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Apr 2015
11:22am, 24 Apr 2015
12,712 posts
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The Teaboy
This conversation is for the other thread. Now, let's hope for a great L-B-L. The classics have been a bit sterile this year IMO. Perhaps we need some bad weather!
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Apr 2015
1:25pm, 24 Apr 2015
20,060 posts
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SPR
The cobbled classics missed Boonen and Cancellara because they would have attacked the race, regardless of if they'd have won. The Ardennes classics have been what they normally are imo.
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Apr 2015
1:28pm, 24 Apr 2015
12,716 posts
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The Teaboy
They've tried to shake both Amstel and Fleche Wallone up with route tweaks but both have still just come down to uphill sprints up the Cauberg and Mur. I guess with modern cycling becoming ever more rooted in numbers, it's a lot harder for one man or a group to ever rewrite the book. We see the same formulaic pattern in many grand tours and it takes some external event to shake it all up.
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Apr 2015
3:17pm, 24 Apr 2015
4,099 posts
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Dai Bank
Well I reckon it,s Dan Martin for me, even allowing for the slight changes after La Redoute. I just hope he,s recovered from his tumble on wednesday.
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Apr 2015
6:07pm, 26 Apr 2015
12,722 posts
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The Teaboy
Valverde. Sigh...
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Apr 2015
6:57pm, 26 Apr 2015
7,136 posts
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Chrisull
Ah well it's almost Giro time, I see Bertie is targeting the double!!! (Giro/Tour)
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Apr 2015
8:35pm, 26 Apr 2015
20,072 posts
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SPR
TB - Other thread? Can understand disappointment in Valverde winning but if we are keeping doping talk off this thread... Or at least talk about the race while expressing disappointment.
Was an excellent ride by Valverde, he was very patient when Moreno went, then used an acceleration to get back on his own, rather than help the others. Katusha maybe should have attacked earlier as they had the numbers. I was hoping Alaphilippe would win, and he rode an excellent race, looks like a future winner.
Chris - He has been targeting that for a while. If Tinkov had his way, him, and all the other big riders would have been targeting all three!
Do we have a Pro Cycling thread, or should we keep this alive as it?
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Apr 2015
9:38pm, 26 Apr 2015
12,723 posts
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The Teaboy
I'm not denying the superb way he rode it. You can have all the physical tools in the box, but they count for nothing unless you have a racing brain. I'd have just liked to see someone new do it. Kreuziger almost blew the place up and but for Stybar might have done something decisive. Sadly Alaphillipe and Kwiatkowski couldn't finish it off for Etixx.
I think we end up getting individual cycling threads for each race. There will be a Giro thread along soon. I'll be there for my favourite grand tour. Bertie vs Porte vs Aru?
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Apr 2015
9:39pm, 26 Apr 2015
12,724 posts
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The Teaboy
Even Sky rode it better than usual and got two men to the foot of the final drag in the lead group. But didn't have the horses when it mattered.
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Apr 2015
8:23am, 27 Apr 2015
4,100 posts
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Dai Bank
I wonder how much, or if, Valverde offered Stybar t o ride and bring back the break, given the alleged purchase of this race in previous editions lol.
Some excellent rides behind the winner, young Alaphilipe looks a star in the making, if not already formed.
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