Overall I did enjoy the race. It was great to see all the big stars line up and fight against each others and they also all lived up to the expectations. But as other users have pointed out, the race was also a bit to predictable, as it pretty much ended with the Top 5 that we could logically have expected and even in the same order as expected. Except that if Mads Pedersen had been 100% fit, he could have arrived 3rd or 4th, but still he would not have won even at 100%, because Pogacar and Van der Poel are simply stronger than him in this type of races because they are better than him uphill. And maybe I didn´t expect Evenepoel to beat Van Aert, but I am not sure. But anyway, the outcome was pretty much as predicted. Still an enjoyable race though.
As a Dane, it was nice to see Valgren confirm his great form and his great comeback to his old self, since he arrived 18th. But I also missed a bit of courage from EF´s Danes, Asgreen and Valgren. They should have tried to go with the morning breakout and maybe Asgreen or Valgren could have finisched in the Top 10 (since also Asgreen seems to be in a better shape now than last season, even though he is still not the old version of himself from 2021). And as a Dane and also a Scandinavian it was sad to see the two norwegians, Abrahamsen and Strand Hagenes, both have unlucky accident that ruined the race for them.
Now I am looking forward to Paris-Roubaix. A race that is never as predictable as other races, because there are so many punctures and crashes. So even the greatest stars need a bit of luck to win. So it is not quite sure that Pogacar or Van der Poel will win, even that it still remains the most likely outcome. In a week Mads Pedersen should be even stronger so I hope for at Top 3 for him, but winning will still be very very hard with all that fantastic competition. I would also like to see Van Aert win and he surely has a chance, since this Springs version of him seems very promising.
As a Dane, it was nice to see Valgren confirm his great form and his great comeback to his old self, since he arrived 18th. But I also missed a bit of courage from EF´s Danes, Asgreen and Valgren. They should have tried to go with the morning breakout and maybe Asgreen or Valgren could have finisched in the Top 10 (since also Asgreen seems to be in a better shape now than last season, even though he is still not the old version of himself from 2021). And as a Dane and also a Scandinavian it was sad to see the two norwegians, Abrahamsen and Strand Hagenes, both have unlucky accident that ruined the race for them.
Now I am looking forward to Paris-Roubaix. A race that is never as predictable as other races, because there are so many punctures and crashes. So even the greatest stars need a bit of luck to win. So it is not quite sure that Pogacar or Van der Poel will win, even that it still remains the most likely outcome. In a week Mads Pedersen should be even stronger so I hope for at Top 3 for him, but winning will still be very very hard with all that fantastic competition. I would also like to see Van Aert win and he surely has a chance, since this Springs version of him seems very promising.
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