Kuurne- Brussels-Kuurne

[Publicus]

And I'll say it again, great weekend for Sky.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Rabo and Vacansoleil are as keen to work together as Astana and the Shack. Fierce David and Goliath rivalry, and right now David is delivering the stone ***.

 

[Hawkwood]

Stannard's just 23 so plenty of years yet to produce some great results.

 

[Andy99]

where were the Yanks today?

 

[Bala Verde]

Oh shush.. let me beleive he was outnumbered

Cracking ride by all three, all deserving of their podium spots, and 3rd for Ian is fine, hes 22, plenty of races to come for him...

big props to Thor keeping going.. class guy for that.. not like boonen et al..

Ok only for you then, Stannard was double dutched by the cloggies.

Great ride from all of them, but especially Traksel since he's been at the front since 5 A.D. Deserving win.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

more importantly

VASC. > BMC

 

[Condorman]

haha, fingers too numb to remove his own helmet!

UCI Chaperone doesn't know how a helmet clasp works

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, yes... Blame it on the anti-Sky Cabal. Hope you can dry your tears with that.

Holland > Britain... As it should be.

I was being minorly sarcastic.. (and more 2 dutch v 1 brit than sky..)

Im happy with the result, great race, great to watch and all three deserved to win..

Hushovd sixth.. he deserved better...

 

[Hawkwood]

Yes, yes... Blame it on the anti-Sky Cabal. Hope you can dry your tears with that.

Holland > Britain... As it should be.

Yes two Dutch and a Brit (or any other nationality) and a Dutchman will always win. Now it was two French and a Brit...

 

[sublimit]

Flecha and then Traksel winning this weekend who would of thought that. Stannard has done very well though against very strong continental racers and he will be back.

 

[Moondance]

more importantly

VASC. > BMC

BMC? Do they even exist? Haven't seen them all weekend.

 

[luckyboy]

Yes two Dutch and a Brit (or any other nationality) and a Dutchman will always win. Now it was two French and a Brit...

On cobbles? Chavanel and Guesdon


Wonder how BMC will do at Roubaix and Ronde

 

[ak-zaaf]

Yes two Dutch and a Brit (or any other nationality) and a Dutchman will always win. Now it was two French and a Brit...

Holland has quite the history with rivaling teams who would race in the first place to make the other lose. Loads of stage wins and possible jerseys lost that way.

 

[Bala Verde]

Stannard heeft het aangezicht van een oud deken...

 

[Hawkwood]

Sporza's just interviewed Stannard, he looks frozen!!

 

[ak-zaaf]

Stannard can hardly talk anymore. Kudos to that guy, this entire podium will be remembered.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Holland has quite the history with rivaling teams who would race in the first place to make the other lose. Loads of stage wins and possible jerseys lost that way.

not to mention 2 world cups. got damn stubborn dutch

VASC. are having a great season thus far

 

[Moondance]

I was being minorly sarcastic.. (and more 2 dutch v 1 brit than sky..)

Im happy with the result, great race, great to watch and all three deserved to win..

Hushovd sixth.. he deserved better...

I know. Was only teasing a little. I have massive respect for all three guys, especially Stannard. He can't have ridden too many classics before, and he looked amazing for a 22 year-old kid.

BTW, Flens and Stannard both looked zombies in the post-race interviews. Don't envy them today in the slightest.

 

[hektoren]

Poor Stannard, looks really, really wasted and hypothermic. Can hardly speak! Real cojones on anybody that finished today!

 

[maltiv]

Good race, but a bit disappointing that none of the "real" classic specialists gave it a try, except from Thor who gave it everything he had despite being in bad shape at the moment.

 

[sublimit]

once Stannard thaws out he can do a great job in the Sky train in future races pushing a big gear in a good position.. just the the sort of rider they will need this year.

 

[Anonymous]

Good race, but a bit disappointing that none of the "real" classic specialists gave it a try, except from Thor who gave it everything he had despite being in bad shape at the moment.

I think stannard would say he is a specialist, its certainly his favourite type of race. He rode and finished 3 cobbled races for Landbouwkrediet in his first season as a pro. ISD was a mistake for him really, he should have stayed in belgium

 

[Hawkwood]

From the Sky site, so he likes this sort of race!!

" For Ian Stannard there are few prospects quite as appealing as riding over cobbles in wind and rain, and finishing races spattered in mud and grime. He might be from Essex, but his heart is in Belgium, with his cycling dreams focused on the cobbled classics of northern Europe: the Tour of Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem and the Queen of the Classics, or 'Hell of the North', Paris-Roubaix."

 

[Bala Verde]

Nice start of the season for Vac:

KBK results:
2005 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel
2006 Nick Nuyens (BEL) Quick Step-Innergetic
2007 Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick Step-Innergetic
2008 Steven de Jongh (NED) Quick Step
2009 Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick Step
2010 Bobbie Traksel (NED) Vacansoleil

 

[Big GMaC]

he looked positively uncomfortable on the podium!