Ronde van Vlaanderen: October 18th, 2020

[hayneplane]

The race lost a lot for the Alaphilippe incident. In my opinion all 3 riders were to blame for choosing to ride so close to the Motos on a wide open stretch of road in a 3 man group (very different to it happening with a full peloton fanned out across the entire road). Alaphilippe paid the biggest penalty by far for it because of his inattentive actions at exactly the wrong moment.

1-1 for monuments now for MVDP and WVA. Such a shame that with both still in very fine form we can’t see them duel again in Paris-Roubaix.

Chapeau to Alaphilippe for the attacking zeal he brought to the race and it would be great to see him return next year for another crack at it.
Remarkable that, as bizarre a year as 2020 has been, ultimately all 4 completed monuments and the Worlds were all won by elite riders that would have been top 3 favourites at the start line of the race in question.

 

[richwallone]

1-1 for monuments now for MVDP and WVA. Such a shame that with both still in very fine form we can’t see them duel again in Paris-Roubaix.

This^^^ Paris-Roubaix would have been epic this year

 

[Koronin]

There is rarely a pole on a street though.

Except we've seen two riders crash into a pole already this year (Tour) and 2 or 3 years ago there was a pole in the middle of a road at la Vuelta. So yes rare, but it does happen and it usually collects someone.

 

[Keram]

I hate to say it but I liked GW more this year than Ronde. Obviously Ala crash was huge blow to race dynamics. Would be much better with him in the finale. What I dont get it how easily Ala and MVDP and then Van Aert escaped from bunch at the flat. They were spent after Kopemberg or so ridiculously inatentive? There was this attack then Ala crash and then sprint. Meh. This race missed healthy GVA and in form Sagan.

 

[Bolder]

^^But those three riders have been the strongest, along with Hirschi, this year. In this case I think it was pure strength.

Really bummed for Alaf. He might not have won today, but he's been two, at least partly self-inflicted, mistakes away from an epic season.

 

[MartinGT]

searching for 'right' didn't deliver. All I found is this on page 17 (and it seems to apply more to the peloton or a big group of riders, not so much to a small group, maybe because this kind of incidents happen rarely):

"If a vehicle wishes to return to the back of the race by being overtaken by the peloton, it must do so safely by carefully pulling off the road in a manner that does not hinder the progress of the peloton. Any vehicle that pulls over must do so completely out of the way of the riders. "

As I understood, WvA tried first to draft at the left, and next he changed line to follow the neutral moto's draft to the right. That's when the jury probably indicated that the neutral motor had to slow down in order not to draft. Unfortunately, their speed difference with the lead group was too big so it surprised both Vdp and caught Alaphilippe totally off-guard.

The Bike was #1 Jury bike. I.e the front bike that relays information back to the car. It was virtually on the grass. How much more out of the way does he have to be?

 

[tobydawq]

^^But those three riders have been the strongest, along with Hirschi, this year. In this case I think it was pure strength.

Really bummed for Alaf. He might not have won today, but he's been two, at least partly self-inflicted, mistakes away from an epic season.

Not many things should have gone differently, and he could have won MSR, WCRR, LBL and Flanders in one season.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I hate to say it but I liked GW more this year than Ronde. Obviously Ala crash was huge blow to race dynamics. Would be much better with him in the finale. What I dont get it how easily Ala and MVDP and then Van Aert escaped from bunch at the flat. They were spent after Kopemberg or so ridiculously inatentive? There was this attack then Ala crash and then sprint. Meh. This race missed healthy GVA and in form Sagan.

No this is cycling 101.

You can be strong on the climb all you like, it's the one who can put it in the big ring and attack after who usually creates the lasting gap. And it's only the strongest who are able to do that normally.

 

[Danskebjerge]

I hate to say it but I liked GW more this year than Ronde.

It's never an optimal race when at kilometer 30 from the finish it's already decided which three riders will win. That was how I saw the race today. (I'm not saying it was a bad race, though.)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's because gent Wevelgem is easier and the last difficulty is far awya from the finish.

It allows far more riders into play.
RVV is just a course for the best riders. So no way if you're not good enough you can't win.

 

[Volderke]

The Bike was #1 Jury bike. I.e the front bike that relays information back to the car. It was virtually on the grass. How much more out of the way does he have to be?

That #1 bike rode VERY slow, on the inside of a right hand curve.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Can you show me that rule?

Because if you give me a euro/dollar everytime they do it on the left, I'll be rich.

Have you really never noticed, that every time a rider has a technical, he pulls over on the right side of the road, or that helpers with bottles/supplies always stand on the right side of the road?

