La Flèche Wallonne, April 23rd, 199K

[BigMac]

Wishing a rider to crash is a comment that isn't very appropriate even when said in a unserious or joking manner.

I didn't wish for him to crash, he did it by himself. He actually crashed. I said he should have hit the barbed wire. It was supposed to be taken even less serious than a joke, because it wasn't one. It was just an expression. I understand it is a problem when someone really wants a rider to hit the deck (which I find unlikely to happen) but it wasn't the case. I've hit the barbed wire at least two times myself and I now laugh at the situtation. And that was serious, my comment wasn't.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

You can't draw any conclusions from Gilbert's result today. Since he's become a top rider he's always been better in longer races, and today his final went far from perfect. He tried to get back to the leaders on the Mur, but it looked like he gave up. Liege is his real goal.

I disagree. Other years of Gilbert showed us we can definately draw conclusions of his riding in other races for LBL. Especially the way he had trouble closing a gap in BR Pijl.
In Amstel he had to do nothing but do his trick up the Cauberg, which is the Gilbert hill and only Gilbert can do it.

I'd be more confident for Gilbert in LBL if he could've done a top 5 today. Now it's just like Gilbert 09/10 again

 

[Panda Claws]

He destroys the Cauberg even in ****ty shape. It's just the ideal hill for Gilbert.
I'm not surprised. Not after what I saw in Brabantse Pijl. 2011 Gilbert would've closed that gap without even closing his eyes. Now it took him kilometers of chasing.

Like I said, this is 2009/2010 Gilbert again. He'll be up there, but I doubt he can win

Good call about Gilbert. The harder parcours this year won't be in his favor either.

His results in FW are odd though. He came 3rd in 2012 and his shape looked a lot worse than it looks now.

 

[Afrank]

I didn't wish for him to crash, he did it by himself. He actually crashed. I said he should have hit the barbed wire. It was supposed to be taken even less serious than a joke, because it wasn't one. It was just an expression. I understand it is a problem when someone really wants a rider to hit the deck (which doesn't happen unless he or she happens to have superpowers) but it wasn't the case.

Wishing for a rider to hit barbed wire is inappropriate for the same reasons wishing a rider to crash would be.

I understand what your saying. But given the nature of such comments and the meanings people can draw from them (especially when there isn't a smilie that follows), it's best to avoid them all together.

 

[Shardi]

Looked like Gilbert was completely isolated after that incident. Hard to say if he gave up abit at the end or not, need a good replay.
heres a few words from him, could anyone translate?
http://www.rtbf.be/video/detail_philippe-gilbert-apres-la-fleche-wallonne-2014?id=1920521

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Maybe we should stop calling it the Cauberg, and using its real name again: The Gilberg

 

[theyoungest]

Yes there is, it's held in Spain every August.

I meant one day races, of course

Yes, the Purito Invitational in August is pretty similar.

 

[Jspear]

I disagree. Other years of Gilbert showed us we can definately draw conclusions of his riding in other races for LBL. Especially the way he had trouble closing a gap in BR Pijl.
In Amstel he had to do nothing but do his trick up the Cauberg, which is the Gilbert hill and only Gilbert can do it.

I'd be more confident for Gilbert in LBL if he could've done a top 5 today. Now it's just like Gilbert 09/10 again

I'm a little more inclined to agree with you on Gilbert after today's showing.
Congrats to Valverde. Kwiatkowski keeps improving. As as been said - he has time of his hands, he'll definitely win one of these soon enough.

 

[Panda Claws]

Interesting how Valverde annihilated Gilbert's 2011 record on the Mur though. Not too ridiculous though imo, seeing as how Evans was only a second slower than 2011 Gilbert when he won and the climb was raced hard from the start this year.

For what it's worth, climbing times from Gilbert over the year (using Jens Attacks' blog of course)

2010: 2:56 (Evans: 2:45)
2011: 2:44
2012: 3:04 (Rodriguez: 3:00)
2013: 3:03 (Moreno: 2:48)
2014: 2:56 (Valverde: 2:41)

2011 seems the outlier, but I would argue that this Gilbert is still substantially stronger than the 2010 version. To conclude this, I keep into account that he was badly positioned this year and probably did not go through the wall as much as he did when he felt he could end up higher.

Let us compare to the Amstel Gold Race (Gilberg)

2010: 1:31
2011: 1:26
2012: 1:35 (Gasparotto: 1:33)
2013: 1:27
2014: 1:22

Hmmm.

 

[BigMac]

Wishing for a rider to hit barbed wire is inappropriate for the same reasons wishing a rider to crash would be.

