Dwars Door Vlaanderen - 23/3/11 - 201km

[Mellow Velo]

Generous? Thomas attacked Nuyens with 400 m to go. It wasn't a lead out; he was trying to win.

Davide Cassani's words, not mine. Apparently, he knows a thing or too about bike racing.

Whatever.

Thomas was cooked at the finish, so he did all he could.
Without his help, however "pathetic" it appears to some
and apparently the winner, without it, Farrar would be taking the podium top step.

 

[spalco]

The division of labour was probably 60 -30 - 10 between Nuyens, Thomas and Amorison. Clearly the best and most eager guy won.

From what was shown on tv that appears generous for Thomas to me.
But maybe he was on the front every time the camera turned away.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I do think GT was cooked, but he did little work.
Nuyens deserved to win.

 

[El Pistolero]

At least one Belgian win in the cobbled races this year

Cancellara didn't look as strong as he did last year in Dwars door Vlaanderen, but the real test will be E3 Prijs Vlaanderen.

 

[Rocksteady]

I still can't believe that Garmin couldn't pull that in. Either Haussler really doesn't have the form he needs right now, or I smell a fight for leadership going on.

For some reason, I just don't trust Haussler to give 100% to Farrar. Thor, yes. Haussler, I just don't know.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Awesome job by Nuyens,did most of the work in the break and got to finish it of. Maybe thx to Thomas who got nervous and took over in the end

Great job by Amorison too. I was really amazed he could still follow Nuyens on the Tiegem

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Well, Flecha is often well above average in these races so I would say that he is at least damn close to being a superstar. He lacks the monument wins that Boonen or Cancellara has but so does almost every other rider as well.

He is close, and closer this season than Hushovd, which backs up my original point really, that Sky are closer to where everyone thought Garmin would be than Garmin are.

But he doesn't guarantee wins over a season, unlike other riders.

 

[Jan the Man]

Don't understand the argument.

Did Nuyens do more work that GT- yes?
Did GT wheelsuck - No! he contributed to the break though did less turns than Nuyens.
Would the break have succeeded without GT or Amorison's assistance- highly unlikely
Was Nueyns clearly stronger - yes
Did GT try and win in the last KM- yes the only way he could, given he was cooked.
Did Nuyens deserve to win- yes he was the strongest and together with Boonen most aggresive rider today

 

[Roland Rat]

I still can't believe that Garmin couldn't pull that in. Either Haussler really doesn't have the form he needs right now, or I smell a fight for leadership going on.

For some reason, I just don't trust Haussler to give 100% to Farrar. Thor, yes. Haussler, I just don't know.

And the added benefit of not having radios is the riders have to sort out such things themselves as they can't go crying to daddy... ermmm... their DS during the race.

 

[Hawkwood]

Don't understand the argument.

Did Nuyens do more work that GT- yes?
Did GT wheelsuck - No! he contributed to the break though did less turns than Nuyens.
Would the break have succeeded without GT or Amorison's assistance- highly unlikely
Was Nueyns clearly stronger - yes
Did GT try and win in the last KM- yes the only way he could, given he was cooked.
Did Nuyens deserve to win- yes he was the strongest and together with Boonen most aggresive rider today

+1 It looked to me as if he managed his reserves the best he could to get the best result he could, hence he acted as a proper professional. If he'd worked more he wouldn't have finished higher, and maybe even have lost the 2nd place.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

How the hell did Hoste end up 5th in that sprint??

 

[Mellow Velo]

Don't understand the argument.

Did Nuyens do more work that GT- yes?
Did GT wheelsuck - No! he contributed to the break though did less turns than Nuyens.
Would the break have succeeded without GT or Amorison's assistance- highly unlikely
Was Nueyns clearly stronger - yes
Did GT try and win in the last KM- yes the only way he could, given he was cooked.
Did Nuyens deserve to win- yes he was the strongest and together with Boonen most aggresive rider today

+1
That's exactly the point.
Strongest guy won, but the second placed guy wasn't just a parasite at the party.

A good return to form for the RABOBANK old boy. (as if they didn't know)

 

[theyoungest]

A good return to form for the RABOBANK old boy. (as if they didn't know)

I know you're just baiting, but if you'd paid attention you'd have seen that he was strong last year as well. He just didn't have any luck.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I know you're just baiting, but if you'd paid attention you'd have seen that he was strong last year as well. He just didn't have any luck.

Moi, baiting?

 

[Benotti69]

Davide Cassani's words, not mine. Apparently, he knows a thing or too about bike racing.

Whatever.

Thomas was cooked at the finish, so he did all he could.
Without his help, however "pathetic" it appears to some
and apparently the winner, without it, Farrar would be taking the podium top step.

+1

I find it amazing how much some people get upset about riders sitting on wheels and ignore the biggest problem in pro cycling. sad.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

+1

I find it amazing how much some people get upset about riders sitting on wheels and ignore the biggest problem in pro cycling. sad.

the biggest problem in pro cycling, people like you who turn the sports attention to doping everytime they can.

Take it to the clinic.

 

[Anonymous]

just got in and watched the recording. How the pair of them held on I will never know. Great win for Nuyens, and G showed just what fine form he is in this year without the distractions of the track.

 

[Cobblestoned]

the biggest problem in pro cycling, people like you who turn the sports attention to doping everytime they can.

Take it to the clinic.

But, but.....he is one of the very few "real" cyclingfans still left.
Cycling needs people like him.

 

[Cobblestoned]

just got in and watched the recording. How the pair of them held on I will never know. Great win for Nuyens, and G showed just what fine form he is in this year without the distractions of the track.

Well, it looked like the sprinters were already sprinting in their imagination, and then Geraint, or Thomas, did this huge stealth-acceleration around the corner, which probably cost the sprinters this one missing second.

Even a second can make a huge difference in result.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

+1

I find it amazing how much some people get upset about riders sitting on wheels and ignore the biggest problem in pro cycling. sad.

I agree. Lack of scantily clad cheerleaders is a huge problem in cycling.

 

[mr. tibbs]

just got in and watched the recording. How the pair of them held on I will never know. Great win for Nuyens, and G showed just what fine form he is in this year without the distractions of the track.

I wonder if they would have been caught had the peloton been using radios. I remember thinking that the chase looked piecemeal, with everyone kinda doing their own thing and exciting little attacks blossoming all over the road.

Would radios have resulted in a more organized chase, benefitting the sprinters? Is this the dawning of a new age of racing where breakaways aren't simply reeled in by mechanical sprint trains and moves like this can out last the peloton?

I certainly hope so.

 

[Nicoper]

How the hell did Hoste end up 5th in that sprint??

Pssst don't tell that to anyone.

There is one race soon he is interested in and he would not want people to know that he is in really good shape, probably the best so far.

So pssssssst

 

[TourOfSardinia]

the biggest problem in pro cycling, people like you who turn the sports attention to doping everytime they can.

Take it to the clinic.

I see a clinic full of cynics

 

[jens_attacks]

wow impressive ride by nuyens.looking good for ronde.i will never understand what devolder did today,he's an enigma.and good to see tommeke at the front too bad he'll never drop cancellara.

 

[Parrulo]

Pssst don't tell that to anyone.

There is one race soon he is interested in and he would not want people to know that he is in really good shape, probably the best so far.

So pssssssst

are you leif hoste?

I see a clinic full of cynics

please lets not talk about the clinic. that place makes me sick. . . seriously how can they claim they love the sport when every performance above dead last is the performance of a doper.