Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec & Montréal 2024, one day classics, September 13 & 15

[Salvarani]

I am very relaxed thank you. I'm just so done with the best riders getting no challenge from teams who seemingly don't even try to win the race. Pogacar dropping Jorgenson was very predictable, that we can agree on.

Thus, I think that Visma needed to break the race from UAE's rythm earlier. Ideally at the point were wellens had done some work. Leaving Pogi with only Majka or Novak in an uncontrollable group of 30 ish strong riders. At that point they have a chance to go for the win.

When that didn't happen, the plan before the race must be to either hold Pogacar wheel (not good tacticts some would say delusional) or form a strong chase. Wandahl was clearly ready to work - then Benoot and Lemmen could do the same and suddenly the gap is stable at 20 seconds or even less. They had plenty of time. Come'on man. 23 km.

It feels like almost every one day race this season is teams being super passive waiting for the hammer from the best guy and when it happens it just "oh alright then we don't win today". This holds true for so many teams at so many races these days. I am singling out Visma because they are actually prepared to make it difficult for MVDP in the classics and so they understand this in principle at least.

Ok, sure.

 

[proffate]

What are you basing him being completely cooked on? He didn't drop from the group and did several attacks in the chase.

'I was trying to win the race and didn't have the legs after that' says American in final race before World Championships

 

[tobydawq]

Commentators said Majka was retiring? Well that's a downer.

The team just announced a renewal for 2025.