I understand what your saying. But given the nature of such comments and the meanings people can draw from them (especially when there isn't a smilie that follows), it's best to avoid them all together.

It's precisely that, I did not wish.

Forum smileys are a bit silly. But thanks for the warning, I'll do my best keep the political correctness next time.

 

[dlwssonic]

Felt asleep.. A bit disappointed but I'm pretty used to it now. Just hoping for the best for LBL

 

[Flamin]

He destroys the Cauberg even in ****ty shape. It's just the ideal hill for Gilbert.
I'm not surprised. Not after what I saw in Brabantse Pijl. 2011 Gilbert would've closed that gap without even closing his eyes. Now it took him kilometers of chasing.

Like I said, this is 2009/2010 Gilbert again. He'll be up there, but I doubt he can win

Like in 2012/2013? No he didn't. And I doubt anyone said 2011 Gilbert is back.

I think he is (very) close to 2010 Gilbert as well and that's sufficient to be one of the top contenders for Liège.

 

[The Hitch]

Interesting how Valverde annihilated Gilbert's 2011 record on the Mur though. Not too ridiculous though imo, seeing as how Evans was only a second slower than 2011 Gilbert when he won and the climb was raced hard from the start this year.

For what it's worth, climbing times from Gilbert over the year (using Jens Attacks' blog of course)

2010: 2:56 (Evans: 2:45)
2011: 2:44
2012: 3:04 (Rodriguez: 3:00)
2013: 3:03 (Moreno: 2:48)
2014: 2:56 (Valverde: 2:41)

2011 seems the outlier, but I would argue that this Gilbert is still substantially stronger than the 2010 version. To conclude this, I keep into account that he was badly positioned this year and probably did not go through the wall as much as he did when he felt he could end up higher.

Let us compare to the Amstel Gold Race (Gilberg)

2010: 1:31
2011: 1:26
2012: 1:35 (Gasparotto: 1:33)
2013: 1:27
2014: 1:22

Hmmm.

Being faster than Evans makes it not suspicious

 

[Netserk]

Like in 2012/2013? No he didn't. And I doubt anyone said 2011 Gilbert is back.

I think he is (very) close to 2010 Gilbert as well and that's sufficient to be one of the top contenders for Liège.

He was the fastest on Cauberg last year as well, and without Freire he would probably have won in '12 too or very close.

 

[Panda Claws]

Being faster than Evans makes it not suspicious

Nah it is suspicious of course, but it is not as ridiculous as Froome almost beating T. Martin in a time trial or something.

Or do you think Evans is the fastest rider on such finishes of this generation? Never seemed all that explosive to me. I can imagine Valverde being able to do better.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gilbert also said his heartrate was almost constantly at its maximum today. So it must have been almost impossible to attack before. Slagter basically said the same. Slagter had to brake for a crash with 3km to go and thought he had no chance. Then he just rode as hard as possible to the front and was surprised he was still 5th.

if Slagter can do that after being held up.. then a real good Gilbert should be able to do that as well. But he wasn't...

 

[Carols]

Yes, happy to see him finally get another Ardennes win. Can he do the double again?

Maybe I'll be rooting for Nibali first, but I don't think he can make the grade....so Go Valverde!!!!! He is at his best in these kinds of races!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well Nibali was 14th today. And this isn't his hill. He's tremendously better than in AGR tho.

I think Nibali will do fine in LBL

 

[roundabout]

Nah it is suspicious of course, but it is not as ridiculous as Froome almost beating T. Martin in a time trial or something.

Or do you think Evans is the fastest rider on such finishes of this generation? Never seemed all that explosive to me. I can imagine Valverde being able to do better.

Evans is a pretty decent finisher, so yeah, I would say that he explosive enough

 

[Flamin]

He was the fastest on Cauberg last year as well, and without Freire he would probably have won in '12 too or very close.

This year he was way more impressive of course.

 

[icefire]

I'm still wondering what the guy who dropped Valverde like a stone 2 weeks ago in Pais Vasco could have done today.

 

[Netserk]

This year he was way more impressive of course.

This year there was a tailwind, last year a headwind.

 

[BigMac]

This year there was a tailwind, last year a headwind.

Can you please spam the clinic with this?

 

[Der Effe]

I'm still wondering what the guy who dropped Valverde like a stone 2 weeks ago in Pais Vasco could have done today.

Hopefully he'll achieve all his goals for this year and will race some one day races again next year. Was wondering the same myself the entire race (the last time up Mur de Huy, that is).

 

[LaFlorecita]

I'm still wondering what the guy who dropped Valverde like a stone 2 weeks ago in Pais Vasco could have done today.

Me too.