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Nice.
They might as well now that you have to be an adult to access the website anyway.
One of the NOS motors said he used several sticky bottles to return to the peloton after the crash, so you could dispute his placement as wellIs it not more fair to give the win to Schachmann in a situation like this? He is the highest placed rider whose placement was not in dispute.
Fonzie?Someone was also watching
+1. Every race people find a reason to complain. 10x more when a course changes. You’re spot on. I don’t care as much about courses, just give me good racing.Hard to please, much?
It pretty much had everything you want in a bike race. Attacks by top riders from far out, strong breaks, leads changing hands, multiple teams trying to leverage their strength, and a will-they-won’t-they bunch bearing down on the cat and mousing leaders at the finish. I enjoyed it.
It beat the snot out of “everybody who wants to win, hide in the bunch until the last time up the Cauberg” that we got every year with the old route.
They did OK, I guess, since they won. And of course the work they did was very important for letting van Aert save as much energy as possible there. But I think both Vingegaard and Roglic were activated too early in the race. The split that happened after the last Cauberg (cca 20km to go), when there were 3 INEOS riders in the lead group of 7-8 riders, was very dangerous. Ideally you'd want Roglic to be there with van Aert. There was bad luck (probably) involved, but even without the mechanical I'm not sure Roglic would have been there, because he spent a lot of energy beforehand. Also he was very bad positioned going onto the last Cauberg. With Roglic out of the game, there was no other Jumbo Visma rider in sight. They had no one in the first two chasing groups.I think they did well today. In the cobble classics they rarely did anything from 60km to 25km to go. Unlucky from Roglic of course as well.
I'm not people. In fact I don't think I've complained about a race once in 2021. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who verbally expresses more enthusiasm for racing than me on this forum.+1. Every race people find a reason to complain. 10x more when a course changes. You’re spot on. I don’t care as much about courses, just give me good racing.
There was a lot of talk about how easy the route was, I'm surprised the final Cauberg selection even was decisive, but in this case I cannot fault the organisers at all.I'm not people. In fact I don't think I've complained about a race once in 2021. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who verbally expresses more enthusiasm for racing than me on this forum.
Besides, I posted nothing about the route before the race, exactly because I had no idea what was going to happen. But then the race happened, and it was dull. No major contender showed his face until the last Cauberg. Much of the excitement came from the valiant efforts by the two youngsters Vansevenant and Schelling (who were never going to win). An exciting race from the Cauberg, that I'll concede.
Was the route to blame for the dull racing yesterday? Possibly not the only factor, but the comparison with the 2017-2019 editions is pretty clear. All of those were much harder and much more exciting races. So yeah, I really hope they bring back that route.
Incidentally, Coquard's front wheel was in the air when he crossed the line, like Van Aert'sKittel vs Coquard in 2016 was also pretty close.
It seemed crazy to me that he rejoined before Vansevenant, considering how long he was standing there after the crash. Well, all can't be caught so blatantly as Nibali.One of the NOS motors said he used several sticky bottles to return to the peloton after the crash, so you could dispute his placement as well
People actually do complain about the course, tactics, and the excitement of just about every race. Sometimes it’s warranted, mostly it’s not. I thought yesterday was quite a good race, given the situation, and the last 30-40 kilometers were quite good, as in any good race. The finish was really exciting, more than most races. Yet people still gripe.I'm not people. In fact I don't think I've complained about a race once in 2021. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who verbally expresses more enthusiasm for racing than me on this forum.
Besides, I posted nothing about the route before the race, exactly because I had no idea what was going to happen. But then the race happened, and it was dull. No major contender showed his face until the last Cauberg. Much of the excitement came from the valiant efforts by the two youngsters Vansevenant and Schelling (who were never going to win). An exciting race from the Cauberg, that I'll concede.
Was the route to blame for the dull racing yesterday? Possibly not the only factor, but the comparison with the 2017-2019 editions is pretty clear. All of those were much harder and much more exciting races. So yeah, I really hope they bring back that route.
If it is reasonable and fairly argued (as in this case), it is not mere complaints (or whines), but critique. Exactly what you'd hope to find in a forum.People actually do complain about the course, tactics, and the excitement of just about every race. Sometimes it’s warranted, mostly it’s not. I thought yesterday was quite a good race, given the situation, and the last 30-40 kilometers were quite good, as in any good race. The finish was really exciting, more than most races. Yet people still gripe.
I find the griping tiresome, it so often reads as posturing. If my comments don‘t apply to you, great. I don’t track who posts what.
Is that an issue here, a lack of reasonable critique?If it is reasonable and fairly argued (as in this case), it is not mere complaints (or whines), but critique. Exactly what you'd hope to find in a forum.
Far better than an insufferable echo-chamber of ever happy cheerleaders.
The race was dull, and I don't think he was blaming the organisers for the route either. Complaining about complaining doesn't make it less dullIs that an issue here, a lack of reasonable critique?
Theres a pandemic on. We all prefer the regular course, naturally. Calling that race “dull” is silly. It’s the same after every race, bad tactics, bad course, boring racing, no one attacks. Yawn.
It’s not like there aren’t real issues in cycling to complain about.
Of course not. I'm actually thankful any race takes place in COVID times, whatever the route.The race was dull, and I don't think he was blaming the organisers for the route either.