Greg Van Avermaet

[El Pistolero]

I can't believe this guy only has a four page thread while Majka has a 40 page thread.

To not totally *** on Majka, he surprised me today, he was strong.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Delighted for Greg, a real good guy and a worthy Olympic champion.

 

[barmaher]

Great tactics to make the front group 50k out. Great climbing. Great descending. Great bravery to chase Majka. And well done not fukcing around in the sprint. He trusted he was quickest, so he just gunned it.

 

[El Pistolero]

Greg should definitely be leader at Lombardia now.

 

[movingtarget]

Great win he has been in excellent form this year.

 

[Flamin]

Vive le velo followed his family in the Tour for 1 day. His father said, since a year, he has been speaking about one race. I thought, yeah sure, Ronde van Vlaanderen right. Then he said: the Olympic road race. I thought, what? It's too hard. But he just fricking did it. Still can't believe it.

Anyway, since I haven't seen the race yet, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy it big time now.

 

[the pope]

Before the race: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/Rio-2016/Rio2016_sporten/Rio2016_wielrennen/1.2729043
"Ik leg me niet neer bij het zware parcours, ik wil olympisch kampioen worden"
(liberally) translated: "I refuse to accept the course is too heavy, I want to become Olympic champion."

For me that quote says it all, and this attitude is the main reason for his win. Truly a champion.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re:

Before the race: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/Rio-2016/Rio2016_sporten/Rio2016_wielrennen/1.2729043
"Ik leg me niet neer bij het zware parcours, ik wil olympisch kampioen worden"
(liberally) translated: "I refuse to accept the course is too heavy, I want to become Olympic champion."

For me that quote says it all, and this attitude is the main reason for his win. Truly a champion.

I wish it came from Sagan . Never mind I am very very happy for Greg.
He was quite lucky that Kwiatko did not believed in himself too. If Polish changed their role, he would have been probably second .

 

[maxmayer555]

What about Il Lombardia? Shouldn't he have chances with this form?

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

What about Il Lombardia? Shouldn't he have chances with this form?

It's a Lombardia with a Bergamo finish, the route should be easier than the Olympic RR route, so he really should have a chance.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Before the race: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/Rio-2016/Rio2016_sporten/Rio2016_wielrennen/1.2729043
"Ik leg me niet neer bij het zware parcours, ik wil olympisch kampioen worden"
(liberally) translated: "I refuse to accept the course is too heavy, I want to become Olympic champion."

For me that quote says it all, and this attitude is the main reason for his win. Truly a champion.

That's really cool. Great guy, hope he can go for RVV next year!

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Before the race: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/Rio-2016/Rio2016_sporten/Rio2016_wielrennen/1.2729043
"Ik leg me niet neer bij het zware parcours, ik wil olympisch kampioen worden"
(liberally) translated: "I refuse to accept the course is too heavy, I want to become Olympic champion."

For me that quote says it all, and this attitude is the main reason for his win. Truly a champion.

I wish it came from Sagan . Never mind I am very very happy for Greg.
He was quite lucky that Kwiatko did not believed in himself too. If Polish changed their role, he would have been probably second .

If you want to believe that... sure..

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

What about Il Lombardia? Shouldn't he have chances with this form?

It's a Lombardia with a Bergamo finish, the route should be easier than the Olympic RR route, so he really should have a chance.

Wasn't the last climb in 2014 a short cobbled ramp? If thats the case the race should suit him even more and he would even be one of the biggest favorites if he is still in the peloton at that point. Moreover he could cause a good race because most riders probably don't want to come to that climb together with van avermaet. Btw, the same would count for sagan if he decides to go to lombardia.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

What about Il Lombardia? Shouldn't he have chances with this form?

It's a Lombardia with a Bergamo finish, the route should be easier than the Olympic RR route, so he really should have a chance.

Wasn't the last climb in 2014 a short cobbled ramp? If thats the case the race should suit him even more and he would even be one of the biggest favorites if he is still in the peloton at that point. Moreover he could cause a good race because most riders probably don't want to come to that climb together with van avermaet. Btw, the same would count for sagan if he decides to go to lombardia.

Sagan has never shown anything close to his A form after the Tdf except in Canada in 2013. Even the Richmond win was more the mix of luck, good tactic, underestimation from his rivals, parkour and his best weapon-punchy climb then his A-form. For GDL he would need his A form and lot of luck and I am quite sceptical about his climbing abilities this year. I would be very glad to be proven wrong here.
BTW For WCRR he need comppletly different set of skills then for GDL so as well the different preparation, so I do not think he will take the part inthere.

 

[jmdirt]

Many people are talking about GvA winning a "climbers race": He is 5"11", 155? Those numbers seem pretty good for that climb. Plus, if you look at video and photos from the Olys, he looks really lean, maybe only 150?

Congrats GvA!

 

[Red Rick]

That's like what 1.79 and 69 in non-random measurements.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

What about Il Lombardia? Shouldn't he have chances with this form?

It depends the route. he has been close sometimes, but it is a race for good climbers normally.

Rio was a race for belgium classic riders, lot of flat, walls, really nasty cobbles, lot of cross winds.. yes, the climb was hard, no so bad for that classic riders, becouse it had some rest...but hard, but the problem is that climbers got the climb already very tired ad classic riders, even cobbles riders, quite fresh.

