Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2012

[killswitch]

I'm curious what their tactics will be. I'd say keep Chavanel in the waiting room as long as possible so he can assist Boonen on the flat when Cancellara has gone berserk on the Kwaremont and send Terpstra up the road instead. He can easily do a Vansummeren in a small group too.

That's what i'm also thinking (and previously posted in the predictions thread): Terpstra and Langeveld to go up the road while behind Tommeke/Canc cover each other's moves. Langeveld outsprints Terpstra, while Canc breaks away on the Paterberg but doesn't catch them. Tommeke wins the sprint for fourth.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yeah, Boonen never wins a race

Quick, tell Simon Gerrans he didn't actually win Milan-San Remo!

can you actually read? in msr cancellara's opponent was the chasing group. they didn't win. last year it was chavanel in flanders and hushovd in roubaix and sunday will be boonen

 

[therhodeo]

can you actually read? in msr cancellara's opponent was the chasing group. they didn't win. last year it was chavanel in flanders and hushovd in roubaix and sunday will be boonen

Except you've cherry picked who you want to be his "opponents" to suit your point. In Roubaix and Flanders you've chosen the only favorite near him and in MSR you chose the group. If anything you would have been better to have used Nibali as the example in MSR since he was a pre-race favorite. Either way Chava and Gerrans proved that if Cance doesn't drop you right off he can be outsprinted.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Still a possibility of raining sunday? We even got chances of snow here a bit further north.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Fans of the old circuit (with the Muur van Geraardsbergen) have threatened to lay drawing pins on the road. The threat is taken seriously and there will be huge safety measures. The mayor of Geraardsbergen has asked not to visit Oudenaarde on Sunday (April Fools' Day).

 

[Pantani_lives]

Still a possibility of raining sunday? We even got chances of snow here a bit further north.

I read it will be dry except possibly a little shower in the morning.

 

[El Pistolero]

Fans of the old circuit (with the Muur van Geraardsbergen) have threatened to lay drawing pins on the road. The threat is taken seriously and there will be huge safety measures. The mayor of Geraardsbergen has asked not to visit Oudenaarde on Sunday (April Fools' Day).

That's not a joke though, has been reported last week already.

 

[The_Z_man]

There's an article on the front page saying that Taylor Phinney isn't riding La Ronde. However, if you look at the start list, he's on it for BMC. So did someone else scratch?

 

[luckyboy]

Today Boonen reconned the new parcour of the Ronde. He dropped all his team-mates on the Paterberg and hap a gap of at least 30 seconds at the top

If he can drop Van Keirsbulck and co. then Cancellara must be worrying about whether he can make it to the finish

 

[luckyboy]

Christ, Vaughters shirking any responsibility two days before the race.

"What is clear is that RadioShack and QuickStep, along with Liquigas, will need to take responsibility for the race. Our team, with Millar and Ramunas out with broken bones, will not be the one to assume control."

Garmin have the strongest team outside of QuickStep, and way stronger than Liquigas and RadioShack (in helpers).

Maaskant, Klier, Haussler, Farrar, Van Summeren all working for Vanmarcke. Liquigas have Oss to support Sagan

It's statements like that that make me want a team to fail. But Sep is there..

 

[jens_attacks]

Today Boonen reconned the new parcour of the Ronde. He dropped all his team-mates on the Paterberg and hap a gap of at least 30 seconds at the top

phil dropped his teammates too and put 5 minutes on them

Partis de Wanegem-Lede le matin, les BMC avaient accompli les premiers kilomètres en groupe. Puis, juste avant le Taaienberg, Philippe changeait de roue alors que ses équipiers continuaient tranquillement leur route. Remis en selle, le Liégeois revenait facilement sur le groupe dans le Taaienberg et décidait de forcer le rythme. C’était en quelque sorte le tournant de cette sortie. Car Gilbert venait, sans vraiment le vouloir, de lâcher tous les BMC… qu’il n’allait plus revoir de la journée ! Un moment, il demandera bien si ses potes étaient à 2 minutes ou à 5. Comme c’était plutôt 5, il ne se posa plus trop de questions et continua sur sa lancée. La sortie collective venait de virer au solitaire !

