Kuurne Brussels Kuurne 1.1 26/02

[El Pistolero]

Have to laugh at the way all the Brits now see SKY v Greenedge as some sort of GV v Australia competition and as SKY are performing, need to rub it in at every opportunity. This despite the fact that some of their best riders are in fact Aussies.

Greenedge have been rubbish so far and I dont think anyone is too surprised at that but dont think they have anywhere near the budget of SKY either. Unfortunately Greenedge got most of the past-it or not quite there Aussies as for their other signings, well.

I have to laugh that these "Brits" think they're unbiased.

This British vs Aussie war going on in the forums is even worse than the Belgian-Dutch mafia wars

 

[hatcher]

It is just Brits making fun of GreenEdge? Really? Really?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Kuurne only ever is fun if it rains, snows or is really cold. That is the only reason the last years were somewhat interesting. Same for the Scheldeprijs, only then the chance of snow and cold is kinda small.

There is nothing that could make Scheldeprijs interesting short of a mid-race F-5 tornado and the introduction of Mariokart weapons.

 

[El Pistolero]

It is just Brits making fun of GreenEdge? Really? Really?

That's why I put it between brackets because I do not know the nationality of said posters

 

[Lanark]

Yeah. He was the guy who closed the gap to the Boonen group and then sprinted to 2nd place. Good for semi-classics indeed and could also top 10 in races like Vattenfall and Paris Tours. But lacks the real speed to win a good contested sprint and lacks the power to compete in real classics.
Still better than Renshaw though and important for Kittel.

Could become a Steven de Jongh kind of guy (although De Jongh's palmares is really quite good of coursel).

 

[Andy99]

Have to laugh at the way all the Brits now see SKY v Greenedge as some sort of GV v Australia competition and as SKY are performing, need to rub it in at every opportunity. This despite the fact that some of their best riders are in fact Aussies.

Greenedge have been rubbish so far and I dont think anyone is too surprised at that but dont think they have anywhere near the budget of SKY either. Unfortunately Greenedge got most of the past-it or not quite there Aussies as for their other signings, well.

Nothing to do with the fact they are Aussie at all. I have worked for Aussie continental teams and have nothing against Aussies whatsoever.

No matter what country they came form I would take the pi$$. to be honest it's more a fault of the corrupt system that the UCI 'run'. Such a weak team should not be World Tour. Simple.

 

[El Pistolero]

Could become a Steven de Jongh kind of guy (although De Jongh's palmares is really quite good of coursel).

Good analogy actually. De Jongh was a good domestique for Boonen, Veelers is a good domestique for Kittel.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

I'm dead serious actually. You still don't believe he's the real deal after beating Greipel twice at Oman?

Nope, I've see nothing from him to suggest he'll win a race that matters against Mark Cavendish.

 

[TRDean]

Yeah. He was the guy who closed the gap to the Boonen group and then sprinted to 2nd place. Good for semi-classics indeed and could also top 10 in races like Vattenfall and Paris Tours. But lacks the real speed to win a good contested sprint and lacks the power to compete in real classics.
Still better than Renshaw though and important for Kittel.

Totally agree here...he is caught in no mans land talent wise! Not fast enough...not strong enough...but I bet he will be gold for both Kittel and Degenkolb.

As someone also said earlier...I think Kittel may have won today...why he wasn't riding I don't understand.

 

[pmcg76]

Nothing to do with the fact they are Aussie at all. I have worked for Aussie continental teams and have nothing against Aussies whatsoever.

No matter what country they came form I would take the pi$$. to be honest it's more a fault of the corrupt system that the UCI 'run'. Such a weak team should not be World Tour. Simple.

Sorry, you have lost me. What are you referring to in regards UCI corrupt system?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nope, I've see nothing from him to suggest he'll win a race that matters against Mark Cavendish.

and then claim you are unbiased LOL.

 

[Andy99]

Sorry, you have lost me. What are you referring to in regards UCI corrupt system?

