Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, 27 Feb 2011

[Cobblestoned]

So when are this all dominating Garmin Cervelo classics team racing

As a teamskyfan I wouldn't be too euphoric or gloating today.
The REAL races are still coming.

But congrats anyway. You deserve it and finally a working and well timed leadout by Team SKY.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Sky really shows that they have a very good classics team. A win today and 10 cm from a win yesterday and they have had someone featured in pretty much every dangerous break that has gone so far.

Nice call by you on about page 38 of the posts... where you mentioned EBH working for Sutton. I wish I had your crystal ball.

 

[Jamsque]

Garmin will get their wins, Farrar did not look great today but I expect Hushovd to give the rainbows a good showing over the next couple of months.

 

[Winterfold]

Now that is my kind of unexpected result!

Superhuman effort by Flecha - what a dude

 

[The Hitch]

Let me note that this was exactly the same last year. Sky owned January and February, only to disappear for much of March and April. I even started a thread about it last year.

Sky one every first race they entered.

They won the first race race they ever entered- Councer Classic.

They won the first time trial they entered -ttt oman

They won the first classic they entered - Oomlop

They won the first gt stage they entered - Amsterdam tt

Unforunately, there rarely was a second.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Rumor is that Garmin - Cervelo will merge with Quickstep next year.
They'll have one of the strongest classics teams on paper.

That would be interesting. Where'd you hear that?

 

[sublimit]

Can't remember who but I think at the TDF, someone did a massive turn at the front. May have been someone from the HTC train.

Tony Martin possibly. He's capable of pulling for ages and stopping people coming past.

 

[The Hitch]

Can't remember who but I think at the TDF, someone did a massive turn at the front. May have been someone from the HTC train.

Probably Martin or Eissel.

Cav gives lots of praise to Eissel for massive turns.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So...no Rabo in the top 10 today and no rabo in the top 10 in Almeria.

What happens now? Team disbanded?

 

[Parrulo]

Nice call by you on about page 38 of the posts... where you mentioned EBH working for Sutton. I wish I had your crystal ball.

lol page 38

sky is looking good this year. but when the real classics start young guys like sutton won't beat the real man. boonen and canc and hushovd could swallow sutton chew it and spit it on a race like PR or the ronde. flecha is the only guy sky has for those races.

garmin will eventually show up. but only on the harder classics imo.

tom boonen seems to be getting some form tho. maybe this year he will dominate again?

 

[joy118118]

So...no Rabo in the top 10 today and no rabo in the top 10 in Almeria.

What happens now? Team disbanded?

they have a win yesterday.

HTC gets nothing this weekend

 

[Granville57]

Garmin + Cervelo + Peter Van Petegem =

I'm going to suggest a slighter harsher climate for next year's "training" camp.

Dammit, JV! You're making me look foolish here!

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

lol page 38

sky is looking good this year. but when the real classics start young guys like sutton won't beat the real man. boonen and canc and hushovd could swallow sutton chew it and spit it on a race like PR or the ronde. flecha is the only guy sky has for those races.

garmin will eventually show up. but only on the harder classics imo.

tom boonen seems to be getting some form tho. maybe this year he will dominate again?

Yeah, I'd agree on the Sky bit. Tommeke dominate? I think this just might do that.

 

[Roland Rat]

I'm confused. I thought that Greipel was supposed to be the best sprinter in the world but there he looked no quicker than Chris Sutton.

 

[Anonymous]

lol page 38

sky is looking good this year. but when the real classics start young guys like sutton won't beat the real man. boonen and canc and hushovd could swallow sutton chew it and spit it on a race like PR or the ronde. flecha is the only guy sky has for those races.

garmin will eventually show up. but only on the harder classics imo.

tom boonen seems to be getting some form tho. maybe this year he will dominate again?

Only Flecha is being a bit hard on Eddy Boss, and to an extent Thomas (who has a junior roubaix and 2nd in last years Roubaix stage to his credit) as well as Lofkvist and Uran in the Ardennes.

Yes they arent up there with Boonen, and Cancellara (I think Thor is past his prime) but they are as good as a lot of the others.