http://www.dhnet.be/sports/cyclisme/article/390298/gilbert-cartonne-a-l-entrainement.html

and we got the winner for this ronde it seems

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

phil dropped his teammates too and put 5 minutes on them

Partis de Wanegem-Lede le matin, les BMC avaient accompli les premiers kilomètres en groupe. Puis, juste avant le Taaienberg, Philippe changeait de roue alors que ses équipiers continuaient tranquillement leur route. Remis en selle, le Liégeois revenait facilement sur le groupe dans le Taaienberg et décidait de forcer le rythme. C’était en quelque sorte le tournant de cette sortie. Car Gilbert venait, sans vraiment le vouloir, de lâcher tous les BMC… qu’il n’allait plus revoir de la journée ! Un moment, il demandera bien si ses potes étaient à 2 minutes ou à 5. Comme c’était plutôt 5, il ne se posa plus trop de questions et continua sur sa lancée. La sortie collective venait de virer au solitaire !

http://www.dhnet.be/sports/cyclisme/article/390298/gilbert-cartonne-a-l-entrainement.html

and we got the winner for this ronde it seems

BTW..... the day before he went out training with....... Davide Rebellin.

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wiel...ert?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[jens_attacks]

i saw also photos with phil,he looks in very good shape let's hope the endurance was also fixed this week.he will be there in the finale i'm sure

 

[durhamwasp]

What do people make of Phil Gil's chances? He hasnt looked great so far and has ruled himself out of winning Flanders due to his fitness. But, is it all a smokescreen? Surely he wants this race!

 

[TomasC]

What do people make of Phil Gil's chances? He hasnt looked great so far and has ruled himself out of winning Flanders due to his fitness. But, is it all a smokescreen? Surely he wants this race!

I think he's bluffing and actually will be in good shape but won't win anyway

 

[El Pistolero]

i saw also photos with phil,he looks in very good shape let's hope the endurance was also fixed this week.he will be there in the finale i'm sure

Can't believe people actually think he looks fat. I think Phil will be ready now

He won't win the Ronde, but he's going to be a monster by the time the Ardennes start.

 

[greenedge]

At the least he can make his presence known here ( BMC have several cards to play ).

 

[theyoungest]

Can't believe people actually think he looks fat. I think Phil will be ready now

He won't win the Ronde, but he's going to be a monster by the time the Ardennes start.

One picture is enough to restore your faith in him? Well, if you're a fanboy do it right, I guess.

 

[El Pistolero]

Erm, read the article mate. It's that difficult period of the year again for the Dutchies I guess

 

[greenedge]

If anything you would have been better to have used Nibali as the example in MSR since he was a pre-race favorite.

I think Cancellara knew as soon as he reached the flats any moves Nibali could have made would have been hopeless ( going against the team plan as well to get Sagan the win in the scenario that played out ). The only way he could win M-SR was to annihilate people on the Poggio, then do more than he did on the descents ALONE.

 

[greenedge]

but cancellara will face the hell sunday no doubt

And hopefully come through ( even though i want CQ points from Boonen ).

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Erm, read the article mate.

Well, it seems to me that his teammates didn't try to go all out during that training ride. Gilbert was completely "dead" at the finish by his own words.

 

[theyoungest]

Erm, read the article mate. It's that difficult period of the year again for the Dutchies I guess

Certainly, for the Dutch fans of Gilbert times are dire.

 

[El Pistolero]

Well, it seems to me that his teammates didn't try to go all out during that training ride. Gilbert was completely "dead" at the finish by his own words.

Gilbert has to go all out in his training now though

One week of hard training will do him good.

 

[stetre76]

anybody knows if Freire is going to start on sunday (and then later at P-R)?