E3 Saxo Classic 2024, one day classic, March 22

[Devil's Elbow]

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

I see that I've been ahead of the curve the past few years.

 

[Froome]

At the moment there's only a big 3.

Vingegaard, MVP and the slovenian pozzato.

Maybe these situation can change soon.....or not.

 

[jmdirt]

What I want to know is which genius MBA at Red Bull decided WVA was a more extreme and marketable athlete than MVDP?

Not that I'm complaining --- it would be a crime to ever combine the redbull helmet with the rainbow stripes.

Maybe RB did try to get MvdP, but he declined because it would be a conflict with the supplementation company that he owns?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

No, you don't miss the Froome days.

But I understand the point. Wout's crash didn't help here, though.

The Tour aside, no major race is generally better now than it was during the Froome days. And more than a few have become worse. Liège 2023 and Strade 2024 were already a case of deja viewing, I suspect there will be a lot more races in the next few years where we get to 'enjoy' a long solo almost identical to one we've already seen. Not to mention all the one-week stage races where one of Pogacar and Vingegaard romps home without even trying.

 

[DJO]

I have to say that I think that was stupid from WVA. He should have stayed with the five riders he left behind.

 

[Salvarani]

Love this era.

Real legends being made.

 

[Berniece]

I have to say that I think that was stupid from WVA. He should have stayed with the five riders he left behind.

This was a good test though. Otherwise he would’ve finished 2nd instead of 3rd, doesn’t matter to him

 

[DNP-Old]

Roflmao.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Maybe RB did try to get MvdP, but he declined because it would be a conflict with the supplementation company that he owns?

I'm sure Bruni has been seen using it in the past, and it didn't conflict with the RB contract. I suspect they didn't offer enough......

 

[DNP-Old]

Imagine some team decides to sign Brussenskiy this off-season because of his result in E3. Next level thievery. Take note, Sam Bennett.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

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

You miss the days an entire team would pace every stage of a GT and then the dude who sucked wheels for 200km would win the sprint?

Gimme a break. Cycling is so much better nowadays.

 

[DJO]

This was a good test though. Otherwise he would’ve finished 2nd instead of 3rd, doesn’t matter to him

I get that.
At the least in a two up tt with Jorgensen he might have had a better shout at catching MVDP.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

I'm sure Bruni has been seen using it in the past, and it didn't conflict with the RB contract. I suspect they didn't offer enough......

Yeah that or they already had one very prominent dutch athlethe in their portfolio and they opted to go with a Belgian one instead of doubling down on another Dutchmen.

 

[DNP-Old]

Yeah that or they already had one very prominent dutch athlethe in their portfolio and they opted to go with a Belgian one instead of doubling down on another Dutchmen.

Van der Poel more of a Fleming than Van Aert tbh.

 

[Netserk]

The Tour aside, no major race is generally better now than it was during the Froome days. And more than a few have become worse. Liège 2023 and Strade 2024 were already a case of deja viewing, I suspect there will be a lot more races in the next few years where we get to 'enjoy' a long solo almost identical to one we've already seen. Not to mention all the one-week stage races where one of Pogacar and Vingegaard romps home without even trying.

Ronde the past few years has been better than the 2012-2016 editions.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Van der Poel more of a Fleming than Van Aert tbh.

No...just no. He's got a Dutch dad and a French mom. He lived close to the border and went to school in Belgium. We all like him but he's as Dutch as Femke Bol or Dafne Schippers

 

[DNP-Old]

No...just no. He's got a Dutch dad and a French mom. He lived close to the border and went to school in Belgium. We all like him but he's as Dutch as Femke Bol or Dafne Schippers

Whenever he wins a race Brabançonne magically starts playing.

 

[Netserk]

For someone who can predict the exact Cipressa time combined with Philipsen winning MSR, this was rather poor

At the time of my post, I think that scenario was very underrated, and it was justified to be leaning in that direction.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Whenever he wins a race Brabançonne magically starts playing.

Yeah, and when Ben Healy wins a race there is a magical pot of gold that appears

 

[Brullnux]

The Tour aside, no major race is generally better now than it was during the Froome days. And more than a few have become worse. Liège 2023 and Strade 2024 were already a case of deja viewing, I suspect there will be a lot more races in the next few years where we get to 'enjoy' a long solo almost identical to one we've already seen. Not to mention all the one-week stage races where one of Pogacar and Vingegaard romps home without even trying.

Rose tinted glasses – I don't understand why we are forgetting a good spell of 2010s being way, way worse for classics. Ronde 22 and Ronde 23 were better than almost every Ronde of the 2010s. Paris Roubaix last year was excellent, as was the year Colbrelli won. We had 100km of action last year! And no winner until carrefour d'arbre. Liege was also awful awful awful in the 2010s.

Amstel is so much better now, too!

 

[Brullnux]

Ronde the past few years has been better than the 2012-2016 editions.

Do you remember Terpstra winning Paris-Roubaix after 250km of soft pedalling lol.

Every Ronde in those years was just wait until Oude Kwaremont/Paterberg. It was not good!

 

[Nick2413]

These classics feel like CX races at this point

 

[Netserk]

Rose tinted glasses – I don't understand why we are forgetting a good spell of 2010s being way, way worse for classics. Ronde 22 and Ronde 23 were better than almost every Ronde of the 2010s. Paris Roubaix last year was excellent, as was the year Colbrelli won. We had 100km of action last year! And no winner until carrefour d'arbre. Liege was also awful awful awful in the 2010s.

Amstel is so much better now, too!

I don't think Roubaix was a good edition last year. Way too static for my taste.

 

[Brullnux]

I don't think Roubaix was a good edition last year. Way too static for my taste.

Fair enough, I enjoyed it because I felt there was tension from Arenberg onwards. But I don't think it was objectively terrible, and much better than some of the 2010s (ofc not 2015).

 

[303pbmf]

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

The biggest problem is that the best riders don't ride against each other most of the time. If they attack you just know they are gone. What's the point of watching pogacar or vingegaard after they attack? Landa, or whoever won't get them back.
The winning part is not bad, but every bit of excitement gets sucked out of every race. Strade bianche was over with 80k to go.