National Championship Discussion/Results

[jens_attacks]

Is he really that bad in these type of races????

in 2012,yes.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Quote: Team Argos-Shimano ‏@1t4i
The gap between the peloton and the breakaway is around one minute. Five laps (of 10.3 km per lap) down, twenty-two to go!
Is the Dutch race really 275+ kilometres long?

They have to do 22 laps of 10.3km (which is significantly less than 275+) don't know why Argos-Shimano says 25 laps.

 

[Climeon]

They have to do 22 laps of 10.3km (which is significantly less than 275+) don't know why Argos-Shimano says 25 laps.

ah, ok, thanks

 

[dlwssonic]

in 2012,yes.

well there is only that gullegem koerse, which isn't a great example.
As BMC had already sent lodewyck into the break and gilbert was just sitting in the peloton.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Is it really that bad in Limburg?

It's bad wheather over here too, rainy and windy, in South Holland, but nothing like "only 56 riders left in the race before the TV coverage even starts"-bad wheather.

Do you know whether the lap in Kerkrade has open spots in the wind btw?

No hardly open spots. But I live in a normal crowded street too and I can tell you the wind goes right between and through everything. I imagine it's the same 40km south

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

No hardly open spots. But I live in a normal crowded street too and I can tell you the wind goes right between and through everything. I imagine it's the same 40km south

Wind just makes these laps that much worse.

When I'm in Leuven (I study there) my training lap is the one from the Brabantse Pijl, which is very much like this lap, and I feel like there's nothing more annoying than making it up the 15% slope to the top only to be punched in the face by a strong wind.

But yeah, if I imagine riding my training lap, 22 times, in the rain, with strong wind.

 

[Konfronto]

Progress!

road race Kazakhstan:

1. BAZAYEV Assan (Astana Pro Team)
2. LUTSENKO Alexey (Continental Team Astana)
3. ISHANOV Abdraimzhan (Continental Team Astana)

Good one for Baza, taking into consideration a long period of stagnation somewhat.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Good one for Baza, taking into consideration a long period of stagnation somewhat.

This Lutsenko guy looks pretty impressive too, only from '92 and 2nd in the ITT and the RR with the elites. Pretty impressive; I'll keep my eye on that guy for the future.

 

[Kwibus]

Meanwhile in Limburg: Rain and wind.

About 50 riders left and still 1 hour and 30 minutes to go till it goes live.
I bet there will be like 30 riders left by then

Normally I'm all for rain and wind, but this course was selective enough without the rain and wind.

 

[Pentacycle]

Is he really that bad in these type of races????

You seem to forget that Gilbert has wasted the rest of his career last year. He didn't rest at all in 2011 after his fantastic (but very tiring and long) spring, he rode almost 5 weeks non stop from the Tour and post-Tour crits until Eneco. He felt pretty spent after that, but he decided that he had to win the Worldtour, the Worlds and Lombardia. He kept training like a madman until October, and only succeeded in winning the WT. He failed miserably in September and October in winning the other two races.

Of course he rested in winter, but the damage had been done to his recovery, stamina and resistance. He should've started training much later than he did. A few signs were Haut-Var, the TTT in Tirreno and the Ronde and E3, where he got weaker due to the repeated efforts on each hill. Only the Amstel Gold and Fleche were raced mildly enough for Gilbert to contend.(Due to his once again increased power output)

His resistance problem will show even more in criterium-type races, where every corner requires you to dig deep. He slowly fades when the pace is up to 50 kms/h... I hope for him this 'theory' is wrong, but until today Phil's not proven me otherwise.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Also, sharp descents, lots of turns and twists, narrow roads etc. that's pretty dangerous in this rain I guess. Hoping there won't be any crashes anymore, but I doubt it.

 

[Lanark]

Meanwhile in Limburg: Rain and wind.

About 50 riders left and still 1 hour and 30 minutes to go till it goes live.
I bet there will be like 30 riders left by then

Normally I'm all for rain and wind, but this course was selective enough without the rain and wind.

The weather is so bad even Traksel abandoned

 

[GazelleFormula]

Mollema still in the peleton? I would say he is the big favourite now with this type of weather.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Has Gesink crashed yet?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Has Gesink crashed yet?

but not really

 

[classicomano]

Has Gesink crashed yet?

Do you need to change underwear if he does?

 

[Kwibus]

Has Gesink crashed yet?

 

[auscyclefan94]

That is a compliment!

 

[gerundium]

http://www.mobypicture.com/user/SchreijenDotCom/view/13123187

Small video of the conditions. These are people behind the peloton climbing Duivels Bosch.

 

[Pentacycle]

Can't you just ignore the guy? Dutch people get agitated very quickly, it's definitely not our best habit. That doesn't mean trolling is good ofc.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Can't you just ignore the guy? Dutch people get agitated very quickly, it's definitely not our best habit. That doesn't mean trolling is good ofc.

They wouldn't do that! Deep down, the Dutch posters love me!

In all seriousness, it is just a bit of friendly banter.

 

[classicomano]

Can't you just ignore the guy? Dutch people get agitated very quickly, it's definitely not our best habit. That doesn't mean trolling is good ofc.

No! The DutchDefenceSquad does not tolerate trolling our hero's!

 

[dlwssonic]

You seem to forget that Gilbert has wasted the rest of his career last year. He didn't rest at all in 2011 after his fantastic (but very tiring and long) spring, he rode almost 5 weeks non stop from the Tour and post-Tour crits until Eneco. He felt pretty spent after that, but he decided that he had to win the Worldtour, the Worlds and Lombardia. He kept training like a madman until October, and only succeeded in winning the WT. He failed miserably in September and October in winning the other two races.

Of course he rested in winter, but the damage had been done to his recovery, stamina and resistance. He should've started training much later than he did. A few signs were Haut-Var, the TTT in Tirreno and the Ronde and E3, where he got weaker due to the repeated efforts on each hill. Only the Amstel Gold and Fleche were raced mildly enough for Gilbert to contend.(Due to his once again increased power output)

His resistance problem will show even more in criterium-type races, where every corner requires you to dig deep. He slowly fades when the pace is up to 50 kms/h... I hope for him this 'theory' is wrong, but until today Phil's not proven me otherwise.

Well yeah last year had a huge effect on him. And he seemed fatigued. Plus he had that tooth infection which really hurt him too. He seemed to have recovered from all of that and he is currently gradually building up form for le tour and the olympics.
Im not sure if the normal gilbert will ever be back this season, we might have to wait till next year.

 

[Kwibus]

Can't you just ignore the guy? Dutch people get agitated very quickly, it's definitely not our best habit. That doesn't mean trolling is good ofc.

I don't usually bait for trolling and I think ACF94 is a fine guy, but he made 2 posts today and both were about Gesink falling. I just wanted to point out that it wasn't really funny anymore.

 

[Pentacycle]

Johnny is destroying his breakaway btw, but now the Rabos will surely bring him back with Clement now dropped.