Gent - Wevelgem: October 11th, 2020

[sir fly]

Opted to focus on this race and I think it was the right decision.

Congrats to Pedersen.
Excellent race.

 

[Wvv]

Mathieu rode like t*rd today. Only closing gaps on (a stronger) Wout.

Congratulations Mads. Smart, strong, deserved win.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

MVDP much more to blame than WVA there. It was like watching GVA ride against Sagan, very negative approach.

 

[RedheadDane]

Anyone named Pedersen in the Giro?

Unfortunately not.

 

[richwallone]

WVA doesn't look very happy after the race... I'll be pissed, too...

 

[Jagartrott]

Van Aert at least tried. It felt like MvdP only tried to not let Van Aert win. Pedersen profited very well. Nice win.

Yes. MVDP only reacted if WVA was trying. Don't know what that was about. You don't win races that way.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Unfortunately not.

Mikkel Bjerg should change his name to Mikkel Pedersen.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Great win by Pedersen btw. There are a lot of wins like this in his future

 

[Keram]

Great last ten kms (last 70 were great) VWA vs MVDP and everybody vs them Flanders will be different though. They will drop "smarter" riders at last bergs.

 

[Andy262]

Woah, great finale. Very happy for Pedersen who should have been in the rainbows. Rode a very canny race, let the vans mark each other out of it and picked up the pieces.

Nice to see Trentin's response. Harrogate form worked out perfectly.

 

[johnymax]

MVDP achieved his. It looked like he was trying to not let WVA win.

Great win for Pedersen. He bridged the gap alone and then outsprinted them. Very strong ride.

 

[Velolover2]

Alaphilippe to make sure the WVA-MVDP rivalry continues for the Tour of Flanders.

 

[Eclipse]

Yes. MVDP only reacted if WVA was trying. Don't know what that was about. You don't win races that way.

MVDP took it on in a huge way earlier in the race though.

It may just be that he didn't want to take everything on in the finale before next weekend

 

[TomLPC]

Van Aert made a mistake I believe chasing down the 7ish man group at 50k to go, which has Teunissen in it, who was the fastest man.

VDP looking over his shoulder constantly, but only at one man.

 

[Flamin]

Yes. MVDP only reacted if WVA was trying. Don't know what that was about. You don't win races that way.

Cmon, Van Aert is the best bike rider in the world atm. Obviously MVDP is going to mark him.

This is what's so great about cycling. Arguably the two strongest in a race finish 8th and 9th in a group of 9.

 

[Jagartrott]

Cmon, Van Aert is the best bike rider in the world atm. Obviously MVDP is going to mark him.

This is what's so great about cycling. Arguably the two strongest in a race finish 8th and 9th in a group of 9.

You can watch him, chase him back, but if you don't help him chase 3-4 guys getting away in the last 2 km, you're not going to win. Thus, MVDP made sure neither he nor WVA won.

It's also a stupid tactic when there are that many world class riders in that group. It wasn't between him and Van Aert. Pedersen was at least as big as a favourite.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Van Aert made a mistake I believe chasing down the 7ish man group at 50k to go, which has Teunissen in it, who was the fastest man.

VDP looking over his shoulder constantly, but only at one man.

Teunissen would probably have been dropped on the Kemmelberg had it come down to that group.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Cmon, Van Aert is the best bike rider in the world atm. Obviously MVDP is going to mark him.

This is what's so great about cycling. Arguably the two strongest in a race finish 8th and 9th in a group of 9.

There‘s marking an opponent and then there’s letting a race disappear because you are obsessively marking one opponent. MVDP of all people should have more confidence in his own abilities. You can’t get a clearer cut throwing the race away moment than when WVA tried a last gasp chase and MVDP sat in his wheel and refused to help.

 

[Flamin]

You can watch him, chase him back, but if you don't help him chase 3-4 guys getting away in the last 2 km, you're not going to win. Thus, MVDP made sure neither he nor WVA won.

Imo MVDP was totally on the limit, whenever he closed Van Aert down. He was scared to continue with Wout so he had to gamble on a different scenario.

 

[Wvv]

Wout polite but very clear in his post-race reaction.

"Unfortunately there was one specific rider always on my wheel. I responded to a lot of attacks, but can't bring them back every time. It's like he forgot that I already won some big races this year and have the right to start playing the gamble game to save something for my sprint. Now we both have nothing today. Shame, because I had very good legs and would've loved to add this race to my palmares."

 

[bigcog]

Great race.

 

[Flamin]

There‘s marking an opponent and then there’s letting a race disappear because you are obsessively marking one opponent. MVDP of all people should have more confidence in his own abilities. You can’t get a clearer cut throwing the race away moment than when WVA tried a last gasp chase and MVDP sat in his wheel and refused to help.

I don't disagree. I was just stating that it's very logical that MVDP reacts every time Van Aert makes a move.

For sure it wasn't the smartest finale he has ridden, not because he heavily marked Van Aert but because he reacted too late on two occassions and had to close a way bigger gap than necessary. From that point, he was dead.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Wout polite but very clear in his post-race reaction.

"Unfortunately there was one specific rider always on my wheel. I responded to a lot of attacks, but can't bring them back every time. It's like he forgot that I already won some big races this year and have the right to start playing the gamble game to save something for my sprint. Now we both have nothing today. Shame, because I had very good legs and would've loved to add this race to my palmares."

I can’t say I blame him for being a bit snide. It’s one thing getting Saganned when you are a Sagan, it’s another getting Saganned by a Sagan.

 

[yaco]

WA and MVP today was like AVV and AVDB in last week's LBL - One not moving without the other.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Anti-voetbal