Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2012

[Trofinios]

There you go. I'm not saying it was a bad performance by EBH, it was actually pretty good, but let's not pretend that he could have won the sprint for 4th or finished somewhere in the top ten if he'd wanted to.

He said he tried to sprint but had to sit down. Legs totally finished.

 

[rhubroma]

I agree that Boonen would have still won probably. But I disagree that he was right on banking solely on the sprint. He had Top 3 banked already, trying to get away from Boonen atleast once before the sprint, for example in direct response to one of Ballans efforts is also a fair chance to actually take the victory, and a much better one than to sprint against Boonen. He could've still done it, and he would always beat Ballan in a sprint.
The way he rode he secured second over third but never made a real go for the win. Even if this had completly failed it would've been a Top 3 spot, but with the flavour of really having raced for it attached to it.

I'll give you that. In fact, a counter attack against Ballan's was the only other card he had to play besides the one he did. Either way, it was difficult for him to win. Better to have dropped them on the last muur. Se posibile.

 

[thehog]

Deleated. Misread your post.

Schoolboy error.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

He said he tried to sprint but had to sit down. Legs totally finished.

Hmmm OK.

New position - Eddy needs to toughen up.

 

[El Pistolero]

Like I always said: not a big enough engine. It's big, don't get me wrong, just not big enough...

 

[JRanton]

Like I always said: not a big enough engine. It's big, don't get me wrong, just not big enough...

I wonder where that leaves Sky from a classics point of view. Maybe they have faith in Thomas for future years but that's a bit of a stretch for a team with their resources.

 

[hatcher]

His engine is plenty big. He was, at a conservative estimate, one of the ten strongest riders in just about the hardest race on the calendar. For a 24 year old who hasn't healthily ridden the race since he was 21, that isn't bad. Maybe if he hadn't got stuck behind the crash, or stuck in no-man's land, he would have had the extra 1% needed to sprint for 4th.

 

[DominicDecoco]

one of the images of this ronde:

Passion!

___

 

[Richeypen]

His engine is plenty big. He was, at a conservative estimate, one of the ten strongest riders in just about the hardest race on the calendar. For a 24 year old who hasn't healthily ridden the race since he was 21, that isn't bad. Maybe if he hadn't got stuck behind the crash, or stuck in no-man's land, he would have had the extra 1% needed to sprint for 4th.

This.


As for Sky's future they realise they do have to strengthen and that Flecha wont go on forever. They nearly signed Langeveld for this season remember.

 

[Zoncolan]

His engine is plenty big. He was, at a conservative estimate, one of the ten strongest riders in just about the hardest race on the calendar. For a 24 year old who hasn't healthily ridden the race since he was 21, that isn't bad. Maybe if he hadn't got stuck behind the crash, or stuck in no-man's land, he would have had the extra 1% needed to sprint for 4th.

Sagan got stuck behind the crash as well. He bridged solo.
He rode alone for about 7 km into a headwind and still had enough to get 5th.
How old is he again?

 

[hatcher]

Sagan got stuck behind the crash as well. He bridged solo.
He rode alone for about 7 km into a headwind and still had enough to get 5th.
How old is he again?

Yes Sagan is very good.

If you're going to compare everyone to Sagan then there will only be about 3 good cyclists in the world.

 

[hrotha]

Yes Sagan is very good.

If you're going to compare everyone to Sagan then there will only be about 3 good cyclists in the world.

Comparing anyone to Sagan is unfair, aye. However, your second sentence sounds like you think we're saying EBH isn't good. Which is ridiculous.

 

[Richeypen]

Yes Sagan is very good.

If you're going to compare everyone to Sagan then there will only be about 3 good cyclists in the world.

Exactly. Criticising a rider because he didnt ride as well as a different rider doesnt work as an argument. Unless you are talking about who was the strongest which no one is saying EBH is.

 

[hatcher]

Comparing anyone to Sagan is unfair, aye. However, your second sentence sounds like you think we're saying EBH isn't good. Which is ridiculous.

No, not at all. I was just saying the notion that because Sagan did something that EBH should also have done it is weak. Firstly because Sagan is a phenom, and secondly because racing doesn't work that way.

 

[Zoncolan]

Yes Sagan is very good.

If you're going to compare everyone to Sagan then there will only be about 3 good cyclists in the world.

Who am I supposed to compare EBH to? Rujano? He's supposed to be a favorite for the big races, so you compare him to other favorites. Sagan is closest in age to him of the pre-race favorites.
EBH, as we've been told so many times over the past 3-4 years is going to clean up in the classics "next year".
The guy just isn't that good when it's over 250 km.
In shorter races, he's pretty damn good.
EBH will be 25 in a month and is yet to deliver a big result in one of the monuments. At 22, Sagan has just had a very good MSR and RVV.

 

[rhubroma]

Sagan got skrewed on the last muur. He should have been further up. Youth and inexperience. He will win in the next years.

 

[Trofinios]

Maybe EBH hasn't evolved as much as many thought he would when he came on to the scene. But I'm prepared to give him 1-2 more years before giving a final verdict. And I definately think that Sky should continue to believe in EBH regarding the classics. Next weekend whe have P-R, Sky have a strong team and Flecha looks quiet good, could be EBH's moment to deliver a great result.

