Stage of the year part 3 : One day races

[The Hitch]

Part 3 of the stage of the year series. Semi final 3 - One day races.

As last time, you can vote for more than Once. Top 2( or 1 ) go through to the Grand Final.

Since no one wanted to help me with the list, if you feel something is missing, tough (unless your a mod in which case feel free to replace E3 Prijs with whatever race you feel should be there)

Here is the list

Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne - Bobbie Traksel
E3 Prijs - Fabian Cancellara
Ronde van Vlaanderen - Fabian Cancellara
Amstel Gold- Phillipe Gilbert
Flech Walone- Cadel Evans
Liege Bastogne Liege- Alexander Vinokourov
Classica San Sebastian - Luis Leon Sanchez
Gp Quebec - Thomas Voeckler
Gp Montreal - Robert Gesink
World Championship road race - Thor Hushovd.

To those of you who saw Montreal, and are wondering why the weaker Canadian race is getting SO many votes, ask the Dutch

We all know it wouldnt even be nominated if i didnt like a bit of banter

 

[Barrus]

I voted for Kuurne, Montreal and the WC

Kuurne because it was one of the most epic races I have seen in quite a long time

Montreal, because that attack and the subsequent fighting of Gesink was fantastic

And the WC because the racing was really good

Oh yeah, if you think something isn't included, make up your mind, I can only add 2 more options

 

[jens_attacks]

1.Liege Bastogne Liege
2.Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
3.Ronde van Vlaanderen

 

[The Hitch]

lol. Flanders wasnt included in the initial shortlists and no one complained once. I was told to add Bjarnste pjil and e3 prijs but no Flanders. At the last moment just before submit i decided to incude Flanders instead of Bjarnste. And now its winning.

 

[Barrus]

lol. Flanders wasnt included in the initial shortlists and no one complained once. I was told to add Bjarnste pjil and e3 prijs but no Flanders. At the last moment just before submit i decided to incude Flanders instead of Bjarnste. And now its winning.

It shouldn't it really did not have the best racing this year, nor anything which puts it above the rest. Yes an amazing feat of Cancellara, but really nothing that is better than the rest on that list. In my mind the racing was quite forgettable

 

[markene2]

Liege, fantastic race.

 

[theyoungest]

lol. Flanders wasnt included in the initial shortlists and no one complained once. I was told to add Bjarnste pjil and e3 prijs but no Flanders. At the last moment just before submit i decided to incude Flanders instead of Bjarnste. And now its winning.

Is that the Riis invitational? (it's called Brabantse Pijl, meaning Arrow of Brabant)

 

[scribe]

Nothing forgettable about a Boonen Cancellara stand off.

 

[Anonymous]

I voted kurrne, didnt realise you could vote for more than one till after.

 

[The Hitch]

Nothing forgettable about a Boonen Cancellara stand off.

More like Boonen doing his best to hang on to Canc, just making the first break, before being totally blown away as soon as Canc willed it.

 

[theyoungest]

Nothing forgettable about a Boonen Cancellara stand off.

It was an amazing performance by Cancellara, but as a spectacle it lacked a bit of excitement. Just like Lombardy and Paris-Roubaix: incredibly strong winners, but no suspense.

 

[Cobblestoned]

1day races I enjoyed most (thats when I feel my heart pumping hard):

1. Liège–Bastogne–Liège - epic, worldclass ride by Vino and thrilling race

2. Flech Walone - exciting "sprint"

3. GP Montreal - close to heartattack



Sorry @ Spartacus. That was so impressive that it was boring to watch.
Sorry @ worlds. I watched that nice race, but was like stunned because of Contador.

 

[El Pistolero]

What? No Giro di Lombardia? The epic descend, the rain, only 34 people finishing, Gilbert taking a lot of risks on a technical descend?

If you're going to include San Sebastian, include the race of the falling leaves as well.

My vote goes to LBL even if Lombardia is included on the list, but it deserves to be on it. Sure as hell owned Flanders and Roubaix.

According to some people here a race can only be good if you don't know who the winner is 100 meters before the finish. You guys must love flat stages at Grand Tours I guess.

 

[theyoungest]

According to some people here a race can only be good if you don't know who the winner is 100 meters before the finish. You guys must love flat stages at Grand Tours I guess.

