Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, 27 Feb 2011

[Lanark]

I do feel almost sorry for Devolder now, I'm starting to wonder if he'll ever live up to the expectations that were set for him after winning Flanders twice at such a young age.

It's probably too early to judge definitively but it seems like Vacansoleil made all the wrong transfers this past off-season.

Young age? He was 28 and 29 when he won the Ronde. He is older than guys like Boonen, Cancellara, Pozzato and Ballan.

 

[ingsve]

Suggestion to UCI: no race to be given .1 or higher staus if it includes level crossings without some agreement (probably v difficult to acheive) with the train operators that the race has priority.

That's totally unreasonable. There are no train authorities that would agree to anything like this given how much train traffic there is and how much money can be lost by passengers and freight being late. Especially considering that the UCI already have good rules for how to deal with riders being stopped by trains.

 

[L'arriviste]

Don't know how precious the parcours is to the organisers, but I think it should be nipped and tucked a bit. The two last 13.5km laps around Kuurne and Kortrijk are a bit ponderous, while the Kwaremont could be more decisive than just skimming off the bunch.

It was tremendously exciting to see three distinct groups coming off the Kwaremont. Less so when it all came back together. What if there had been no laps and barely 15km to the finish after the Nokereberg?

 

[Lanark]

It would start to look too much like the other Flanders Classics (yes, I'm using that awfull term ). Dwars door Vlaanderen already changed their finale to make it much harder. Kuurne being a bit easier isn't that bad, also because it's the day after the much more important Omloop.

Besides, there isn't a bunch sprint that often. Usually you have a group of 10 to 15 guys battling it out. One boring edition doesn't mean you should immediately change the race.

 

[El Pistolero]

I still very much enjoyed the Boonen and Flecha attack, so not dissapointed it ended in a bunch sprint.

It does seem Boonen is afraid of bunch sprints though.

I wonder what he's going to do at the Tour? Attack?

With the new rules he could take that green jersey while not winning many stages.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I wonder what he's going to do at the Tour? Attack?

Why do you assume he is doing the tour?

 

[El Pistolero]

Why do you assume he is doing the tour?

Sponsors. But then again, he could skip it with a flat worlds coming up, but if the worlds was hilly I doubt he would ever be allowed to skip the Tour.

 

[boomcie]

Sponsors. But then again, he could skip it with a flat worlds coming up, but if the worlds was hilly I doubt he would ever be allowed to skip the Tour.

I'm not sure. A few days ago he stated that he would like to do one more Tour in his career. Maybe two. That's what you can read in this article. Now maybe he was just making things up again, but I do think he has something to say within the team.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

So. Well done Sutton, smoking two of the top three (probably) sprinters right now.

But who would have thought last year's Tour sprinter would be leading out a guy who, let's face it, didn't set the world alight last year? From the interviews it's clear that this was the plan.

Is it that EBH's training has changed for the Spring? He was the main sprinter in Oman. Did they decide then that he didn't have a big enough kick for the bunch sprints? But Sutton crashed badly in Oz and didn't feature in any of the sprints in Oman, so where's the faith in him come from?

Doesn't quite add up for me.

 

[adamski101]

So. Well done Sutton, smoking two of the top three (probably) sprinters right now.

But who would have thought last year's Tour sprinter would be leading out a guy who, let's face it, didn't set the world alight last year? From the interviews it's clear that this was the plan.

Is it that EBH's training has changed for the Spring? He was the main sprinter in Oman. Did they decide then that he didn't have a big enough kick for the bunch sprints? But Sutton crashed badly in Oz and didn't feature in any of the sprints in Oman, so where's the faith in him come from?

Doesn't quite add up for me.

I thought it was quite smart tactics by Sky. Sutton said in his post race interview that he felt he had good legs and that EBH had offered to do the lead out before the race.

It may be that EBH has bigger fish to fry this spring (MSR, GW) and that Sutton used Oman as conditioning I should imagine and felt confident enough to give it a good dig in the sprint.

