Gent - Wevelgem: March 31st, 2019

[Velolover2]

Yeah. Stybar dropped everyone except Van Aert on the last Kemmelberg and Gilbert was dominant in the crosswind, chasing down all potential treats. The "all eggs in one basket" strategy doesn't work for Quickstep.

 

[tobydawq]

Maybe the quote of the day:

"I have participated in sprints with less tension than the neutral zone of this Gent-Wevelgem."

- Carlos Barbero

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Yeah. Stybar dropped everyone except Van Aert on the last Kemmelberg and Gilbert was dominant in the crosswind, chasing down all potential treats. The "all eggs in one basket" strategy doesn't work for Quickstep.

They still did pretty well though. Despite basically the whole peloton riding against them, they managed to control it down to a reduced bunch sprint where they had the fastest guy on paper, and who was strong enough to sprint to 2nd last year. Not much they can do if he doesn't deliver.

If Stybar or Gilbert had made the break then it would have been better, but because they missed it, I think QST played the only cards available to them, and made a decent fist of it.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Maybe the quote of the day:

"I have participated in sprints with less tension than the neutral zone of this Gent-Wevelgem."

- Carlos Barbero

Hahaha, thats classic. Good old Barbero.

 

[Der Effe]

Re:

Maybe the quote of the day:

"I have participated in sprints with less tension than the neutral zone of this Gent-Wevelgem."

- Carlos Barbero

:lol:

Great race and Kristoff just finished it off brilliantly.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Maybe the quote of the day:

"I have participated in sprints with less tension than the neutral zone of this Gent-Wevelgem."

- Carlos Barbero

Hahaha, thats classic. Good old Barbero.

It must have been insane to be in this race. When the tv coverage began we saw the moment the flag dropped, and the first thing happening was some Jumbo guys and Luke Rowe pulling to the right-hand side of the road to form an echelon

By the way, Rowe looked really good today. It was unfortunate that he didn't go with the Sagan-Terpstra group right away (the same can be said for Mathieu and Wout) because a few more riders could have kept the peloton at bay.

 

[Lequack]

21 Big Photos from Gent-Wevelgem 2019 (descriptions added) — corvos/bettini
http://www.steephill.tv/2019/gent-wevelgem/photos/page-01/

 

[Pantani_lives]

Sagan had a good training day.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Sagan had a good training day.

Yes. It was a good ride but he wasn't as strong as Trentin and he needs to be better next Sunday. But he is likely to be on the up.

He could maybe use a day out in Dwars as well but so far he isn't on the start list, and I don't think that has ever been the plan. And in the long Ardennes-including perspective it's maybe for the best that he skips that race.

 

[Red Rick]

Maybe a similar case where Sagan is still undercooked in Vlaanderen but times it just right for Roubaix.

 

[Bardamu]

Great race, awesome to see many riders giving it all for nearly the entire race.

 

[This Charming Man]

Unfortunate that during this period of the European Professional Road Racing Classics season, during the there is zero coverage, of this iconic race in the U.S.A. Cycling evidently is uninterested in growing their brand, and U.S.A. Cycling prefer to concentrate on masters racing. Heaven forbid, when G. Hincapie, and L. Armstrong were contenders, we had United States coverage of Classics races, likely the most competitive and exciting road racing in the professional road racing calendar. In order to watch these races in US, one must subscribe to FUBU, or another channel, at 30$ US currency monthly. Pity that. http://www.cyclingfever.com/video.html?&detp=view&video_idd=ODIyNg==&taal_id=9

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Viviani was really boxed in but I can't help being very gleeful about that. DQS kind of ruined the race today and luckily they were not rewarded.

Next year, they probably prefer to race the race instead of doing what they did today.

Didn't understand why they'd go with this strategy anyways - this is not how they have won all the classics so far. Pre-race, Viviani talked about it was all for him and I was honestly baffled by that. Turns out it indeed was the wrong tactic.

If he survived the last Kemmel ascent probably, not from the start of the race. If he was plan A, then why did Stybar attack on the Kemmel.

Quick Step just missed the cut hence there was no other option for them than to try and bring it back.

 

[OlavEH]

Re:

The fastest G-W of all time ends in a sprint. I wondered before the race whether Kristoff would really pull the sprint for Gaviria. It turns out Gaviria said he didn't feel good enough for the sprint, so the Norwegian decided to sprint for himself. I don't think he can win Flanders or Roubaix this year though. Van Aert and Stybar looked stronger on the Kemmel. Degenkolb might be good in P-R.

