Ronde van Vlaanderen 2025, one day monument, April 6 (men's)

[Red Rick]

This race needs Remco on the Kwaremont. Next year gonna be even better.

I don't think he's made for the Kwaremont, but I wanna see him in RVV as a case study for cobbled hills vs asphalted hills. I can see him struggle at the start of the finale but then get better as the race goes on.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

They repair it before they put it on the roof again.

But what is the likelihood that such hurried repairs make it better than the replacement bike? And why should the replacement bike not be prepared to exactly the same specifications and standards as the machine he starts on?

 

[RedheadDane]

That often gets me: surely they can't have done any repairs to the original bike in the meantime, as it has been on a roof rack.

So, you don't think they have a mechanic sitting on the roof, between the bikes, fixing bikes as they go?
That would probably be a bit dangerous...

 

[armchairclimber]

Interviewer.: you sem really emotional, is that because of your performance today?

Pederson: No I'm just **cked.

Funny, but a really candid interview from him. And it was a great performance.

 

[red_flanders]

This race needs Remco on the Kwaremont. Next year gonna be even better.

I don't think it would be any different, even if he was able to be there on his first attempt (I have my doubts), but I feel ya. These ride-away destructions are getting boring.

 

[red_flanders]

Interviewer.: you sem really emotional, is that because of your performance today?

Pederson: No I'm just **cked.

Funny, but a really candid interview from him. And it was a great performance.

Great stuff.

He's always pretty straight up with interviewers from what I've seen.

 

[Red Rick]

Interviewer.: you sem really emotional, is that because of your performance today?

Pederson: No I'm just **cked.

Funny, but a really candid interview from him. And it was a great performance.

Must have been all the unnecessary turns he did.

 

[AmRacer]

I don't think it would be any different, even if he was able to be there on his first attempt (I have my doubts), but I feel ya. These ride-away destructions are getting boring.

That's how races are won nowadays, except sprinters races of course.

 

[RedheadDane]

Great stuff.

He's always pretty straight up with interviewers from what I've seen.

He definitely has some funny lines.
In an interview made a few days ago, he first pointed out that unlike last year, he still has all his skin.
Then referred to Pogacar as "a crazy guy like me".

Otoh, he seemed a little annoyed when asked after the race (by Danish tv) about Stuyven supposedly not working for him.

 

[red_flanders]

He definitely has some funny lines.
In an interview made a few days ago, he first pointed out that unlike last year, he still has all his skin.
Then referred to Pogacar as "a crazy guy like me".

Otoh, he seemed a little annoyed when asked after the race (by Danish tv) about Stuyven supposedly not working for him.

He always seems a little annoyed by questions.

 

[Breh]

Is it just me or was Pogacar slightly underwhelming?

Sure, he destroyed the field like he did two years ago when he was better than MVDP and MVDP was better than the rest.
But now he dropped MVDP while MVDP couldn't even drop Pedersen or WvA.

 

[armchairclimber]

Must have been all the unnecessary turns he did.

Now he'll have some choice words for you. He said something about " if I went earlier , you guys would give me sh** about going to early. I like him, but he's a bit chippy. I don't think he welcomes criticism.

 

[Red Rick]

Now he'll have some choice words for you. He said something about " if I went earlier , you guys would give me sh** about going to early. I like him, but he's a bit chippy. I don't think he welcomes criticism.

He sounds rattled.

 

[tobydawq]

Now he'll have some choice words for you. He said something about " if I went earlier , you guys would give me sh** about going to early. I like him, but he's a bit chippy. I don't think he welcomes criticism.

He doesn't. I can't watch an interview with him.

 

[proffate]

What?
Eggs are the main ingredient in one of the most iconic Italian pasta dish, ie Carbonara.
Plus fresh pasta (like lasagna or tortellini or tagliatelle) is actually made with eggs. And that's long before you decide what you wanna mix it with.

I didn't ask who makes pasta with eggs...

 

[proffate]

Well, pasta mixed with chicken is fairly common, and - when you think about it - egg is just... really young chicken.

Also, spaghetti carbonara.

so a sportsman is eating spaghetti carbonara because of the protein content in the half an egg per serving? I mean technically cupcakes also contain eggs. I guess that means people mix cupcakes with eggs.

