WC 2012: U-23 Men and Elite Women Road Races

[CobbleStoner]

don't think tomorrow they will race like that, although Tommeke has a better chance than I previously thought... Kaz deserved that win, they looked serious and executed well

 

[Eshnar]

Weren't short stages more exciting than longer ones?
When will this mediatic legend be wiped out?

 

[El Pistolero]

If they race like this tomorrow Phil will win.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Limburg climbs are just not selective enough.

At the Amstel you get like 30 climbs and you still have guys like Freire fighting for the win...

That's it, I'mma go bowling tomorrow instead!

Bye.



____

 

[burning]

Weren't short stages more exciting than longer ones?
When will this mediatic legend be wiped out?

I think stages like these are pretty good

Otherwise, yeah they suck

 

[Descender]

Freire was also ninth at LBL.

And bronze medal for my little home town, yay. Hope he finds a good WT team soon.

Did he ever fight for the win at LBL? Was he ever in with a chance at the end?

Good, will be much better to follow without you crying everywhere

Oh no, I'll be posting while I'm bowling mwahahaha.

 

[Arnout]

Bemelerberg is horrible for the race. Relatively easy climb followed by nasty false flat with wind. The worst scenario for a solo or small group against the peloton. This race has the same problem as the AGR. Hard, but not selective.

By the way, Belgian U23 riders doing marginal gains after the race (cooling down). I expect them to win everything from now on.

 

[sublimit]

The Ladies race is going to be fun having seen that course.

 

[Descender]

I think stages like these are pretty good

Otherwise, yeah they suck

And in this stage, you got the best rider of the generation attacking full-out on the first kilometres of the stage... only to be caught by the bunch at the foot of the last climb.

Add another big climb before Telegraphe and that wouldn't have happened.

 

[The Hitch]

That's because the best punchers of the U23 don't have the power to pull through their attack on the flat on the top. Pro's are different, more power.

Id say it goes the other way. In the u23 both the attackers and chasers have less power so there is less slipstream and the hill is longer.

In the pros they will have more power so go faster which means the hill will last less time - less of an obstacle, and slipstream will be higher.

The example is MSR which has become more and more of a spritners race as power in the peloton has increased.

 

[El Pistolero]

Did he ever fight for the win at LBL? Was he ever in with a chance at the end?



Oh no, I'll be posting while I'm bowling mwahahaha.

LBL is much much harder than AGR.

 

[Eshnar]

I think stages like these are pretty good

Otherwise, yeah they suck

Already discussed about that... that was good only thanks to a desperate AC attack, which had no chance at all of succeeding. At the bottom of L'Alpe the peloton was full. Just like nothing happened.

 

[Falken]

Sure, with another 90k on sunday, the course will be selective, but still, I expected, or rather hoped for, that we would have seen more carnage in hte U23 race.

It's obvious that hard attacks prior to the last lap will have smal chance on succeding. The distance from the top of Cauberg and foot of Bemelberg is just too long. The belgians shouldn't panic when attacks come on Cauberg, because the long flatter section will be enough to catch any dangerous attacks.

 

[El Pistolero]

Id say it goes the other way. In the u23 both the attackers and chasers have less power so there is less slipstream and the hill is longer.

In the pros they will have more power so go faster which means the hill will last less time - less of an obstacle, and slipstream will be higher.

The example is MSR which has become more and more of a spritners race as power in the peloton has increased.

That's why from the last 5 editions of Milan-San Remo only 2 have been won in a sprint.

 

[burning]

Already discussed about that... that was good only thanks to a desperate AC attack, which had no chance at all of succeeding. At the bottom of L'Alpe the peloton was full. Just like nothing happened.

If only Andy worked with Contador still, I think that If there is no flat on short stages, I think they can be really entertaining

 

[Descender]

LBL is much much harder than AGR.

Did I say it wasn't?

 

[Falken]

If they race like this tomorrow Phil will win.

You think? I actually have a hard time seeing Gilbert opening up a gap big enough on Cauberg to hold all the way to the finish. It will depend on how big the peleton is on Cauberg, if guys like Freire for example still have guys that can help chase on the flat section before the finish.

 

[The Hitch]

That's why from the last 5 editions of Milan-San Remo only 2 have been won in a sprint.

Do you really go to a university?

I swear to god, no one stupid enough to think that a conveniently chosen sample of 5, without even making comparisons, can prove or disprove a century wide trend would get anywhere near a university in this country.

 

[burning]

You think? I actually have a hard time seeing Gilbert opening up a gap big enough on Cauberg to hold all the way to the finish. It will depend on how big the peleton is on Cauberg, if guys like Freire and Boonen for example still have guys that can help chase on the flat section before the finish.

I dont think that Boonen's guys will chase Gilbert

 

[Eshnar]

If only Andy worked with Contador still, I think that If there is no flat on short stages, I think they can be really entertaining

Problem is that, even if you are Contador, you can't stay away from a full, fresh peloton. As long as air drag plays a role, you're screwed. If there is no flat, only climbs above 9% gradient, only technical descents... maybe a short stage could be good (or at least as good as a longer one)

 

[Falken]

I dont think that Boonen's guys will chase Gilbert

I edited my post, realized the stupid mistake.

 

[El Pistolero]

Do you really go to a university?

I swear to god, no one stupid enough to think that a conveniently chosen sample of 5, without even making comparisons, can prove or disprove a century wide trend would get anywhere near a university in this country.

Century wide trend? You think Milan-San Remo has been a sprinters race for a century? Wow, you really know nothing about this sport!

I chose 2008 as a starting point because they added a new climb in 2008(Le Manie) and this climb has caused the selection at least 2 times since then.

At least try to pretend you know something about Milan-San Remo.

Since 2003 5 editions have been bunch sprints and 5 have been won solo or in a small group.

 

[El Pistolero]

You think? I actually have a hard time seeing Gilbert opening up a gap big enough on Cauberg to hold all the way to the finish. It will depend on how big the peleton is on Cauberg, if guys like Freire for example still have guys that can help chase on the flat section before the finish.

Pro riders will be able to force an actual selection on the Cauberg. As if Spain will try to gamble on Freire just so Boonen can beat him in a sprint.

 

[The Sheep]

If that theory about power is correct then the women's race will be great to see.

 

[sublimit]

Degenkolb must come into this now, whereas before i never thought he stood a chance.

And Cav for the win..