WT - Amstel Gold Race - Sunday 14 April 2013

[Netserk]

Sky's forte is Watts per kg and recovery. Not positioning.

 

[Panda Claws]

I think you need to review that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfMVNJgxBZc

0:30 - 0:40 or so you can clearly see Valverde sitting at Phil's wheel.

...

 

[Afrank]

Lol at thinking that Valverde wheel sucking and winning the sprint for 2nd makes him the strongest.

Phil having already won AGR twice doesn't care about sprinting for 2nd.

Valverde the tool on the other hand, having always failed on the Cauberg is desperate for a podium.

Phil attack on Cauberg was impressive again, considering he was involved in a crash earlier. looks good for F-W, and LBL.

Yeah, Kreuziger was by far the strongest, and Phil looked stronger than Valverde. He put in a big attack and tried to hold his gap. But just didn't have the sprint to finish it off after being on the front solo.

 

[the asian]

OPQS confirm that Kwiatowski was 5th and not Meersman.

 

[Panda Claws]

OPQS confirm that Kwiatowski was 5th and not Meersman.

Kwiatkowski keeps impressing.

 

[ciranda]

What Valverde did was perfectly normal. After the hill he came back to a guy who never cooperates, who never shares work in a breakway, who has won big races that way. Valverde rested for like 30 seonds and then attacked. There was no point in staying with Gerrans because he would never have helped.

 

[Parrot23]

Kwiatowski was 5th (

This guy continues to impress. Props.

(LOL, didn't see your post, Panda.)

 

[icefire]

Nonsense, Phil was right next the Valverde at the bottom of the Cauberg.

He just wasn't good enough. Got outkicked very easily by EBH as well.

His Belgian teammates covered his back in the climb and then soft-pedalled when Phil accelerated helping him make a gap and making more difficult for other riders to get up to him. Go watch the race again and look at what Boonen did. That was brilliant team tactics, not just Phil in superb form.

 

[El Pistolero]

What Valverde did was perfectly normal. After the hill he came back to a guy who never cooperates, who never shares work in a breakway, who has won big races that way. Valverde rested for like 30 seonds and then attacked. There was no point in staying with Gerrans because he would never have helped.

Valverde and Gerrans are two of the same.

 

[Netserk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfMVNJgxBZc

0:30 - 0:40 or so you can clearly see Valverde sitting at Phil's wheel.

...

Did you read what wrote?

 

[Parrulo]

Visit the clinic sometime

maybe he can find some info on gilbert as well there, or are we pretending gilbert hasn't been spreading "class and talent" all over the clinic just as much as valverde over the last couple years?

 

[Afrank]

What Valverde did was perfectly normal. After the hill he came back to a guy who never cooperates, who never shares work in a breakway, who has won big races that way. Valverde rested for like 30 seonds and then attacked. There was no point in staying with Gerrans because he would never have helped.

Gerrans would never have helped? Did you watch the same race. Gerrans was the one trying to chase down Phil and Valverde was the one that wasn't helping.

 

[the asian]

Kwiatkowski keeps impressing.

Indeed good effort by him. Turning in to a good all round rider.

 

[El Pistolero]

His Belgian teammates covered his back in the climb and then soft-pedalled when Phil accelerated helping him make a gap and making more difficult for other riders to get up to him. Go watch the race again and look at what Boonen did. That was brilliant team tactics, not just Phil in superb form.

Boonen not being able to follow is excellent team tactics now?

He said himself he couldn't follow by the way, just so you know.

Since when is it wrong to have a single team-mate help you out(Leukemans)? Enough Spanish people around Valverde as well you know. Just couldn't win it that day, EBH was stronger as well.

 

[Netserk]

His Belgian teammates covered his back in the climb and then soft-pedalled when Phil accelerated helping him make a gap and making more difficult for other riders to get up to him. Go watch the race again and look at what Boonen did. That was brilliant team tactics, not just Phil in superb form.

Finally someone who saw the race.

 

[Shardi]

If Gerrans wasnt where he were, would Valverde have caught up to Gilbert, and in a similar fashion; Would Gerrans have caught Gilbert without Valverde?

 

[jaylew]

He didn't close the gap to Gilbert. Gerrans did. Valverde did what he always does, hanging in there and then doing nothing.

Simply not true. Watch the race again.

Lol at thinking that Valverde wheel sucking and winning the sprint for 2nd makes him the strongest.

Phil having already won AGR twice doesn't care about sprinting for 2nd.

Valverde the tool on the other hand, having always failed on the Cauberg is desperate for a podium.

I agree that Valverde didn't look the strongest but your assessment is garbage. I think Phil was stronger. Valverde couldn't go with Phil and even had a bit of trouble getting up to Gerrans. Absoute BS that Phil didn't care about sprinting for 2nd. If that was the case he would have rolled in the back of that group. He was just the most tired because he'd done the most work from that group. I think he could have possibly taken Valverde if they had both stayed in that group all the way up the Cauberg.

 

[El Pistolero]

maybe he can find some info on gilbert as well there, or are we pretending gilbert hasn't been spreading "class and talent" all over the clinic just as much as valverde over the last couple years?

Much more on Valverde though. Already from 2003. But ok, that's clinic.

 

[Parrulo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfMVNJgxBZc

0:30 - 0:40 or so you can clearly see Valverde sitting at Phil's wheel.

...

that freire on the wheel of boonen who is on the wheel of roelandts . . . but nice try

 

[El Pistolero]

Simply not true. Watch the race again.

I agree that Valverde didn't look the strongest but your assessment is garbage. I think Phil was stronger. Valverde couldn't go with Phil and even had a bit of trouble getting up to Gerrans. Absoute BS that Phil didn't care about sprinting for 2nd. If that was the case he would have rolled in the back of that group. He was just the most tired because he'd done the most work from that group. I think he could have possibly taken Valverde if they had both stayed in that group all the way up the Cauberg.

Yes, Phil was racing for first. That means catching Kreuziger. Valverde was racing for second, that means saving energy for the final sprint. Phil didn't do that because why would he need a second place?

 

[movingtarget]

OPQS confirm that Kwiatowski was 5th and not Meersman.

Transponders not working ? Official result showed Meersman. Oh well.

 

[argyllflyer]

Any sign of the correct top ten? Henao blatantly 7th ahead of Leukemans etc... perhaps even 6th.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

Yeah, Kreuziger was by far the strongest, and Phil looked stronger than Valverde. He put in a big attack and tried to hold his gap. But just didn't have the sprint to finish it off after being on the front solo.

I agree.

Also saying that Valverde is better than Gilbert by looking at this finish is non-sense. At best he is a better sprinter and even that I am not so sure since Gilbert started his sprint very early as usual.
People are drawing far too much conclusions.

 

[movingtarget]

Kwiatkowski keeps impressing.

He has a big future I think. Impressed at Tirreno and Flanders also.

 

[plooton]

I'm about to have a stroke - while Roman crossing the line I was on a way from a shopping centre. Big congrats Roman!