E3 Saxo Classic 2025, one day classic, March 28

[Netserk]

Watching the crucial section again twice, I think it was more mental than physical for Van Aert. He lost positions to all his teammates in the approach to Taaienberg and was gapped on the flat before the climb started.

 

[tobydawq]

Bora terrible performance, wtf has happened to oeir lakzano

Insane fans acting like he was better than Van Aert completely got to his head.

 

[Red Rick]

Seems like that's the time they're doing mostly. A bit faster. The Ronde will still be tougher, more km's and more tired if Pogi makes every climb hard. I'm on the fence if he can keep up with Pogi in this scenario, untill I see him follow. (Hopefully next week)

How hard is it to believe final time in De Ronde isn't the best for getting fast climbing times?

I'm pretty sure they do the final Pater like 15s slower than the Strava record and that's like a 1 minute minute climb.

 

[tobydawq]

Watching the crucial section again twice, I think it was more mental than physical for Van Aert. He lost positions to all his teammates in the approach to Taaienberg and was gapped on the flat before the climb started.

Yeah, it was really sad to see. There were four Visma riders in front of him going into the Taaienberg.

One can hope that he has just decided not to take any risk today or any other race before Sunday but I doubt that's what's afoot here.

 

[Panda Claws]

Bora terrible performance, wtf has happened to oeir lakzano

Picked by me in CQ Manager

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

So he is washed/irrelevant/no longer successful. You may not like but it is the hard truth.

I sincerely hope you have to eat your words.

 

[Netserk]

Yeah, it was really sad to see. There were four Visma riders in front of him going into the Taaienberg.

One can hope that he has just decided not to take any risk today or any other race before Sunday but I doubt that's what's afoot here.

I do question the wisdom in having both Van der Sande and Affini ahead of the captains on Kortekeer when you are already too far back. Had they allowed Jorgenson and Van Aert to pass them then, the situation would be far less catastrophic later.

 

[jono]

How hard is it to believe final time in De Ronde isn't the best for getting fast climbing times?

I'm pretty sure they do the final Pater like 15s slower than the Strava record and that's like a 1 minute minute climb.

Well, it seems almost all of the fastest Kwaremont times come from de Ronde, aside from Mathieu today if he were to upload his ride.

 

[Gratemans]

WvA being washed might be exaggerating, but there's certainly something wrong. Really feels a bit like that absolute hunger for wins kinda faded away or something.

 

[tobydawq]

I do question the wisdom in having both Van der Sande and Affini ahead of the captains on Kortekeer when you are already too far back. Had they allowed Jorgenson and Van Aert to pass them then, the situation would be far less catastrophic later.

Yeah, that's also often a problem with leadout trains in bunch sprints. They're only an advantage if they're at the very front of the peloton.

 

[Berniece]

Watching the crucial section again twice, I think it was more mental than physical for Van Aert. He lost positions to all his teammates in the approach to Taaienberg and was gapped on the flat before the climb started.

Hopefully he just doesn’t want to take any risk for De Ronde and Roubaix. That his positioning will be better then

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

The funny thing is that before he switched his focus to the road, Van der Poel used to be known for having complete offdays at the most random moments (Arctic Race 2018 is a textbook example, or the Koppenbergcross in the same year if we're talking offroad). It happened one last time at Dwars door Vlaanderen in 2021 and since then, he's been utterly relentless in the races he cares about.

He does always seem to take July off.

 

[Gratemans]

Hopefully he just doesn’t want to take any risk for De Ronde and Roubaix. That his positioning will be better then

That would be utterly lame. I'm glad Mathieu and Tadej at least are willing to 'take some risks', otherwise this would be a very, very boring spring.

 

[jono]

He does always seem to take July off.

Except in 2021.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Except in 2021.

Until he lost 17 minutes on stage 7. Then we didn't hear from him again. Wout however...

 

[jono]

Until he lost 17 minutes on stage 7. Then we didn't hear from him again. Wout however...

He was never planning to finish that Tour.

My point is if he wants to do well in non-high mountain stages at the Tour he certainly can. Wout is obviously the better rider for the Tour and other stage races.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

He was never planning to finish that Tour.

My point is if he wants to do well in non-high mountain stages at the Tour he certainly can. Wout is obviously the better rider for the Tour and other stage races.

Also, I think he takes July as somewhat of a rest between the classics and WC's. He rides (maybe not this year), but isn't interested in racing. In some ways, because of CX, it's his off season. Though to give him further credit, he does seem to be the best final lead-out man in the world for Philipsen

 

[jmdirt]

Yes. It's good to race races. Let the commissaires neutralise it when you are not supposed to race, and then hammer it whenever you feel like it the rest of the time.

Nah, not that early in the race.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Bora terrible performance, wtf has happened to oeir lakzano

They've massacred my boy.

 

[Berniece]

That would be utterly lame. I'm glad Mathieu and Tadej at least are willing to 'take some risks', otherwise this would be a very, very boring spring.

Both of them never had the amount of days off the bike due to crashes like WVA. Mentally he is much weaker

 

[AmRacer]

Both of them never had the amount of days off the bike due to crashes like WVA. Mentally he is much weaker

Mathieu's back issues after Tokyo crash

 

[Berniece]

Mathieu's back issues after Tokyo crash

Is that similar? He finished 8th in WC and 3rd in Roubaix 1-2 months later. Went on to win monuments and WC’s.

How is that comparable to WVA who has missed De Ronde and Roubaix a couple of times now due to crashes and last year was completely broken mentally due to crashes. Not only has he been off the bike longer, his crashes have also been more severe.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Chapeau to Ineos today, they have been a pleasure to watch this year. Nailed Cipressa Saturday, nailed Kortekeer and Taaienberg today.

Yeah it seems they have a new lease of life. Maybe it's down to having no interference from Ratcliffe or Brailsford who are too preoccupied doing their best to wreck Man United.

 

[Gratemans]

Is that similar? He finished 8th in WC and 3rd in Roubaix 1-2 months later. Went on to win monuments and WC’s.

How is that comparable to WVA who has missed De Ronde and Roubaix a couple of times now due to crashes and last year was completely broken mentally due to crashes. Not only has he been off the bike longer, his crashes have also been more severe.

I'm not unsympathetic to that point, but I think he/they handle it wrong. If you fall off a horse, it's best to get right back on. If you skip other races to avoid risks and to win 'the one' you only put more pressure on yourself.

 

[KZD]

Another solo from Van der Poel, unless Pogačar rides he is simply unbeatable in these races.

Great race from Pedersen, he is looking good to podium Flanders again behind the two aliens.

Ganna doing great too, he is a bit too heavy for these cobbled climbs so third is a very good outcome, he should be a big threat in Roubaix.

Shoutout to Casper Pedersen and Aimee de Ghent too.

Visma disappointing, I doubt Van Aert and Jorgenson can be close to the aliens in Flanders, maybe the former in Roubaix.