Gent - Wevelgem in Flanders Field 2023 March 26, 260.9 km (1.WT)

[Ilmaestro99]

They should sprint for the win, enough of this gifting, they have 2 minutes on a disorganised chase they should be free to race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Peter Pan churchyard?!

Apparently the boy who was the original Peter Pan model, is buried there.

 

[tobydawq]

Lol, if Van Aert has to give this one away to Laporte, he should start looking for another team ASAP. Unless Vingegaard is going to gift the TDF to Van Aert of course.

Yes, you may have a point but if Laporte hadn't shown weakness on the Kemmel, he could also argue that he would deserve to win just as much as Wout.

 

[Volderke]

If WvA wants, he can drop Laporte as a stone. Laporte will be very happy WvA waited for him.
The only reason Laporte is still there, is the UCI points for Jumbo with Laporte's guaranteed 2nd place, and to make the training ride for WvA a bit more comfortable with Laporte taking short pulls.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Lol, if Van Aert has to give this one away to Laporte, he should start looking for another team ASAP. Unless Vingegaard is going to gift the TDF to Van Aert of course.

Considering that Van Aert a) won the last classic the two of them annihilated, b) has won a classic this season (unlike Laporte), and c) has won this race before (unlike Laporte), if there has to be a gift, it should be to Laporte.

 

[tobydawq]

If WvA wants, he can drop Laporte as a stone. Laporte will be very happy WvA waited for him.
The only reason Laporte is still there, is the UCI points for Jumbo with Laporte's guaranteed 2nd place.

Why do they need UCI points?

 

[Poursuivant]

I think Laporte wins.

 

[Sciatic]

Well to be fair it was about a minute at 30k when I posted that, but yeah it's over.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501186741985763330

Perfect!

 

[Poursuivant]

Nearly a 2km gap is huge.

 

[OlavEH]

I really thought Van Aert would be a bit more affected by E3 on Friday, but hell no. The guy is batshit crazy strong.

 

[fmk_RoI]

They should sprint for the win, enough of this gifting, they have 2 minutes on a disorganised chase they should be free to race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Considering that Van Aert a) won the last classic the two of them annihilated, b) has won a classic this season (unlike Laporte), and c) has won this race before (unlike Laporte), if there has to be a gift, it should be to Laporte.

But there is no reason for a gift. Laporte is not on the same level as Van Aert. He wasn't brought to the team to be on the level of Van Aert. He already got more wins out of his move to Jumbo (including gifts) than he would have won had he stayed at a French team. Laporte working for Van Aert is only normal. Van Aert is the better rider, he is the leader and this race is too big to simply gift to a domestique who on the day is quite clearly inferior.

 

[Volderke]

Why do they need UCI points?

to avoid relegation

 

[Potomac]

I'm trying to get jazzed for that third place drama

 

[Devil's Elbow]

But there is no reason for a gift. Laporte is not on the same level as Van Aert. He wasn't brought to the team to be on the level of Van Aert. He already got more wins out of his move to Jumbo (including gifts) than he would have won had he stayed at a French team. Laporte working for Van Aert is only normal. Van Aert is the better rider, he is the leader and this race is too big to simply gift to a domestique who on the day is quite clearly inferior.

...you would not make a good DS.

 

[Didinho]

Crash! At least something happened.

 

[Volderke]

Ewan to podium...?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Let Kooij chase you fools

 

[dobrien]

If WvA wants, he can drop Laporte as a stone. Laporte will be very happy WvA waited for him.
The only reason Laporte is still there, is the UCI points for Jumbo with Laporte's guaranteed 2nd place, and to make the training ride for WvA a bit more comfortable with Laporte taking short pulls.

Pretty much this. Wout gets 260k in his legs without having to go deep, they max the points, all in for next week. And as Logic said up-thread, LaPorte has had a way better go of it on this team then he would have otherwise. If I'm Christophe I take my 2nd and am happy about it

 

[Red Rick]

Lol how easily van Hooydonck brings back Narvaez

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

...you would not make a good DS.

lol

Not gifting big races to inferior riders to keep them happy (does Laporte not get paid?) is not being a good DS? You think big champions generally give away races of this calibre to keep their domestiques happy? looool

 

[Red Rick]

...you would not make a good DS.

Given that they've had this situation before, I wonder if they have had discussions within the team about what to do if the situation arises again, and in what race it happens, etc.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Shame for Mohoric the strongest non-jumbo in the race

 

[Sciatic]

How many riders have done the E3-GW double? That would still be motivation for Wout to win, non?

ed. guess not

 

[gunara]

Everyday a handful of riders make fools of the peloton in rather predictable ways. Hopefully this so-called golden era won't wear itself down too quickly