 

[Anonymous]

final km
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_eTN-EFUqg

 

[ingsve]

(I think Thor is past his prime)

That's a bit harsh isn't it given that in the last real race he rode when in good shape he became world champion.

 

[El Pistolero]

Only Flecha is being a bit hard on Eddy Boss, and to an extent Thomas (who has a junior roubaix and 2nd in last years Roubaix stage to his credit) as well as Lofkvist and Uran in the Ardennes.

Yes they arent up there with Boonen, and Cancellara (I think Thor is past his prime) but they are as good as a lot of the others.

Yeah, he won the Worlds while being past his prime.

 

[sublimit]

Only Flecha is being a bit hard on Eddy Boss, and to an extent Thomas (who has a junior roubaix and 2nd in last years Roubaix stage to his credit) as well as Lofkvist and Uran in the Ardennes.

Yes they arent up there with Boonen, and Cancellara (I think Thor is past his prime) but they are as good as a lot of the others.

I reckon his(Parrulo) statement is very simplistic. A bit difficult to take it too seriously really.
Boasson Hagen is capable, Thomas as you mentioned, And Hayman is a strong rider.

Gilbert is the most dangerous rider for me in the upcoming classics though with Boonen, Cancellara And Flecha.

 

[Anonymous]

That's a bit harsh isn't it given that in the last real race he rode when in good shape he became world champion.

Yeah, he won the Worlds while being past his prime.

 

[Parrulo]

Only Flecha is being a bit hard on Eddy Boss, and to an extent Thomas (who has a junior roubaix and 2nd in last years Roubaix stage to his credit) as well as Lofkvist and Uran in the Ardennes.

Yes they arent up there with Boonen, and Cancellara (I think Thor is past his prime) but they are as good as a lot of the others.

eddy boss and thomas are good but no competition to boonen and canc, and i admit that i may have over done it with hushovd but he is still better then any1 sky has besides flecha ofc. and then there are guys like haussler, maskant(dunno how to type his name) who seems to be back on form, gilbert, pozzato, ballan who also seems to be back, devolder and all this guys who are better then any second second tier guy sky has and some even better then flecha imo.

and about the ardenees uran and lofkvist are good, mostly uran cus he has a huge amount of talent, but they are only second tier contenders compared to the gilbert's, schlecks, vino's, evan's, contador's, valverde's, rodriguez, anton's, di luca's and many others of this world.

p.s. and i would also like to add that even tho i like flecha as a rider i think he is a major threat for p-r ( he is not amoung the top favorites for the ronde imo) unless he gets to the velodrome solo he has very little chance of winning he applauded hushovd (sarcastically ofc) for beating him on the sprint for third last year but the truth is hushovd new he had him beaten so why should he work with him?

 

[Granville57]

Pre race:

The Sky mechanics make sure that everything is just right for the riders

I guess they got it right!

 

[El Pistolero]

Will Contador ride in the Ardennes classics?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

eddy boss and thomas are good but no competition to boonen and canc, and i admit that i may have over done it with hushovd but he is still better then any1 sky has besides flecha ofc. and then there are guys like haussler, maskant(dunno how to type his name) who seems to be back on form, gilbert, pozzato, ballan who also seems to be back, devolder and all this guys who are better then any second second tier guy sky has and some even better then flecha imo.

and about the ardenees uran and lofkvist are good, mostly uran cus he has a huge amount of talent, but they are only second tier contenders compared to the gilbert's, schlecks, vino's, evan's, contador's, valverde's, rodriguez, anton's, di luca's and many others of this world.

Canc
-
Boonen
-
Flecha
Hushovd
-
Everyone else (EBH & Thomas somewhere in this pack, not at the front)

I think Sky are clearly one of the top 5 cobbled classics teams, to pretend otherwise is just silly.

 

[theyoungest]

Canc
-
Boonen
-
Flecha
Hushovd
-
Everyone else (EBH & Thomas somewhere in this pack, not at the front)

I think Sky are clearly one of the top 5 cobbled classics teams, to pretend otherwise is just silly.

Gilbert is definitely in with Flecha and Hushovd. And based on last season, Leukemans is also close. But Sky is definitely among the best classics teams, a bit early to judge but they certainly were stronger than Garmin this weekend.