Grand Prix de Denain 2022 (March 17)

[tobydawq]

Did Vinegaard finish with main group?

Sheffield seems like he is potential classics guy with some upward ability in other races.

No, Vingegaard punctured close to the sector where Ineos put down the gauntlet and he never quite made it back. Stupidly, Van Dijke gave him his wheel... At least it was stupid if they wanted to win this race but that was probably not their main concern.

 

[Roku]

It was a nice race. Intermarche had Petit which obviously was a better option than just sitting in the wheels with 4 guys in the bunch (the entire team before the last cobbled section). Same for Groupama with Bram Welten.

 

[Mayomaniac]

There's just way too many races that end in a reduced bunch sprints with C and D tier sprinters. There's just way too many of them in Belgium and especially France. Atleast in Belgium there's sometimes some A and B tier sprinters participating in them.

I mean, Walscheid is pretty good on flat cobbles, just look at the last edition of Paris-Roubaix. But yeah, with him having absurdly high wattages but being really not aero because of his size I think he'd be better as a leadout man than as a sprinter...

 

[postmanhat]

Great race. Hard to believe this is is only the 3rd or 4th WT ride on cobbles for Turner and Sheffield. They already look completely at home in the classics peleton. Ineos having the best young riders over the coming few weeks is going to be one the more entertaining things about this season.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Max Walscheid for taking the win.

I enjoyed the race. It's likely as good as it gets. Regarding Rogla and "Paris–Roubaix". Especially considering how well he performed. Small ramp at the finish would have made all the difference. But OK sprinters should win occasionally too.

 

[Savant12]

Much more entertaining than Milano-Torino but that's a low bar.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

I enjoyed the race. It's likely as good as it gets. Regarding Rogla and "Paris–Roubaix". Especially considering how well he performed. Small ramp at the finish would have made all the difference. But OK sprinters should win occasionally too.

I think Roglic would have been able to perform a final attack from the breakaway, a winning move. With MSR in mind, he, however, apparently did not try.

Congrats to Walscheid, who certainly will get his contract renewed by Cofidis, after this win in Denain.

 

[hayneplane]

I think Roglic would have been able to perform a final attack from the breakaway, a winning move. With MSR in mind, he, however, apparently did not try.

Congrats to Walscheid, who certainly will get his contract renewed by Cofidis, after this win in Denain.

It did look like he felt it was job well done with all the boxes ticked and he did not see the need to burn any matches ahead of bigger races trying to go solo against a charging peloton.

 

[Bolder]

I think Roglic would have been able to perform a final attack from the breakaway, a winning move. With MSR in mind, he, however, apparently did not try.

Congrats to Walscheid, who certainly will get his contract renewed by Cofidis, after this win in Denain.

That's how I saw it, too. I'm surprised a bit that he even went on the attack but I guess the Ineos riders weren't as strong as he thought.

It was a surprisingly entertaining race -- at one point I thought the attack would stick, just needed about 15 more seconds once the gap went to 30 seconds...

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

It was a surprisingly entertaining race -- at one point I thought the attack would stick, just needed about 15 more seconds once the gap went to 30 seconds...

Exactly… I, personally, thought this breakaway would not be caught, with Roglic and three Ineos riders. In the peloton, „only“ Intermarche and Groupama chased, so two of the weaker WT teams.

Then, in the sprint, I thought Walscheid would be too tired, after placing second in Nokere the day before.

In the end, a nice win for Cofidis. Their new signings Coquard and Walscheid already won races within the first three months of 2022, which is nice for this team, and a nice reward for Cofidis as a sponsor, who are so patient with the team - a team rather used to setbacks than to victories…

 

[Netserk]

Wanty did well to finish third without a sprinter. Good for their WT ambition that the attackers were caught.