E3 Harelbeke March 26, 2021

[Broccolidwarf]

Today was one of the most beautiful examples of teamwork, I have seen in a classic race, in recent memory.

The way Stybar and Senechal (and let's not forgot Lampaert would have been there too, without the technical), marked out everyone, once Asgreen made his second move, was beautiful to behold.

They made Lefevre's prophecy come true:

"You know what wolves do with their victims? They isolate them, and that’s what we’re going to do in the next few months."

 

[F_Cance]

really looking forward to see this "beatiful example of teamwork" few more times in the next weeks. It's never getting boring

 

[wheresmybrakes]

MVDP needs to have a little chat with Stannard.

 

[MartinGT]

MVDP needs to have a little chat with Stannard.

When Blythe said he would do the after show in his pants if a Stepper didn't win I immediately thought of that.

 

[Red Rick]

Van der Poel saying he didn't expect DQS to sprint to the foot of the Taaienberg.

That's only been happening every single E3 since Boonen. It's like he never watched cycling.

 

[jaylew]

Crazy being a Dane right now! They win everything at moment and are included in all finals in all types of races!

Yes, I'm very anti-Dane at the moment!

Ok, that sounds harsh and I'm not really serious but I just Iost a race to a Danish guy by about a few centimeters a week ago and I'm still a little raw!

 

[kingjr]

Van der Poel saying he didn't expect DQS to sprint to the foot of the Taaienberg.

That's only been happening every single E3 since Boonen. It's like he never watched cycling.

Tbf, I dont think he watches much cycling.

 

[Volderke]

Yes, I'm very anti-Dane at the moment!

Ok, that sounds harsh and I'm not really serious but I just Iost a race to a Danish guy by about a few centimeters a week ago and I'm still a little raw!

You have races at the moment?

 

[DaLong]

Tbf, I dont think he watches much cycling.

I honestly doubt a lot of these guys have time to watch that much. However, the team should definitely have people that do this for them.

 

[jmdirt]

Bull. For some ungulates (in English) cow definitely means a female, because the general name for the species is different, for example, elk or moose. For the domestic variety “cow” is also the generic name for the species. When the Farmer-in-the Dell’s cow goes “moo”, its not assumed it’s female (though it probably was). Mad -cow disease isn’t just the females.

Bovine

 

[jmdirt]

MVDP saying he was good today but definitely not super. He is still feeling the effects of the Italian races.

Maybe next time he’ll not overexert himself?

Also says that it’s a shame Wout wasn’t with him in the final, they did most of the work in the chase and paid the price at the end. Wout was dropped on the Tiegemberg and he wasn’t as fresh anymore either.

Good to see he realizes that he needs Wout in order to disrupt the Steppers team tactics.

He says Asgreen was really strong but he did most of the work in chase to reel him back in and expected him to go again but did not expect he had that much left in him. If he did chase again he’d just cook himself cause then another Stepper would attack.

He basically got caught in the team tactics laid out by Lefevre some time ago.

Very impressive stuff by Quickstep, if you don’t have the best racer than you have to so it in numbers. Great stuff. Great race.

"I think the strongest man in the race has won," Van der Poel said. "First he drove it for a long time and then again, and then he kept it up to the finish. Obviously supported by a very strong bloc, but I don't think that detracts much from his performance."

 

[Koronin]

Nice win for Asgreen. On a selfish note, his wins helps my CQ team.

 

[jmdirt]

Van der Poel saying he didn't expect DQS to sprint to the foot of the Taaienberg.

That's only been happening every single E3 since Boonen. It's like he never watched cycling.

Boonen?! VdP wasn't even born then!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Boonen?! VdP wasn't even born then!

Don't forget, that Boonen had already won this race four times when he was 26.

 

[Orbit501]

Wow!...... What a race!

Masterclass by the Steppers, but just brilliant by Asgreen.

Special mention for Haller too. That was some riding all day!

 

[KZD]

Quick Step did a masterclass today but Asgreen was obviously in a superb day. Watch out for Senechal too his sprint might be a dangerous weapon in De Ronde. Disappointed by Van der Poel's tacticts and Van Aert's shape

 

[will-10]

I honestly doubt a lot of these guys have time to watch that much. However, the team should definitely have people that do this for them.

The run-in to Taaienberg is always a "dark red alarm" (ask Andreas Klier), regardless of the race or distance from the finish.

 

[Lequack]

After they cought Asgreen, MVDP should have done zero work at all, he should just sit at the back pushing Asgreen forward if need be. But instead he just continued to pull at the front and obviously missed Asgreen attack. When you are in a group of 3 QS riders, you don't do any work, just try to answer any attack or wait for the sprint.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Don't forget, that Boonen had already won this race four times when he was 26.

but boonen didn't do cyclocross until he was 25

these age comparisons don't make any sense when one rider went pro on the road at age 20, whilst the other participated in a different cycling discpline and didn't take road seriously until he was older. Same with Van Aert

 

[Mayomaniac]

Wow!...... What a race!

Masterclass by the Steppers, but just brilliant by Asgreen.

Special mention for Haller too. That was some riding all day!

Yeah and Hoelgaard also deserves a mention.
Haller is flying a bit under the radar, but in 2019 he was often up there in the bunch sprints behind the leaders in the spring classics.
17th in MSR, 19th in E3, 27th in GW and 16th in Paris-Roubaix.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

but boonen didn't do cyclocross until he was 25

these age comparisons don't make any sense when one rider went pro on the road at age 20, whilst the other participated in a different cycling discpline and didn't take road seriously until he was older. Same with Van Aert

No, they don't make much sense at all. I was merely using the results to point out, that van der Poel isn't too young to have experienced Boonen.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

really looking forward to see this "beatiful example of teamwork" few more times in the next weeks. It's never getting boring

I really don’t understand what you want in a race. I can understand finding a super-strong team boring if they also have the top favourite. But this was a team blowing everything up to put the top favourites in a bad tactical situation. It had action from early on, a long initially unsuccessful solo, frenetic chasing and a winner that wasn’t settled until late.

 

[jaylew]

You have races at the moment?

Yep, lots of them. More gravel races (or partially gravel races) than road races so far since they are usually held in the middle of nowhere but you can pretty much race every week if you want.

 

[MartinGT]

After they cought Asgreen, MVDP should have done zero work at all, he should just sit at the back pushing Asgreen forward if need be. But instead he just continued to pull at the front and obviously missed Asgreen attack. When you are in a group of 3 QS riders, you don't do any work, just try to answer any attack or wait for the sprint.

Totally, he had 3 Steppers and 2 AG2R. Should have sat back.

 

[Oliver]

What a performance by Asgreen!
Nice race!