Ronde van Vlaanderen: April 7th, 2019

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Re:

Since my pick Valgren has been so off form Im gonna pick Tim Wellens to suprise us all.

he wasn't even supposed to ride - any idea why the plans changed after all?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

If they are riding it like the previous editions, it's way too hard for the power sprinters like Kristoff and Degenkolb.

It will be a pure specialist. Only 8 names comes to mind for victory: Van der Poel, Van Aert, Stybar, Terpstra, Naesen, Gilbert, Sagan or Van Avermaet.

You can maybe add Bettiol/Sep, but I dont really believe in either for this race tbh. Havent been impressed with Niki at all either, but you gotta include him. Valverde could play the role as a joker, as could some of the danes, but Valgren and Kragh has been sick and Mads Pedersen I dont really know.

I think Pedersen is by far our biggest hope.

Maybe, he has insane stamina, but I still think its a year or two early for him to ride with the favourites. He gotta anticipate as he did last year and the same can be said for Valgren. I think Kragh can do pretty decent.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

If they are riding it like the previous editions, it's way too hard for the power sprinters like Kristoff and Degenkolb.

It will be a pure specialist. Only 8 names comes to mind for victory: Van der Poel, Van Aert, Stybar, Terpstra, Naesen, Gilbert, Sagan or Van Avermaet.

You can maybe add Bettiol/Sep, but I dont really believe in either for this race tbh. Havent been impressed with Niki at all either, but you gotta include him. Valverde could play the role as a joker, as could some of the danes, but Valgren and Kragh has been sick and Mads Pedersen I dont really know.

I think Pedersen is by far our biggest hope.

Maybe, he has insane stamina, but I still think its a year or two early for him to ride with the favourites. He gotta anticipate as he did last year and the same can be said for Valgren. I think Kragh can do pretty decent.

He was very good yesterday (the best from Trek) and matched the best on the Kemmelberg. And the long distance only favours him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

If they are riding it like the previous editions, it's way too hard for the power sprinters like Kristoff and Degenkolb.

It will be a pure specialist. Only 8 names comes to mind for victory: Van der Poel, Van Aert, Stybar, Terpstra, Naesen, Gilbert, Sagan or Van Avermaet.

You can maybe add Bettiol/Sep, but I dont really believe in either for this race tbh. Havent been impressed with Niki at all either, but you gotta include him. Valverde could play the role as a joker, as could some of the danes, but Valgren and Kragh has been sick and Mads Pedersen I dont really know.

I think Pedersen is by far our biggest hope.

Maybe, he has insane stamina, but I still think its a year or two early for him to ride with the favourites. He gotta anticipate as he did last year and the same can be said for Valgren. I think Kragh can do pretty decent.

He was very good yesterday (the best from Trek) and matched the best on the Kemmelberg. And the long distance only favours him.

I still don't think he can match the likes for Greg, Wout and Stybar on a berg going all out tbh.

 

[tobydawq]

Perhaps not. But it's not farfetched that he anticipates and I'm not sure the others will be too concerned about him (which would be a mistake). Even though his ride last year was just phenomenal.

 

[Velolover2]

Pedersen's best chance is attacking from far out like last year. He should be better when the race turn into a marathon rather than mano a mano in the final 50 k.

The more riders who attack before the Kappelmuur, the better.

 

[Pantani_lives]

The Danish riders haven't done as well as expected yet this spring, but that might still come. After all nobody expected two Danes in the top 4 last year.

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

The Danish riders haven't done as well as expected yet this spring, but that might still come. After all nobody expected two Danes in the top 4 last year.

Fuglsang been very good though. Might have been his best spring ever.

Soren Kragh Andersen has been okay. I think people have been expecting more from him though.

Mads Pedersen has not shown much yet.

Valgren has been very disappointing.

 

[The Barb]

It's a really open and fascinating edition, in part because:

- There have been signs Sagan is not at his absolute best (although he may be foxing);

- Van Aert and Van der Poel are intriguing additions to the list of contenders;

- I just don't know what to make of Valverde. All logic says he shouldn't be able to win but I have a nagging feeling
that his sub par climbing in Catalunya might have been because he has tailored the last month around the shorter climbs of Flanders. Certainly he exceeded expectations on the Poggio. I'd kinda love to see him in the final group.

Overall, though I'll go with a more traditional Flanders winner and say Oliver Naesen - but with no confidence.

 

[Gigs_98]

Stybar is in superb shape and QS has played it so well in cobbles classics over the last two seasons that I have a hard time seeing anyone beating them considering their team strength. Rooting vor WVA though

 

[Laplaz]

Re: Re:

If they are riding it like the previous editions, it's way too hard for the power sprinters like Kristoff and Degenkolb.

It will be a pure specialist. Only 8 names comes to mind for victory: Van der Poel, Van Aert, Stybar, Terpstra, Naesen, Gilbert, Sagan or Van Avermaet.

You can maybe add Bettiol/Sep, but I dont really believe in either for this race tbh. Havent been impressed with Niki at all either, but you gotta include him. Valverde could play the role as a joker, as could some of the danes, but Valgren and Kragh has been sick and Mads Pedersen I dont really know.

Add Trentin and I agree

 

[peto10]

Stybar has an amazing form, but I just don't see him winning the Ronde, ever. He is my favorite for the Roubaix though.

Van Aert may be the strongest on the hills right now, but I don't think he can win a monument yet.

Sagan is a big question mark. He looked better in the GW, but he was still struggling on the hills. He should be peaking for the Roubaix and Amstel, but I believe he can win this weekend.

