Gent - Wevelgem: March 28th, 2021

[Anderis]

I didn't know they have active volcanoes in Belgium.

 

[SafeBet]

Incredible racing. Still 80 km to go!

 

[Volderke]

DQS is losing the race at the moment, unless Bennett is superconfident in surviving the hills. Great chance for Matthews if he can be in front until the finale.

 

[Oliver]

Surprise to see there's only one Stepper in the first group.

 

[Andy262]

Chasing steppers looking like they just cycled through a pile of dogshit!

 

[Volderke]

There are currently around 45-50 riders still in the race...?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

DQS is losing the race at the moment, unless Bennett is superconfident in surviving the hills. Great chance for Matthews if he can be in front until the finale.

Even if he’s in the hilly form of his life, there’s no chance of any group taking him to the finish. They’d have to be lobotomised. The whole last section of the race would be attacks and he has nobody to help chase. Just ask Caleb.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

You'd think there are enough teams willing to work in the second group.

 

[Oliver]

First group is gone.

 

[roundabout]

There are currently around 45-50 riders still in the race...?

Looked like there was a rather large group reasonably close to G3 before they merged with G2

 

[Volderke]

Looked like there was a rather large group reasonably close to G3 before they merged with G2

It seems that the second group got bigger indeed.

 

[sir fly]

Even if he’s in the hilly form of his life, there’s no chance of any group taking him to the finish. They’d have to be lobotomised. The whole last section of the race would be attacks and he has nobody to help chase. Just ask Caleb.

Could be a close call against Van Aert after a tough 200k.

 

[Red Rick]

Which riders can even follow van Aert on the Kemmel in that first group?

 

[Mayomaniac]

IMO Matthews, the 3 Italian spinters and Küng all have a better chance of being close enough to out after the Emmelberg to close the gap if they collaborate. I don't trust Bennett to do that after a hard on day race.

 

[Volderke]

Problem is that 35K is still a long way to go solo, but who knows.
Regarding Bennett: he can only sprint if he can control the group / selection, so he first has to survive, and after surviving, they will all look at him when attacks go left and right.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Could be a close call against Van Aert after a tough 200k.

No reason for Van Aert to risk finding out.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Is it me or have the plugstreets caused more flats than usual?

 

[sir fly]

Which riders can even follow van Aert on the Kemmel in that first group?

Can drop them all, but will it be smart?
Long way to the finish, hard weeks of racing in the legs, coming Ronde...

 

[Volderke]

With all those flats, one has to wonder why they ride on disc brake bikes (aka race-is-over-when-flat-tire kind of bike).

 

[Mayomaniac]

Is it me or have the plugstreets caused more flats than usual?

Probaby a lot less compact that usual because it's so dry.

 

[Jagartrott]

I didn't know they have active volcanoes in Belgium.

Since we can't go to Iceland, we make Iceland come to us.

 

[Red Rick]

Can drop them all, but will it be smart?
Long way to the finish, hard weeks of racing in the legs, coming Ronde...

Probably best to get into a group of 2 or 3 with dudes he can eat alive in a sprint.

 

[happytramp]

Probably best to get into a group of 2 or 3 with dudes he can eat alive in a sprint.

Will still be the same old problem... If he can eat them alive, they won't work with him.

 

[Salvarani]

PCS say De Buyst abandoned.

Wasnt he listed in the first group?

 

[Gigs_98]

Eurosport Germany commentators sharply analyzing that this is looking like a race for the sprinters.