Guys to watch in the Ardennes Classics

[Gloin22]

Nevermind JTL but for Sky Porte is riding the Ardennes and he certainly can hold his owns on the hills. Especially I see him featuring in Liege.

Henao was disappointing last year but he seems in great form and Uran is another someone to consider.

Froome is another dark horse for Liege which he is indeed riding.

Considering it was Henao's first year in Europe I can't see how he was disappointing. He was getting used to last year.

This year he took few wins already and shows he's ready to step up.

 

[The Hitch]

Considering it was Henao's first year in Europe I can't see how he was disappointing. He was getting used to last year.

This year he took few wins already and shows he's ready to step up.

Last year you were hyping Nordhaug big time and said he was better than Henao and would have been up there if not a mechanical

Wonder how he will do at Blanco.

 

[maltiv]

Last year you were hyping Nordhaug big time and said he was better than Henao and would have been up there if not a mechanical

Wonder how he will do at Blanco.

With mechanical you mean crashing with 300 meters go in Amstel from 3rd position? There's little doubt that he would've at least been top 5 from that position, while Henao was 25th or so...

Anyway, he won't do well, he's had a knee injury the entire winter and had a very serious flu after MSR.

 

[The Hitch]

With mechanical you mean crashing with 300 meters go in Amstel from 3rd position? There's little doubt that he would've at least been top 5 from that position, while Henao was 25th or so...

Anyway, he won't do well, he's had a knee injury the entire winter and had a very serious flu after MSR.

Yeah sorry. My only knowledge of the incident was gloin asking DT if the banned Ryo Hazuki would aknowledge that Nordhaug would have done better than Henao if not for the crash and DT saying something like - no he won't Henao did better.

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

LOl - I can believe streak of 7 finishes

The tiernanator.

 

[Afrank]

7 key climbs of the Ardennes Classics.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/gallery/7-key-climbs-of-the-ardennes-classics_281717

 

[Caruut]

Tim Wellens might be able to surprise for Lotto. Two team leaders suffering from injury, a good stagiare year for Lotto last year and reasonable results this year.

 

[will10]

Last year you were hyping Nordhaug big time and said he was better than Henao and would have been up there if not a mechanical

Wonder how he will do at Blanco.

"up there?" pretty sure either gloin or one of the Norwegian fanboys (I get them mixed up) said Nordhaug would catagorically have won the Gold Race last year.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

"up there?" pretty sure either gloin or one of the Norwegian fanboys (I get them mixed up) said Nordhaug would catagorically have won the Gold Race last year.

Well, it definitely wasn't me

 

[zapata]

"up there?" pretty sure either gloin or one of the Norwegian fanboys (I get them mixed up) said Nordhaug would catagorically have won the Gold Race last year.

Noone said that. Someone said he COULD have won, but you misread it as WOULD, and proceeded to ridicule the poster. Feel free to apologize to him and norwegian fanboys in general.

 

[will10]

Noone said that. Someone said he COULD have won, but you misread it as WOULD, and proceeded to ridicule the poster. Feel free to apologize to him and norwegian fanboys in general.

lol, there were some ridiculous posts in that thread and they weren't mine. Anyone can see that for themselves.

 

[zapata]

lol, there were some ridiculous posts in that thread and they weren't mine. Anyone can see that for themselves.

Gloin said he COULD have won, which you called "muppet post of the day". Maltiv also said nordhaug could have won. Nobody said he definitely would have. But the next day you claim that we were "reliably informed that he would have won anyway" by several posters. Which was not the case. Just read it.

 

[will10]

I particilarly liked 'Nordhaug was 100% fresh'. You know, after 260km.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I particilarly liked 'Nordhaug was 100% fresh'. You know, after 260km.

Just to get it sorted out, is your problem with a) Norwegians, b) Nordhaug, c) one single post or d) specific forum members?

Anyone could see that Nordhaug looked good last year until his crash, and anyone can see that he won't do well this year.

 

[maltiv]

I particilarly liked 'Nordhaug was 100% fresh'. You know, after 260km.

He looked very fresh. Having followed his career from the beginning, and even ridden with him, I can tell when he's tired...and at this point, he wasn't. The sprint wasn't particularly fast that year, so he could've won in the same fashion in which he won the sprint vs Moser in Montreal.

Will be interesting to see if he ever can reach such form with Blanco though, in that case I don't think we'll see it before late summer with all the problems he's had this spring. Or maybe not at all.

 

[Netserk]

Just to get it sorted out, is your problem with a) Norwegians, b) Nordhaug, c) one single post or d) specific forum members?

Anyone could see that Nordhaug looked good last year until his crash, and anyone can see that he won't do well this year.

e) Nationalism.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

e) Nationalism.

I'd call it patriotism, but I get the point. The point being that biased opionions towards riders from your own country is bad, a point I strongly disagree with. Think I remember a thread some while ago discussing whether patriotism is good or bad for cycling?

 

[Shardi]

if it makes you express ur subjective opinion as solid fact, then it might desceive the other posters you are debating with. When they go look for themselves, they will find out you're an idiot.

 

[zapata]

I particilarly liked 'Nordhaug was 100% fresh'. You know, after 260km.

So? that's not quite the same as saying he will definitely win, is it? You said norwegian fanboys categorically stated that nordhaug would have won, which is demonstrably not true. So, were you deliberately lying, or were you just mistaken?

 

[search]

Think I remember a thread some while ago discussing whether patriotism is good or bad for cycling?

it's a good thing, it's just all the whinging about sicknesses and knee injuries which noone wants to hear (procycling.no nowadays even got to a point to publish it before the start of every single race with a norwegian in there)

 

[jaylew]

Movistar for the Ardennes:

AMADOR Andrey
ERVITI Imanol
COSTA Rui
LASTRAS Pablo
MADRAZO Ángel
QUINTANA Nairo
VALVERDE Alejandro
VISCONTI Giovanni

That's a really strong team. I think Valverde will get a win somewhere. I keep waiting on Visconti to perform in the Ardennes. He was mentored by Bettini and won a bunch of hilly Italian one day races but his team almost never got invites to these. He joined Movistar last year but seemed to struggle and I haven't really seen him stand out this year so far either.

 

[Parrulo]

visconti had a free role last year but i think he will have to be fully committed to dom work as movistar already has 3 riders more capable then him for this races.

i like him as a rider but he should have take his chance to shine last year

one thing is for sure, on paper the movistar looks like the strongest team for the ardennes

 

[jaylew]

I agree. He likely missed his shot. He should probably move on if Q and Costa stay as they are younger and stronger and we know Valverde isn't going anywhere.

 

[Gloin22]

visconti had a free role last year but i think he will have to be fully committed to dom work as movistar already has 3 riders more capable then him for this races.

i like him as a rider but he should have take his chance to shine last year

one thing is for sure, on paper the movistar looks like the strongest team for the ardennes

On paper maybe, but Valverde has been sick a bit and didn't ride many prep races. Costa has never shown anything special in Ardennes too. And Quitanna didn't even ride them yet.

It wouldn't be surprising if they didn't do that well.

However they should, especially Fleche with Quintana should be a podium for them. Amstel and LBL depend on Valverde's form mainly I think still.