E3 Saxo Classic 2024, one day classic, March 22

[tobydawq]

Conserving energy is only useful if you actually have anything to contribute deep into the race. If you know you don’t have it you might as well be a bit pointlessly flashy rather than just anonymous from start to finish.

Yes, and today that might have been a good explanation, but it really is a pattern that he always does this. It's like he has no confidence at all anymore which I guess is not far from the truth.

 

[Brullnux]

I think we all know the answer to that question...

Win or lose we're on the booze?

 

[topcat]

What was Alaphilippe thinking? Hasn't he ever heard of the principle of conserving energy once in a while?

Ala was testing himself ahead of the Ronde. After he realized he could match zig and zag, he knocked it off to time the peak right for 2 weeks time.

 

[Samamba]

What I find interesting about the result is the age of the top 20. Cycling has been getting younger, but there's only 4 guys younger than 27 in the top 20: Girmay (23), Jorgensen (24, only in the top 10), Lazkano (24) and De Pestel (25).

 

[SafeBet]

Same 3 dudes win everything that matters and the gap is only getting bigger. Barely a point to tuning in any more other than bad habit.

Samremo is the only oultier, and that was just One Of The Three deciding to be kingmaker for the dirtiest sprinter in the peloton.

I will admit I am salt, but I basically miss the Froome days at this point

Somebody ban this user. He stole Red Rick's account.

 

[johnymax]

Don't worry. A Roglic Tour victory will save the state of cycling.

 

[proffate]

...and MvdP (part) owns a supplement company...

You think people either buy supplements or red bull but not both?

Besides which, I'm sure red bull has more than enough money to make it worthwhile for mvdp to divest from that business

 

[proffate]

Don't worry. A Roglic Tour victory will save the state of cycling.

unless he reinvents himself as a sprinter I don't think he's taking a single stage

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He has an amazing palmares VDP but it’s surprising that he has only won one GT stage

He has won two.

 

[Froome]

Don't worry. A Roglic Tour victory will save the state of cycling.

Save from what? Cycling is getting better, year after year. We don't need that.

 

[Savant12]

Wonder if WVA's legs will come back down to sea level before Flanders.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Wonder if WVA's legs will come back down to sea level before Flanders.

Yes

 

[jmdirt]

You think people either buy supplements or red bull but not both?

Besides which, I'm sure red bull has more than enough money to make it worthwhile for mvdp to divest from that business

His company sells drink mixes (before/during /after mixes). Its not a good marketing plan to sell people something, but use something else yourself.

RB has enough money to buy a lot of things, but not everything is for sale.

 

[ice&fire]

Wonder if WVA's legs will come back down to sea level before Flanders.

They were down on the Paterberg

 

[Bolder]

Yes, and today that might have been a good explanation, but it really is a pattern that he always does this. It's like he has no confidence at all anymore which I guess is not far from the truth.

Alaphilippe just can't go deep in any race anymore, although there were encouraging signs at MSR (which, to be honest, is long but not demanding for 95 percent of the route).

If he doesn't change something he probably should just hang it up after this year. As a fan of WCRR/Classics contender/TdF stage-winning Alaf, I hate to see him this way. Sagan's last 2 years were even more painful.

But he'll probably go to Total on a 2 year contract.

 

[KZD]

Once again, E3 delivers us some great racing!

Van der Poel just on another level when compared to everyone else and the only rider that came close, Van Aert, made a mistake that ended up deciding the race and the H2H between the two keeps getting more unbalanced.

Really impressed with Lidl-Trek's overall strength its just a shame that they lack a leader strong enough to put up a real challenge to Van der Poel even though Stuyven looks in great shape unlike Pedersen.

Really impressed with Narvaez, currently he is Ineos best cobbled classics rider and an underrated rider as well. Ghirmay also seems in the right path but lacked a bit of endurance in the end.

De Lie very underwhelming and I was not impressed by Visma's overall strength, even though they were lacking a few key players.

 

[Oldermanish]

Conserving energy is only useful if you actually have anything to contribute deep into the race. If you know you don’t have it you might as well be a bit pointlessly flashy rather than just anonymous from start to finish.

Unfortunately Julian has spent much of his career with the flashy. He needs to build up, not flame out.

 

[proffate]

His company sells drink mixes (before/during /after mixes). Its not a good marketing plan to sell people something, but use something else yourself.

RB has enough money to buy a lot of things, but not everything is for sale.

nobody thinks wout van aert exclusively chugs red bulls just because he has a blue and yellow hat on

and of the things that are for sale or not, "ad space on MVDP's body" is most certainly in the former category. That is literally his entire business model.

 

[jmdirt]

nobody thinks wout van aert exclusively chugs red bulls just because he has a blue and yellow hat on

and of the things that are for sale or not, "ad space on MVDP's body" is most certainly in the former category. That is literally his entire business model.

Wout doesn't own a company that sells similar products.

Clearly, MvdP's 'add space' is not for sale to RB, nor is he willing to compromise his own company.

I'm going to tap out on your rolling silliness now.

 

[DNP-Old]

Is this the Gent - Wevelgem thread too? Because sh*t will be going down tomorrow with the weather forecast, and we won't see sh*t because De Moeren is too early in the race to make the broadcast.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Is this the Gent - Wevelgem thread too? Because sh*t will be going down tomorrow with the weather forecast, and we won't see sh*t because De Moeren is too early in the race to make the broadcast.

Wait, what? Please don't say it's canceled.

 

[DNP-Old]

Wait, what? Please don't say it's canceled.

Huh?

No, I am saying the race will be carnage and be blown to pieces before the broadcast goes live.

 

[Brullnux]

Wait, what? Please don't say it's canceled.

Nah it's just very windy and the most exposed section (De Moeren) is pre-broadcast

 

[DNP-Old]

This is De Moeren.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I miss the days. Not the person. Nibali winning Sanremo was also the Froome days. I have the Italian commentary of that as my morning alarm and I still don't hate it

How can we miss Frome when he won't go away?