Gent-Wevelgem 2012

[DominicDecoco]

A little appetiser before we hit Flanders.
The 'sprinters classic' is right around the corner. Twice over Kemmelberg.

Boonen to seal it yet again?
BMC to disappoint yet again?
Mark to quit before or after kemmelberg?

Gent-Wevelgem 2011 results:
1 Tom Boonen (Bel)
2 Daniele Bennati (Ita)
3 Tyler Farrar (USA)
4 André Greipel (Ger)
5 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel)

Last 5 years winners:
2011: Tom Boonen
2010: Bernhard Eisel
2009: Edvald Boasson Hagen
2008: Óscar Freire
2007: Marcus Burghardt

Start List:
http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjI5MDQ=

Live streams:
http://www.steephill.tv/classics/gent-wevelgem/#tv-schedule

 

[DominicDecoco]

Apperently I can't add '2012' in the headline. Can an admin do this? Thanks.

 

[Parrulo]

in his current form boonen is the overwhelming favorite for this imo

 

[Swede1]

in his current form boonen is the overwhelming favorite for this imo

Yeah and with his team. If they put the pressure on over the bergs then they can shed the faster sprinters or at least tire them out. And Boonen is the best of the rest.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Degenkolb ftw . Also, I'm interested to see how Demare gets on in his first WT race.

 

[For The World]

I'll go with Devolder (just for a laugh), or Farrar (slightly less of a laugh) for the win.

 

[LugHugger]

Love this race, mostly because it's the easiest Classic/semi Classic terrain to reach from SE England. As a Brit I'm interested in how Cavendish goes since this is far more like the Olympic parcours than MSR. Whilst I don't expect him to win, I would expect him to be up there in the front group at the end.

 

[maltiv]

EBH to win from a sprint...nah just kidding, all his teammates will be 30 minutes behind trying to push Cavendish up the hills.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Time to sticky this thread eh?

 

[Parrulo]

boonen going 2 in a row?

 

[Panda Claws]

Philippe Gilbert?

 

[Parrulo]

Philippe Gilbert?

bets on how far away from the finish he drops out of the race?

 

[spalco]

Love this race, mostly because it's the easiest Classic/semi Classic terrain to reach from SE England. As a Brit I'm interested in how Cavendish goes since this is far more like the Olympic parcours than MSR. Whilst I don't expect him to win, I would expect him to be up there in the front group at the end.

If he's up there in the front group at the end I would expect him to win.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Is Oscarito riding this? would like to see him get this after missing out on E3!

 

[ansimi]

Maybe Greipel? Lotto doesn't really have a lot going for them in the classics this year so they're probably pretty focused on this one.

 

[UselessToo]

Breschel FTW

 

[theyoungest]

EBH to win from a sprint...nah just kidding, all his teammates will be 30 minutes behind trying to push Cavendish up the hills.

Bernie Eisel will steal his thunder.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Breschel FTW

Is the right answer.

 

[MartinGT]

Cannot believe this isnt on Eurosport UK

 

[Lexman]

Greipel FTW
Demare on the podium

maybe Cavendish as well but have some doubt about that

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't think the pure sprinters will survive this. Well, not for the victory at least.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I don't think the pure sprinters will survive this. Well, not for the victory at least.

Good thing Demare and Greipel aren't pure sprinters then

 

[skidmark]

Don't think Boonen will go for this, now that he has his 'big win' in E3 out of the way and wants to stay out of trouble for Flanders and Roubaix... this race just kind of falls by the wayside.

I kind of feel like there will be enough impetus with Cav and Greipel's teams to bring it back together. Or, a break will go and someone who is a decent sprinter but has the freedom to go (a la Hagen and Eisel in 09/10) will win. Taylor Phinney to finally show his purported classics potential?

 

[Swede1]

This looks to be a day for someone like oscarito if he is doing it. I'll pick him because the race isnt as hard as E3 so he will be less tired and is faster than Boonen in a sprint.

 

[The Hitch]

Damn. Es aint showing this. Wtf they playing at.