Teams & Riders He's coming home!!!! Alejandro Valverde comeback thread.

[El Pistolero]

Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

 

[Koronin]

Gilbert had planned on riding Fleche Wallone and LBL last year, but got hurt pretty badly at Amstel. Yes he won, but the crash did some damage. There were a lot of people who had really wanted to see an in form Gilbert vs and in form Valverde at Fleche Wallone and LBL.

As for whose palmares I'd rather have, that's easy, I'd rather have Valverde's. His show a crazy consistency that the majority of riders could never hope to come close to.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

Gilbert had planned on riding Fleche Wallone and LBL last year, but got hurt pretty badly at Amstel. Yes he won, but the crash did some damage. There were a lot of people who had really wanted to see an in form Gilbert vs and in form Valverde at Fleche Wallone and LBL.

As for whose palmares I'd rather have, that's easy, I'd rather have Valverde's. His show a crazy consistency that the majority of riders could never hope to come close to.

Consistency is only one factor that needs to be looked at.

 

[Koronin]

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

 

[Red Rick]

Cobbled classics are full of specialists.

The Ardennes are full of GT riders for whom hilly classics are not the first thing on their mind.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

LBL is also the main goal of Nibali in the first part of the season yet he still rode Milan-San Remo and will ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

LBL is also the main goal of Nibali in the first part of the season yet he still rode Milan-San Remo and will ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

And?

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

Cobbled classics are full of specialists.

The Ardennes are full of GT riders for whom hilly classics are not the first thing on their mind.

Perhaps in the past, but now they're filled with riders who can win on a wide variety of terrains...

- Sagan: triple world champion and five-time green jersey winner in the Tour
- Van Avermaet: Olympic champion on a mountainous course, won numerous Tour stages and hilly classics
- Gilbert: world champion, won pretty much all the hilly classics on the racing calendar
- Kwiatkowski: world champion and Milan-San Remo winner
- Demare: Milan-San Remo winner
- Kristoff: Milan-San Remo winner
- Degenkolb: Milan-San Remo winner
- Benoot: can ride top ten in just about any classic, also won Strade Bianche and was fourth in this year's T-A

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

LBL is also the main goal of Nibali in the first part of the season yet he still rode Milan-San Remo and will ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

And?

Valverde has no excuse to skip those races. Other than being a coward.

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

Yeah not only do the cobbled classics have a lot more top class riders, but the parcours force great racing from far out. It’s so hard to have a truly bad cobbled race.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

LBL is also the main goal of Nibali in the first part of the season yet he still rode Milan-San Remo and will ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

And?

Valverde has no excuse to skip those races. Other than being a coward.

MSR was the day before Catalonia. I have a feeling that after his flight fiasco of getting to Strade Bianche no one wanted to risk that getting him back to Catalonia. As for Ronde, he's still not ready to risk an injury on the cobbles there. As for MSR he has raced. He races MSR when he's not racing Catalonia.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

LBL is also the main goal of Nibali in the first part of the season yet he still rode Milan-San Remo and will ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

And?

Valverde has no excuse to skip those races. Other than being a coward.

MSR was the day before Catalonia. I have a feeling that after his flight fiasco of getting to Strade Bianche no one wanted to risk that getting him back to Catalonia. As for Ronde, he's still not ready to risk an injury on the cobbles there. As for MSR he has raced. He races MSR when he's not racing Catalonia.

He should pick the race with the most prestige and best competition. And Nibali is riding Pais Vasco which starts one day after the Ronde.

And you can get injured in just about any race, or even during training rides.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

Grow up

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Cobbled classics are full of specialists.

The Ardennes are full of GT riders for whom hilly classics are not the first thing on their mind.

Perhaps in the past, but now they're filled with riders who can win on a wide variety of terrains...

