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Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2013, 23 Feb, (198 km) 1.HC

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Pentacycle said:
Roelandts seems to have lost his sprint, after improving on his climbing. You can't possibly say he was spent after today's race, considering how long he hung at the back of the group. GVA and Roelandts really disappointed today, this was their chance. In a month the big guys will do the talking. They weren't paying attention and were afraid to take the initiative, or were too active.

Great riding by Paolini there, once again proving the KAT haters wrong. Although Vandenbergh really deserved this win as well, both have always given away their chances to their respective team leaders. But at the end Paolini clearly had the best legs, you could already see it in the last 20 kms.
Paolini has been team leader for a few years, I think.

Roelandts never recovered from his jump to the front group, it seemed. He spent the next 20 k at the back of the group, suffering.

Lanark said:
Roelandts just isn't very good. Can't remember him showing anything impressive on a cobble stroke or cobble hill in the classics ever. Might win a semi-classic someday if everything goes perfect, but he is a rather limited rider. GVA isn't very smart, but at least he can attack on a hill.
A cobble stroke? Is that a heart attack in Flanders?
 
Mar 17, 2012
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will10 said:
IMO, the final kms just showed how experienced Paolini was and Vandenbergh wasn't.

Agree... But though, I´m curious about that, he had Peeters as a so much experienced DS in the car with him, if he didn´t know how to ride... Strange.

Certainly also the cold was a factor, if you see how Roelandts sprinted, for example.

So, even more "hats off" to Italian Paolini, for winning in such conditions. He deserves his place in a Russian team ;)

Garcia very strong also, being Spanish. And also nice result for Topsport, makes it (almost) already a good spring campaign for them.
 
May 28, 2012
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Lanark said:
Roelandts just isn't very good. Can't remember him showing anything impressive on a cobble stroke or cobble hill in the classics ever. Might win a semi-classic someday if everything goes perfect, but he is a rather limited rider. GVA isn't very smart, but at least he can attack on a hill.

One more race like this and I might get a cobble stroke. :p

On a more serious note, both Belgians looked very strong in the last races they did. Roelandts' win in the final Tour Med stage was a great performance for such a heavy rider. That gave me the hunch that he already was hitting top form to perform in the earlier cobbled classics, so today must be very disappointing for both.
 
Vandenbergh slightly stronger than Paolini, Paolini a lot faster.

RHRH19861986 said:
Vandenbergh... Didn´t he want to win, or was he too nervous, knowing he rides for the win in such a big race?

He´s slower than Paolini, less experienced in a sprint, much taller than Paolini (so Paolini benefits very much from his slipstream) - and nevertheless does 70 per cent of the work in the final kilometers, knowing they have enough advantage over the chasers.

He´d have deserved this win, being so faithful and hard working over many years, but acting like he did, no way...

What? Vandenbergh didn't do more work than Paolini in the final 10k. He rode a very good race and there was not much more he could or should've done differently.
 
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Waterloo Sunrise said:
Geraint Thomas had a heavy crash 70km in, leaving him dizzy and splatting all his gels, leaving him running on low later



Did his head not clear enough to ask the team car for more?

Intresting :p G is a tough rider.
 
Oct 25, 2009
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Flamin said:
Vandenbergh slightly stronger than Paolini, Paolini a lot faster.



What? Vandenbergh didn't do more work than Paolini in the final 10k. He rode a very good race and there was not much more he could or should've done differently.

Vandenbergh's only chance was to attack a few km out, but he clearly didn't have the legs to do it. Chapeau to him, he caused the winning break to happen, it was just the fastest guy left was able to go with him.
 
Had to work till 18.30. Just watched the entire race.

Nice race, but I have the feeling the weather influenced the will of some of the bigger names. The strongest two of the day finished on top though, simple as that. Rather had Vandenbergh as winner, but Paolini is nice too.

Dissappointed in Boom and Terpstra, both invisible.
 
Dekker_Tifosi said:
Had to work till 18.30. Just watched the entire race.

Nice race, but I have the feeling the weather influenced the will of some of the bigger names. The strongest two of the day finished on top though, simple as that. Rather had Vandenbergh as winner, but Paolini is nice too.

Dissappointed in Boom and Terpstra, both invisible.

I also had high hopes for both, but after the final break got clear, they was locked since they both had a teammate up front (although Wynants really never was a threat)
 
Netserk said:
I also had high hopes for both, but after the final break got clear, they was locked since they both had a teammate up front (although Wynants really never was a threat)

everyone knows the race is decided at that time, and neither of them was visible at all (unlike guys like Langeveld, Ciolek, Haussler or Vanmarcke, who just missed the right move), same for Flecha, so I don't think having a teammate in front can be an excuse for their poor result today
 
I both read they in their personal reactions they didn't have a good day. Still dissappointing though.

As for the race itself, like I said it was a nice race but it didn't feel like watching Omloop het Volk.. sounds weird but feels like I was watching a random 1.1 belgian race, not as much action from the big names as usual. Probably due to the weather
 

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