 

[proffate]

And btw eggs typically contain tiny bit more protein than fats.

more calories in eggs come from fat than protein. Are you going to call that lean?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Is it just me or was Pogacar slightly underwhelming?

Sure, he destroyed the field like he did two years ago when he was better than MVDP and MVDP was better than the rest.
But now he dropped MVDP while MVDP couldn't even drop Pedersen or WvA.

Wait, what? Eheheh this forum surprises me day after day!

 

[proffate]

It's weird with VdP. Even if he was on the limit from far out, he never seemed to struggle to follow Pogacar before the Kwaremont and easily distanced Van Aert and Pedersen multiple times. I was sure him being so much weaker at the end must have been a bonk, cramps or something along those lines. If he was simply spent that was an absolute disasterclass in race management.

He didn't get gapped before the last kwaremont, but before that his body language was not as imperious and facial expressions not as impassive as when he is at his best.

I think he put in extra effort to never get gapped (as opposed to letting a gap open and closing it later like the others) to hide the weakness he felt, in hopes the appearance of strength would somehow neutralize Pog's attacks, if not on the climbs then between, giving him more time to rest. Who am I kidding, mvdp doesn't have tactics he just knows hulk smash and he was just about 1-2 smashes away from another vic.

 

[James M]

Interviewer.: you sem really emotional, is that because of your performance today?

Pederson: No I'm just **cked.

Funny, but a really candid interview from him. And it was a great performance.

Must have been all the unnecessary turns he did.

Accept it and moving on seems like the most sensible option indeed. Mads gets it—what a shock!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1908903475636740378

View: https://x.com/VelonCC/status/1908903475636740378

 

[Breh]

Wait, what? Eheheh this forum surprises me day after day!

Pogacar dropped MVDP easily but MVDP couldn't even drop Stuyven, Pedersen and Van Aert.
So either these three improved massively and were able to match MVDP. Which I think is unlikely.
I think it is far more likely that MVDP was not at his very best.

Pogacar was obviously the best by far but something felt somewhat underwhelming.
Do we have any climbing times to compare?

 

[Unchained]

so a sportsman is eating spaghetti carbonara because of the protein content in the half an egg per serving? I mean technically cupcakes also contain eggs. I guess that means people mix cupcakes with eggs.

Just got back from a ride, the 14 cupcakes I consumed didn't make me faster, so it must be eggs in another form!! I don't know where people are eating carbonara were it's mostly eggs, but you need to go somewhere else!!

 

[jono]

Pogacar dropped MVDP easily but MVDP couldn't even drop Stuyven, Pedersen and Van Aert.
So either these three improved massively and were able to match MVDP. Which I think is unlikely.
I think it is far more likely that MVDP was not at his very best.

Pogacar was obviously the best by far but something felt somewhat underwhelming.
Do we have any climbing times to compare?

The whole lead group set the fastest Kwaremont cobble time by 10 seconds (2nd time up). Other climb records were set by Pogacar on Koppenberg and Oude Kruisberg, although MVDP (doesn't upload to Strava) would have set the same time in both instances. Notably he also set KOMs for some longer segments including the final 40k of the race. So the climbing was impressive but not crazy, he just never let off the gas.

 

[jono]

Accept it and moving on seems like the most sensible option indeed. Mads gets it—what a shock!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1908903475636740378

View: https://x.com/VelonCC/status/1908903475636740378

I'm sure all the riders get it. It just sucks for them. And if Pogacar is able to win a race like Roubaix it will suck for many cycling fans because the sport as a competition is over.

 

[Cookster15]

A sign of greatness is when other fans pick apart your wins as underwhelming or that long range attacks are boring - no, sprint finishes are boring!

There was a huge buildup and anticipation of this clash. Maybe MVDP’s “weakness” had something to do with his crash? But the Flanders parcours was never going to be as good for him as MSR.

But after the finish Pedersen put it best for me: Pogacar is simply the best rider in the sport. No shame in being beaten. I was impressed that Mads could even be that close, and he was obviously firing by demolishing MVDP in the sprint for 2nd. Mads showed why his world title was no fluke. Lidi-Trek did well to also have Stuyven there.

But for Pogacar it’s another monument in his back pocket.