Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2012

[More Strides than Rides]

Today, at the Ronde Cyclo, the wind on the finish 12kms was horrible. Very hard, either direct head wind or wind off your left shoulder.

It sucked and if it is like that tomorrow the finale will be spectacular and extremely tactical.

Spectacular and extremely tactical rarely go in the same sentence, but I know what you mean.

Any other weather updates for tomorrow?

 

[The Hitch]

Ronde is like Christmas. Super fun and the beginning of the most important and enjoyable week of the year. The only thing that can match it is the New Years that comes exactly a week later, but most of the time, its the Christmas that comes out on top.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Ronde is like Christmas. Super fun and the beginning of the most important and enjoyable week of the year. The only thing that can match it is the New Years that comes exactly a week later, but most of the time, its the Christmas that comes out on top.

Oh Hitch. What about the 3rd week of your beloved Giro?

But I know what you mean

On tonights race, it is being shown live on free to air television in Australia which is great. I will be watching it (or at least taping it), my first ever monument

Slowly but surely, I'm going from just a Tour fan, to a more rounded one

The battle between Tom and Fabian tonight and next week should be epic. I would like to see a situation where Fabian gets a fifteen second break over the final climb, then tries to hold off a select bunch into a headwind.

Does anyone see Flanders or Roubaix being particularly more suited to either Boonen or Cancerella?

 

[Pantani_lives]

Does anyone see Flanders or Roubaix being particularly more suited to either Boonen or Cancerella?

I would say Flanders is better for Boonen, because of the foothills and the chance of a small group sprint. Roubaix seems better for Cancellara because it's better for a strong soloist.

 

[The Hitch]

Oh Hitch. What about the 3rd week of your beloved Giro?

But I know what you mean

On tonights race, it is being shown live on free to air television in Australia which is great. I will be watching it (or at least taping it), my first ever monument

Slowly but surely, I'm going from just a Tour fan, to a more rounded one

The battle between Tom and Fabian tonight and next week should be epic. I would like to see a situation where Fabian gets a fifteen second break over the final climb, then tries to hold off a select bunch into a headwind.

Does anyone see Flanders or Roubaix being particularly more suited to either Boonen or Cancerella?

Your first monument, well your starting on the best one

 

[Swede1]

Oh Hitch. What about the 3rd week of your beloved Giro?

But I know what you mean

On tonights race, it is being shown live on free to air television in Australia which is great. I will be watching it (or at least taping it), my first ever monument

Slowly but surely, I'm going from just a Tour fan, to a more rounded one

The battle between Tom and Fabian tonight and next week should be epic. I would like to see a situation where Fabian gets a fifteen second break over the final climb, then tries to hold off a select bunch into a headwind.

Does anyone see Flanders or Roubaix being particularly more suited to either Boonen or Cancerella?

I'd say since Cancellara is better on the hills that he is better suited for Flanders. Also because its easier to create a gap in flanders using the steep gradients. Roubaix is better for Boonen because he is a faster sprinter and drafting is more useful in Roubaix as there are no hills. All boonen has to do is stay on cancellaras wheel like hushovd last year and then he can win a sprint.

 

[Pantani_lives]

I'd say since Cancellara is better on the hills that he is better suited for Flanders. Also because its easier to create a gap in flanders using the steep gradients. Roubaix is better for Boonen because he is a faster sprinter and drafting is more useful in Roubaix as there are no hills. All boonen has to do is stay on cancellaras wheel like hushovd last year and then he can win a sprint.

I didn't check, but haven't there been more solo finishes in Roubaix than in Flanders?

 

[greenedge]

On tonights race, it is being shown live on free to air television in Australia which is great. I will be watching it (or at least taping it), my first ever monument :

P-R i think was also on live coverage last year on SBS.

If i had to watch all the monuments on Eurosport i would be very annoyed.

 

[blaxland]

Less than 12 hours to go...off to the store to buy Beer,Chrisp's and more Beer.Lets hope i have enough to last till the end.So nervous about Team Greenedge's first Ronde"

 

[therhodeo]

Less than 12 hours to go...off to the store to buy Beer,Chrisp's and more Beer.Lets hope i have enough to last till the end.So nervous about Team Greenedge's first Ronde"

Not much to be nervous about. They'll know which direction to the finish line from all the riders in front of them.

 

[JRanton]

I have a good feeling about Matti Breschel. 25/1 each way bet is good value I think.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

With all the internet traffic to live feeds tomorrow, any bets we are going to frequently lose connection to some of those live feeds? Here's to hoping not.

 

[Pippo_San]

holy cow they give me Mr. Curly Hair @ 25...placed a bet on this darkhorse, time to go for some hard wheelsucking and then BANG!

