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

[tobydawq]

Jenno Berckmoes had the fastest time today on the Oude Kwaremont. Good to see after his early crash and DNF on Tuesday.

Well, it only takes one look at his face to realise that he is in fact Pogi's Belgian twin.

 

[Rob5091]

When they made the podcast it was also not going to rain, the weather forecast they are discussing is a bit outdated. We can now expect 25km/h of wind, 4bft. It will be coming from the front/side on Oude Kwaremont, so harder to get away, but still in the back when riding to the finish

So Remco can blame the wind after the race?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

***** Pogacar
**** Van der Poel
*** Van Aert, Evenepoel
** Pedersen, Abrahamsen, F. Vermeersch, Laporte, Hagenes
* T. Van Dijk, Stuyven, Morgado, Segaert, Trentin, Sheffield... And you could add a few more here.

 

[Berniece]

So Remco can blame the wind after the race?

Doubt he has issues with a lot of wind. Is more of a positive than negative for him

 

[QueenStagiaire]

If they were starting in Brugge, there might have been a chance for echelons, but coming from Antwerp it‘s just a headwind for the most part until the 1st Kwaremont. Annoying

 

[canina82]

This race will be much more selective compared to last year. Weather forecast gives a significant windspeed and light rain for Oudenaarde.

 

[canina82]

If they were starting in Brugge, there might have been a chance for echelons, but coming from Antwerp it‘s just a headwind for the most part until the 1st Kwaremont. Annoying

But there is also a chance of echelons in the middle part of the race.

 

[Berniece]

But there is also a chance of echelons in the middle part of the race.

Where? I don't see a lot of room for echelons once they reach the hilled sections

 

[vappa]

When they made the podcast it was also not going to rain, the weather forecast they are discussing is a bit outdated. We can now expect 25km/h of wind, 4bft. It will be coming from the front/side on Oude Kwaremont, so harder to get away, but still in the back when riding to the finish

Don't the wind will affect Oude Kwaremont much, it will be very sheltered by a million people

 

[danielovichdk2]

A mans race on Sunday. I will be thankful if a hard real Belgian weather will show its teeth.

Hope for a Belgian win, and a massive Slovenian failure.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Don't the wind will affect Oude Kwaremont much, it will be very sheltered by a million people

Yup. The aero segment to the line is the most important and the tailwind is good for a solo guy. Kwaremont will be more like crosswinds so choosing the appropriate side of the road will do.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well, that's one way to introduce your team:

No Time Lords on the team.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

FDJ with a five minutte Ai job. Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on Gruel to see how far he gets here.

 

[Boehmand]

I think it will be quite an interesting race

Last year everyone was focused on sticking with Pogacar when he went - and they all died trying.
So they are not doing that again (except for maybe Evenepoel who wasn't there last year).

It means that riders like MvdP, WvA, Pedersen, etc. will probably all try to get out in front early, while UAE will be spending everything to keep them from doing just that.
That dynamic in turn means, that the next tier (Abrahamsen, Asgreen, De Lie, Mohoric, Gregoire, Van Baarle, etc. - and a bunch of lieutenants) will have to go even sooner.

I think we will see captains in the "morning break", and I also think we will see captains amongst the biggest favourites make their move much sooner than normal.
Especially Pedersen because he knows he can't stick with even MvdP and WvA on the climbs, much less Pogacar, after his injury, so he needs an alternative plan for the race.

Btw wind will be brisk (22-24 kph), with crosswind on Kwaremont, cross/tailwind between Kwaremont and Paterberg, and tailwind on Paterberg.

 

[Boehmand]

Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on Gruel to see how far he gets here.

We all know what he is having for breakfast

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Well, that's one way to introduce your team:

I'm not sure that the mere possession of that number of legs and hearts makes them a force to be reckoned with in a race. The same description applies to my mother's rosary group.

 

[Boehmand]

Well, that's one way to introduce your team:

No Time Lords on the team.

14 ears
7 noses
13 testicles (if you know you know)

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm not sure that the mere possession of that number of legs and hearts makes them a force to be reckoned with in a race. The same description applies to my mother's rosary group.

No Time Lords - or Time Ladies - in your mother's rosary group either?

14 ears
7 noses
13 testicles (if you know you know)

14 eyes
14 arms
7 heads

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Well, that's one way to introduce your team:

No Time Lords on the team.

They're not revealing how the hearts and legs are distributed though.

 

[RedheadDane]

They're not revealing how the hearts and legs are distributed though.

Oh, you think one of them might be an android, who has a battery, or something, rather than a heart, and another might actually be a Time Lord?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Oh, you think one of them might be an android, who has a battery, or something, rather than a heart, and another might actually be a Time Lord?

One Time Lord, one companion, one alien, four Daleks.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

One Time Lord, one companion, one alien, four Daleks.

Judging by those of my mother's rosary group that I have met, that seems plausible. (Mum would, of course, be the companion)

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It might be one arachnid, one insect and five quadruplegics.

 

[Rob5091]

De Lie a DNS for Sunday - the guy must have problems.