Guys to watch in the Ardennes Classics

[Pippo_San]

A name that never disappoints in these kinds of races: Enrico Gasparotto.
Safe bet there.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Murito to win the unipublic stage. Sagan and the mighty Quinn for the other 2

Quinn the Eskimo? When has Tom Danielson looked like winning an Ardennes Classic?

 

[l.Harm]

It's not in the Ardennes.

AGR isn't either.

- ah already mentioned.

 

[gooner]

Exactly my point.
He came 2nd in Lombardia 2011 and 5th last year at Liege.

And his 6th in F-W all came from starting the climb of the Mur in a terrible position.

 

[Afrank]

I would like to see Gilbert get a couple, but gotta admit, his form isn't looking that great at the moment. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't do well.
Sagan will be a big contender for AGR I think, if he can hang with Gilbert (or whoever it is that breaks away on the cauberg) then he has a good shot of taking it. And he would most definitely deserve to take it after the classics season he's had.

I also think Dan Martin, Purito, Quintana, the colombians, Valverde, Gerrans, Voeckler, and Nibali could all do well. Vanendert also perhaps (if he wasn't hurt too bad from his crash at Pais vasco) might get a couple top 10's.
Of the above Nibbles, Gerrans, and Dan Martin especially I think could do very well.

 

[Roderick]

Maybe the perennial f***-up Cunego could hit top form for once.

Or then again maybe not.

Il Piccolo Principe is always at his best when you don't expect him

 

[Escarabajo]

I am happy to say that we might have 4 Colombians with possibilities FTW this year. Amazing!

 

[maxmartin]

Rory Sutherland could be a dark horse, and he is in a pretty good form now.

 

[RHRH19861986]

Kiryienka of Sky could do well in LBL. I hope he has a free role, and doesn´t get wasted to set tempo or to try it in a mid race breakaway.

He has the endurance for this lenghth of race, and can handle the climbs, as he showed already in his two Giro stages he won.

Thomas Dekker will be super motivated for Amstel, but I can´t imagine he´ll do Top10 or even better.

 

[movingtarget]

I would like to see Gilbert get a couple, but gotta admit, his form isn't looking that great at the moment. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't do well.
Sagan will be a big contender for AGR I think, if he can hang with Gilbert (or whoever it is that breaks away on the cauberg) then he has a good shot of taking it. And he would most definitely deserve to take it after the classics season he's had.

I also think Dan Martin, Purito, Quintana, the colombians, Valverde, Gerrans, Voeckler, and Nibali could all do well. Vanendert also perhaps (if he wasn't hurt too bad from his crash at Pais vasco) might get a couple top 10's.
Of the above Nibbles, Gerrans, and Dan Martin especially I think could do very well.

Having doubts about Gilbert again. Rodriguez and Gerrans are looking good. Sagan, Gasparotto and and Iglinsky usually perform well of recent times.

 

[jens_attacks]

JTL & the whole sky team
voeckler & rolland
max,gaspa and others from astana
andy schleck

 

[Linkeballer]

What do you guys think of Betancur in these races?
He's only 23 and has never done anything like this. I mean, he never did a race of more then 240 k. (except for Lombardia, 24th)
Or is he more a guy for a stage victory in the Giro?

 

[Shardi]

AGR
If there isnt a signifcant, clear breakaway on the cauberg but a few contenders hanging on to eachother, then Sagan could be there and take it.

Gilbert does not look good enough. Before the worlds RR he showed top shape in the vuelta preparation a few weeks before the RR, pretty similar to his 2011 showing (okay debatable, but his vuelta 12 performance was atleast a very solid perfomance). This time around,, he looks heavy and awkward on the bike.. Needs a miracle fine-tuning to reach his old topform which is needed with such a wide open field of strong contenders.

Quintana impresses, not only punching away from the other GC aces (contador, valverde, purito) but also taking time on porte on the flat in the TT. Question is, is cauberg hard enough for him?

Hard to call. Valverde, Purito, Quintana, Sagan, Gerrans, the astanas, Nibali.

FW
Quintana will punch away from the rest with Rodriguez a close 2nd and Gerrans 3rd.

LBL
Many contenders. Gonna go with one of the Skys(!!). With the strength of their roster, they will make many riders suffer on the way to Liege. Perhaps will they also have several cards to play as the race reaches endgame.

 

[Linkeballer]

I actually believe that Wiggins could win LBL.
Maybe its sounds strange, but if Sky can control the race, wiggo could finnish it.

 

[42x16ss]

I actually believe that Wiggins could win LBL.
Maybe its sounds strange, but if Sky can control the race, wiggo could finnish it.

Wiggins? No way. Porte, Froome or Henao, that's another story.

 

[jens_attacks]

Wiggins? No way. Porte, Froome or Henao, that's another story.

both wiggo and/or froomey can do it. with a 20-30 km attack why not? we'll see.
sky have a lot of cards for this

 

[spalco]

Wiggins' form hasn't looked spectacular this year yet though.

 

[theyoungest]

Wiggins? No way. Porte, Froome or Henao, that's another story.

Remember: no Roche aux Faucons this year. Wiggins is a guy who could complete a TT for the win like Nibali failed to do last year.

Anyway, interested to see how Mollema will do. Top 10 in all 3 last years and was looking very good this year until he got sick prior to Pais Vasco. I hope that missing PV didn't hurt him too much

Stupidly enough, his team isn't riding the Brabantse Pijl this year. He could have used that. Now he'll have to use the Amstel as training for Fleche and especially Liege, where I think he could still be good.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'd say Sagan is the favorite for AGR, Rodriguez for FW and Gilbert for LBL.

Others who will do well: Quintana, Henao, Martin. I'm looking forward to seeing Betancur and Ulissi as well.

 

[vladimir]

Remember: no Roche aux Faucons this year. Wiggins is a guy who could complete a TT for the win like Nibali failed to do last year.


Stupidly enough, his team isn't riding the Brabantse Pijl this year. He could have used that. Now he'll have to use the Amstel as training for Fleche and especially Liege, where I think he could still be good.

Damn, I wasn't aware that they had changed the course for this year. I tried to find it on the race website, but no luck. Can anyone please provide a link to this years course for LBL?

 

[TomasC]

I don't quite get why Sagan is not racing LBL (seemingly). He could have a chance there, more than in F-W, whis is the one he was reportedly considering apart from AGR.

 

[del1962]

Damn, I wasn't aware that they had changed the course for this year. I tried to find it on the race website, but no luck. Can anyone please provide a link to this years course for LBL?

http://www.amstel.nl/evenementen/amstelgoldrace/wedstrijd/route

Try this you may have to put your age in

EDIT : Sorry had Amstel Gold on my mind

 

[Lanark]

ASO is really slow in revealing profiles for their one day races. I'm not sure the route has even been finalized at this point.

 

[nesocip]

AGR: Hard to see past Sagan for this with the new finish. Challengers: Gerrans, Gasparotto, Porte, Gilbert, Valverde, Albasini; Outside bets: Quintana, Iglinsky, Betancur, Moser (in case something happens with Sagan), I. Izagirre, J. Vanendert (if recovered)

F-W: Quintana FTW. Challengers: Anton, Henao, Gilbert, Betancur, Purito, Gilbert, Gerrans; Outside bets: Gasparotto, Uran, Vanendert

L-B-L: Hard to predict, especially this "easier" course. Lets say Samuel Sanchez to win it Oo. Challengers and outsiders: Basically everyone i listed above and some guys like Nibali, Froome and Contador

 

[del1962]

Amstel Gold Startlist