 

[gregrowlerson]

P-R i think was also on live coverage last year on SBS.

I'll take your word for it, but no doubt I was out celebrating Kloden's victory at Pais Vasco at the time

It is good that SBS is showing more and more cycling. I especially enjoyed some of the Giro and Vuelta stages the last couple of seasons. This years Giro ones should be good, if they keep the weekend stages live. By my calculations we should get stage 1, 8, 14, 15, 19 & 20, which are all GC stages.

 

[Afrank]

Ronde is like Christmas. Super fun and the beginning of the most important and enjoyable week of the year. The only thing that can match it is the New Years that comes exactly a week later, but most of the time, its the Christmas that comes out on top.

+1 could not agree more, it feels exactly like christmas eve.

With all the internet traffic to live feeds tomorrow, any bets we are going to frequently lose connection to some of those live feeds? Here's to hoping not.

Thats why I'm getting up at 5:30 AM to watch it live on tv, only problem with that is it means I have to listen to Phil and Paul.

 

[Swede1]

I didn't check, but haven't there been more solo finishes in Roubaix than in Flanders?

Oh I have no idea. I just think it is harder to escape in Paris Roubaix than in Flanders for Cancellara. In 2010 he got away because Boonen made a stupid mistake. But last year was an example of where a weaker opponent still was able to stay with him by drafting him.

 

[spalco]

With British Eurosport going off for an hour between 13.15 and 14.15 i am just wondering will the sporza stream be geo-restricted tomorrow coz a stream will come in handy for that hour.

Sporza is always geo-restricted as far as I know. Hopefully there will be alternatives though, for example here.

 

[karlboss]

I'll take your word for it, but no doubt I was out celebrating Kloden's victory at Pais Vasco at the time

It is good that SBS is showing more and more cycling. I especially enjoyed some of the Giro and Vuelta stages the last couple of seasons. This years Giro ones should be good, if they keep the weekend stages live. By my calculations we should get stage 1, 8, 14, 15, 19 & 20, which are all GC stages.

Coverage started a little too late on Paris roubaix last year, but the times this year are great, now make sure everyone you know watches or has the tv on so SBS can again increase their coverage.
Thank you SBS.

I'm another for having the christmas eve feeling, I worked a 14 hour shift Friday so wouldn't have to go in on Monday.

 

[jens_attacks]

Sporza is always geo-restricted as far as I know. Hopefully there will be alternatives though, for example here.

well sporza wasn't restricted for the belgian races this year at all,hopefully it's the same.three more hours...
eurosport sucks big time this year

 

[diggercuz]

Oh Hitch. What about the 3rd week of your beloved Giro?

But I know what you mean

On tonights race, it is being shown live on free to air television in the Eastern states of Australia which is great. I will be watching it (or at least taping it), my first ever monument

Slowly but surely, I'm going from just a Tour fan, to a more rounded one

The battle between Tom and Fabian tonight and next week should be epic. I would like to see a situation where Fabian gets a fifteen second break over the final climb, then tries to hold off a select bunch into a headwind.

Does anyone see Flanders or Roubaix being particularly more suited to either Boonen or Cancerella?

Fixed it for you...

was sooo excited when i found out there was going to be live coverage so i was going to have a bbq and invite my non cycling mates to watch one of the best races all year, but alas, in Perth, its delayed... no way in hell will any of my mates stay up till 2:30am to watch it... me on the other hand has a dilemma, stream it live on a ****ty small screen or wait till its on TV...

yup, no way i can wait till its on tv so stream it is...

 

[Spine Concept]

Though I am mostly looking forward to P-R I cannot sit still in anticipation for this one. How could I, the build-up to this race is incredible. Add to that the new finish and suitors, makes for unprecedented anticipation jitters.

I'm rooting for Cancellara, Breschel, and as an outsider, Langeveld.

 

[CobbleStoner]

the RvV is on! thanks Sporza for the sign in coverage

 

[zigzag wanderer]

well sporza wasn't restricted for the belgian races this year at all,hopefully it's the same.three more hours...
eurosport sucks big time this year

Sporza livestream working fine in Turkey right now:

http://live.sporza.be/cm/lmc/wielrennen/voorjaar/Comp_Ronde_van_Vlaanderen/1.499427

 

[Spine Concept]

Though I am mostly looking forward to P-R I cannot sit still in anticipation for this one. How could I, the build-up to this race is incredible. Add to that the new finish and suitors, makes for unprecedented anticipation jitters.

I'm rooting for Cancellara, Breschel, and as an outsider, Langeveld.

 

[spalco]

well sporza wasn't restricted for the belgian races this year at all,hopefully it's the same.three more hours...
eurosport sucks big time this year

Cool, indeed you're right. Thumbs up to Sporza.