Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, 27 Feb 2011

[ingsve]

I tend to agree. I have not seen him create the decision. If the group is smaller than 10, I doubt he will be there. It's K-B-K though, so I anticipate a finishing group of 25-30. Perhaps the weather will change that though. With 25, Farrar has a great shot.

Isn't that sort of based on a myth of KBK being a sprinters race? In the last 12 editions only one has ended in anything resembling a bunch sprint. Most of the time there has been 1-3 people at the end or other times groups of less than 10 riders. Only in 2007 was there a group of over 25-30 (in fact over 60) riders sprinting for the win.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

If I had to pick my top 10 for KBK it would look something like this (not in order):
-Devolder (Vacans.)
-Boonen (Quick Step)
-Greipel (Lotto)
-Pozzato or Hoste (Katusha)
-Boom (Rabobank)
-Farrar (Garmin)
-Burghardt (BMC)
-EBH or Arvesen (Sky)
Any others I left out??? Or someone above who probably shouldn't be there?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

If there is any type of selection I can't see boom featuring, surely too tired from yesterday.

 

[LukeSchmid]

If I had to pick my top 10 for KBK it would look something like this (not in order):
-Devolder (Vacans.)
-Boonen (Quick Step)
-Greipel (Lotto)
-Pozzato or Hoste (Katusha)
-Boom (Rabobank)
-Farrar (Garmin)
-Burghardt (BMC)
-EBH or Arvesen (Sky)
Any others I left out??? Or someone above who probably shouldn't be there?

Burghardt is not on the startlist, http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/kuurne-brussel-kuurne-start-list

 

[Eric8-A]

I'm not convinced about Farrar yet. I think he can win at GT stage here and there, but a classic? We'll see.

I for one have not really convinced of Tyler being as classics rider, or contender. He's not old and can still develop into one like Boonen did. But given the vibe of the new classics roster added to Garmin, it might step his game up a bit this year. He's my prime favorite for tommorow's race.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Burghardt is not on the startlist, http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/kuurne-brussel-kuurne-start-list

-1 for Velonews, which is where I got his name...
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/02/news/2011-kuurne-brussels-kuurne-start-list_161310
I'd believe CN before VN. Danilo Wyss is in his place on the CN startlist. He's no Burghardt, but maybe Kroon can do something?

 

[Raceoftruth]

Think todays winner will be someone who was in the boonen group yesterday, my guess would be boonen!

 

[Granville57]

I for one have not really convinced of Tyler being as classics rider, or contender. He's not old and can still develop into one like Boonen did. But given the vibe of the new classics roster added to Garmin, it might step his game up a bit this year. He's my prime favorite for tommorow's race.

Plus, Tyler doesn't bunk with the rest of the Garmin guys in Girona, he lives in Ghent. He knows these roads and should be hungry for the podium!

“I’ve done Kuurne a few times now and been top ten there before but this will be the first time I’ve come into it completely fresh. It’s a bit of an experiment.”

http://www.cyclingnews.com/editions/first-edition-cycling-news-saturday-february-26-2011

 

[Granville57]

It's 2:30 am here. What is it, 3.5 hours to start? I'm gettin' antsy! (and sleepy)

Current conditions:
41°F / 5°C Mostly cloudy. Looks like no rain until maybe this evening

 

[sublimit]

So after a double podium today: much left in the tank or a good rehearsal?

I'd imagine Hayman is a bit stuffed, Flecha is a hard guy though and may get up there again.

I'm going for Boasson Hagen to win though.

 

[Lanark]

I believe I qualified what I said well enough.

Omloop had a group of 18 behind Flecha, RVV was a group of 29 behind the 4 leaders, Scheldeprijs was a big group.

He is strong enough to make some selections of riders where 15 or more make it. I don't know if he's strong enough to make more selective groups then that.

But you CAN win a classic like that. the Omloop last year would have been him vs Haussler in the sprint had Flecha not been able to stay away by 20 seconds.

I'm not saying he's Tom Boonen... but I do think he's shown some talent in the lesser classics. I don't think him winning one would be any more suprising then Edvald Boasson Hagen or Bernard Eisel for example.

So you can't win a classic like that. How often has the Omloop been a bunch sprint the last 10 years? There has been an 18 man group once (although that was because of a tactical mistake by Rabobank), Ronde van Vlaanderen has never been a bunch sprint, neither has Paris-Roubaix.

Farrar could win Gent-Wevelgem, Kuurne and Dwars door Vlaanderen. From what I've seen so far, Omloop, E3, Ronde and Roubaix are much too hard for him. Besides, his team has 4 guys (Hushovd, Haussler, Maaskant, Vansummeren, possibly Klier) who are better than him in those races.

 

[Granville57]

Peter Van Petegem along for the ride with Garmin-Cervelo.
It'll be interesting to see if he can affect the race or not.

The 41-year-old Belgian will drive a team car with Johnny Weltz...
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne - a race Van Petegem won 10 years ago.

"The most important thing is that the team is riding well and I will help where I can. I can bring my experience. I know all the roads so I don't need a book or a map to learn about these race. Everybody knows the climbs but it's the roads between the climbs that are just as important," he added.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-petegem-begins-as-garmin-assistant-team-director-at-kuurne-brussel-kuurne

2.5 hours to start...

 

[Ferminal]

Wouter Weylandt...

Don't trust me, I was out last night and missed it, Cyclingtorrents is down so I couldn't DL and watch it Can't really bet today without knowing what they did on Saturday.

 

[thirteen]

what is the weather like in Kuurne now?

can't tell you Kuurne, but Ghent has blue skies with lots of fast moving high clouds. rain is forecast but right now the sun has dried the ground and it looks gorgeous.

 

[jens_attacks]

can't tell you Kuurne, but Ghent has blue skies with lots of fast moving high clouds. rain is forecast but right now the sun has dried the ground and it looks gorgeous.

sounds lame and boring....we want rain!

 

[craig1985]

Wouter Weylandt...

Don't trust me, I was out last night and missed it, Cyclingtorrents is down so I couldn't DL and watch it Can't really bet today without knowing what they did on Saturday.

Yeah it was a big downer to go onl;ine today and see that cyclingtorrents was down.

 

[thirteen]

sounds lame and boring....we want rain!

LOL! take heart, it is clouding over

(a pity, though, it's warmed up -- we had snow earlier in the week)

 

[auscyclefan94]

-1 for Velonews, which is where I got his name...
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/02/news/2011-kuurne-brussels-kuurne-start-list_161310
I'd believe CN before VN. Danilo Wyss is in his place on the CN startlist. He's no Burghardt, but maybe Kroon can do something?

Greg van avermaet is the best chance and maybe John Murphy can do something?

 

[theyoungest]

Greg van avermaet is the best chance and maybe John Murphy can do something?

I'll give you Van Avermaet. But who the f is John Murphy? Alexander Kristoff 2.0?

 

[Tuarts]

He's the no1 BMC Sprinter!

 

[taiwan]

Isn't he the US crit champion?

 

[whittashau]

So does this race typically end in a small bunch sprint?

 

[joy118118]

live ticker

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No.
Every type of finish happens here, depending on the weather usually.

33% small bunch sprint (20-50 men)
33% small group sprint (3-10 men)
33% soloist or duo-sprint (1/2 men)

rough estimates

 

[ingsve]

So does this race typically end in a small bunch sprint?

There final group seems to be of around 10-15 riders but it's usually not a pure sprint between all of them either. There is quite often that 1-2 gets a gap and finishes a few seconds ahead of the others. You can find the last 12 editinns here: http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race_history.asp?raceid=19891