PSA: Classics season starts this weekend

No dq’s – inner ring confirmed on Twitter

How did wiggo think he was gonna win? In classics you have to attack and make it stick, he wasn’t aggressive enough. Real shame Thomas had a crash, in the same position as wiggo he would have made a real go of it.

Well, I thought Wiggins had a good race. Quite surprised to be honest. Did seem a long way out at 32k, but I wonder if he wanted to get a break going? With the addition of a couple of powerful guys he’d be in a good position to at least make the podium.

I watched the highlights on EuroSport HD and I didn’t see anything at all about Wiggo’s breakaway! How on earth did I miss that?

I kept thinking “why on earth isn’t he trying anything”. All explained now. Anywhere have a decent article summarising the race?

Inrng[/url] has the usual good summary.

I’m still trying to get my head around the race!

That bridge by Degenkolb was mind blowing, he put everything on the line and totally deserved the win by committing like that.

Luke Rowe and Jens Keukeleire were bloody good too.

Not sure what Etixx were doing leading Degenkolb out at the velodrome, the only way anyone but Degenkolb was going to win was by trying to get him to the front and sprinting over him, I do accept that’s a lot easier said than done mind.

Wiggo I thought did a good job, though noting particularly incredible. The only way he was going to win was to go off the front like Terpstra last year and he was in the wrong group to do that.

In fact, on that note, was anyone else disappointed it wasn’t won by a solo break or display of power like Terpstra last year or Fab/Boonen in previous years? The sprint was interesting but it felt to me like a bit of an anti-climax compared to a big solo effort.

was anyone else disappointed it wasn’t won by a solo break or display of power like Terpstra last year or Fab/Boonen in previous years? The sprint was interesting but it felt to me like a bit of an anti-climax compared to a big solo effort.

That was my initial reaction too, however the more I think about it, the more I think it was a bloody brilliant race. Just look at the quality of riders coming off Carrefour de l’Arbre together.

it was an awesome race, but the wins that go down in history are the long range attacks, or the two-up dog fights over the last 10km rather than a bunch sprint in the velodrome.
there was attrition, but no errant fans getting in the way, or slimy cobbles, or mechanicals to decide the race.
happy for Dege to win though over Kristoff.

For the Wiggo haters, when he attacked he got a good gap but two Quick Step riders bridged over and immediately refused to ride so he sat up, pretty **** stupid if you ask me. Three strong guys could have made a real go of it at that distance (especially as you’ve got the bloody world ITT champ in that three) and they would have easily out sprinted him later on, moar silly tactics from Quick Step IMO.

I watched the last 50k again last night and I think Brad was shot by then. Whilst his late attack looked a power sprint he needed someone else to work with, I just don’t think by then he had the legs for an all out go it alone.
In the main I think the overall fast pace took away his chance, by mid race the pace was really quite high and just enough to burn him out. Luke has been exceptional recently, I now hope Sky provide him with the care and support they’ve ploughed into Thomas and Brad in the last year.

Old guard Hero replaced with New guard exuberance 8)

Amstel on the 19th… If you win, do you still win all that Beer ?? 😆

Really enjoyed the race. As soon as Degenkolb bridged and Wiggins was unable to ride through the result was never in doubt for me. I’m a big fan of JD. He’s been a little overlooked in Kittel’s shadow, but has really come into his own. A sprinter who climbs – who’d a thought it. He’s been in my fantasy teams for a few years.

Great bike too 😉

As if Flanders and Roubaix weren’t enough, hold on to your hats… it’s time for the Ardennes 🙂

Brabantse Pijl tomorrow. Amstel Gold on Sunday. Flèche Wallonne following Wednesday. Then Liège-Bastogne-Liège the following weekend. Bloody brilliant!

Disappointingly no Eurosport coverage today. Got to love the translated Dutch ticker…

59 km
Kirsch
Alex Kirsch is the first early pigeon picked up by the peloton.

CyclingNews highlighs:

Nice to see a result like that

Not sure why, the Ardennes classics just don’t do it for me 😕

Good summary (as usual) of the state of the Ardennes over at inrng[/url].

Not sure why, the Ardennes classics just don’t do it for me

Tricky time of the calendar… how do you follow a race like Paris Roubaix! I like them though. Different type of racing scenarios (though maybe getting a little predictable) and a different cast of riders.

Nice to see a result like that

Great result. Thought he was out to do a job for Gilbert then manages to hang on for the win 🙂

I love anything Northern French/Belgian/Netherlands/German…

Trying to find rosters is like mining for (amstel) Gold.. 🙄
So I’m picking my favourite Walloon, Mr Gilbert. However if Paulini’s in it or Kristoff then hey..
But I would like to see a Belgian, someone who we’ve never seen before take off like a scalded cat and hang on by 10mtrs at the end.