The fact that such a pi$$ weak team should be allowed to be shoe-horned into a world tour spot.

In my opinion no first year squad should automatically get a spot. That includes sky.

 

[TRDean]

Nope, I've see nothing from him to suggest he'll win a race that matters against Mark Cavendish.

That is the dumbest comment I have seen in a while...you don't follow much cycling outside of Cavendish do you?

 

[hfer07]

Sky seem to be already dialed for Cav-they did whip the phase on the last 25 Kms

 

[El Pistolero]

Nope, I've see nothing from him to suggest he'll win a race that matters against Mark Cavendish.

He won 17 races in his first year as a pro, including a Vuelta stage.

 

[El Pistolero]

Sky seem to be already dialed for Cav-they did whip the phase on the last 25 Kms

Pretty impressive how Sky have performed last 3 Opening weekends combined. 1 Omloop and 2 KBK victories with strong performances in both races.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

and then claim you are unbiased LOL.

Mate, I'm totally biased. I'm British and think Cav's great. It was like the other year though when people were getting excited about Greipel, saying they can't wait to see the match up with Cav, now it's Kittel. When Kittel wins some top races consistently then I he can be considered. When he beats Cav in a couple of head to heads then the next time they race I might one day think 'Kittel would've won today' if Cav wasn't there.

Cav was there today though and he won the race.

 

[El Pistolero]

He beat him twice at Oman. Of course it doesn't count for you because Cav crashed, yet you have no problems at all to ridicule Greipel.

Anyway, Flecha's season is over. Till next year!

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Pretty impressive how Sky have performed last 3 Opening weekends combined. 1 Omloop and 2 KBK victories with strong performances in both races.

Well done to the SKY team they sounded like they put in a good effort.

 

[pmcg76]

The fact that such a pi$$ weak team should be allowed to be shoe-horned into a world tour spot.

In my opinion no first year squad should automatically get a spot. That includes sky.

Of course I will have to check to see if you were one of those people making fun of SKY and their marginal gain their first season.

I agree with you on teams gaining automatic entry to the ProTour though dont like it. I will give GreenEdge a little longer to see if they can impress at all.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

He beat him twice at Oman. Of course it doesn't count for you because Cav crashed, yet you have no problems at all to ridicule Greipel.

Anyway, Flecha's season is over. Till next year!

Who's ridiculing Greipel? Not me! He's a top guy and very fast, but he isn't on the same level as Cav.

 

[search]

Anyway, Flecha's season is over. Till next year!

nah, I do think we're going to see him in a couple breakaways in the tour

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Of course I will have to check to see if you were one of those people making fun of SKY and their marginal gain their first season.

I agree with you on teams gaining automatic entry to the ProTour though dont like it. I will give GreenEdge a little longer to see if they can impress at all.

Sky's marginal gain drivel when they started out DID deserve mockery. They swiftly managed to annoy everybody and suffered a bit of rough péloton justice.

It took them the best part of a year to work out their identity as a road team. Sky adapted to suit road racing, not vice versa.

 

[Andy99]

Of course I will have to check to see if you were one of those people making fun of SKY and their marginal gain their first season.

I agree with you on teams gaining automatic entry to the ProTour though dont like it. I will give GreenEdge a little longer to see if they can impress at all.

Yeah, the marginal gains cr@p was a load of drivel. and sky rightly got a load of cr@p for it. They've not done too bad since though.

Greenedge haven't helped themselves by belittling the likes of JTL when he won at Tour of Med either.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Sky's marginal gain drivel when they started out DID deserve mockery. They swiftly managed to annoy everybody and suffered a bit of rough péloton justice.

It took them the best part of a year to work out their identity as a road team. Sky adapted to suit road racing, not vice versa.

To be fair, it didnt seem like the rest of the peloton dished out rough justice or coped with SKY's marginal gains today.

Infact I'd say that SKY are pretty much Top Daddy's in most races they're in nowadays.