Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres 2023, one day monument, April 2 (men's)

[tobydawq]

The biggest problem for Madouas, more than in probably any other race, is his almost Cort'esque inability to position himself in a peloton.

Many a race he is easily one of the strongest 3-4 riders, but spend most his energy making up his own tactical mistakes.

If he had the same "racing nose" and toughness in fight for position, that Küng has, he would be a serious contender for the big cobbled races.

Poor positioning isn't bad tactics.

 

[tobydawq]

I just realised that this is the first time in four years that Flanders and Roubaix will take place on consecutive Sundays.

Finally.

 

[DNP-Old]

I just realised that this is the first time in four years that Flanders and Roubaix will take place on consecutive Sundays.

Finally.

I really liked Roubaix in October. In my opinion we should move all the Cobbled Classics to Autumn.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I really liked Roubaix in October. In my opinion we should move all the Cobbled Classics to Autumn.

I don't think I have heard anyone (ANYONE) argue to move every cobbled classic to autumn. Why? Why not, because we can, it sounds fun, lets mix it up a bit, cycling is so conservative!

 

[DNP-Old]

I don't think I have heard anyone (ANYONE) argue to move every cobbled classic to autumn. Why? Why not, because we can, it sounds fun, lets mix it up a bit, cycling is so conservative!

I think it makes a sh!t ton of sense too, for various reasons. First of all, climate change. The northern classics are heavily bound to the weather and riders should be able to excel in all, but the likelihood of seeing a rainy Roubaix in April is lowering every year. Secondly, it would make a lot of sense schdule wise. It is impossible to peak from Sanremo to Liege, but by moving the cobbled classics to autumn, you'd suddenly have a lot of room to forward the hilly classics and suddenly that window of having to peak is a lot smaller. Another thing is you could move forward the Giro for a bit, giving more room for a Giro + Tour double, and/or, thirdly, suddenly riders like Wout and Mathieu could either come to Liege because they didn't have to waste all their effort on the cobbles, or they could attempt a Giro because they require less of a rest in May.

What are we waiting for? It's not like autumn races require them to build an entire new peak, because they're already doing so for the World Championships.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think cobbled classics is the biggest draw for lots of fan, and its just synonymous with the spring. I'd rather move lots of other races instead, and its not like we don't have very bad weather in basically every classic outside of Roubaix. If Tour of Flanders was held on Saturday instead of Sunday as well, we would have experienced rain almost every year! In that sense theres a lot of randomness involved. We definitely shouldn't change the calender due to that or 'climate change' or what have you.

Theres definitely merit to look at the calender and change something up to make autumn a bit more interesting, but changing that cobbled classics would literally be the very last thing to change to me personally.

 

[Netserk]

If the Giro is to be moved a week, it should rather be held a week later.

 

[Boehmand]

Poor positioning isn't bad tactics.

Objectively it is... the reasons may vary though, and don't have to relate to a lack of tactical sense with the individual rider.

I don't know enough about Madouas to know the reasons, I am just saying he is more often than not out of position when it matters.

 

[tobydawq]

Objectively it is... the reasons may vary though, and don't have to relate to a lack of tactical sense with the individual rider.

I don't know enough about Madouas to know the reasons, I am just saying he is more often than not out of position when it matters.

No. It's poor execution of a tactical plan. Unless he always plans to start the hellingen in 30th position...

 

[Boehmand]

First of all, climate change. The northern classics are heavily bound to the weather and riders should be able to excel in all, but the likelihood of seeing a rainy Roubaix in April is lowering every year.

That's not quite the case.

Climate change increases the amount of water in the oceans, and warmer oceans have higher evaporation that increases air moisture, whích translates into more frequent precipitation over land.

It matters where on the planet you are though, as weather patterns and storm tracks guide where precipitation will generally be, so for instance northern Europe (incl. Belgium and northern France) will see increased precipitation, while the Mediterranean areas (incl. Italy) will see less.

 

[Boehmand]

No. It's poor execution of a tactical plan. Unless he always plans to start the hellingen in 30th position...

Semantics.

 

[Boehmand]

Interesting how various rider pre-race interviews hints at the team's tactics.

Asgreen, Pedersen, Cosnefroy, Mohoric and Küng have spoken about getting out in front of the big 3, while Powless, Pidcock and Teuns have spoken about sticking with the big 3.

It tells me Soudal, Trek, AG2R, Bahrain and FDJ will try early aggression, while EF, Ineos and Israel will try to match Alpecin, Jumbo and UAE.

It may all just be smoke an mirrors though

 

[tobydawq]

Semantics.

Not really.

 

[Boehmand]

Not really.

I see you are the type that needs the final word, so go ahead

 

[Netserk]

Semantics.

So? It's either a valid distinction or it is not.

You can pretend your post didn't mean what you wrote, and reduce any exchange of opinions to a matter of semantics. It's a bit difficult to have any discussion without semantics.

 

[Lequack]

And Remco still preparing for ronde tomorrow

 

[IndianCyclist]

Pog needs to drop everybody
MVDP needs to stick to Pog and ride with Pog to drop WVA or gamble on a short sprint with WVA
WVA needs to stick to MVDP and comeback on the flat if dropped and then do a long sprint
Rest need to do a long range attack and get a substantial gap.

 

[Lequack]

Training

https://twitter.com/x/status/1642192378520915970

View: https://twitter.com/VelonCC/status/1642192378520915970

 

[jono]

Pog needs to drop everybody
MVDP needs to stick to Pog and ride with Pog to drop WVA or gamble on a short sprint with WVA
WVA needs to stick to MVDP and comeback on the flat if dropped and then do a long sprint
Rest need to do a long range attack and get a substantial gap.

I can't envision a winning scenario for Pogacar other than the one you outline here.

I do think the other two have options. What I'd especially like to see is WVA and MVDP getting dropped together but keeping the gap at a distance that they can close if they choose to work together. Really interested in the dynamics of that.

(What I'd really like to see is MVDP winning solo but I don't see how he does it unless Pogacar has an off day).

 

[Boehmand]

So? It's either a valid distinction or it is not.

You can pretend your post didn't mean what you wrote, and reduce any exchange of opinions to a matter of semantics. It's a bit difficult to have any discussion without semantics.

Jeez... some of you people take these debates far, far too seriously... it's not a battle buddy, calm down

 

[topcat]

Everyone smiles in Denmark, but on a cycling forum they’d cut you dead.

 

[Salvarani]

Jeez... some of you people take these debates far, far too seriously... it's not a battle buddy, calm down

You seem to know a lot and must have been really quick to pick up on the dynamics of this forum, in the short amount of time you had an account, to make such a statement towards long-time members of the community.

Or maybe this is not your real account.

 

[Andre]

I think Powless will join the super 3

 

[Boehmand]

You seem to know a lot and must have been really quick to pick up on the dynamics of this forum, in the short amount of time you had an account, to make such a statement towards long-time members of the community.

Or maybe this is not your real account.

You do realise you can read this forum without having an account, right?

Also... what on earth would be the purpose of multiple accounts?

 

[Salvarani]

You do realise you can read this forum without having an account, right?

Also... what on earth would be the purpose of multiple accounts?

Sure.

Well, you tell me.