Omega Pharma v Lotto

[palmerq]

whats the score now?

 

[El Pistolero]

whats the score now?

7-4 for QS.

QS got a little bit lucky that Roelandts is out for the spring and Greipel is sick atm, but QS had their fair share of bad luck last year as well. Let's hope both teams don't have anymore nasty crashes or sick riders this season.

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah, Roelandts is a guy who usually brings in lots of wins...

Lotto simply have no depth at all in their squad, and it shows when their only real winner is sick.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, Roelandts is a guy who usually brings in lots of wins...

Lotto simply have no depth at all in their squad, and it shows when their only real winner is sick.

Roelandts could have won some nice races this year Without Gilbert he can win some (semi-)classics. He definitely can win races like E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem, GP Montreal, etc now Gilbert is gone.

They have someone for all the classics. They might not have a lot of winners, but no depth?

Milan-San Remo: Greipel + good leadout train
Ardennes classics: Jelle Vanendert
Cobbled classics: Roelandts and Greipel
Sprints: Greipel + good leadout train
Tour GC: Vanendert and VDB2
Vuelta GC: VDB2

And better to have one winner than zero winners I suppose

 

[Froome19]

Roelandts could have won some nice races this year Without Gilbert he can win some (semi-)classics. He definitely can win races like E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem, GP Montreal, etc now Gilbert is gone.

They have someone for all the classics. They might not have a lot of winners, but no depth?

Milan-San Remo: Greipel + good leadout train
Ardennes classics: Jelle Vanendert
Cobbled classics: Roelandts and Greipel
Sprints: Greipel + good leadout train
Tour GC: Vanendert and VDB2
Vuelta GC: VDB2

And better to have one winner than zero winners I suppose

Roelandts has the potential and could win some semi-classics, yet the chances of him actually doing such a thing are remarkably low, and more than one would be a huge suprise

 

[El Pistolero]

Roelandts has the potential and could win some semi-classics, yet the chances of him actually doing such a thing are remarkably low, and more than one would be a huge suprise

He was second already in E3 Prijs last year. He has made it to the finale in G-W, but for some reason Lotto decided to work for Gilbert instead... He was second once(not counting breakaway remnant) after Gilbert at GP Montreal.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him win those races some day... But I agree, he's not a big winner, but it's still bad luck for Lotto that he's out now as he has a lot of potential.

 

[theyoungest]

Roelandts could have won some nice races this year Without Gilbert he can win some (semi-)classics. He definitely can win races like E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem, GP Montreal, etc now Gilbert is gone.

They have someone for all the classics. They might not have a lot of winners, but no depth?

Milan-San Remo: Greipel + good leadout train
Ardennes classics: Jelle Vanendert
Cobbled classics: Roelandts and Greipel
Sprints: Greipel + good leadout train
Tour GC: Vanendert and VDB2
Vuelta GC: VDB2

And better to have one winner than zero winners I suppose

Depth means that if one of these guys is out, they still have a worthy replacement. They don't.

What do they do in sprints without Greipel? And what in GC races without VDB (there's quite a lot of those...)

 

[c&cfan]

Depth means that if one of these guys is out, they still have a worthy replacement. They don't.

What do they do in sprints without Greipel? And what in GC races without VDB (there's quite a lot of those...)

why are people talking about greipel's wins? isn't he supposed to go to the big races this year (like last year)? is this even a contest? how can lotto win more than QS?

so what? greipel will get one gt win and a few stages at really small races...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Have Quickstep already beaten their tally of wins from last season?

 

[El Pistolero]

They only had 3 wins last year if we ignore NC.

 

[Gloin22]

They only had 3 wins last year if we ignore NC.

CQ Ranking begs to differ. 5 wins actually

 

[El Pistolero]

CQ Ranking begs to differ. 5 wins actually

Yeah, I forgot about those 2 wins from Pineau and van Keirsbulck. Anyway, they're already better now

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Can this be stickied?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It's interesting that OPQS seem to have put real effort into developing a proper sprint train.

I mean, so far they've only been whacking everyone in the proverbial "s.....y small races", but HTC used to clean up at those with their second and third sprinters. With the HTC train off the tracks and the likes of Goss and Greipel now as central team leaders, and presumably therefore concentrating on much the same races as Cavendish and Farrar, there could be a lot of opportunities for a well oiled sprint team with good second tier sprinters.

Rabon, Brammeier, Maes, Steegmans, Chicchi, Boonen etc has the makings of a very useful train, and that's without even mentioning riders who aren't at Qatar. According to Brammeier on twitter, his primary assignment for the year is as part of the leadout for Boonen, so it does seem like OPQS are newly serious about the sprints. I suppose this probably should have been obvious, given that they brought in a sizeable chunk of the HTC train - we can probably assume that wasn't for their climbing abilities.

Still, it's good to see. And it will be interesting to see how Boonen and their other sprinters do with real sprint support.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Wow!! OPQS are pouring down hate and discontent on lotto so far (being dramatic)

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

What's that, 9 wins? And a 10th pretty much guaranteed unless Boonen has a mechanical or falls.

 

[greenedge]

I am starting to have second thoughts about voting for Lotto. Steegmans and Boonen look in great form and Ciolek was ok at the TDU.

 

[greenedge]

What do they do in sprints without Greipel?

Henderson. It's just been unlucky for him at Qatar but at least Lotto have been showing themselves off a bit.

 

[luckyboy]

So happy about this start to the season, hope it can be carried through for a few months.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Score?




10 characters.

 

[palmerq]

I am now always thinking about this thread :S seems like a good battle between the 2 big belgian teams, who is winning? greipel is doing his best to keep up with quickstep but they could have the tour of oman overall tomorrow :S


aha mr zam was quicker at bumping than me, hats off to you.

 

[luckyboy]

Lotto pretty reliant on Greipel, as it will be all season for them in terms of victories. QuickStep have them spread out between a few riders..

Lotto: 6 (6 stages)
QuickStep: 11 (7 stages, 2 one-days, 2 overal GCs)

 

[fat and frantic]

Both seem to have come out of it all in good shape. Even Ciolek is winning!

 

[palmerq]

Lotto pretty reliant on Greipel, as it will be all season for them in terms of victories. QuickStep have them spread out between a few riders..

Lotto: 6 (6 stages)
QuickStep: 11 (7 stages, 2 one-days, 2 overal GCs)

Could be 3 overall gcs tomorrow.. It's not as close as I thought quickstep are on fire.. good to see ciolek on the scoreboard too

 

[greenedge]

Chavanel just must not have had the form to win Oman ( after saying he did ). Reading the stage reports i got the inkling Velits was stronger but then yesterday Chavanel put in quite a daring attack so i had no idea who was stronger.