La Flèche Wallonne: April 24th, 2019

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

They can't all be Amstel Gold...

A finish like this just doesn't allow for something like that. You either need a bigger break, of probably at least 5 guys, with at least half a minute headstart, assuming they aren't cooked by the time they reach the bottom of the Mur. Else they probably need more than 1 minute. It's just how races like this are won. It was the same with AGR before they changed the finish. And i'm fine with a few races like that. But it gets tedious when they (organizers) all try to do the same thing.

Agreed. I'm fine with Flèche being what it is.

 

[search]

Re:

Any news about Pozzovivo?
Edit: Apparently he suffered a concussion and a ton of bruises, no cranial lesions or vertebral fractures.
Tomorow they'll do further scans.
Source: https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article/2019/04/24/1556120029/freccia-vallone-bruttissima-caduta-domenico-pozzovivo

in his first Fleche Wallonne, after doing Trentino instead for 14 years in a row...

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Boonen-Cancellara rivalry is nothing compared with Fuglsang/Alaphilippe ))

Letting the jokes aside, Fuglsang is incredibly strong this year but what I love about him is the way he's racing. The guy is always on the first step. He's always making the race.

There is never enough love for Nibali/Pinot.

I swear when Nibali is on the Civiglio in the Giro he'll wonder where Pinot is.

 

[Scarponi]

Re: Re:

Watched the last 15km. Such a snooze fest. All the top riders just rode like a bunch just for them to watch Ala and Fuglsang go at it. Zzzzz.....

By then there had already been quite some damage, the "peloton" was reduced to maybe 40 riders? With the attack at 30k instigated by Lambrecht on the 2nd climb of the Mur, the peloton was split in two, and there were guys blowing up in the break and in the chase. Movistar was chasing, and mainly Bora was leading the break.

Yeah, I didn't find it too bad either. It wasn't as memorable as last year but still one of the best editions of recent years.

To me it looked liked everyone was pretty cooked by the time the Mur came. It’s crazy to think if Jakob had a sprint he would be 2/3 of the Ardennes triple this year

 

[Frankschleck]

I want to see Fulgsang at quickstep. He needs to learn how to win, and quick step know how to do this.

Just imagine Stybar, Gilbert, Laempart, Asgreen, Senechal, Jungels and maybe Fuglsang for the cobbled classic. I still think he would be able to be competitive there from what I have seen.

For hilly classics, Allaphilippe, Gilbert, Jungels and Fuglsang. Now that would make them very hard to beat. Make it happen Brian Holm.

 

[JosephK]

Re:

Will Fuglsang win the Tour de France?

Jakob is looking great, this spring. Maybe a top-five in the TDF is possible? I think no one is beating Froome at this year's Tour, unless he crashes out.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

Will Fuglsang win the Tour de France?

Jakob is looking great, this spring. Maybe a top-five in the TDF is possible? I think no one is beating Froome at this year's Tour, unless he crashes out.

I would love to see him do it, and he may even wear yellow after two weeks, but I question his ability to last three weeks and to ride well at altitude, and the alps go very high this year. Without crashes it is hard to see him beating one of Froome/Thomas, Quintana, Adam Yates, and Kruisjwick. Though given that crashes do happen often, Jakob may be able to sneak a podium in his career best form.

 

[Robert5091]

Deja vu all over again! Ala & QS come out tops again - chapeau!

 

[gunara]

Re:

Watched the last 15km. Such a snooze fest. All the top riders just rode like a bunch just for them to watch Ala and Fuglsang go at it. Zzzzz.....

Curious to know what you actually expected top riders to do at the last 15km of Fleche Wallone? Valverde or Dan Martin to attack?
Or you knew what would happen and just simply hate the race?
Those are real questions.

 

[Pharazon]

i hate this race.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re: Re:

Will Fuglsang win the Tour de France?

Jakob is looking great, this spring. Maybe a top-five in the TDF is possible? I think no one is beating Froome at this year's Tour, unless he crashes out.

I would love to see him do it, and he may even wear yellow after two weeks, but I question his ability to last three weeks and to ride well at altitude, and the alps go very high this year. Without crashes it is hard to see him beating one of Froome/Thomas, Quintana, Adam Yates, and Kruisjwick. Though given that crashes do happen often, Jakob may be able to sneak a podium in his career best form.

I think he should give up the long stage races. Do like so many good riders have done before him - going for the classics. Three weeks and a 9th og 10th place - it gives him disappointments and ruins his chances of more wins in the autumn season.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re: Re:

Lol, nobody voted for Fuglsang in the poll. I wonder how many top results he needs to be considered a favourite for the classics.

He does lead the LBL poll quite comfortably now.

Would you have considered him a true puncheur before today?

Not before 2019 perhaps. But given his results this year, he should be among the top favourites for any hilly one day race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

i hate this race.

Then don't watch it...