La Flèche Wallonne 2022, one day race, April 20

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May 3, 2010
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Pogacar is an obvious favorite. Alaphilippe's current shape is somewhat doubtful, and a long solo for Remco is unlikely to succeed. Bahrain and Ineos are two strong teams with several cards to play.

In the women's race Anna van der Breggen's seven year streak will come to an end. Candidates are Van Vleuten, Vollering, Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma.
 
Pogacar is an obvious favorite. Alaphilippe's current shape is somewhat doubtful, and a long solo for Remco is unlikely to succeed. Bahrain and Ineos are two strong teams with several cards to play.

In the women's race Anna van der Breggen's seven year streak will come to an end. Candidates are Van Vleuten, Vollering, Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma.
Two strong teams with no real threat imho. Pidcock doesn't even seem close to the form he had last year, and i can't really see Martinez beat the real puncheurs or Pogacar, for instance.
 
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Jul 4, 2016
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Two strong teams with no real threat imho. Pidcock doesn't even seem close to the form he had last year, and i can't really see Martinez beat the real puncheurs or Pogacar, for instance.
Imho? Carlsberg don't do humble ...
People moan about this race every year about it being a boring uphill sprint. As Roy Keane says Bored people are boring.
It's going to be a fantastic sprint.
Ala to win.
 
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Mar 13, 2021
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Two strong teams with no real threat imho. Pidcock doesn't even seem close to the form he had last year, and i can't really see Martinez beat the real puncheurs or Pogacar, for instance.

Maybe if they are willing to open the race early on they have a chance. Teams like Ineos, Bora etc. Should get into a break after the second Huy. Similar like Evenepoel.
 
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Jun 11, 2021
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Every team should try to attack before the final and no one should help UAE.
However, reality will be that poor Remco will probably try after the second Huy only to be chased by a horde of Movistar or Bike exchange guys controlling things for their mighty leaders Matthews and Valverde which will give us the same final as every year just with the question if Alaphilippe has his WC form to beat Pogacar or not.
 
Mar 13, 2021
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Indeed. My line of thought was that they should try to make the race hard, not to control the race in order to get into a sprint with Ala and Pog and do UAE's job for them.

Very much agreed. The downside is that even with this attitude it is very unlikely that the perfect break is created. You would probably need a strong contender from Quickstep, Bora, Bahrain, Ineos, Jumbo, Israël and Movistar at least to have UAE do all the work. And even then there will probably be teams like Arkea and Trek doing some work.
 
Every team should try to attack before the final and no one should help UAE.
However, reality will be that poor Remco will probably try after the second Huy only to be chased by a horde of Movistar or Bike exchange guys controlling things for their mighty leaders Matthews and Valverde which will give us the same final as every year just with the question if Alaphilippe has his WC form to beat Pogacar or not.
If they are smart they'd send someone in the break as well, considering they have a better chance at beating Evenepoel or equivalent from a break, than to beat Ala or Rog in a murito sprint.
 
Jul 10, 2014
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Remco says he is doing last training before the race

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Jun 6, 2017
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Every team should try to attack before the final and no one should help UAE.
However, reality will be that poor Remco will probably try after the second Huy only to be chased by a horde of Movistar or Bike exchange guys controlling things for their mighty leaders Matthews and Valverde which will give us the same final as every year just with the question if Alaphilippe has his WC form to beat Pogacar or not.
So every team with no riders in the break should just sit and trust UAE to catch the escapees, right? Or just go home instantly, whenever break forms, cause thy won't win in any scenario? Or maybe, they should not ride at all?
 
Dec 23, 2019
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Even if Valverde isn't the top favorite, Movistar still has a better chance to win with Bala against the favorites than with some random rider in a break. He was 3rd just last year, the 2nd place rider is isn't riding and Pogacar is the only addition of note.
 
Aug 29, 2009
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Gaudu is sick, and Rota on an altitude camp in Colombia. Latour still suffering from the Itzulia crash, I guess?
 
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So every team with no riders in the break should just sit and trust UAE to catch the escapees, right? Or just go home instantly, whenever break forms, cause thy won't win in any scenario? Or maybe, they should not ride at all?
No, it's called probability calculation. The point of riding a race is to try and win. When you don't have the same firepower as other teams or other riders, you have to try to create the conditions, play your cards so that other teams and other riders lose more of their firepower than you or are at a disadvantage before the finish. In order to do that you have to take some chances because it's impossible to cover all bases. If you are already weaker than your opponent, doing the work for your stronger opponent certainly isn't going to improve your chances.
 
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