Race Thread

[awavey]

lol and we had our first attempt at Baloise Verzekeringen - Het Poetsbureau Lions...which did end as yeah its Baloise Lions. cant say Ive noticed if theyve managed to fit all that on Brands kit, unless its on the shoulders, but she's just flying so they arent focussing on her much.

Puck does have some Premier Tech logos on her kit, but still looks fairly similar for Fenix.

and maybe Canyon sram will grow on me, maybe

as for the rest cant see much change

 

[theyoungest]

I assumed they were purveyors of bespoke writing desks for bards and rhapsodists.

Close. The Poets Bureau was established during the Cold War, to propagandize behind the Iron Curtain. Rumour has it they wrote the lyrics to Wind of Change by the Scorpions.

 

[awavey]

some of this commentary makes me laugh, Puck in 2nd apparently cant get back on terms with Brand implying she's having a bad race. But Zoe back in 3rd is apparently consistently improving her efforts, even though shes losing more time per lap to Brand and Puck !?!

 

[theyoungest]

some of this commentary makes me laugh, Puck in 2nd apparently cant get back on terms with Brand implying she's having a bad race. But Zoe back in 3rd is apparently consistently improving her efforts, even though shes losing more time per lap to Brand and Puck !?!

I'm assuming you're watching with British commentary.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

some of this commentary makes me laugh, Puck in 2nd apparently cant get back on terms with Brand implying she's having a bad race. But Zoe back in 3rd is apparently consistently improving her efforts, even though shes losing more time per lap to Brand and Puck !?!

They were talking about Zoe improving from race to race......not in this particular race.

 

[CXXC]

I know only an imbecile such as myself would return each time, hoping for a different outcome. Again Brand lacks instant acceleration from the start giving me hope as she is swamped by quicker riders, that lasts about 20 seconds as she breezes by everyone with little apparent effort, there was no b1tch face grimace of effort that I usually see.
Lucinda did not even have to barge riders out of the way at corners.

 

[jono]

So Alpecin is back in blue?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Well, well, we might have a race here.

 

[Tim Cahill]

With the VDP cross races and Pogacar road races the plan is usually to go off and do something else but leave it on in the background once they're ahead, usually the right play but 1 in 100 times like this or in Amstel something actually happens.

 

[AmRacer]

With the VDP cross races and Pogacar road races the plan is usually to go off and do something else but leave it on in the background once they're ahead, usually the right play but 1 in 100 times like this or in Amstel something actually happens.

What happened today 🤔

 

[KZD]

First win for Alpecin-Primier Tech.

Verstrynge deserves a lot of praise for trying and actually managing to follow Van der Poel for a bit. Expected a bit more from Nys.

Filippo Fontana again in the top10, he has been a nice surprise on these last races.

 

[Tim Cahill]

What happened today 🤔

It was good for about 5 minutes after he stuffed up I promise.

Anyway at the very least it was nice to see some mud, sick of this woke sunny outside in winter nonsense.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

First win for Alpecin-Primier Tech.

Verstrynge deserves a lot of praise for trying and actually managing to follow Van der Poel for a bit. Expected a bit more from Nys.

Filippo Fontana again in the top10, he has been a nice surprise on these last races.

Fontana has been rather impressive in some of these recent races - and 8th at the XCO Worlds show he's a top rider; probably doesn't have the power of the other CX riders, so Top 10s are good results.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Close. The Poets Bureau was established during the Cold War, to propagandize behind the Iron Curtain. Rumour has it they wrote the lyrics to Wind of Change by the Scorpions.

Bit of a change of gear to become a cleaning company...

 

[Hugh Januss]

I'm assuming you're watching with British commentary.

I've just tuned in to the replay. 3 laps in and my first take away on the race is Backstedt Backstedt Backstedt.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Bit of a change of gear to become a cleaning company...

Money laundry ?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

How come Celia Gery is in a different kit from 2 days ago?

The kit that David Menut (also on AS team) wore today is the same as Gery wore on Boxing Day: she was back in the blue with white sleeves for Dendermonde on Sunday. Inadvertent use of the 2026 kit at Gavere?

 

[Hugh Januss]

The kit that David Menut (also on AS team) wore today is the same as Gery wore on Boxing Day: she was back in the blue with white sleeves for Dendermonde on Sunday. Inadvertent use of the 2026 kit at Gavere?

Her 2025 kits were all in the wash.

 

[theyoungest]

Bit of a change of gear to become a cleaning company...

It's a clandestine operation.

But yeah, the Dutch verb "poetsen" means "to clean, to polish".

 

[theyoungest]

I know only an imbecile such as myself would return each time, hoping for a different outcome. Again Brand lacks instant acceleration from the start giving me hope as she is swamped by quicker riders, that lasts about 20 seconds as she breezes by everyone with little apparent effort, there was no b1tch face grimace of effort that I usually see.
Lucinda did not even have to barge riders out of the way at corners.

I take it you're not Brand's biggest fan...

Brand has no competition at the moment. The only one who can match her watts is Van Empel, and she's basically retired. Pieterse is improving though, I still think she can give Brand a proper run for her money at Worlds. Certainly if it's slippery and muddy, Puck loves that, and it makes the race less about pure power.

 

[pastronef]

It's a clandestine operation.

But yeah, the Dutch verb "poetsen" means "to clean, to polish".

-putzen- in German (almost the same asi n Dutch -oe- is pronounced -u-)

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Not taking anything from Verstrynge, but Mathieu does not seem to be as sharp as last year. He doesn't need to be, but it feels like that's a 91% Mathieu.

That is probably calculated, because he is going to be the only competition for Teddy this spring, and hes going to need to have eaten all of his Wheaties for that.

 

[AmRacer]

Not taking anything from Verstrynge, but Mathieu does not seem to be as sharp as last year. He doesn't need to be, but it feels like that's a 91% Mathieu.

Pogi hoping Mathieu stays that way on the road too.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Pogi hoping Mathieu stays that way on the road too.

Mathieu may end up feeling a lot like Wout, this spring. I think Pog is going to destroy everything and everyone this spring. Godzilla is coming.