March 16th: Nokere Koerse-195.9km: 1.1

[Mellow Velo]

You haven't seen Team America, I gather?

Rabo brought three sprinters, and went with the slowest

(I know Brown has won here before, but he's really going backwards in sprints since 2 years)

Needs must.

Talking of which:
1. [Usa] HTC - Highroad PRT 1959
2. [Usa] Team Garmin - Cervélo PRT 1852
3. [Usa] Team RadioShack PRT 1822

I'm surprised the clinic haven't latched onto some conspiracy or other.

Keukeleire comes up with a measly 36 CQ points. Struggling towards the half century. This time last year it was nearer 450.

 

[Rocksteady]

I think its fun to watch these races, Conti teams flexing their muscles a little.

Good win by Steegmans. And SpiderTech got caught out in that late split, too bad. Still managed a top 10.

 

[Ferminal]

Not only these days.
same goes for his 2 tour victories...

Yeh I know, but he's even more one-dimensional now

 

[Granville57]

Graeme Brown, " I was Plan C. Steegmens was just way too strong."
Yup.

 

[Moondance]

Needs must.

Talking of which:
1. [Usa] HTC - Highroad PRT 1959
2. [Usa] Team Garmin - Cervélo PRT 1852
3. [Usa] Team RadioShack PRT 1822

I'm surprised the clinic haven't latched onto some conspiracy or other.

Keukeleire comes up with a measly 36 CQ points. Struggling towards the half century. This time last year it was nearer 450.

Why? Because those teams are all American?

The teams might be American, but most of the riders are not. I imagine those three teams have about 15 Americans between them.

 

[theyoungest]

Keukeleire comes up with a measly 36 CQ points. Struggling towards the half century. This time last year it was nearer 450.

His team asked him to peak in April this year. Why? I have no idea. Are there any races he can win in April?

 

[Moondance]

His team asked him to peak in April this year. Why? I have no idea. Are there any races he can win in April?

Tour of Turkey? I guess....

 

[roundabout]

Why? There are a lot of riders racing at WorldTour level who are worse than him (half of BMC springs to mind), but here he is the undisputed leader in races he can win.

You're probably right in your assessment of his abilities.

 

[roundabout]

His team asked him to peak in April this year. Why? I have no idea. Are there any races he can win in April?

01.04.2011 Route Adélie de Vitré
02.04.2011 Hel van het Mergelland
03.04.2011 Flèche d'Emeraude - Saint Malo
05.04.2011 08.04.2011 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire
06.04.2011 06.04.2011 Scheldeprijs
12.04.2011 12.04.2011 Paris-Camembert
14.04.2011 14.04.2011 GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut
16.04.2011 16.04.2011 Tour du Finistère
17.04.2011 17.04.2011 Tro-Bro Léon

 

[theyoungest]

01.04.2011 Route Adélie de Vitré
02.04.2011 Hel van het Mergelland
03.04.2011 Flèche d'Emeraude - Saint Malo
05.04.2011 08.04.2011 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire
06.04.2011 06.04.2011 Scheldeprijs
12.04.2011 12.04.2011 Paris-Camembert
14.04.2011 14.04.2011 GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut
16.04.2011 16.04.2011 Tour du Finistère
17.04.2011 17.04.2011 Tro-Bro Léon

With the exception of the Scheldeprijs these races aren't going to garner him any more media attention than the races he won last year. Which is what it's about for the team, I assume.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Video of the lst few kms

If you missed the end: video

 

[roundabout]

With the exception of the Scheldeprijs these races aren't going to garner him any more media attention than the races he won last year. Which is what it's about for the team, I assume.

there're 5 Coupe de France races on the list which is probably what Cofidis is aiming for

 

[Michele]

If you missed the end: video

Thanks! blablablablabla

 

[Mellow Velo]

01.04.2011 Route Adélie de Vitré
02.04.2011 Hel van het Mergelland
03.04.2011 Flèche d'Emeraude - Saint Malo
05.04.2011 08.04.2011 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire
06.04.2011 06.04.2011 Scheldeprijs
12.04.2011 12.04.2011 Paris-Camembert
14.04.2011 14.04.2011 GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut
16.04.2011 16.04.2011 Tour du Finistère
17.04.2011 17.04.2011 Tro-Bro Léon

Blimey.
Not exactly what you'd expect for a 22YO supposedly on the way up.
Still, hopefully he can pick me up some CQ points, riding this stunningly mediocre programme.

there're 5 Coupe de France races on the list which is probably what Cofidis is aiming for

Has to be, doesn't it.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Steegmans won't do Milan Sanremo, btw...

 

[taiwan]

Only one Lotto in the top 60, and not Greipel or Blyth. WTF happened there?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Plan C on 3rd place... hmm, expected more of Bos, but ok.

edit: appearently Bos had a mechanical and the team wasn't notified, so they went straight past him.
Bos felt really good too appearently.

What a bummer

 

[Jamsque]

Has Bos ever shown himself on that type of tough finish? I assumed being a tracky he would not be able to.

 

[will10]

Didn't he win a pretty tough uphill sprint in one of the Spanish stage races last year? Was it Léon?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Has Bos ever shown himself on that type of tough finish? I assumed being a tracky he would not be able to.

The very first race he won for Rabobank CT, which was actually one of his first races on the road, some small portuguese warm-up race for Algarve. Ended in a sprint uphill (seriously uphill, but without cobbles). He won by several bike lengths to a team-mate, rest was nowhere near

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

steegmans excellent.
nice by verraes, i thought amorison might get amongst it-10th is ok.

 

[Matthijs]

01.04.2011 Route Adélie de Vitré
02.04.2011 Hel van het Mergelland
03.04.2011 Flèche d'Emeraude - Saint Malo
05.04.2011 08.04.2011 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire
06.04.2011 06.04.2011 Scheldeprijs
12.04.2011 12.04.2011 Paris-Camembert
14.04.2011 14.04.2011 GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut
16.04.2011 16.04.2011 Tour du Finistère
17.04.2011 17.04.2011 Tro-Bro Léon

seems like the best program possible for a 22yr guy. Not bringing him to RvV, E3 and other too hard stuff he can't compete yet. Scoring in France where there is much more publicity for their sponsor.
Paris-Camembert isn't smaller then Nokere koerse. Nokere, samyn and 3DWVl aren't big races guys. It's coupe de france, french teams care about them. Even in Flandres the attention for the races Keukeleire won last year is not so big...

 

[roundabout]

Keukeleire is on the start list for San Remo