 

[DominicDecoco]

The Langevel crash. Auch!

Not the spectator's fault though. Langeveld really had no business to do there. But glad it wasn't worse for him. Horrible crash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zA34hyAvjg

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It seems to me that Vanmarcke is a fairer person to compare EBH too than Sagan, as the latter is freakishly good for his age rather than "merely" being amongst the most promising young classics riders as the other two are.

Both EBH and Vanmarcke are young enough that we would expect their ability to handle ultra-long races to improve, so I don't think that their inability to make an impression at the end today tells us much about their future prospects. For every Boonen, challenging as a kid, there's a Kelly, who took longer to be able to beat the very best.

 

[theyoungest]

Who am I supposed to compare EBH to? Rujano? He's supposed to be a favorite for the big races, so you compare him to other favorites. Sagan is closest in age to him of the pre-race favorites.
EBH, as we've been told so many times over the past 3-4 years is going to clean up in the classics "next year".
The guy just isn't that good when it's over 250 km.
In shorter races, he's pretty damn good.
EBH will be 25 in a month and is yet to deliver a big result in one of the monuments. At 22, Sagan has just had a very good MSR and RVV.

Even in the shorter semi classics EBH hasn't been that impressive so far this year. Sagan is simply (much) better, which isn't a shame of course. But EBH is always mentioned among the favourites for these races, while it doesn't seem he's progressed much in the past three years. He was very good at age 21, now he's just quite good for his age.

 

[hfer07]

Today I was as disappointed with Bonnen's victory as I was when Gerrans won MSR-& wishing the organizers have realized how horrible was this "new Parcours"-because it felt like a completely different race.

on the positive side-thumbs up to Pipo & Ballan.

 

[hatcher]

Who am I supposed to compare EBH to? Rujano? He's supposed to be a favorite for the big races, so you compare him to other favorites. Sagan is closest in age to him of the pre-race favorites.
EBH, as we've been told so many times over the past 3-4 years is going to clean up in the classics "next year".
The guy just isn't that good when it's over 250 km.
In shorter races, he's pretty damn good.
EBH will be 25 in a month and is yet to deliver a big result in one of the monuments. At 22, Sagan has just had a very good MSR and RVV.

First of all I'd like to see where anyone said EBH will clean up in the classics next year.

Is Flanders a 2 man race now? How about comparing him to the rest of the contenders, rather than just Sagan? Was EBH as strong as Hushovd, Vanmarcke, Breschel, Van Avermaet, Gilbert, Haussler, Leukemans, Flecha? The fact that they're (except Vanmarcke) older than him makes them less relevant comparisons somehow? Not sure I get that.

For all you just wrote about Sagan, he came home in the same group as EBH. He couldn't go with Pozzato and Boonen, just like EBH couldn't.

The point that he hasn't done anything over 250km argument is so silly. This is the first year since he was 21 that he's been healthy(ish) going into MSR, Flanders, Roubaix. He hasn't even ridden Roubaix since he was 21.

 

[hatcher]

Even in the shorter semi classics EBH hasn't been that impressive so far this year. Sagan is simply (much) better, which isn't a shame of course. But EBH is always mentioned among the favourites for these races, while it doesn't seem he's progressed much in the past three years. He was very good at age 21, now he's just quite good for his age.

Slightly unfair in that he hasn't actually ridden these races since he was 21.

2010: Missed both RvV and Roubaix.
2011: Rode Flanders after 6 weeks off with achilles injury. Didn't ride Roubaix because of it.
2012: Healthy. Finished in chase group at Flanders.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Sky's Jag runs into the back of the RadioShack Nissan.
Sums up both team's day.

 

[Zoncolan]

First of all I'd like to see where anyone said EBH will clean up in the classics next year.

Go through the threads and you'll find it. The most overhyped classics rider ever.

Is Flanders a 2 man race now? How about comparing him to the rest of the contenders, rather than just Sagan? Was EBH as strong as Hushovd, Vanmarcke, Breschel, Van Avermaet, Gilbert, Haussler, Leukemans, Flecha? The fact that they're (except Vanmarcke) older than him makes them less relevant comparisons somehow? Not sure I get that.

For all you just wrote about Sagan, he came home in the same group as EBH. He couldn't go with Pozzato and Boonen, just like EBH couldn't.

Sagan had a sprint left in his legs, just like he had at MSR. He was a monster today.
I'm not saying EBH isn't a good classics rider. He is. However, he hasn't shown that he has what it takes to win a monument at 25 when Sagan has shown the opposite at 22.
People making excuses EBH is only 24, so he did all right is why I brought a 22 year old into the discussion.

The point that he hasn't done anything over 250km argument is so silly. This is the first year since he was 21 that he's been healthy(ish) going into MSR, Flanders, Roubaix. He hasn't even ridden Roubaix since he was 21.

EBH had no sprint in him today, as is most often the case in a monument with him.
Stop making excuses for the guy and accept that while he is a great rider over shorter distances, he's nothing special over 250 + km.
He might become one in the future, but that's something we've been hearing for years.