La Flèche Wallone (WT) / Wednesday 18-04-2012

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The weather

It will almost certainly be a rainy edition in this years Flèche Wallone. At the moment weather reports indicate that the temperature will be between 4 and 11 degrees Celsius with a 95% (!) chance of rain (4mm). Wet and cold. Not in favor of the Spanish riders.

 

[Panda Claws]

The weather

It will almost certainly be a rainy edition in this years Flèche Wallone. At the moment weather reports indicate that the temperature will be between 4 and 11 degrees Celsius with a 95% (!) chance of rain (4mm). Wet and cold. Not in favor of the Spanish riders.

So this would play in the hands of:

* Gilbert (Lombardia 2010)
* Vanendert?
* Nordhaug?
* Gesink and Martens
* Gasparotto too I guess, he deserves a mention

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema is very strong in the rain normally.

 

[Panda Claws]

Mollema is very strong in the rain normally.

Cool, he deserves a big win.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

yeah but rabo riders cannot win big races

 

[mewmewmew13]

Philbert is awesome in horrible weather.

 

[Netserk]

yeah but rabo riders cannot win big races

 

[l.Harm]

Yes they can

Sad I can't see it wednesday.

 

[lukinox]

LOL, in your face Rabobank!

 

[trevim]

Velonation's preview:

Eighteen UCI ProTeams
AG2R La Mondiale (ALM): Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita), Jean-Christophe Péraud (Fra)
Astana Pro Team (AST): Enrico Gasparotto (Ita), Evgeni Petrov (Rus)
BMC Racing Team (BMC): Philippe Gilbert (Bel)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (EUS): Igor Antón (Spa), Romain Sicard (Fra)
FDJ-Big Mat (FDJ): Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra)
Garmin-Barracuda (GRM): Christophe LeMevel (Fra), Ryder Hesjedal (Can)
GreenEdge Cycling Team (GEC): Michael Albasini (Swi), Simon Clarke (Aus)
Katusha Team (KAT): Joaquim Rodríguez (Spa)
Lampre-ISD (LAM): Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita)
Liquigas-Cannondale: (LIQ), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita)
Lotto-Belisol Team (LTB): Jelle Vanendert, Gianni Meersman, Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel)
Movistar Team (MOV): Alejandro Valverde (Spa), Rui Costa (Por)
Omega Pharma-Quick Step (OPQ): Dries Devenyns (Bel), Jérôme Pineau (Fra)
Rabobank Cycling Team (RAB): Robert Gesink, Bauke Mollema (NL)
RadioShack-Nissan (RNT): Fränk Schleck, Andy Schleck (Lux), Maxime Monfort (Bel)
Sky Procycling (SKY): Rigoberto Uran (Col)
Team Saxo Bank (SAX): Karsten Kroon (NL)
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team (VCD): Thomas De Gendt (Bel)

Seven Professional Continental Teams
Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s (ACC): Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel)
Argos-Shimano (ARG): Simon Geschke (Ger), Alexandre Geniez (Fra)
Colombia - Coldeportes (COL): Fabio Duarte, Johan Esteban Chaves (Col)
Landbouwkrediet-Euphony (LAN): Dirk Bellemakers (NL)
Saur-Sojasun (SAU): Julien Simon, Jérôme Coppel (Fra)
Team Type 1-Sanofi (TT1): Julien El Fares (Fra), Rubens Bertogliati (Swi)
Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator (TSV): Preben Van Hecke (Bel)


Very large definition of favourites In bold the ones I think may do something (top 10).

Probably another one will win Isn't Dani Moreno riding? He isn't on that list....

 

[Fetisoff]

Probably another one will win Isn't Dani Moreno riding? He isn't on that list....

He's riding.
http://www.katushateam.com/2012/eng/main.php?mod=news&n=1538

Only chance he has for a podium is if Purito is for some reason not there in the end though

 

[The Hitch]

Gone.

Gone.

 

[El Pistolero]

I propose we photo-shop Oscar Freire out of that picture.

 

[nvpacchi]

Bet 365 still lists Gilbert as the favourite: 5/2

Purito: 3/1
Vanendert: 7/2
Valverde: 13/1
Anton: 17/1
F. Schleck: 22/1


Rui Costa, Fabian Wegmann, and Thomas Dekker @ 150/1 are decent to throw a 10 dollar flyer at I reckon

 

[Swede1]

So I guess the favorites are jrod and vanendert. If it is really rainy and wet, I might have to say vanendert. If the conditions arent so bad and it just rains slightly on and off then ill go with jrod. I wonder what gasparotto will be able to do, maybe top 10. Gilbert will probably podium.

 

[Pippo_San]

Can't look past Jelle for this FW...he looks in awesome form...Gilbert really need some of Ibarguen's magic to win something in this Ardennes campaign

 

[CobbleStoner]

this is going to be a good race, hoping for Jelle to take it.
a little bummed that this is the last week of the classic season, it went fast, but two great races still to go and then September in Limburg

 

[airstream]

Jelle for the win. I hardly imagine how he explodes himself, but very likely he'll force in Purito at the expense of stability and even tempo on the final steepest 100-150m section.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Madrazo at odds 126 - yeah!

 

[Lexman]

The weather

It will almost certainly be a rainy edition in this years Flèche Wallone. At the moment weather reports indicate that the temperature will be between 4 and 11 degrees Celsius with a 95% (!) chance of rain (4mm). Wet and cold. Not in favor of the Spanish riders.

Yeah if JRod didn't like the weather at Amstel he's badly served this week. He should have done RVV & PR in fine weather conditions. Another one who doesn't like rain and cold weather is JVDB.

So if Jrod fails winner might come from : Vanendert, Gilbert, someone from Sky, Uran probably, Anton, Bollema.

Anyway i hope to see(although i have to work) some great race not like saturday when it was sleepy time all over

 

[Lexman]

Hope it will be raining cats and dogs this time. Everything except crashes preventing a wall climb with 100 men would be awesome

i agree completely, no bunch sprint but a little group 5 or 6 man is more than enough

 

[classicomano]

I hope the Dutchies can avenge themselves for Sunday, Rabo is sending ALL their climbers to this race so lets see how that goes

 

[TeoSheva]

most favourite is Jelle....
than JRO, Samu, Pity.

Too hard for Gasparotto, and also for Gilbert of this year...

 

[will10]

Madrazo at odds 126 - yeah!

Madrazo is a great bet to attack before the Mur and lead a group of 2 or 3 onto the climb, then finish 40th

 

[Parrulo]

the new route looks much more interesting. Those last a climbs could provide some nice racing instead o the usual sprint up the muur.