I predict a small group sprint. GVA, Sagan and Naesen will be on the podium.

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

I haven't seen anything to suggest Van Aert can escape from all the challengers, which he'd have to do to win. Sagan is off form. Stybar FTW.

If you have seen the races the past few weeks, he's shown he's the best on the climbs. If by the time they arrive at the last climb, the peloton is shattered and there is no strong team to chase, who knows.

Yes, I'm basing my comments off of the past few weeks of course. I think it's arguable that he's been the best on the climbs, but certainly others are arguable as well. It's one thing to be strong, it's quite another to drop everyone and win alone. Nothing I've seen shows me that's going to happen. Sure it's possible, I just wouldn't pick him. There are so many really strong guys with a fast sprint who are really fit right now, I don't put much chance for him to win.

Podium? sure.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

The Danish riders haven't done as well as expected yet this spring, but that might still come. After all nobody expected two Danes in the top 4 last year.

Fuglsang been very good though. Might have been his best spring ever.

Soren Kragh Andersen has been okay. I think people have been expecting more from him though.

Mads Pedersen has not shown much yet.

Valgren has been very disappointing.

Cort's been good but not spectacular which I guess is normal for him.

 

[Red Rick]

I feel like because the race is harder QS only have 2 legit cards who can win here, Jungels and Stybar. Think that makes it a little harder for them

 

[Bardamu]

Any chance Valgren and Cort will be in good shape this weekend?

 

[Sestriere]

In addition to those mentioned I would suggest Nils Politt as one of the contenders for the podium. He comes off his best ever Flemish classics performance in E3 and already showed strong form in Paris-Nice. He has improved gradually over the last years and with his big engine and surprisingly good sprint he could be up there.

 

[repre]

Re:

Any chance Valgren and Cort will be in good shape this weekend?

No hope for Valgren, DD riders don't peak at all

 

[Koronin]

I'm hoping Naesen will have a good finish, maybe a podium.

 

[WKA311]

I think Rowe will be very strong. The way he bridged that gap in G-W and looked at ease after that on the Kemmel was insanely strong. Can't afford another offday like at E3 though.

 

[The Barb]

Re:

I think Rowe will be very strong. The way he bridged that gap in G-W and looked at ease after that on the Kemmel was insanely strong. Can't afford another offday like at E3 though.

Agree he looked very strong, although I really think he is better suited to Roubaix than Flanders (even if his best result has come in Flanders). With just a little luck he could podium in either.

 

[WheelofGear]

Sky is better in these races with multiple cards to play. Less pressure on one rider.

A full classics team with Van Baarle, Moscon, Stannard, Rowe and Kwiatkowski as co-leaders is the way to go. At least Van Baarle is coming back to ride Tour of Flanders. He won the Sun Tour and looked strong in Omloop, even with a broken finger. Van Baarle is more of a climber than Rowe/Stannard so I don't know if he will even be in Roubaix.

Moscon hasn't been impressive. But he is a rider who can surprise like he did with his 5th place in Roubaix.

Rowe seems very strong on the flat and windy parts notably. If he is peaking for Roubaix.. he is an outsider to win it. He has to do the same trick Stannard did in 2016.

 

[SKSemtex]

Sagan will start his amazing triple this Sunday. :lol:

Ronde (still undercooked) he will win with tons of luck from reduced sprint.
PR he will win on velodrome beating Stybar GVA Vanmarcke Naesen and Terpstra.
AGR will be his easiest win this year. I am pretty sure he will be in the monster form there.

Bora has been playing it perfectly so far. I do not remember when Sagan was so unmarked and underestimated since 2012. And I really like it. I always like the races where he and his team does not have to be fully responsible for all chasing.

The truth is, he is not on his best, but there is nobody of Cancellara strength in the present peloton who can get 15 seconds on Paterberg and never be brought back. And long-range attacks ala Gilbert or Terprsta will be brought back by huge strength of present peloton that learned his lesson last year.

The only question is: will he win also LBL and become an undisputed legend of the sport?

 

[Flamin]

Stybar is in superb shape and QS has played it so well in cobbles classics over the last two seasons that I have a hard time seeing anyone beating them considering their team strength. Rooting vor WVA though

If someone is stronger than Stybar, I doubt it will matter how QS plays it. On the new course, the strongest guy has always won the race so far and team strength hasn't been decisive.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I feel like because the race is harder QS only have 2 legit cards who can win here, Jungels and Stybar. Think that makes it a little harder for them

I definitely think Gilbert is a legit winner as well.

Sagan will start his amazing triple this Sunday. :lol:

Ronde (still undercooked) he will win with tons of luck from reduced sprint.
PR he will win on velodrome beating Stybar GVA Vanmarcke Naesen and Terpstra.
AGR will be his easiest win this year. I am pretty sure he will be in the monster form there.

Bora has been playing it perfectly so far. I do not remember when Sagan was so unmarked and underestimated since 2012. And I really like it. I always like the races where he and his team does not have to be fully responsible for all chasing.

The truth is, he is not on his best, but there is nobody of Cancellara strength in the present peloton who can get 15 seconds on Paterberg and never be brought back. And long-range attacks ala Gilbert or Terprsta will be brought back by huge strength of present peloton that learned his lesson last year.

The only question is: will he win also LBL and become an undisputed legend of the sport?

Lmao, no way. Sagan should be lucky to win one IMO. And no way in hell he'll win Liege, Redoute have been made great again, just you guys wait and see.