Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2012

[Cancellator]

It really was his own fault.... not a freak accident. With that I judge he should have stayed upright like Boonen managed to.

I thought you said it was his teammate's fault. Can you get your story straight, please?

 

[The Hitch]

I've always liked pozz. the hate he has gotten from El Picke has only ever increased me like of him.

fixed it for you.

 

[hushovd]

Hey Hog, since you can find that pic I am sure you can find a pic or clip showing what you claim you saw...right?????

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Maybe the parcours could do with only two laps and somehow a shorter run-in.

I don't know if the length was the problem so much as how much of it was just long, wide, straight, open main roads; make it a bit more technical and that could be interesting.

 

[skidmark]

I don't get the people complaining. It was an exciting race, multiple breakaway groups, the peloton dragging them back, team tactics and a good sprint finish after a small break finally gets clear. What else do people want?

Well, I agree that people here can be pretty hyperbolic about 'worst race ever', etc, I think that it wasn't as exciting as previous years, selection didn't happen as far out, it wasn't worth watching for as long as I watched it for. I also think that's due to the new course, people saving themselves for the finale. So although I love bike racing and the Ronde quite a bit (or maybe because of that), I am disappointed.

 

[roundabout]

I blame QS. Way to strangle the life out of the race.

 

[Arnout]

no way was this as boring as agr and fw (especially fw) tho. But indeed, compared to what flanders can be it might have been a let down. Still I managed to enjoy it is a single race, regardless of previous editions.

Different racing. The last 2km always make up for the first 198 in FW for me. Not the case in this race this year sadly.

 

[thehog]

I thought you said it was his teammate's fault. Can you get your story straight, please?

He's own fault for not having a classics team as I stated. His own fault for not concentrating in a feed zone. Simple really.

 

[phanatic]

He was going backwards when Pippo went, probably because of his earlier effort to get back in the front group. Pity, because it would've been better with him in the first group.

Thanks. 10

 

[hrotha]

I'm not sure it's because of riders thinking the last kms are too hard. I think that when you're doing a circuit you're automatically wired to wait for the last two laps.

 

[roundabout]

He's own fault for not having a classics team as I stated. His own fault for not concentrating in a feed zone. Simple really.

Lol. There were 3 riders from Radioschack there after the last kwaremont.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Jesus, EBH not even top 10.

he lacks the engine. totally death in final km's and sprint

 

[hushovd]

Well, your wife is undoubtedly an expert, let's take her word as gospel.

No, my point was that my wife, who is not an expert, saw that Boonen was taking short pulls. Sorry it went over your head.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Different racing. The last 2km always make up for the first 198 in FW for me. Not the case in this race this year sadly.

Not for me, I find a FW a very under-whelming race.

 

[Caruut]

Well, your wife is undoubtedly an expert, let's take her word as gospel.

Brilliant, extend his point way beyond what he said then strike it down! You showed him. Or maybe someone with no interest in the race is dispassionate enough to see something that the rest of us might miss.

 

[hrotha]

He's own fault for not having a classics team as I stated. His own fault for not concentrating in a feed zone. Simple really.

Pretty stupid thing to say, considering his team FINALLY was strong enough to support him. I'd say only Quick Step was stronger than RadioShack as a whole.

 

[hushovd]

Lol. There were 3 riders from Radioschack there after the last kwaremont.

Shhhhhh, thehog must be correct...no matter what it takes!

 

[Arnout]

I'm not sure it's because of riders thinking the last kms are too hard. I think that when you're doing a circuit you're automatically wired to wait for the last two laps.

The whole concept of a circuit for the Ronde van Vlaanderen is not appealing to me. A circuit sounds cheapish. We might as well race on Spa Franchorchamps.

Circuits are for Formula 1. There it's good, because of the impact corners have in that sport. Not in cycling though.

 

[thehog]

Lol. There were 3 riders from Radioschack there after the last kwaremont.

But what's that got to do wih the crash? Relevance?


There were 3 QS riders - so what?

 

[skidmark]

I'm not sure it's because of riders thinking the last kms are too hard. I think that when you're doing a circuit you're automatically wired to wait for the last two laps.

Yeah, that's a good point. Either way, I do hope they tweak it in some way to encourage action from further out.

 

[hrotha]

he lacks the engine. totally death in final km's and sprint

While I agreed with this before today, I was still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt to some extent, because I think this was the first time in years he got to the classics without a recent injury. But I'd say it's pretty much confirmed now.

 

[Savant12]

Cancellara fan is predictably disappointed.

There have been countless brilliant editions when Cancellara didn't make the final.

You're right, of course. Should have clarified my comment by adding "This Flanders..." given the bad luck that Cancellara suffered at E3 and Gent-Wevelgem. Hoped that this Flanders would have brought him some good luck. Such is cycling!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The whole concept of a circuit for the Ronde van Vlaanderen is not appealing to me. A circuit sounds cheapish. We might as well race on Spa Franchorchamps.

Circuits are for Formula 1. There it's good, because of the impact corners have in that sport. Not in cycling though.

Apart from that being Walloon, of course.

The main Flandrian racing circuit is Zolder.

Oh. Spa it is then.

 

[roundabout]

But what's that got to do wih the crash? Relevance?


There were 3 QS riders - so what?

You wrote that he didn't have a team. Blatantly false this year.

 

[skidmark]

But what's that got to do wih the crash? Relevance?


There were 3 QS riders - so what?

I think the argument that they're trying to make is that if they were a bad classics team, they wouldn't have any riders at the finale, which I think is a fair point (and which I also think you see, but are just trying to aggravate things by playing dumb). Perhaps your point is that you think they don't have a 'classics team' in the sense that they don't know how to ride the roads properly? That seems to tie in with your theory that they caused Fab to crash, right?