Gent-Wevelgem (men’s) 2024 (Sunday, March 24)

[DNP-Old]

Not so easy in the final of Flanders, where the hellingem are much closer to each other. I doubt Milan and Laporte are still there after the Koppenberg.

Anyway, kudos to Pedersen, perfect strategy and amazing legs today.

I reckon you're already too late as a team if you are looking at Koppenberg.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Now, that was a monster effort by Mads.
Things looking bright to Lidl for next Sunday

 

[Nick2413]

Beauty of a race. Milan forcing MVdP to ride for like 30km might have made the difference.

Don’t ever play cat and mouse with MVdP and you might have a chance to beat him.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Ritter... that was an incredibly stupid joke.
"Page-Turner"...

But apart from that, there is so much more quality in the coverage today than when it's only Stærke and Rolf S.

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

Yeah, probably you should attack earlier, but still last year MvdP and Pogacar basically put 3 minutes into everyone bar Van Aert. And even if you don't pull with him it is just much harder to stay on his wheel because the ratio effort time and recovery time is much bigger in RVV.

Edit: was responding to DNP-Old but forgot to quote his message

 

[tobydawq]

But apart from that, there is so much more quality in the coverage today than when it's only Stærke and Rolf S.

Michael Stærke has nothing to do in that commentator's booth. Him getting a bigger role was my fear when they fired Staghøj.

 

[hfer07]

Finally some proper & honest racing Congrats to Pedersen for the win & MVP for making the race hard & exciting

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Mads Pedersen, strong finish. The rest just didn't stand a chance today.

 

[Poursuivant]

MVDP not dusting everyone was a nice surprise today and the best thing to happen for neutrals the week before RVV

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Did trek won the race on the first kemmelberg ascent? Having 2 riders stay with MVDP first attack and then immediately sending Milan up the road? It is nice to see a non-mutant team using their numbers well for once

 

[kn0s]

Michael Stærke has nothing to do in that commentator's booth. Him getting a bigger role was my fear when they fired Staghøj.

Agreed, he is not great. That one new girl is also insufferable.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

MVDP not dusting everyone was a nice surprise today and the best thing to happen for neutrals the week before RVV

Could well mean MvdP to race a little less aggressive next week because what happened today, and his closest rivals getting overconfident because they think they have more of a chance than they actually have. I could well see a scenario where Trek starts riding after Visma and vice versa, because Alpecin is too weak and MvdP isn't going to control the entire race on his own. Which would set the stage once more for an asswhooping in the final 60km.

 

[staubsauger]

Does Visma even have a squad to ride currently?

 

[Lequack]

Great racing today, caught up on the replay and it was a perfect show of teamwork from the Lidl Trek boys, tiring out MVDP and it was enough in the end. Mads really in great form and a great win!

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Could well mean MvdP to race a little less aggressive next week because what happened today, and his closest rivals getting overconfident because they think they have more of a chance than they actually have. I could well see a scenario where Trek starts riding after Visma and vice versa, because Alpecin is too weak and MvdP isn't going to control the entire race on his own. Which would set the stage once more for an asswhooping in the final 60km.

You describe a very plausible scenario here. I think this is what will happen.

 

[staubsauger]

Van der Poel ran out of fuel today, because he'd ridden aggressively on Friday & Sunday though. Especially on Friday when he kinda lured Van Art into going into the red in order to catch him. Which was really impressive. Today Lidl made the Dutchman dig deep himself on the battlefield.

Pedersen certainly was in stellar shape today. Friday however he had a total off day. Spent too much energy early on and bonked after too much work in the favorites group. That's not exactly reliable either.

Visma has his team in shatters currently. Laporte sick. Tratnik fell. Benoot had Covid-19 and isn't fit. Hagenes would've been really needed as a wildcard, but he harmed himself too. There's only Jorgenson. While WvA isn't strong enough for sword to sword against Van der Poel currently.

So Mathieu might just ride aggressively again. Depending on how fresh he feels!

 

[zlev11]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1771918944682586422

View: https://twitter.com/BriSmithy/status/1771918944682586422


Oh Brian. Why can't you just admit you missed the '20 result.

Brian Smith is a pompous loser

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Visma has his team in shatters currently. Laporte sick. Tratnik fell. Benoot had Covid-19 and isn't fit. Hagenes would've been really needed as a wildcard, but he harmed himself too. There's only Jorgenson. While WvA isn't strong enough for sword to sword against Van der Poel currently.

Visma's most successful Monument rider is still available but he's shown no form this season at all.

 

[staubsauger]

Visma's most successful Monument rider is still available but he's shown no form this season at all.

Van Baarle?

Yeah, it's very weird how he went from co-leadership & Omloop het Nieuwsblad winner as introduction towards nothing but a domestique within 1 year!

 

[DNP-Old]

Van Baarle?

Yeah, it's very weird how he went from co-leadership & Omloop het Nieuwsblad winner as introduction towards nothing but a domestique within 1 year!

What?

 

[staubsauger]

What?

He has shown no form at all this season.

Which surprises me, since this isn't his true level at all.

 

[Rob5091]

Trek's 3 guys crack MvdP - are Trek the new Visma?
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...o-beat-mathieu-van-der-poel-in-gent-wevelgem/

Pedersen said that the collective performance in the E3 Saxo Classic showed what was possible.


“I think we picked up what we left on Friday: a really good team performance. [We had] a lot of guys there. We were playing with the numbers. That’s what we need to beat these superstars of cycling. Don’t get me wrong, but on our team we don’t have these superstars. But with the right numbers we are able to beat them.”

 

[Savant12]

Trek's 3 guys crack MvdP - are Trek the new Visma?
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...o-beat-mathieu-van-der-poel-in-gent-wevelgem/

At the moment, they are the new Visma, who were the new Quickstep. But Visma have since stalled.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

At the moment, they are the new Visma, who were the new Quickstep. But Visma have since stalled.

"The rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated" - Mark Twain

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Could well mean MvdP to race a little less aggressive next week because what happened today, and his closest rivals getting overconfident because they think they have more of a chance than they actually have. I could well see a scenario where Trek starts riding after Visma and vice versa, because Alpecin is too weak and MvdP isn't going to control the entire race on his own. Which would set the stage once more for an asswhooping in the final 60km.

tbh i just think MVDP went into E3/GW with the mindset of attacking everywhere to give himself good extra intensity "training", whilst also trying to win because he didn't have those races yet. Kinda paid for the 40k solo in E3 which means he had lesser legs in GW. still sprinted for the win.

next week is incomparable, he'll rest well and likely get even a bit extra from super compensation. Also. Pedersen was ridden at 3 minutes in E3. RVV is much more like E3 than GW ofcourse.