Gent - Wevelgem: October 11th, 2020

[Koronin]

So, a Giro mountain stage, Paris-Tours, this race and Nadal-Djokovic in the Roland Garros final the same Sunday afternoon... And they said super Sunday was cancelled.

That's a packed Sunday. Then over here add our own sports to mix of all of this.

For the other Super Sunday that now doesn't have Paris-Roubaix, I'm not fully convinced la Vuelta will get the entire stage that day in due to weather, not Covid.

Will have to find the Giro stage on line somewhere along with this race. I'm surprised it's not on TV as it has been in the past.

 

[Netserk]

So, a Giro mountain stage, Paris-Tours, this race and Nadal-Djokovic in the Roland Garros final the same Sunday afternoon... And they said super Sunday was cancelled.

Paris-Tours seems to finish early; I don't expect much from the Giro stage, so it can be muted in the background. I don't watch tennis, so there's no problem for me ;-)

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

And I won't be able to watch any of it. Definitely the wrong sunday

With all due respect, we are far more bothered about whether Gigs 98 can/will watch.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

So, a Giro mountain stage, Paris-Tours, this race and Nadal-Djokovic in the Roland Garros final the same Sunday afternoon... And they said super Sunday was cancelled.

And F1 back on the Nürburgring

 

[Pantani_lives]

The organizers have announced more changes to the route, but without a detailed profile. This description on Cyclingnews will have to do:

"The race organisers haven't, though, announced any precise route details beyond that point, in order to encourage fans to follow the action on television rather than the roadside. But they have confirmed that the Catsberg, Zwarte Berg and Vert Mont climbs won't appear this year, and also that the riders will tackle the Kemmelberg three times rather than twice.

"After 130km on the flat, the first of 11 climbs, the Scherpenberg, will arrive with a little more than 100km left to race. Preceded by the Baneberg and the Monteberg, the Kemmelberg will be the final hurdle in the initial group of five ascents. The three gravel/dirt sections close to the village of Ploegsteert, dubbed 'Plugstreets' by Allied soldiers, follow soon after.

"A second passage over the Monteberg and Kemmelberg begins the second section in the low hills typical of this part of Western Flanders. The Kemmelberg features again as the last rise in this series. From the summit, there are 40 mostly flat kilometres remaining."

https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/gent-wevelgem-2020/preview/

 

[RedheadDane]

Catsberg, Zwarte Berg and Vert Mont climbs won't appear this year, and also that the riders will tackle the Kemmelberg three times rather than twice.

So, that whole discussion about who was gonna attack where was for nothing!?

 

[Volderke]

So, that whole discussion about who was gonna attack where was for nothing!?

We're still searching for the 3rd Kamil that will attack on the 3rd time Kemmel!

 

[Armchaircyclist]

Crossing fingers for Kristoff here, he is a beast over long distances. Hoping for no punctures/technicals and staying on the bike. Extremely strong field, as close as we get to a paris roubaix this year ?

 

[Sciatic]

The organizers have announced more changes to the route, but without a detailed profile. This description on Cyclingnews will have to do:

"The race organisers haven't, though, announced any precise route details beyond that point, in order to encourage fans to follow the action on television rather than the roadside. But they have confirmed that the Catsberg, Zwarte Berg and Vert Mont climbs won't appear this year, and also that the riders will tackle the Kemmelberg three times rather than twice.

"After 130km on the flat, the first of 11 climbs, the Scherpenberg, will arrive with a little more than 100km left to race. Preceded by the Baneberg and the Monteberg, the Kemmelberg will be the final hurdle in the initial group of five ascents. The three gravel/dirt sections close to the village of Ploegsteert, dubbed 'Plugstreets' by Allied soldiers, follow soon after.

"A second passage over the Monteberg and Kemmelberg begins the second section in the low hills typical of this part of Western Flanders. The Kemmelberg features again as the last rise in this series. From the summit, there are 40 mostly flat kilometres remaining."

https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/gent-wevelgem-2020/preview/

Apparently ther’re going to make it like a road Rally course where the riders will get directions to the 1st checkpoint and then clues about how to get to the next one.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Apparently ther’re going to make it like a road Rally course where the riders will get directions to the 1st checkpoint and then clues about how to get to the next one.

That made me think of this:

There used to be a yearly elite race in Denmark called "The Star Race", where, where the route was 5 or 6 different loops of around 40 k, all springing from the goal line in the centre (usually in town centre).

The peloton was broken into 5-6 groups, each starting the race on a different loop, and at the first pass of the finish line, each group again broke into 5-6 different loops, and this repeated each pass of the line, so that no 2 teammates ended up riding the entire sequence together.

It would be fun to see the Pro's today ride something like that.

 

[tobydawq]

That made me think of this:

There used to be a yearly elite race in Denmark called "The Star Race", where, where the route was 5 or 6 different loops of around 40 k, all springing from the goal line in the centre (usually in town centre).

The peloton was broken into 5-6 groups, each starting the race on a different loop, and at the first pass of the finish line, each group again broke into 5-6 different loops, and this repeated each pass of the line, so that no 2 teammates ended up riding the entire sequence together.

It would be fun to see the Pro's today ride something like that.

I seem to recall that it's five different loops and it's 120 riders which means that no two riders (not just teammates) will ride the loops in the same order (if you have 5 loops you can do them in 5 factorial (5 x4 x 3 x 2 x 1) different orders).

 

[Sciatic]

That made me think of this:

There used to be a yearly elite race in Denmark called "The Star Race", where, where the route was 5 or 6 different loops of around 40 k, all springing from the goal line in the centre (usually in town centre).

The peloton was broken into 5-6 groups, each starting the race on a different loop, and at the first pass of the finish line, each group again broke into 5-6 different loops, and this repeated each pass of the line, so that no 2 teammates ended up riding the entire sequence together.

It would be fun to see the Pro's today ride something like that.

I would gladly watch that !

 

[Pantani_lives]

They will have backwind (4 Bft) after the Kemmel and showers are possible. Nothing extreme, just an average autumn day.

 

[sir fly]

Cavendish and 6 more in a break.

 

[TomLPC]

Awesome, washed up or otherwise

 

[Velolover2]

It looks like Cavendish is desperate for another season.

 

[sir fly]

It looks like Cavendish is desperate for another season.

Can't really count this season.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I know its like a 0.1% chance, but how great would it be if he managed to win?

 

[Pantani_lives]

The plugstreets will be muddy. It's currently clearing, but the streets are still wet.

The complete Yorkshire podium is present: Pedersen, Trentin, Küng. They know how to ride in bad weather.

 

[Billie]

Blown off the road

 

[RedheadDane]

How many riders are hidden down in the field?

 

[TomLPC]

3 down, blow to the side of the road after what looked like a coming together, sky, bora, uae but it's hard to see who in 240p with no commentary.

 

[TomLPC]

VPD puts on the pressure on the front

 

[Pantani_lives]

MvdP is not in the mood for waiting...

 

[Keram]

Riders all over the place. Great stuff.