn't look strong today.

If you're referring to the sprint then you're not giving enough credit to Demare who is very fast and a great talent.

 

[Roude Leiw]

nice words from demare

Demare and his directeur sportif Marc Madiot carefully studied the replay of the sprint but accepted defeat.
"Peter moved across slightly but that's part of racing, part of sprinting," Demare admitted.

They are showing class here

 

[JRanton]

Not really. They went for Cav, but not very convincingly, resulting in nothing. Cav was out of the game, and their GC guys gained 4 seconds or so.

I can imagine Cav doesn't like Chavanel very much anymore. The guy who can't win a race ruins the chances of the guy who can.

He won this race last year though. The only mistake OPQS made was that Terpstra should have been pulling the group for Chavanel in order to increase the gap to the peloton.

 

[trevim]

Well, kudos to Kristoff for finishing 3rd after single-handedly bridging up to the break with 5k to go.

He has, much to my surprise, developed into a very strong rider for the classics. He's certainly a favourite for winning the bunch sprint from the peloton in RVV

A couple of years ago he was only a nice joke in this forum

 

[HiCadence]

If you're referring to the sprint then you're not giving enough credit to Demare who is very fast and a great talent.

Demare had to stop and start his sprint because Sagan moved over to the right hand side.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Demare had to stop and start his sprint because Sagan moved over to the right hand side.

He should have shown balls like Wilfried Nelissen in his days and the win would be his.

Go google who that was.

 

[HiCadence]

He should have shown balls like Wilfried Nelissen in his days and the win would be his.

Go google who that was.

And do a Ferrari on Cavendish? No thankyou he did the right thing and showed some class after it.

 

[Echoes]

The heli view showed that Sagan did nothing wrong. The road turned on the left. Démare said it.

I'm not a Sagan fan but Démare is worse, for me.


At the end I hope he told him: "You, the day you take your share of the workload in the breakaway, I might let you win. Now, that serves you right."


The hell with those wheelsuckers !

 

[shalgo]

The hell with those wheelsuckers !

And the fact that Demare's teammate pulled for most of the last kilometer to keep the break clear of the peloton doesn't count for anything?

 

[Echoes]

His teammate is not him.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

And the fact that Demare's teammate pulled for most of the last kilometer to keep the break clear of the peloton doesn't count for anything?

FDJ got their reward: second.

Or do you think FDJ fancy their chances against Greipel/Cav/Sagan and the rest?

Seems the anti - Sagan brigade here are more p@ssies than Demarre.
[not meant at you shalgo]

 

[the asian]

Full results.

http://www.pelotonwatch.com/results/2013/europetour/vdkdriedaagsedepanne/stage1.html

Good to see Le Bon putting in a shift. Strong ride by the youngster. He has a pretty good TT and could get a high place in the GC.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Awesome gif and appropriate to boot. Bravo!

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Come on We both KNOW luck played a part for Sagan today.

Sure, if by "luck" you mean "he's just better than the rest right now."

Your Sagan jealousy is getting the best of your assessment skillz.

 

[SKSemtex]

Cav after the race

"We had two guys up there at the end and we were active the whole day. That guy [Sagan] is pretty unbeatable right now though. He’s one of a generation and he’s super, super good. He’s making us all look like juniors."

I did not like the guy too much but I am ready to change it.

 

[SKSemtex]

Finally I have found my signature.

 

[cineteq]

Finally I have found my signature.

When in Rome? Is that the original version, or his swearing and whining were edited out?

 

[SKSemtex]

See the NEWS here on cyclingnews.com. Sagan ends Cavendish’s sprint hopes on stage 1 of De Panne
March 26, 17:46

 

[HiCadence]

Finally I have found my signature.

The best part of this is that i'm living rent free inside your head

Nice signature.

 

[SKSemtex]

The best part of this is that i'm living rent free inside your head

Nice signature.

You are welcome.

 

[_nm___]

FDJ got their reward: second.

Or do you think FDJ fancy their chances against Greipel/Cav/Sagan and the rest?

Seems the anti - Sagan brigade here are more p@ssies than Demarre.
[not meant at you shalgo]

my impression is they (francaise des jeux) just did.

or maybe i am not seeing right. but to me they just took on Sagan today: with Le Bon driving the break and Démare finishing it off in a sprint. and if it wasn't for Démare having to stop his sprint to tap on Sagan's back right in the middle of it we all agree that he would have beaten Sagan (nicely)

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Today suggests MSR was no fluke and Sagan's sprint is not what it was in last year's tour (and what it was in last years tour was much better than it had been previously, so that shouldn't be too much of a surprise).

 

[pedromartins]

Today suggests MSR was no fluke and Sagan's sprint is not what it was in last year's tour (and what it was in last years tour was much better than it had been previously, so that shouldn't be too much of a surprise).

He is much faster now than this time last year.

After classics he focus on sprinting. He's also much stronger.