- Sagan: triple world champion and five-time green jersey winner in the Tour
- Van Avermaet: Olympic champion on a mountainous course, won numerous Tour stages and hilly classics
- Gilbert: world champion, won pretty much all the hilly classics on the racing calendar
- Kwiatkowski: world champion and Milan-San Remo winner
- Demare: Milan-San Remo winner
- Kristoff: Milan-San Remo winner
- Degenkolb: Milan-San Remo winner
- Benoot: can ride top ten in just about any classic, also won Strade Bianche and was fourth in this year's T-A

Whatever. Semantics. I meant it as a credit to the cobbled races that they're full of riders for whom the week of Vlaanderen and Roubaix is the highlight of the season.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

According to an article I just read Valverde said he is NOT racing Ronde this year. He said he fully intends on racing it eventually, but not this year. He said this isn't the right time to race it, esp not with trying to match Merckx's LBL record. He did say again fully intends on racing it, just not this year.

LBL is also the main goal of Nibali in the first part of the season yet he still rode Milan-San Remo and will ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

And?

Valverde has no excuse to skip those races. Other than being a coward.

MSR was the day before Catalonia. I have a feeling that after his flight fiasco of getting to Strade Bianche no one wanted to risk that getting him back to Catalonia. As for Ronde, he's still not ready to risk an injury on the cobbles there. As for MSR he has raced. He races MSR when he's not racing Catalonia.

He should pick the race with the most prestige and best competition. And Nibali is riding Pais Vasco which starts one day after the Ronde.

And you can get injured in just about any race, or even during training rides.[/quote]


He's going to pick the races he wants to race. He was chasing history at Catalonia, and it sounds like he wants to go back there next year for the same reason the history he's chasing there. He also prefers racing on home soil of Spain with only a few exceptions such as the Ardennes. This year he wasn't supposed to be racing Strade Bianche at all. He had to talk the team into letting him race there because he wanted to. At this point in his career at 37 almost 38 he's more than earned the the right to race where he's happiest racing.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

Oh boy, here we go again. The fact is that Liège has a better and deeper field than Flanders.

We can start by looking at how many different riders have won, top 3'd or top 10'd the two races (I posted this in another thread as well, but you ignored it then):

Last 3 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 2
Flanders: 3

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 24
Flanders: 22

Last 10 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 18
Flanders: 16

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 55
Flanders: 49

Conclusion: More different riders top 3 or top 10 Liège than Flanders, meaning that the competition is harder in the former race than in the latter.

We could also take a look at the quality of the startlist in the two races, using PCS's points system:

Quality of the field in Liège:

2017: 57841
2016: 61112
2015: 82606
2014: 74689
2013: 64507

Average for the last 5 years: 68151

Quality of the field in Flanders:

2017: 53559
2016: 51085
2015: 67040
2014: 57139
2013: 51805

Average for the last 5 years: 56125,6

If we only look at the top 20 competitors:

Liège:

2017: 23529
2016: 23514
2015: 30788
2014: 30640
2013: 24833

Average for the last 5 years: 26660,8

Flanders:

2017: 22674
2016: 21911
2015: 22562
2014: 21622
2013: 21595

Average for the last 5 years: 22072,8

Conclusion: Regardless of whether we look at the whole field or only the top 20 competitors in each race, Liège has had a much stronger field than Flanders in every single of the last 5 years, meaning that Liège attracts better riders than Flanders.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

Oh boy, here we go again. The fact is that Liège has a better and deeper field than Flanders.

We can start by looking at how many different riders have won, top 3'd or top 10'd the two races (I posted this in another thread as well, but you ignored it then):

Last 3 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 2
Flanders: 3

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 24
Flanders: 22

Last 10 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 18
Flanders: 16

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 55
Flanders: 49

Conclusion: More different riders top 3 or top 10 Liège than Flanders, meaning that the competition is harder in the former race than in the latter.