Yey !

Not sure why, the Ardennes classics just don’t do it for me

Inrng made a great point about this. On the face of it the hilly course of the Ardennes should make for more exciting racing than the flat cobbled classics.

But the cobbles are races where to win you need to be up at the front all day, you need to get in the right moves etc. This means that there is action all day.

To win in the Ardennes the best option is to hide in the bunch all day and then sprint up the last hill. So all the action happens in the last 10 mins, the rest of the day is dull.

So the Ardennes are a horrible middle ground of no builing tension and action like a flat attritional race but also no long mountain duals like a GT mountain stage.

IMO flat hard routes produce the best one day racing. Short mountainous stages produce the best stage race racing.

Belgian Federation now requesting a 2 year ban for GVA (here). Tough one that. Difficult to sympathise if it does go against him though.

Interesting case, gets busted for probable old school cortisol use and some frankly embarrassing baby food substance, yet doesn’t get done for the various other grey area misuse that by most people’s accounts is rife amongst the peloton.

It’s a toughy this, especially for “the nicest Belgian you would like to know”

However, if true… then should be busted 🙄

Amstel Gold previews over at inrng[/url] and velonews. Wouldn’t bet against Gilbert bagging another.

Thanks for the heads up, missed those.

Was just reading the Inner Ring piece, didn’t realise Kennaugh was injured 🙁 bugger, he could have been good for these races. Hmmm Google says old injury, bugger, hope it’s sorted and doesn’t keep him from TDF again.

Argh.. so many riders who could actually win this one..

Argh..

I’m still sticking with Gilbert, though my right arm says Valvpiti, and left arm Gallopin but heart says Martin..

Damn… damn and blast, so Gilbert then Martin… or the other way around 😆

Either way I have the route on GPX and it’ll be another one I do in June… 8)

Dan Martin.
COME ON DAN MARTIN!

Just caught up, great result there 🙂

To win in the Ardennes the best option is to hide in the bunch all day and then sprint up the last hill. So all the action happens in the last 10 mins, the rest of the day is dull.

So the Ardennes are a horrible middle ground of no builing tension and action like a flat attritional race but also no long mountain duals like a GT mountain stage.

IMO flat hard routes produce the best one day racing. Short mountainous stages produce the best stage race racing.

I thought today was a good race actually; the break sort of getting reeled in but then re-forming, Simon Clarke’s last ditch efforts, some great work by BMC to set up the (admittedly oh-so-predictable) attack by Gilbert but it still came down to a bunch sprint, albeit from a much reduced bunch but anyone could have got that. Couple of very touch-and-go moments with the motorcycles in the bunch and some of those tight corners and for once the graphics of speed, distance etc were spot on and very interesting.

Shame about Peter Kennaugh’s injury, he sat near the back most of the day. Hope he’s fully recovered soon.

Enjoyed that. I thought Martin’s team orders were tough on the overall race outcome, and that Kwiakowski was spent on the last climb, so how he pulled it off in the last km! Must be the power of the jersey, or just calm self-belief. Gilbert was predictable and everyone knew it. GVM was a better bet for the team, based on form, but they would have needed an earlier attack plan for that. My money was actually on Fugslang, but alas not to be.

Lovely roads bikebouy, quite fancy that ride myself – need to heal first, of course!

Michal Kwiatkowski’s winning ride on Strava.

https://www.strava.com/activities/288648247

160 miles, 12000ft elevation gain and all in 6.5hrs! 😯
Don’t think anyone will be troubling his KOMs until same time next year!

I was out riding all day yesterday so recorded the race. I bit my tongue but succumbed to seek out the result and hey at least Gilbert was up there.

We did our own AG homage and I finished in the leading bunch but I can tell you we were going a helluva lot slower than these guys 😆

Missed everything but the last 5 minutes of last week’s race and I’ll be out racing this Sunday when LBL is on, still another one tomorrow.

Fleche Wallonne preview at inrng:

Flèche Wallonne Preview

Thanks Chef. Oh, see Astana hearing is on Thursday, wonder how harsh a slap on the wrist they’ll get?

Ok, so Gilbert again for FW… 😆

Well that was all to predictable and frankly a little boring. Roll on Sunday.

What happened to Gilbert? Out in a crash I heard. Bad one?

valverde ?

boooo

I’m quite frankly shocked that Froome has crashed, again, I just can’t believe it.

Oh I’m going there…I’ve not even watched the footage either (but was silly enough to venture on to Facebook and have seen the result), what a knobber.