It's been like that always, it's commonly known.

As for a specific rule, I honestly can't be bothered to go look for one, but it is probably in some UCI technical regulation for how riders and team staff is supposed to act on the road

 

[Red Rick]

Not many things should have gone differently, and he could have won MSR, WCRR, LBL and Flanders in one season.

Replace LBL with Roubaix and it would be the same for Van Aert.

 

[tobydawq]

Replace LBL with Roubaix and it would be the same for Van Aert.

Nah, not quite.

MSR and LBL were really, really close for Ala, so was RVV for Van Aert but at Worlds quite a lot needs to change for him to win (which is also true for Alaphilippe in Flanders). And then Roubaix not even being held is obviously not quite the same as Alaphilippe foolishly screwing up a sprint in LBL (if we say that Ala-MSR and Wout-RVV equal one another, and Ala-RVV and Wout-WCRR do the same).

 

[Volderke]

Have you really never noticed, that every time a rider has a technical, he pulls over on the right side of the road, or that helpers with bottles/supplies always stand on the right side of the road?

It's been like that always, it's commonly known.

As for a specific rule, I honestly can't be bothered to go look for one, but it is probably in some UCI technical regulation for how riders and team staff is supposed to act on the road

I am fully aware of riders getting assistance at the right (I race myself). But that is completely irrelevant. This is about a moto finding a good spot to be overtaken by riders. Motos have been slowing down and moving up left, right and center (remember Sagan in the Vuelta). There is no clear rule for that, and for sure not any rule that says it has to happen on the right.

I reckon it mostly happens where it can safely be done, and in this case there were better options (long live 20/20 hindsight ofcourse).

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I feel sorry for the Cyclocross season.

 

[wirral]

There is rarely a pole on a street though.

Ask Kruijswijk [Vuelta 2016 Stage 5]

 

[Extinction]

The motor bikes and cars must stay out of the ding-dong way, period. It's not the rider's fault on the road.

 

[Red Rick]

The motor bikes and cars must stay out of the ding-dong way, period. It's not the rider's fault on the road.

They can't disappear into thin air. Rider should also take care to pass them with sufficient margin, but intead they like to get every cm of drag they can get.

 

[Armchaircyclist]

SInce it was practically a standstill, there was nearly no advantage of coming out of the wheel. I think van Aert should have started sooner, because he is always great at long sprints. For me, van der Poel has more acceleration.

EDIT; Sven Nys just repeated what i said, lol.

Van der Poel even repeated it, he said he was better at accelerating than at top speed so that's why he slowed down so much. Tactical genius Loved to see him win after the Norwegian commentators were so sure that Van Aert would win.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Anyway its also sad for VDP Roubaix didnt go through. Because he could've done all monuments in one year.

MSR 13th
Lombardia 10th
LBL 6th
RVV 1st

Funny that 2 races that suited him worse he did better at then MSR

 

[Brumdog66]

Ask Kruijswijk [Vuelta 2016 Stage 5]

Everyone seems to be forgetting about Kwiatkowski

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I am fully aware of riders getting assistance at the right (I race myself). But that is completely irrelevant. This is about a moto finding a good spot to be overtaken by riders. Motos have been slowing down and moving up left, right and center (remember Sagan in the Vuelta). There is no clear rule for that, and for sure not any rule that says it has to happen on the right.

I reckon it mostly happens where it can safely be done, and in this case there were better options (long live 20/20 hindsight ofcourse).

Almost any vehicle (broadcast motorcycles and race management have other rules) which is part of the race, is required to drive on the right and pull over on the right, it has always been that way.... I honestly don't remember when it was, but I remember Brian Holm explaining it on some broadcast years ago.

That is also why also always see riders going through the motorcade (after a technical, which also happens on the right) riding to the left of the cars - never on the right, because that is where the vehicles are supposed to be.

The reason it has always been that way, is so that riders know they are always clear of obstacles, if they stay away from the right side of the road.

If vehicles just drove around and pulled over willy-nilly, we would see riders crash into them far more frequently.

That having been said, there are of course situations where it doesn't make sense, for instance when a crash has occurred on the left side of the road, and in those instances you pull over left, but otherwise the general rule is "always on the right".

 

[Scarponi]

Ironically the two hardest one day classics PR and this one seem to have alot of solo/duo/triplet rides for a big amount of kms.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Ironically the two hardest one day classics PR and this one seem to have alot of solo/duo/triplet rides for a big amount of kms.

I don't get the irony?