Oxyclean Classic Brugge - De Panne: They're Cleaning With Air Now! (24th and 25th Mar)

[lemon cheese cake]

Just based off the UAE? He didn't even win a stage. That's like expecting the dominating riders from the Tour Down Under to go on and dominate the rest of the season...

I don't want to sound like I don't like or rate Dekker, but where else has Dekker sprinted and actually won a bunch sprint of a somewhat decent level? I mean, I'll be happy for him if he proves me wrong of course.

I just thought it was pretty clear that Kooij is the man for the bunch sprints in absence of Dylan. Oh well. Let's wait and see.

No, from what I thought I'd seen from looking at social media of the two riders over past years. Obviously now properly looking more in depth at results on somewhere like PCS I've been proved wrong. I still wouldn't say Kooij is a pure sprinter though.

 

[pablohidalgo7]

Kooij speed is sick, there is a video of an early trainingcamp this season when he give Dekker a run for his money in a sprint between the two of them and I think David was going quite fast. Last year Olav also made Bauhaus looks very slow in Settimana, but the stage was 100 kms long only. I believe that in traning he can be the fastest Jumbo (behind Groenewegen) even with Van Aert there. But he doesnt seem to have the engine ready to put the same display of power afetr 200 km with the WT riders and in hard or windy conditions, the Slovenian and CRO races are much easier for a very young talent, Coppi Bartali Stage also.


In the other hand Dekker seems more explosive and fast than I initially thought, and he has a big engine and is a perfect rider for windy conditions and for high speed racing of one day races in Belgium. He was in great condition in UAE and he has been training at altitude in Tenerife recently. Maybe considering all the factors he should be the initial leader, at least.

 

[SafeBet]

Echelons in De Moeren.
Many splits in the peloton.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Barring crashes, full bunch sprint it is.

 

[RedheadDane]

Oi! @Red Rick, sticky this.

 

[RedheadDane]

Mas and Martinelli on the attack.
The other Mas!

 

[SafeBet]

Barring crashes, full bunch sprint it is.

Yep, wind not strong enough.

 

[Bonimenier]

Yep, wind not strong enough.

The bigger problem was that the wind turned a bit after the first lap. The peloton had full tailwind in the next 2 passages through the Moeren.

 

[RedheadDane]

Will they "overtake" Catalunya? Just over 10 KM vs. just over 8 KM. Uphill vs. flat.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

DQS and Bennett are too good.

 

[Bonimenier]

Will they "overtake" Catalunya? Just over 10 KM vs. just over 8 KM. Uphill vs. flat.

Probably not


That was so easy again for Bennett.

 

[RedheadDane]

Stupid Eurosport getting behind on things...

Probably not


That was so easy again for Bennett.

They did, though. Catalunya isn't done yet.

 

[Bonimenier]

Stupid Eurosport getting behind on things...



They did, though. Catalunya isn't done yet.

I know

 

[TourOfSardinia]

ciao!

 

[Breezy1985]

What's the penalty these days for cycling on the path ?

 

[Orbit501]

All that talk about who will be Jumbo's main man, and then they don't have either one of them in the top ten!

Steppers and Bennett just head and shoulders above everyone else.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

At the moment it seems that only Ewan can offer Bennett any real competition at all. Seven bunch sprints so far this year. Five wins. One loss to Bol when he was way out of position. One loss to Ewan. That’s total early season dominance. Sprints haven’t been this predictable in years

 

[WKA311]

Ackermann once not already starting his sprint with some 300m to go would actually help him I guess.

 

[Orbit501]

At the moment it seems that only Ewan can offer Bennett any real competition at all. Seven bunch sprints so far this year. Five wins. One loss to Bol when he was way out of position. One loss to Ewan. That’s total early season dominance. Sprints haven’t been this predictable in years

I'd like to see how Merlier goes up against him. He looks absolutely lightening to me, but always seems to come from way back or go really early. Neither of which will work in the big races.
I think both are down to ride the Giro aren't they?

 

[Bonimenier]

I'd like to see how Merlier goes up against him. He looks absolutely lightening to me, but always seems to come from way back or go really early. Neither of which will work in the big races.
I think both are down to ride the Giro aren't they?

Bennett riding the Giro? I'd expect DQS to send Ballerini there. And I don't know if Merlier is riding the Giro either. Maybe you mean the Tour?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Merlier is doing the Giro I think. I haven’t heard about Bennett and had also presumed that Ballerini would get the chance, but I don’t know. Ewan is doing the Giro for certain, so we will get a relatively rare chance to assess Merlier against a real top quality benchmark.

 

[Orbit501]

Bennett riding the Giro? I'd expect DQS to send Ballerini there. And I don't know if Merlier is riding the Giro either. Maybe you mean the Tour?

I thought I read recently on here that Merlier is possibly riding the Giro. Maybe I'm mistaken.

At any rate, it would be nice to see Merlier up against Bennett at a few big races sooner rather than later.

 

[Carols]

I just watched the last 10km. Sam Bennett on stellar form! Chapeau sir.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Watching it a second time, it looks even easier. Bennett just sits there, looking totally relaxed as Philipsen and Ackermann pull alongside him. Then he puts the power down and he’s almost immediately three bike lengths clear and celebrating before the line.

Ackermann in the wind alongside Bennett and Morkov for 100m before Bennett kicks. I know it’s extremely hard to beat the fastest sprinter, with the best leadout man and the strongest train, but he has to know that this isn’t a viable tactic.

Philipsen was pretty good, but not currently in Bennett’s division.

Instalment 127 in “It doesn’t matter if you are fast if you are never in a position to compete: The Cees Bol Story”

Anyone know what happened to Demare? Chain?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think Viviani could have won today, if only he hadn't stopped by the bank in the final 5k to cash his check.