We could also take a look at the quality of the startlist in the two races, using PCS's points system:

Quality of the field in Liège:

2017: 57841
2016: 61112
2015: 82606
2014: 74689
2013: 64507

Average for the last 5 years: 68151

Quality of the field in Flanders:

2017: 53559
2016: 51085
2015: 67040
2014: 57139
2013: 51805

Average for the last 5 years: 56125,6

If we only look at the top 20 competitors:

Liège:

2017: 23529
2016: 23514
2015: 30788
2014: 30640
2013: 24833

Average for the last 5 years: 26660,8

Flanders:

2017: 22674
2016: 21911
2015: 22562
2014: 21622
2013: 21595

Average for the last 5 years: 22072,8

Conclusion: Regardless of whether we look at the whole field or only the top 20 competitors in each race, Liège has had a much stronger field than Flanders in every single of the last 5 years, meaning that Liège attracts better riders than Flanders.

Higher PCS points doesn't mean a rider is better... You simply get much more points for riding GC than winning individual stages (sprinters for example).

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

Oh boy, here we go again. The fact is that Liège has a better and deeper field than Flanders.

We can start by looking at how many different riders have won, top 3'd or top 10'd the two races (I posted this in another thread as well, but you ignored it then):

Last 3 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 2
Flanders: 3

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 24
Flanders: 22

Last 10 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 18
Flanders: 16

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 55
Flanders: 49

Conclusion: More different riders top 3 or top 10 Liège than Flanders, meaning that the competition is harder in the former race than in the latter.

We could also take a look at the quality of the startlist in the two races, using PCS's points system:

Quality of the field in Liège:

2017: 57841
2016: 61112
2015: 82606
2014: 74689
2013: 64507

Average for the last 5 years: 68151

Quality of the field in Flanders:

2017: 53559
2016: 51085
2015: 67040
2014: 57139
2013: 51805

Average for the last 5 years: 56125,6

If we only look at the top 20 competitors:

Liège:

2017: 23529
2016: 23514
2015: 30788
2014: 30640
2013: 24833

Average for the last 5 years: 26660,8

Flanders:

2017: 22674
2016: 21911
2015: 22562
2014: 21622
2013: 21595

Average for the last 5 years: 22072,8

Conclusion: Regardless of whether we look at the whole field or only the top 20 competitors in each race, Liège has had a much stronger field than Flanders in every single of the last 5 years, meaning that Liège attracts better riders than Flanders.

Higher PCS points doesn't mean a rider is better... You simply get much more points for riding GC than winning individual stages (sprinters for example).

Of course you do, because GC's are much harder to win than stages.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

For years now Gilbert has not been able to compete in LBL. He realises his chances are much bigger in the cobbled classics where the competition is less strong and he wants to win all 5 monuments. If Roubaix always was his dream race he would have ridden it more than once. He did Flanders in the beginning of his career because he was able to combine it with his preparation for Amstel/LBL. Now in the end he does the cobbled races again because he is able to win there. Easy as that.

He had injuries during the Ardennes classics for the last 3 years, you can't make conclusions based on that.

He's riding the cobbled classics because he wants to fill in the gaps of his palmares. Not being able to ride the cobbled classics was the biggest reason for leaving BMC and joining Quick-Step. Get your facts straight.

The Ronde was always prestigious. Hoste never won it and the only reason Devolder won it was because he was part of Quick-Step (everyone was looking at Boonen in 2008 & 2009).

And LOL @ calling the competition less strong.

Ronde van Vlaanderen this year:

- Benoot
- Sagan
- Van Avermaet
- Vanmarcke
- Gilbert
- Kwiatkowski
- Nibali
- Terpstra
- Degenkolb
- Kristoff
- Demare
- Naesen
- Trentin
- Moscon
- Stybar
- Wout van Aert

LBL:

- Dan "I'll ride for second place" Martin

Oh boy, here we go again. The fact is that Liège has a better and deeper field than Flanders.

