GP Québec, 201.6 km 07.09.18, GP Montréal, 195.2 km 09.09.18

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

So I can't find a bloody stream and it's not on television. Well that sucks.

https://tiz-cycling.live/

Doesn't work

Work well for me with IE

 

[toolittle]

Re:

What a ride by Kennaugh.

Last 2km now.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Chapeau Pete.

 

[Rollthedice]

Bling too strong for everybody else.

 

[sir fly]

Congrats to Bling.
Impressive effort by Kennaugh.

 

[Velolover2]

GVA started that sprint a bit too early.

 

[Kwibus]

Boring race. Nobody makes it hard, compare this to 2013....

Matthews well done though, he did what he had to do, but it's a shame none of the power riders that can't spring like Valgren or Wellens or whoever give it a shot from 1 or 2km out.

 

[toolittle]

Re:

Congrats to Bling.
Impressive effort by Kennaugh.

Micheal Matthew finally won a classic @ WT level

 

[shalgo]

A dominant sprint from Matthews.

 

[El Pistolero]

Dreadful race for a dreadful winner. At least I won't have to see his smug face at the WC.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Dreadful race for a dreadful winner. At least I won't have to see his smug face at the WC.

Solid post there Pisto!

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Congrats to Bling.
Impressive effort by Kennaugh.

Micheal Matthew finally won a classic @ WT level

Yes. These Canadian races fit him very well, surprising he hasn't scored earlier.

 

[Keram]

Well it was basically 5th bunch sprint in a row at this race. I hope Montreal will be better. There is less bunch sprints. GVA third straight second place. He should reconsider his tactics for this particular race

 

[May0maniac]

Konrad 5th, I know that he's got a good sprint for a gc rider, but to finish 5th against this kind of field is still rather impressive.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Konrad 5th, I know that he's got a good sprint for a gc rider, but to finish 5th against this kind of field is still rather impressive.

I remain baffled by his relatively sparse palmares. He has a top speed far in excess of other climbers. He is behind Valverde obviously, but not very many others. The guy occasionally mixes it up in proper bunch sprints as a leadout, which is just not physically possible for all but a few climbers. Really he should be the favorite in almost any very small group.

(I also think that sooner or later Sky will offer him a lot of money. They love a guy who can both climb and do it on the flat).

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Konrad 5th, I know that he's got a good sprint for a gc rider, but to finish 5th against this kind of field is still rather impressive.

I remain baffled by his relatively sparse palmares. He has a top speed far in excess of other climbers. He is behind Valverde obviously, but not very many others. The guy occasionally mixes it up in proper bunch sprints as a leadout, which is just not possible for all but a few climbers. Really he should be the favorite in almost any very small group.

(I also think that sooner or later Sky will offer him a lot of money. They love a guy who can both climb and do it on the flat).

Maybe doesn't understand positioning?

 

[Beobachter]

Re: Re:

Konrad 5th, I know that he's got a good sprint for a gc rider, but to finish 5th against this kind of field is still rather impressive.

I remain baffled by his relatively sparse palmares. He has a top speed far in excess of other climbers. He is behind Valverde obviously, but not very many others. The guy occasionally mixes it up in proper bunch sprints as a leadout, which is just not possible for all but a few climbers. Really he should be the favorite in almost any very small group.

(I also think that sooner or later Sky will offer him a lot of money. They love a guy who can both climb and do it on the flat).

Maybe doesn't understand positioning?

I dont think so, honestly (he can leadout, so he should know positionning).
The guy has got 21 tops 10 this year. But among them, there are only 3 tops 5 and... 0 podium :lol: :lol: :lol:
I'd say such a incredible performance comes from a whole: his highly competitive calendar, the fact Bora has a crazy lot of leaders for whom he has to work sometimes, the fact the perfect profiles for him are in fact quite scarce... all of that makes there are in fact not so many opportunities for him to score (a lot of opportunities to top 10-ing yes, but that's not the same as the opportunities of actually winning).
And when finally the perfect situation comes, he had bad luck :lol: The Deutschland Tour was indeed the perfect opportunity to score since he had three ideal stages for him. He couldn't dream better. But instead, he crashed...

But circumstances won't always be against him. So, I trust him to finally manage to win something.
Sunday is an opportunity. (and - my dream! - Sunday 30th could also be one, who knows!)

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: GP Québec, 1.WT2 - 201.6 km, September 7, 2018

I liked Konrad too, he is a nice rider. Mini-Valverde. He is a more punchy climber so in theory in the Vuelta should suit him better than the Giro, so I feel Bora has made a little mistake sending Buchmann to the Vuelta and Konrad to the Giro and not the other way around.

 

[Sestriere]

Finally a win in a one day race of note for Matthews. Before yesterday his most important one was Clasica de Almeria in 2012.

 

[toolittle]

Re:

Quebec is a more open race when compared with some of European sprint classics.
Peter Kennaugh solo attack was just catched before the line... If he has someone with him in the final, they will make it.

Montreal weather is cool. No rain No winter.
Perfect for cycling.

It will be favour of fast finishers.
My bet is for GVA.

No one will open a post for Montreal race.
Why not to discuss Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal here?

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Why not to discuss Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal here?

Good idea. Maybe if shalgo, or a mod, can change the title to reflect the "double discussion"
(and re-stickify the thread.)

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

Quebec is a more open race when compared with some of European sprint classics.

I don't think it was supposed to be a sprint classic. The race has riders like Voeckler, Gesink and Uran on its winners list.

I don't think they have changed the route, have they? If so, then it looks the racing has become much more controlled in recent years, which is a shame.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's not a sprint classic. Neither is Montreal (first edition was won by an 8km Gesink solo)

It's what you say, the racing has become ***. If they attack more on the final climbs from 2 laps from the end the race is very selective. But if you see the startfield lining up with Gva, Matthews and co as main guns you know they will all try to control it and go for the sprint instead

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

It's not a sprint classic. Neither is Montreal (first edition was won by an 8km Gesink solo)

It's what you say, the racing has become ****. If they attack more on the final climbs from 2 laps from the end the race is very selective. But if you see the startfield lining up with Gva, Matthews and co as main guns you know they will all try to control it and go for the sprint instead

I think the problem with these races is that half the supposed attackers are at the Vuelta.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

It's not a sprint classic. Neither is Montreal (first edition was won by an 8km Gesink solo)

It's what you say, the racing has become ****. If they attack more on the final climbs from 2 laps from the end the race is very selective. But if you see the startfield lining up with Gva, Matthews and co as main guns you know they will all try to control it and go for the sprint instead

I think the problem with these races is that half the supposed attackers are at the Vuelta.

And the Tour of Britain to an extent as well...

I don't really watch these races anyways, but I know they have a rather big audience in this forum, especially the Montreal classic.