It was just good race tactics and good teamwork. They put the guy who was feeling better in there with a shout and it worked.

 

[VinoKash]

Katusha WTF

Can anybody explain me WTF?
Katusa has such a great Classics squad and shows nothing again in two races... Mr Tchmil you were great cyclist, but team needs good manager.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I'm not sure. A few days ago he stated that he would like to do one more Tour in his career. Maybe two. That's what you can read in this article. Now maybe he was just making things up again, but I do think he has something to say within the team.

he may try for another green jersey but I think it may be too late now in his career. he can go for stage wins or if there are cobbled stages in the tour

 

[El Pistolero]

Can anybody explain me WTF?
Katusa has such a great Classics squad and shows nothing again in two races... Mr Tchmil you were great cyclist, but team needs good manager.

Yeah, it's Tchmil's fault Pozatto sucks.

Not even Bruyneel can turn Pozzato in to a winner.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Yeah, it's Tchmil's fault Pozatto sucks.

No, it's Tchmil's fault they have a huge budget, and still a crappy team.

 

[VinoKash]

No, it's Tchmil's fault they have a huge budget, and still a crappy team.

+100
Astana in 2007 choosed strategy to success in GTs. But Tchmil cant make a choice during 3 years. No one can win GTs and Classics by one team nowadays.
Mr. Tchmil just be a man and say that as manager you are zero. And dont black such great trainers as Parsani,Baelkevelt and Konyshev.

 

[Parrulo]

+100
Astana in 2007 choosed strategy to success in GTs. But Tchmil cant make a choice during 3 years. No one can win GTs and Classics by one team nowadays.
Mr. Tchmil just be a man and say that as manager you are zero. And dont black such great trainers as Parsani,Baelkevelt and Konyshev.

i think you need to take a look at saxo bank 2010. they were good at both the classics and GT's.

 

[boomcie]

No one can win GTs and Classics by one team

Erm... Why not?

 

[joy118118]

Can anybody explain me WTF?
Katusa has such a great Classics squad and shows nothing again in two races... Mr Tchmil you were great cyclist, but team needs good manager.

it is hard to call Katusa's cobbles team GREAT...

 

[VinoKash]

Erm... Why not?

I mean new teams. Riis made a long way.

 

[boomcie]

I mean new teams. Riis made a long way.

Although they are performing below par right now, I can still see LEOPARD TREK taking a victory in the classics with Cance and a victory in the Tour with Schleck. What is unreal about that?

 

[VinoKash]

it is hard to call Katusa's cobbles team GREAT...

Are you kidding?
Pipo+Hoste+Paolini+Gusev+Ivanov+Kuchinskiy surely its not Garmin or Leo's but 3rd place by the squad they care.

 

[VinoKash]

Although they are performing below par right now, I can still see LEOPARD TREK taking a victory in the classics with Cance and a victory in the Tour with Schleck. What is unreal about that?

Cance will not get 3 big Classics this season Garmin, Sky, Katusha and BMC are too strong (by the squad). They will not let him go like last year.
Schleck will not get TDU cause there arent too many extra mountains.

 

[boomcie]

Cance will not get 3 big Classics this season Garmin, Sky, Katusha and BMC are too strong (by the squad). They will not let him go like last year.
Schleck will not get TDU cause there arent too many extra mountains.

3 big classics? That IS unlikely . And the TDU was won by Meyer this year.

 

[joy118118]

Are you kidding?
Pipo+Hoste+Paolini+Gusev+Ivanov+Kuchinskiy surely its not Garmin or Leo's but 3rd place by the squad they care.

Pozzato completely forgets about how to win and just suck Gilbert's wheels

others are nothing just someone always top 10 and hard to get big win.

not a win team. too far from GREAT

Leopard with Cancellara is nothing too me also.

 

[VinoKash]

3 big classics? That IS unlikely . And the TDU was won by Meyer this year.

Surely mean TDF (now playing TestDriveUnlimited2).
He will not get even 1 from 3 cobblestones.