Analogies aren't your forte.

 

[The Hitch]

What? No Giro di Lombardia? The epic descend, the rain, only 34 people finishing, Gilbert taking a lot of risks on a technical descend?

If you're going to include San Sebastian, include the race of the falling leaves as well.

My vote goes to LBL even if Lombardia is included on the list, but it deserves to be on it. Sure as hell owned Flanders and Roubaix.

According to some people here a race can only be good if you don't know who the winner is 100 meters before the finish. You guys must love flat stages at Grand Tours I guess.

I know you love Gilbert but Lombardia wasnt some super race. Flanders edged Lombardia on the list because at least there there were attacks. Canc and Boonen from 30k out. Canc from 20k out. Millar and a few others trying to organise a chase behind. Epic RVV crowds all the way.

In Lombardy Gilbert and Scarponi somehow found themselves in front after the Nibali crash. There was no attack. They rode together for 20k. THen even the finish wasnt won by an attack. Scarponi chains slipt and Gilbert continued.

The fact that there werent attacks doesnt take away from his performance, but it does take away from the excitement of the race.

No crowds either. Flanders was better.

You can vote for Amstel Gold as a Gilbert fan though.

 

[maltiv]

My (biased) top 3:

1. World Championships. Perfect winner, exciting enough to keep me awake all night...
2. GP Montreal. Lots of excitement as I was hoping for EBH to finally get a decent win this season, he impressed greatly but Gesink was simply too strong.
3. RVV. Always a great race.

Omloop isn't on the list, but I remember thinking it was pretty good race. Or perhaps I just found it so exciting because it was the first classic of the season, who knows.

 

[Christian]

Kuurne was brutal but Flèche Wallonne was the most exciting. Contador looked like he had it in the bag, I?d never thought Evans would beat him.

 

[Moondance]

Come on, Dutch Mafia... We must ship this for Gesink!

BTW, I voted Montreal for appearances sake, but my true vote goes to the Worlds.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Contador made the same mistake Evans did in 2008. Evans learnt from his mistake and profited - the Mur is longer, and kicks up more times than you think.

I really enjoyed the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt. The race could be viewed from the start, I got to see my old hometown and my old flat, and I got to see Columbia totally out-thought and decimated (though having Greipel as a winning option because of a flat finishing circuit was overly optimistic given the two climbs of the >26% Mammolshain), Vacansoleil and Katyusha adding fun, and a closing sprint with no real sprinters in it, with a tight chicane in the run in and Fabian Wegmann sprinting in from 500m out. His excitement at the win was the most glorious I've seen all year, like a kid in a candy store (slightly strange considering some of his palmarès), and it was a performance so good and slightly unexpected that Cobblestoned accused them of buying the race win.

 

[Barrus]

Come on, Dutch Mafia... We must ship this for Gesink!

BTW, I voted Montreal for appearances sake, but my true vote goes to the Worlds.

You could vote for more than one, didn't you know?

 

[Moondance]

You could vote for more than one, didn't you know?

That doesn't help Gesink win though

 

[Barrus]

That doesn't help Gesink win though

True, true. But Bobbie may win as well, now doesn't he?

 

[The Hitch]

That doesn't help Gesink win though

Relax. Gesinks TDS victory already made it into the final. Hes a favorite for the overall there.

If Gesink Montreal makes it there, that splits the Gesink vote in half.

Then hell go from odds on favourite to not even making the podium. (Kind of reminds me of the Tour de Suisse tt this year. no? )

 

[Barrus]

Relax. Gesinks TDS victory already made it into the final. Hes a favorite for the overall there.

If Gesink Montreal makes it there, that splits the Gesink vote in half. He wont even podium. (Kind of reminds me of the Tour de Suisse tt this year. no? )

Are you going to make the next poll so that you can only vote for one option?

 

[The Hitch]

Are you going to make the next poll so that you can only vote for one option?

Yeah, the final has to be more than 1 option. It will stop Moltacino getting all the votes. Hopefully all you Dutchies will vote for Gesink NOT Strade Bianchi, so that its close.

On the other hand i could make it multiple choice. Its mini Darwinism. Those of us who can read simple instructions, get to vote more than once. Everyone else ( its always a lot of people,) who cant follow simple instructions, only get the one vote.