La Flèche Wallonne, April 23rd, 199K

[Panda Claws]

Good timing from Valverde, don't know why but it felt like a fairly conservative race up the Mur today compared to some other times in the past. Impressed by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's win, she's been good on this finish since she was a teenager without a World Cup team though; just as impressed with Lizzie Armitstead being 2nd on a finish that on paper shouldn't really suit her as much as some of the names she left behind her.

This was Vos' first race of the season, right?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This was Vos' first race of the season, right?

Yes, but with that in mind I was thinking more of the likes of Evelyn Stevens (4th @ +7") and Emma Pooley (7th @ +13"). Claudia Häusler (9th @ 24") is a climber, but her form has been sporadic for the last 3 years or so, while Emma Johansson (11th @ 30") ranks #1 in the world, has podiumed this race 3 times and missed the top 10 for the first time since 2008. Beating these is surprising more because Armitstead has never top 10ed this race before; she came to the road as a mostly sprint-oriented rider who could get over a few hills and has really worked on her all round capabilities over the last couple of years, finishing 2nd on the Mur de Huy is probably her most notable climbing performance yet.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

According to the CN report, Martin got delayed by the late crash, so I will retract my sarcastic remark about his positioning on the climb. Very impressive if accurate that he made up that ground to almost win.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

According to the CN report, Martin got delayed by the late crash, so I will retract my sarcastic remark about his positioning on the climb. Very impressive if accurate that he made up that ground to almost win.

Same goes for Slagter. He said to the NOS that at 3km he had to brake hard for a crash and he thought all was lost. Then he sprinted to the foot off the climb to at least be in front of the climb. And he was surprised he still had the legs to finish 5th

 

[Panda Claws]

Looks like Slagter got the perfect build for races like this as well, not unlike Rodriguez.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Same goes for Slagter. He said to the NOS that at 3km he had to brake hard for a crash and he thought all was lost. Then he sprinted to the foot off the climb to at least be in front of the climb. And he was surprised he still had the legs to finish 5th

Yes, if he does nothing else for the rest of the year he has already had a good season, justified his year's salary and shown he has a bright future. Nice signing by Garmin. It means that as well as a top favourite for hilly races, they also have two legitimate outside contenders.

 

[doperhopper]

well valverde delivered

poor Piti must be so unhappy since in this type of finish he had no time for looking around and waiting games to ensure the splendid 2nd (yet he managed to wait quite a bit and attacked from few bike lenghts after the leader)

 

[sklein]

Had a great day at the Mur de Huy today.
Check my pictures of the race here

picture below shows Valverdes attack and was taken at the 125m mark

 

[greenedge]

Yes, if he does nothing else for the rest of the year he has already had a good season, justified his year's salary and shown he has a bright future. Nice signing by Garmin. It means that as well as a top favourite for hilly races, they also have two legitimate outside contenders.

Sry who's the other


Great ride by Valverde- funny how many thought he wouldn't go well here

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Sry who's the other

Harsh. Very harsh.

 

[greenedge]

Wegmann, Haas, Hesjedal...- i really don't know (I'll kick myself when u say it)

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Wegmann, Haas, Hesjedal...- i really don't know (I'll kick myself when u say it)

Hesjedal was one of the three or four strongest at LBL last year, has a second at AGR and some other top 10s at the most important hilly classics. I'd consider him a legitimate outside chance at hilly classics when in form. In the same sense as Slagter: if he makes a big move it will have an impact, and if the real favourites don't fully respond he could win. Although I would add that Slagter is on the upward slope of his career, while presumably Hesjedal is starting the path down.

Of course Ryder has done zero this year.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Deja vu

Steady boys.

 

[ILovecycling]

Had a great day at the Mur de Huy today.
Check my pictures of the race here

picture below shows Valverdes attack and was taken at the 125m mark

Great pics,great job mate!

 

[Kwibus]

He is angry allright. Time to win L-B-L!

Nice pics! Loved the painfaces when the leaders passed your camera for the last time.

edit: No idea why the pic is so small. Anyways, if you got good eyes you can see Purito is angry!

 

[Netserk]

He is angry allright. Time to win L-B-L!

Nice pics! Loved the painfaces when the leaders passed your camera for the last time.

edit: No idea why the pic is so small. Anyways, if you got good eyes you can see Purito is angry!

Full size from the source:

 

[Arredondo]

Beautiful taken pics! always nice to see the riders come in you don't see on tv.

 

[Aapjes]

Darn cyclotourists always blocking the road.

Anyway, what's up with the holes in Purito's bar tape (in that other big picture)?

 

[Afrank]

Had a great day at the Mur de Huy today.
Check my pictures of the race here

picture below shows Valverdes attack and was taken at the 125m mark

Very nice pics indeed. Purito in #31, I can only imagine he's thinking something along the lines of "Just wait until LBL. I'm going to F***ing kill everyone in LBL!"

He's got the Andy Schleck anger in the stomach.

 

[sklein]

yes, he has anger in his face. at the time the picture was taken i had no idea if he had a crash or would take it easy with sunday in his mind. later i saw the crash in tv...hard to say if he could have ridden in the front though.
i also saw betancour who was really having a hatd time on the last climb on the mur....seems to be a difficult time for him this spring.
valverde was really nice to the fans after the race, nevertheless what one thinks about him.
sunday i will be at liege, my favourite race of the year.

 

[greenedge]

Hesjedal was one of the three or four strongest at LBL last year, has a second at AGR and some other top 10s at the most important hilly classics. I'd consider him a legitimate outside chance at hilly classics when in form. In the same sense as Slagter: if he makes a big move it will have an impact, and if the real favourites don't fully respond he could win. Although I would add that Slagter is on the upward slope of his career, while presumably Hesjedal is starting the path down.

Of course Ryder has done zero this year.

Yeah i thought it could have been Ryder, but i was just confused (completely forgot he was even riding the Ardennes this year).