E3 BinckBank Classic - March 29, 2019

[Pantani_lives]

The race known as E3 Harelbeke has officially changed its name after finding a new, Dutch sponsor. The course doesn't change much. It still starts and finishes in Harelbeke. Only the Wolvenberg and the Eikenberg are out because of road works. A lot will be revealed about the shape of the contenders for next week's Ronde van Vlaanderen, but the race is a classic in itself with a lot of big winners. Bring on the cobblestones and the Flemish hills!

Climbs:
1. Katteberg (176 km)
2. La Houppe (111 km)
3. Oude Kruisberg (96 km)
4. Knokteberg (87 km)
5. Hotondberg (83 km)
6. Kortekeer (76 km)
7. Taaienberg (72 km)
8. Boigneberg (65 km)
9. Stationsberg (56 km)
10. Kapelberg (46 km)
11. Paterberg (41 km)
12. Oude Kwaremont (37 km)
13. Karnemelkbeekstraat (29 km)
14. Tiegemberg (19 km)

Recent winners:
2009: Filippo Pozzato
2010: Fabian Cancellara
2011: Fabian Cancellara
2012: Tom Boonen
2013: Fabian Cancellara
2014: Peter Sagan
2015: Geraint Thomas
2016: Michal Kwiatkowski
2017: Greg van Avermaet
2018: Niki Terpstra

 

[Pantani_lives]

DQSt might dominate again with Lampaert, Gilbert, Jungels and Stybar. Other contenders are last year's winner Niki Terpstra, Sagan, Van Avermaet, Naesen, Van Aert and Trentin. It will be a test for Vanmarcke, Benoot, Roelandts, Stuyven, Kristoff, Boasson Hagen, Démare, Moscon, Colbrelli and Ballerini.

 

[tobydawq]

Valgren, Kragh, Pedersen and Cort might also have their say.

And Luke Rowe! One of the favourites if you ask me.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Magnificent line up.
Hopefully Terpstra can double up.
Can't wait.

 

[Blanco]

Anybody but steppers please!

 

[Laplaz]

Oli Naesen to win his first cobbled classic.

 

[SafeBet]

Can't f*cking wait.
Hopefully Cortina can finally deliver a good result on the cobbles.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

No Eikenberg this year

 

[Robert5091]

So we'll find out who's in shape for the weekend - QS versus the rest!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Oliver Nose to take the win.

 

[tobydawq]

Bahrain have a very interesting team with Mohoric, Teuns, Colbrelli and García.

 

[Keram]

I hate the fact I am not able to watch this race. I would rather skip Gent Wevelgem but what can I do? :sad:

Anyway I have a feeling that Terpstra not beeing a stepper anymore will change the dynamic of the race completely, because I honestly think he was best QS cobble rider last season. DQS will not be smashing competition tomorrow. I hope decent help for Sagan and really hope for decent cooperation of big guns against DQS because I can throw my post to the bin completely :lol:

 

[Anderis]

Alberto Bettiol will win this bike race.

 

[fauniera]

Parcours video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CbfVmLZjA8&t=15s

 

[Pricey_sky]

Always like watching this race, but slightly annoying Eurosport coverage doesn’t start until 3pm here.

 

[Screecher]

Peter Sagan will manage to lose this bike race.

 

[Salvarani]

Peter Sagan will manage to lose this bike race.

What a weird comment

 

[Wvv]

Hope Greg can show that his Poggio absence was just a bump in the road.
Would be glad for Naesen if he can win his first important cobbled race.

 

[Anderis]

Tom Wirtgen will manage to lose this bike race.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Tom Wirtgen will manage to lose this bike race.

No chance!!1

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

Tom Wirtgen will manage to lose this bike race.

No chance!!1

We'll see tomorrow who is right on that one.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Tom Wirtgen will manage to lose this bike race.

No chance!!1

We'll see tomorrow who is right on that one.

It's gonna be tight. I think I will refrain from making an avatar bet, though

 

[jaylew]

Love this race. Look at those winners!

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

I hate the fact I am not able to watch this race. I would rather skip Gent Wevelgem but what can I do? :sad:

Anyway I have a feeling that Terpstra not beeing a stepper anymore will change the dynamic of the race completely, because I honestly think he was best QS cobble rider last season. DQS will not be smashing competition tomorrow. I hope decent help for Sagan and really hope for decent cooperation of big guns against DQS because I can throw my post to the bin completely :lol:

I agree that Terpstra was clearly the best of the QS riders last season, if not the best cobbles specialist of all. But this year it would not surprise me if one of the other QS riders steps up and quickly (ha ha) delivers like Terpstra did last season. Afterall it has been QS' trademark in recent years to deliver despite big names leaving the team. Maybe it could be Stybar or Lampaert this time, even if none of them are a physical matches for Terpstra's engine. And if this is the case, I don't think the dynamic of the race will change too much other than the fact that QS now have one more high-profile opponent to deal with in the form of Terpstra.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Yes, others riders haven't sone that well after leaving QSt - remember Devolder? For Terpstra it will be harder to get away without team mates protecting him in the background. Hopefully other teams will work together against the dominance of one team.

What makes this race attractive is the fact that the tougher climbs are quite long before the finish, which invites the big guns to attack early.