These Amstels are making me thirsty! 2024 Women's Amstel Gold Race, April 14

[QueenStagiaire]

Pretty sad race though the women have now but at least we won‘t have to look at this crime of a circuit for longer than planned.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

This race is produced by NOS. I'll let you in on their way of thinking:

Question 1: Is the thing we wish to broadcast speed skating or a variant thereof?
> Yes: Pump all the resources we have into production, commentating, analysis on site and Kleintje Pils.
> No: Move on to question 2.

Question 2: Is it football?
> Yes: Acceptable, we will show matches of the national team.
> No: Move on to question 3.

Question 3: Are Dutch athletes generally considered to be 'good' in said sport?
> Yes: Spend very little money into it so it looks like we are invested, when we just don't give a damn.
> No: Move on to question 4.

Question 4: There is no question 4. You can piss off and your sport will get nothing.

To summarize: no, there are no resources for anything.

You missed one important question: Can we somehow involve Dione de Graaff, who still knows f*ck all about every sport ever despite working for the sports department for 30 years?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It sounds like there's been some aggressive racing since the restart.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Ok, they‘re saying three or four laps which 100% means they need to do some more reorganizing.

Let's hope they make a clear decision at some stage as to which it is to be.

 

[awavey]

Marty saying its 3 laps

 

[Samu Cuenca]

ELB wants a hard final.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Pretty strong group. If they continue to work together (possibly a big if), they might not be brought back.

It was a major if.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

SD Worx have officially declared this a Mickey Mouse race now

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Problem of the circuit, so long between meaningful parts that as soon as anybody behind commits to chasing the group, the benefit of working from distance is completely annulled. All meaningful climbs bar the Cauberg are long gone.

Our best hope might simply be a Niewiadoma 2017 Tour of Britain situation where the bunch are happy to call SD Worx's bluff. Canyon and Visma have got riders up the road but Trek have not which will probably spell doom for the break in the long run.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It wouldn't have been bad for the break to have Koster in it, but it looks like her attack came too late to catch up.

 

[RedheadDane]

Looks like that's gonna Koster her a lot of energy.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

SD Worx domestique is a bit like third goalkeeper at a football club, you get paid to just kinda be there.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Looks like that's gonna Koster her a lot of energy.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I love seeing CX stars featuring so much!

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm contractually required to make as many ban puns as I can!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Especially Shirin

 

[Didinho]

Love what Trek is doing.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I was just thinking "hmmm, Longo Borghini is very quiet on the Cauberg and a little way down when others are trying to place themselves, is she planning something?" when she attacked.

However they've got like, 4 seconds so I don't see any way by which this doesn't come back together.

Edit: and it already has. Worthless 2012 circuit.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'm contractually required to make as many ban puns as I can!

Ban puns?

Now there's a forum policy I can get behind.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I'm contractually required to make as many ban puns as I can!

I don't remember seeing you banned yet, so you're not doing a great job.

 

[RedheadDane]

Ban puns?

Now there's a forum policy I can get behind.

BAD I meant BAD...

And now it won't let me edit.

 

[Didinho]

Vollering closing all the gaps.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I wonder if Vollering is working for herself, or if the team believes someone else will be fresher in the last kms.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I wonder if Vollering is working for herself, or if the team believes someone else will be fresher in the last kms.

How is Kopecky meant to attack her own teammates if there aren't any ahead for her to attack

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Oh, and they've "livened it up" by extending the gap between Bemelerberg and Cauberg on the final lap making it even more worthless to attack before the final climb.