Ronde van Vlaanderen 2026, monument, April 5 (men's)

[E_F_]

Whelp, we have a less inhuman MvdP and a Remco! And a more inhuman than ever Pogacar. I don't think it'll be great... But, it is something. MvdP no pulls with Pogacar, Remco dragging people back? Mads P. WvA sprint a deux, coming up! For third.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

provisional startlist

If you doubted the scale of the problem at Picnic Post, according to this their leader for the Ronde is Tim Naberman, whose record in the race reads started 3, DNF 3. His only CQ points over 4 seasons are "also finished" points in WT events, with 65th in Bruges last week as his highest WT one day finish. According to PCS, his highest achievement is 2nd in the KoM classification in the 2019 Boucles de Mayenne, behind Fabian Schmidt (no, me neither).

Yep, I had him as a unique pick in the Emerging Riders game. He's likely to still be eligible for the 2027-29 edition if anyone wants to start their shortlist.

 

[canina82]

* * * * * - pogi
* * * * - van der poel
* * * - van aert , pedersen , vermeersch
* * - hagenes , vermeersch , segaert , laporte , stuyven
* - abra , morgado , van dijke , mohoric , valgren , sheffield

Veermersch can't be in the same category with WVA

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Veermersch can't be in the same category with WVA

I think ***- van aert, pederson, evenepoel

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

The thing with MvdP is, he never sucks wheels. Feels like an unwritten rule in his playbook that he should cooperate, regardless the situation. If I were the Roodhoofts, I'd advise him to ride a bit more defensively in the part between second Kwaremont and the Koppenberg.

I skipped 8 pages so someone else might have said this but I agree with this statement, except when Mvdp is riding with Wva, then he suddenly has no trouble skipping turns, sucking wheel, and riding craftily.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Whelp, we have a less inhuman MvdP and a Remco! And a more inhuman than ever Pogacar. I don't think it'll be great... But, it is something. MvdP no pulls with Pogacar, Remco dragging people back? Mads P. WvA sprint a deux, coming up! For third.

Hope is the last thing that dies in man...

 

[Heston]

Im not convined Remco will be the best rider on his team. Van Dijke, Vermeesch and Pithie have all shown great form lately. I think Tim van Dijke and Gianni Vermeesch will finish higher than Remco.

 

[Lequack]

Remco's recon and training

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MSw4QpqjKw

 

[canina82]

I think ***- van aert, pederson, evenepoel

Pedersen should be under too. He doesn't seem to be in top shape (due to his crash obviously).

 

[Lequack]

Romain Grégoire will win this from the break.

 

[Didinho]

Redbull already in the parcours before lunch. Only reason he’s reading this forum and scared to get dropped by me.

But he rides before the rain. Smarter than us.

 

[Brullnux]

Im not convined Remco will be the best rider on his team. Van Dijke, Vermeesch and Pithie have all shown great form lately. I think Tim van Dijke and Gianni Vermeesch will finish higher than Remco.

Bold to predict a Red Bull podium sweep, but I respect it.

 

[Samamba]

Potentially also wet cobbles on Sunday.

So good luck with the Koppenberg

 

[RedheadDane]

Yeah, based on Uno-Xs video, Koppenberg could be... tricky:

https://www.instagram.com/unoxteam/

(I don't have the access to the actual video. It's the first one.)

 

[canina82]

Potentially also wet cobbles on Sunday.

So good luck with the Koppenberg

Wet cobbles, they will go slower, gaps will be bigger.

 

[tobydawq]

If you doubted the scale of the problem at Picnic Post, according to this their leader for the Ronde is Tim Naberman, whose record in the race reads started 3, DNF 3. His only CQ points over 4 seasons are "also finished" points in WT events, with 65th in Bruges last week as his highest WT one day finish. According to PCS, his highest achievement is 2nd in the KoM classification in the 2019 Boucles de Mayenne, behind Fabian Schmidt (no, me neither).

Yep, I had him as a unique pick in the Emerging Riders game. He's likely to still be eligible for the 2027-29 edition if anyone wants to start their shortlist.

It is simply the worst team in the history of the WorldTour.

 

[rallybanana]

Yeah, based on Uno-Xs video, Koppenberg could be... tricky:

https://www.instagram.com/unoxteam/
(I don't have the access to the actual video. It's the first one.)

If you right click, select open link in new tab, and close the pop up window it will play the video (even if you don't have an instagram account).

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Surely Koppenberg is usually more slippery in the Koppenberg Cross on November 1st: they ride it then.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Surely Koppenberg is usually more slippery in the Koppenberg Cross on November 1st: they ride it then.

But obviously in CX, they do it with much lower tyre pressure and therefore have more grip on the wet cobbles.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

But obviously in CX, they do it with much lower tyre pressure and therefore have more grip on the wet cobbles.

Yeah: didn't really think that one through. D'oh

 

[Krzysztof_O]

But obviously in CX, they do it with much lower tyre pressure and therefore have more grip on the wet cobbles.

And tyres are wider on top of that. The forecasts aren't bad though. There will be some shallow front nearby but hardly any rain.

 

[topcat]

I'm getting excited. Only 2 days till the easter bunny comes.

 

[jono]

And tyres are wider on top of that. The forecasts aren't bad though. There will be some shallow front nearby but hardly any rain.

Not much wider of course. Most riders will be on nominal 30s on Sunday and some brands (especially Conti) measure larger than stated width. CX tires can not measure more than 33.

Pressures and tread are the bigger difference, though. All that said, without significant weather on race day I wouldn't expect major issues on Koppenberg at the front of the race.

 

[Brullnux]

But obviously in CX, they do it with much lower tyre pressure and therefore have more grip on the wet cobbles.

CX is tiny groups also, so if one rider has to run up it everyone else can get round. The chain reaction of one person stepping off will probably have the biggest impact here if they're wet.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

I'm getting excited. Only 2 days till the easter bunny comes.

Yes! The GP Miguel Indurain!
But it’s the wrong thread.