Il Lombardia, 241KM, 13th October (WT)

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Bardet is due for a win, he hasn't won all year, as far as I remember.

Wondering it the route is too tough for Matthews? - He was in stellar form in Canada.

Matthews will probably struggle against pure climbers on the Civiglio, he’s probably there to position Oomen on the rolling hills before the real action. Still worth taking in case something crazy happens or they race like wimps.

Woods is a real dark horse. If he can come third without support at worlds, he’s capable of winning here with an actual team.

Unfortunately he rides for EF Drapac, sooooo...

 

[greenedge]

My list of ratings:
***** Pinot- seems to have the best form, Valverde.
**** Nibali and Woods/Uran who form the strongest duo
*** Moscon, Gaudu, Bardet, Kreuziger, Oomen, Mollema, Costa
**Bernal, Haig, Majka, LLS, Benoot, Wellens, Roglic/Bennet, Mohoric/Izagirre's.

 

[Koronin]

Well Valverde is definitely back to doing his best to downplaying his chances. His comments now are basically: Let's see how I can do as I haven't disconnected yet from all the celebrating. However, I also appreciate the comment because it means he did take time to celebrate and enjoy what he just accomplished.

 

[winkybiker]

Moscon, unfortunately.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Well Valverde is definitely back to doing his best to downplaying his chances. His comments now are basically: Let's see how I can do as I haven't disconnected yet from all the celebrating. However, I also appreciate the comment because it means he did take time to celebrate and enjoy what he just accomplished.

If he is feeling good and really want to gamble on Lombardia, he should lose Milano-Torino on purpose in order to make himself a less marked man. But I don't think that is how modern cycling works. :lol:

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Well Valverde is definitely back to doing his best to downplaying his chances. His comments now are basically: Let's see how I can do as I haven't disconnected yet from all the celebrating. However, I also appreciate the comment because it means he did take time to celebrate and enjoy what he just accomplished.

If he is feeling good and really want to gamble on Lombardia, he should lose Milano-Torino on purpose in order to make himself a less marked man. But I don't think that is how modern cycling works. :lol:

That isn't possible for him. If he shows up he's marked. Now he has the rainbow jersey so he can't exactly hide in the peloton very easily. Also you're forgetting his mentality. If he's there he races to win even if his head is still in the clouds. He doesn't know how to race any other way.

 

[jaylew]

Uran Uran looked really strong today. He finally gets his win after 3 podiums here.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

Bardet is due for a win, he hasn't won all year, as far as I remember.

Wondering it the route is too tough for Matthews? - He was in stellar form in Canada.

Hell even Tre Valli Varesine was too tough for him, let alone Lombardia. He will be slaughtered on Sormano...

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

Bardet is due for a win, he hasn't won all year, as far as I remember.

Wondering it the route is too tough for Matthews? - He was in stellar form in Canada.

He has won Classic de l'Ardèche.

He basically win one time each year.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Bardet is due for a win, he hasn't won all year, as far as I remember.

Wondering it the route is too tough for Matthews? - He was in stellar form in Canada.

I think you need to watch the profile again. We are talking Muro di Sormano and the Civiglio pass.

It's too tough for better climbers like Kwiatkowski and Ulissi as well.

But yeah, Bardet is my candidate too.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Well Valverde is definitely back to doing his best to downplaying his chances. His comments now are basically: Let's see how I can do as I haven't disconnected yet from all the celebrating. However, I also appreciate the comment because it means he did take time to celebrate and enjoy what he just accomplished.

If he is feeling good and really want to gamble on Lombardia, he should lose Milano-Torino on purpose in order to make himself a less marked man. But I don't think that is how modern cycling works. :lol:

I think he'll ride conservative race today, following moves, and only to go all out in last km if he's in contention for the win. Saturday will be a different story though, he really wants that one...

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Well Valverde is definitely back to doing his best to downplaying his chances. His comments now are basically: Let's see how I can do as I haven't disconnected yet from all the celebrating. However, I also appreciate the comment because it means he did take time to celebrate and enjoy what he just accomplished.

If he is feeling good and really want to gamble on Lombardia, he should lose Milano-Torino on purpose in order to make himself a less marked man. But I don't think that is how modern cycling works. :lol:

I think he'll ride conservative race today, following moves, and only to go all out in last km if he's in contention for the win. Saturday will be a different story though, he really wants that one...

Today is an easy race, tactics-wise. Everybody knows it comes down to the final Superga climb. That could be a nice training for him, and I think he will go all out for the win because it's a race that only requires a real supra-maximal effort the final 10 minutes.

And now that there is two days in-between Milano-Torino and Lombardia instead of one like last year, it's unlikely to have the same negative influence on the Lombardia performance to be going for the win in Milano-Torino.

 

[Laplaz]

Looks like FDJ and EF will be the strongest teams saturday, so they will definetly try to make the race hard in order to crack Valverde. Bardet and Nibs will have the same goal, so should be a great day of racing.

 

[Laplaz]

Btw, MAL is not starting on Saturday, strange decision

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not that strange. How many times has Lopez set the world alight in 250km+ classics?

Asides from MT today, he has either DNF-ed or finished far off in the other one day races

 

[Laplaz]

Well, but with these legs he has to try at least.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, not trying is very weird.

Lopez once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory today.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Yeah, not trying is very weird.

Lopez once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory today.

Its very weird. DNF in Worlds due to crash, crashing today and then deciding to skip Saturday is a very, very strange decision - talk about not getting anything out of your form

 

[tobydawq]

Perhaps they fear for his life if he has to get himself involved with that Sormano descent.

 

[Escarabajo]

That's the team's decision not his.

Very strange one indeed.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Yeah, not trying is very weird.

Lopez once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory today.

Its very weird. DNF in Worlds due to crash, crashing today and then deciding to skip Saturday is a very, very strange decision - talk about not getting anything out of your form

Didn't he crash at the Worlds too?

 

[Leinster]

Sounds like GdL wasn’t in his plans originally.

“Despite a show of form on the climb to Superga, Lopez will not ride Saturday's Il Lombardia, sticking to his plans to end his season with Milano-Torino.

"This podium ends my season, it's been a great season," he said without regret.

"I'm not riding Lombardia because while I trained for the World Championships, I didn’t train for the Classic and didn’t train for the long distances. I have good legs and was happy to ride Milano-Torino, but Lombardia is something else."”

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gaudu-laughs-off-late-crash-at-milano-torino-to-celebrate-pinots-victory/

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Sounds like GdL wasn’t in his plans originally.

“Despite a show of form on the climb to Superga, Lopez will not ride Saturday's Il Lombardia, sticking to his plans to end his season with Milano-Torino.

"This podium ends my season, it's been a great season," he said without regret.

"I'm not riding Lombardia because while I trained for the World Championships, I didn’t train for the Classic and didn’t train for the long distances. I have good legs and was happy to ride Milano-Torino, but Lombardia is something else."”

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gaudu-laughs-off-late-crash-at-milano-torino-to-celebrate-pinots-victory/

[x] trained for the Worlds
[ ] trained for the classics

I can't remember the last time I heard a dumber quote

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

What the hell? Is Vino going soft? There was a time when a rider with the kind of form MAL is clearly in who decided to just not bother to try to win a monument would have been the recipient of a strongly worded letter or a vigorous boot to the hole.

 

[jsem94]

That's straight up lazy.