Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2012

[Bala Verde]

Boonen doing a lot of work to keep the group moving forward

 

[skidmark]

No reason for Hayman to limit himself to being a helper. He has as good a chance as Flecha I'd say.

Well I was just saying that because a) Flecha is the leader of the team and b) Hayman has been on the front (although I guess they're all taking turns). If Hayman has form like last year's classics, you're right though.

 

[DominicDecoco]

boonen will try to drop both hushovd and breschel on leberg and molenberg.i hope he makes it

He wont.

Matti has this in his pocket.

 

[SoNiK4]

Have you tried http://live.sporza.be/cm/lmc/wielrennen/voorjaar/Comp_omloop_HNB

I'm getting it no problem in the Caribbean.

 

[Bala Verde]

catch almost made

 

[diggercuz]

coming all together at the front...

any chase from the peloton?

 

[Arnout]

and its so easy getting into the selection at the front isnt it...

ah anyway, i love this style of racing, but ya like what ya like....

I know its not easy, but it just doesn't appeal to me due to mentioned reason.

Fair enough if it's not your cup of tea, but it's not like those guys just laugh their way to the front of the peloton on small roads before the crashes and before things split up. There is far more than luck involved.

I know But I'm always happy with Paris - Nice in this first part of the season, and am always happy when the hilly classics start and this part of the season is over. It's just me I think.

Irony or genuine ?

Genuine.

 

[skidmark]

coming all together at the front...

any chase from the peloton?

what team has incentive to chase?

 

[skidmark]

I know But I'm always happy with Paris - Nice in this first part of the season, and am always happy when the hilly classics start and this part of the season is over. It's just me I think.

Well, you don't have long to wait! That's the best part about when the season really starts, it's like candy every week.

 

[diggercuz]

I know its not easy, but it just doesn't appeal to me due to mentioned reason.



I know But I'm always happy with Paris - Nice in this first part of the season, and am always happy when the hilly classics start and this part of the season is over. It's just me I think.



Genuine.

yup fair enough. ya like what ya like.

 

[Bala Verde]

it's these 10 who are in it for the win.

2 pairs, and some strong solos

 

[ChrisE]

Who is Thor riding for? Which kit?

 

[skidmark]

Good god, 2:14? This is over.

 

[luckyboy]

what team has incentive to chase?

Lotto, AG2R, FDJ, GE

 

[jens_attacks]

lol ag2r chasing

 

[Libertine Seguros]

but it certainly helped cadel win the tour last year... that and a kick as TT...

That's because the Tour parcours was almost two weeks of utter dross before we got to any GC-relevant stage last year, meaning everybody still had something to protect, meaning a nervous péloton with everybody trying to force their way to the front.

That might be fine in a one-day race where if it doesn't work you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on, or a short stage race where the number of people competing for the win is smaller, and riders aren't going to ride to protect 10th place, but at the Tour de France it's a bit of a disaster to eliminate half the contenders that way, not least because at least the Classics specialists are used to racing that way; the GC men are not, and don't do such a good job of it, leading to more crashes and worse crashes.

 

[diggercuz]

what team has incentive to chase?

well the aussie in me wants greenedge to put Cooke at the head of the race... but at 2:11 i dont hold much hope...

 

[aspire]

GreenEdge starting to up the pace?

 

[jens_attacks]

only jon locke could catch them

 

[insideout leadout]

But why even watch it if you don't like it. It must still be better than other activites you could do a saturday afternoon, right?

 

[superconfex]

Good god, 2:14? This is over.

well...the archer to win then

 

[jens_attacks]

vanmarcke hits molenberg good

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Vanmarcke is strong.

 

[Publicus]

Vanmarcke is trying to drill it. Here comes Boonen

 

[luckyboy]

Vanmarcke ftw!