We can start by looking at how many different riders have won, top 3'd or top 10'd the two races (I posted this in another thread as well, but you ignored it then):

Last 3 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 2
Flanders: 3

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 24
Flanders: 22

Last 10 years:

Number of different winners:
Liège: 8
Flanders: 7

Number of different riders in top 3:
Liège: 18
Flanders: 16

Number of different riders in top 10:
Liège: 55
Flanders: 49

Conclusion: More different riders top 3 or top 10 Liège than Flanders, meaning that the competition is harder in the former race than in the latter.

We could also take a look at the quality of the startlist in the two races, using PCS's points system:

Quality of the field in Liège:

2017: 57841
2016: 61112
2015: 82606
2014: 74689
2013: 64507

Average for the last 5 years: 68151

Quality of the field in Flanders:

2017: 53559
2016: 51085
2015: 67040
2014: 57139
2013: 51805

Average for the last 5 years: 56125,6

If we only look at the top 20 competitors:

Liège:

2017: 23529
2016: 23514
2015: 30788
2014: 30640
2013: 24833

Average for the last 5 years: 26660,8

Flanders:

2017: 22674
2016: 21911
2015: 22562
2014: 21622
2013: 21595

Average for the last 5 years: 22072,8

Conclusion: Regardless of whether we look at the whole field or only the top 20 competitors in each race, Liège has had a much stronger field than Flanders in every single of the last 5 years, meaning that Liège attracts better riders than Flanders.

Higher PCS points doesn't mean a rider is better... You simply get much more points for riding GC than winning individual stages (sprinters for example).

Of course you do, because GC's are much harder to win than stages.

Winning 5 Tour stages gives you less points than placing second in the Tour without stage wins. I know what I'd prefer.

 

[armchairclimber]

Anyway, Valverde in DdV .... what do you reckon?

 

[Bardamu]

If he manages to position himself well he will there when the decisive breaks are made.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Cobbled classics are full of specialists.

The Ardennes are full of GT riders for whom hilly classics are not the first thing on their mind.

Perhaps in the past, but now they're filled with riders who can win on a wide variety of terrains...

- Sagan: triple world champion and five-time green jersey winner in the Tour
- Van Avermaet: Olympic champion on a mountainous course, won numerous Tour stages and hilly classics
- Gilbert: world champion, won pretty much all the hilly classics on the racing calendar
- Kwiatkowski: world champion and Milan-San Remo winner
- Demare: Milan-San Remo winner
- Kristoff: Milan-San Remo winner
- Degenkolb: Milan-San Remo winner
- Benoot: can ride top ten in just about any classic, also won Strade Bianche and was fourth in this year's T-A

By numerous you mean two Tour stages and one hilly classic? :lol:

 

[Moviestar]

Valverde possibly at the start of RVV

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.3169567

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

Cobbled classics are full of specialists.

The Ardennes are full of GT riders for whom hilly classics are not the first thing on their mind.

Perhaps in the past, but now they're filled with riders who can win on a wide variety of terrains...

- Sagan: triple world champion and five-time green jersey winner in the Tour
- Van Avermaet: Olympic champion on a mountainous course, won numerous Tour stages and hilly classics
- Gilbert: world champion, won pretty much all the hilly classics on the racing calendar
- Kwiatkowski: world champion and Milan-San Remo winner
- Demare: Milan-San Remo winner
- Kristoff: Milan-San Remo winner
- Degenkolb: Milan-San Remo winner
- Benoot: can ride top ten in just about any classic, also won Strade Bianche and was fourth in this year's T-A

By numerous you mean two Tour stages and one hilly classic? :lol:

that's more than most GT contenders can say lol

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Valverde possibly at the start of RVV

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.3169567

It's now or never.

He said that he would stay close to Greg Van Avermaet in Dwars. I don't think that is a good idea since Greg doesn't really care about this race.

Valverde has a tendency to miscalculate who is the danger man in the race. I remember an edition of Liege where he only cared about Gilbert.. it turned out to be a mistake and he missed the final move.

And in Firenze, he only cared about Nibali because of their battle in the Vuelta.

Today.. Benoot is the most dangerous rider to watch I think.