As well in Lombardia there is not 10 Km of flat at the end.

But those editios that Gilbert won nnd previous years of course he can win.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

That's like what 1.79 and 69 in non-random measurements.

Thank you.

I come aboard ships quite often and a lot of crew always ask me how much feet I am? I always answer with that it depends on who's feet we are using.
I know it's cheesy, but really feet/stones etc are really the dumbest measurements possible.

*rant off*

Greg certainly is lean, but not climber lean. He's a lot leaner than Sagan, that's for sure.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

What about Il Lombardia? Shouldn't he have chances with this form?

It depends the route. he has been close sometimes, but it is a race for good climbers normally.

Rio was a race for belgium classic riders, lot of flat, walls, really nasty cobbles, lot of cross winds.. yes, the climb was hard, no so bad for that classic riders, becouse it had some rest...but hard, but the problem is that climbers got the climb already very tired ad classic riders, even cobbles riders, quite fresh.

As well in Lombardia there is not 10 Km of flat at the end.

But those editios that Gilbert won nnd previous years of course he can win.

ORR fits TTist or classicist with climbing ability. It is strange that everyone is saying that it fits climbers. After test ride, all of our colleagues tip classic riders such as Philippe Gilbert or TTist such as Bradley Wiggins to win.
Unlucky, our coach haven't top riders at his disposal.

 

[PremierAndrew]

OGRR was harder than Lombardia, and if GVA won OGRR, he's got a chance in GdL too. Yes he doesn't have anywhere near as much flat to catch up on, but crucially he would remain in touch with the stronger climbers over the top of the final climb if he is in similar form in October

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Vive le velo followed his family in the Tour for 1 day. His father said, since a year, he has been speaking about one race. I thought, yeah sure, Ronde van Vlaanderen right. Then he said: the Olympic road race. I thought, what? It's too hard. But he just fricking did it. Still can't believe it.

Anyway, since I haven't seen the race yet, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy it big time now.

That shows cyclist knows more about cycling tha most of the people of this forum.

 

[jmdirt]

Re: Re:

That's like what 1.79 and 69 in non-random measurements.

Thank you.

I come aboard ships quite often and a lot of crew always ask me how much feet I am? I always answer with that it depends on who's feet we are using.
I know it's cheesy, but really feet/stones etc are really the dumbest measurements possible.

*rant off*

Greg certainly is lean, but not climber lean. He's a lot leaner than Sagan, that's for sure.

In the early '80s they told me in school that "the USA will be converted to the metric system of measurement by the end of the 80s". So far they have missed that target by 26 years. I was going to defend the USCS as not being stupid, but fractions are stupid especially compared to a simple 10 based system so I can't defend it. It is somewhat relative though if everyone understands the system...oh ya, a lot of people struggle with fractions.

Anyway, IMO GvA's measurements are good, as it turns out great, for a course like that.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

OGRR was harder than Lombardia, and if GVA won OGRR, he's got a chance in GdL too. Yes he doesn't have anywhere near as much flat to catch up on, but crucially he would remain in touch with the stronger climbers over the top of the final climb if he is in similar form in October

The climbs of last year's Lombardia were harder than Vista Chinesa. The race itself was easier, but I can't see GVA getting over Civiglio that well. This year it should be easier, unless they've found some new climbs in the Bergamaschi Alps.

 

[Mr.White]

Re:

OGRR was harder than Lombardia, and if GVA won OGRR, he's got a chance in GdL too. Yes he doesn't have anywhere near as much flat to catch up on, but crucially he would remain in touch with the stronger climbers over the top of the final climb if he is in similar form in October

It was harder for climbers, but classics specialists who can climb did just fine. If the course is same as last year I think he has no chance at all. Muro Sormano, Ghisallo, Civiglio and San Fermo della Bataglia combo is way harder then Canoas/Vista Chinesa x3, and it's up and down all day with hardly meter of flat. It's a climbers course, I can't see GVA perform there. But if the course is like in 2014, then he has a decent shot

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

OGRR was harder than Lombardia, and if GVA won OGRR, he's got a chance in GdL too. Yes he doesn't have anywhere near as much flat to catch up on, but crucially he would remain in touch with the stronger climbers over the top of the final climb if he is in similar form in October

In Lombardie you dont have crosswids or cobbles, the cobble section was really nasty and they did 4 times...It is not just question of 3 hard climbs...

But if you consider just the profile or climbs, look at this profile:

http://www.avancedeportivo.es/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/giro-di-lombardia-2015.jpg

Sormano for the wall is harder for climbers than the climb at the olimpics...Ghisallo similar, and they were in a row,, and at the end two shorter but hard climbs as well...

GVA was struglinng on the hard sections of the climb, but in overaoll the race suit him quite well, becoue it is ot not just the climbs

OGRR was a hard race, but not especially for clasic riders, as well for climbers...Lombardie is hard for people who go well in Paris roubaix, but suits well for climbers. GVA is one of the few riders, maybe ow the oly oe who can do well in both PR annd Lombardie, as he has demostrated already.

This profile of Lombardie was no so hard, Gilbert won:

http://www.steephill.tv/classics/giro-di-lombardia/profile.jpg

So in part it depends the route, as well rivals, becouse with nibali at a good shape and no crashes with the route of last year, GA has impossible to win,, with the same route and bad luck or lack of rivals, he can, and with another route he can beat today anyone.