Kristoff has historically been better in RVV, but perhaps his chances in better in PR this year? Van Aert is probably better in hills in Flanders than on the long, flat cobbles sections in France. If Kristoff is ever to fight for the victory in PR, this could be his chance.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Maybe a similar case where Sagan is still undercooked in Vlaanderen but times it just right for Roubaix.

Thats the most likely scenario as of right now. He really isn't that good atm and all that talk of mechanical on E3 is bull, he wasn't good enough, simples. He will be a force in Roubaix and Amstel, possibly even Liege if they ride as passively as they use to on this new route, but I cant imagine.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

The fastest G-W of all time ends in a sprint. I wondered before the race whether Kristoff would really pull the sprint for Gaviria. It turns out Gaviria said he didn't feel good enough for the sprint, so the Norwegian decided to sprint for himself. I don't think he can win Flanders or Roubaix this year though. Van Aert and Stybar looked stronger on the Kemmel. Degenkolb might be good in P-R.

Kristoff has historically been better in RVV, but perhaps his chances in better in PR this year? Van Aert is probably better in hills in Flanders than on the long, flat cobbles sections in France. If Kristoff is ever to fight for the victory in PR, this could be his chance.

Granted, I haven't seen much cyclocross, so Im still relatively new to these two new phenomena (Van der Poel more so than Wout). But the few races I have seen in cyclocross and all the classics, Wout has always struck me as a diesel guy as well and he doesn't seem that slim. He seems to be build quite right in order to win Flanders, he is also pretty tall if I remember correctly. I dunno what race suits him best out of the two, but he can win both.

 

[OlavEH]

Re: Re:

Granted, I haven't seen much cyclocross, so Im still relatively new to these two new phenomena (Van der Poel more so than Wout). But the few races I have seen in cyclocross and all the classics, Wout has always struck me as a diesel guy as well and he doesn't seem that slim. He seems to be build quite right in order to win Flanders, he is also pretty tall if I remember correctly. I dunno what race suits him best out of the two, but he can win both.

Perhaps, but right now I think Van Aert's biggest chance will be in RVV. He and Stybar are the top favorites for RVV, while for PR I consider Stybar as the top favorite, Van Aert and Van Avermaet as the main challengers and guys like Sagan, Terpstra, Stuyven, Kristoff and Degenkolb as outsiders.

 

[This Charming Man]

Re: Re:

Maybe a similar case where Sagan is still undercooked in Vlaanderen but times it just right for Roubaix.

Thats the most likely scenario as of right now. He really isn't that good atm and all that talk of mechanical on E3 is bull, he wasn't good enough, simples. He will be a force in Roubaix and Amstel, possibly even Liege if they ride as passively as they use to on this new route, but I cant imagine.

LBL needs to be removed as a classic. Riders roll around for hours, afraid of its' hardness. Not a tactical race...just about endurance...boring!

 

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

Maybe a similar case where Sagan is still undercooked in Vlaanderen but times it just right for Roubaix.

Thats the most likely scenario as of right now. He really isn't that good atm and all that talk of mechanical on E3 is bull, he wasn't good enough, simples. He will be a force in Roubaix and Amstel, possibly even Liege if they ride as passively as they use to on this new route, but I cant imagine.

LBL needs to be removed as a classic. Riders roll around for hours, afraid of its' hardness. Not a tactical race...just about endurance...boring!

History, places, climbs and parcours.. these things are just as important as action. It's called a monument after all. LBL is great, they have just abused La Doyenne for quite some time but placing the finish in the suburb of Ans instead of Liege. It's called Liège–Bastogne–Liège, not Liège–Bastogne–Ans.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Maybe a similar case where Sagan is still undercooked in Vlaanderen but times it just right for Roubaix.

Thats the most likely scenario as of right now. He really isn't that good atm and all that talk of mechanical on E3 is bull, he wasn't good enough, simples. He will be a force in Roubaix and Amstel, possibly even Liege if they ride as passively as they use to on this new route, but I cant imagine.

Nobody would be able to follow anyone on that climb if they were stuck in the 11 chainring!

Disregard it as bull if you must but that doesn't make it not true.