La Flèche Wallonne: September 30th, 2020

[Hugo Koblet]

I'd rather 5 minutes of suspense over 15 seconds.

I'd take the 15 seconds. In athletics, the 100 metre sprint is also much more fun to watch than the 1500 metres race imo.

 

[sir fly]

I'd take the 15 seconds. In athletics, the 100 metre sprint is also much more fun to watch than the 1500 metres race imo.

One warm beer's better than four cool.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I'd rather 5 minutes of suspense over 15 seconds.

Top Tip: play those 15 seconds by repeatedly playing 1 second and then pausing for 20 seconds. Hey Presto - you can watch Fleche Wallone 101 times a year

 

[Breezy1985]

They've never done it the week after winning the World Championships.

And less than 2 weeks after the tour

 

[RedheadDane]

And less than 2 weeks after the tour

Well, having checked the result for the women's race... it didn't seem to have slowed down Van Der Breggen much.

 

[sir fly]

There's agriculture mechanisation in that castle's yard.
When have the plebs become nobility?

Progressive society, no question about that.

 

[Brullnux]

Okay, I have to ask. Why would it have been a better edition of FW in 2018 if they hadn't caught Nibali and Schachmann?

The catch was made on the final 500 metres, so the race would have been exactly the same, apart from the fact that we wouldn't have gotten an intense finale between the best puncheurs in the world but just a simple thumping of Nibali by Schachmann.

I think it's a massive fallacy by many cycling fans purely to judge the intrigue of a race by whether the race ended in a sprint or with a break. For me, it's just as much about the battle between the break and the field, and that can be exciting even if the field ends up winning. That doesn't nullify the intrigue of the race and the battle between break and field.

Or is it just because people forget and see, okay 1) Alaphilippe, 2) Valverde, so it must have been like any year?

Sure, but the issue is that there is so little suspense because the field wins every single time. And in many editions there are no late attacks at all.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Black shoes and white socks on Wurf looks a bit naff. someone give him a slap.

 

[Velolover2]

I wonder if it has been a different race if they had added Thier de Huy just before the Mur.

 

[Breezy1985]

Well, having checked the result for the women's race... it didn't seem to have slowed down Van Der Breggen much.

Very different level of depth to the field in women's cycling. It's more comparable to Merckx day with the level of race favourites. Plus VdB is a god

 

[bob.a.feet]

Black shoes and white socks on Wurf looks a bit naff. someone give him a slap.

White socks are the only way to go with black shoes.

 

[sir fly]

White socks are the only way to go with black shoes.

Hong Kong action cinema style.

 

[Leinster]

Well, having checked the result for the women's race... it didn't seem to have slowed down Van Der Breggen much.

VdBreggen rode a 3-week grand tour before Worlds?

 

[Brullnux]

Not sure break being so far up the road is good news for the race. Pace gonna be high for last 30 to chase them back, maybe too high for outsiders to attack

 

[BlueRoads]

Black shoes and white socks on Wurf looks a bit naff. someone give him a slap.

Let's be real: Cyclists wear tight lycra on which some company's logo's are printed. They wear ridiculous looking helmets on their heads, oversized sunglasses and long socks. There's just no way to look good with that, that's wishful thinking.

 

[Brullnux]

VdBreggen rode a 3-week grand tour before Worlds?

Not three week but week and a half, and won, so went deeper than some of these guys

 

[Velolover2]

Any of you guys who have climbed Thier de Huy? From what I've heard, it's harder than Mur De Huy. It could have added another dimension to the race if you placed it 6k before the classic MDH finish line.

 

[RedheadDane]

VdBreggen rode a 3-week grand tour before Worlds?

I was too lazy to go back and find your comment.

 

[sir fly]

Let's be real: Cyclists wear tight lycra on which some company's logo's are printed. They wear ridiculous looking helmets on their heads, oversized sunglasses and long socks. There's just no way to look good with that, that's wishful thinking.

And they're so underpaid for everything they do that they become ridiculously lean.
Feudalism, I tell you.

 

[SafeBet]

Not three week but week and a half, and won, so went deeper than some of these guys

Yeah decent 20 days of racing for Anna

11/09 -20/09: Giro Rosa 1st
24/09: WC ITT 1st
26/09: WC RR 1st
30/09: Fleche Wallonne 1st

 

[Eclipse]

Okay, I have to ask. Why would it have been a better edition of FW in 2018 if they hadn't caught Nibali and Schachmann?

The catch was made on the final 500 metres, so the race would have been exactly the same, apart from the fact that we wouldn't have gotten an intense finale between the best puncheurs in the world but just a simple thumping of Nibali by Schachmann.

I think it's a massive fallacy by many cycling fans purely to judge the intrigue of a race by whether the race ended in a sprint or with a break. For me, it's just as much about the battle between the break and the field, and that can be exciting even if the field ends up winning. That doesn't nullify the intrigue of the race and the battle between break and field.

Or is it just because people forget and see, okay 1) Alaphilippe, 2) Valverde, so it must have been like any year?

I'm not sure it would have been a better edition if a 2 up break actually made it to the finish but variety is the spice of life and races are (over the long term) much better off when they are (at least occasionally) won in different ways..

There's all kinds of tension and interest that play out in a one day race but when you can be so confident that it's all going to come down to a hill sprint that tension doesn't really exist and over time the desire to watch is reduced.

 

[Faserr]

Do you think Bora or CCC attack at the next Mur climb? Perhaps the race this year is a bit harder to control because therare not so much hill sprinters like valverde or ala.

 

[Bardamu]

Dumoulin dropped from peloton?

 

[Velolover2]

And they're so underpaid for everything they do that they become ridiculously lean.
Feudalism, I tell you.

I suppose Betancur is the member of the nobility then?

 

[BlueRoads]

When can we start saying it looks good for the break?