Oh dear, not good news for Wout; sacrificed a probable CX World Championship to be fit & ready for Flanders/Roubaix, and is now unable to race the first target.

I’m reminded of a quote “when they’re fit and well, race them, don’t save them for one day down the line”.

There does seem to be a high number of riders/ teams going down with all kinds of illnesses, I suspect there’ll be a few more.

Would love to see a spectacular MVDP win a la Amstel Gold. But think Pogacar will be in with a great shout (not a fan!).

I would really like for someone else to win. It’d be nice if QuickStep could get a Classics win, they’re a bit short on podiums at the moment. Stybar would be nice.

It’s going to be Pogacar from about 35km out, isn’t it?

It’s going to be Pogacar from about 35km out, isn’t it?

Depends if MvDP attacks earlier! Can’t see Pog having the horse power to drop the Classics specialists

sacrificed a probable nailed on CX World Championship

Can’t see Pog having the horse power to drop the Classics specialists

I don’t know, there were plenty of Classics specialists at Strade Bianche and that’s a similar style of course and he just rode away.

I don’t know, there were plenty of Classics specialists at Strade Bianche and that’s a similar style of course and he just rode away.

On a down hill and MVdP wasn’t there and it has much bigger climbs and more climbing. Not saying he can’t do it but I doubt teams will make the mistake of letting him go again.

Chris Horner is super annoying but I do like his analysis. Her thinks Pog for the win followed by MVdP and then Asgren.

Chilly roll out

come on Tom!

pog down

meant to be rain early afternoon.  Going to  be miserable out there 🙁

Bloody Carlton – want some chips (& a beer) now

pog down

Oh I missed that. I assume he’s OK cos the team are up the front and riding.

It’s not warm out there is it, plenty of them riding in legwarmers, big gloves, jackets/gilets…

Edit – yes, he’s fine, camera has just picked him out.

They showed him stretching out a knee shortly after the fall but yeh, seems OK

Big Tim looks great up the front of a bunch, doesn’t he?  Not sure he can make the difference here but it’s good to see

Cobbles are now happening.

Look at the crowds on the Kwaremont!!

💥

I can confirm it’s quite busy on the kwaremont!

grown-ups seem to have woken up to the danger and a chase is kicking off

wow!

pog looks disturbingly fit

Fred Wright off the front – I remember when he won the Junior Tour of Wales in 2016! He started his cycling riding as a Youth at Herne Hill.

fascinating race.

Some great cable cam work along the Kwaremont! They’ve really gone to town on that climb,

tense, this !

Battle of the giants. Tom P can’t be happy, I thought he’d be in the mix.

They won’t close it down before the finish but Groups 2 and 3 are very slowly dragging it back. Gonna be close for the final step on the podium.

This is nailbiting!!

Ooft, that nearly went sideways for both of them!

meh, pog can bang his bars all he likes; he had a gap before DVB arrived and couldn’t take it

I 😍 MVdP

Too think that Pog is a tour winning climber AND can drop all bar MVdP like that is quite frightening…..at least his sprinting isn’t stellar too.

Pog showing some tactical naivety there – towing VdP was never a good tactic, but then playing cat and mouse and letting the chasers catch them to finish off the podium. He should have gone at about 5km, there’s a slight rise and enough of a dig and you can drop someone and it’s a long and exposed run-in to the finish – I’ve grovelled my way back along that road a few times and it feels like a flippin’ long way.

Last 30km of the Women’s race now.
Anna Henderson the lone British rider in the lead group.

He should have gone at about 5km, there’s a slight rise and enough of a dig and you can drop someone and it’s a long and exposed run-in to the finish

if he’s not dropping him on the patterberg, he’s not dropping him on a slight rise, come on now

He should have gone at about 5km, there’s a slight rise and enough of a dig and you can drop someone and it’s a long and exposed run-in to the finish – I’ve grovelled my way back along that road a few times and it feels like a flippin’ long way.

With the greatest of respect you are not MvDP. Pogs only real chance once MvDP had followed him up the climbs was to jump early in the sprint, or sit up early and make MVdP work too much in the final few km. Although I expect MVdP knew he could out sprint those behind too so once POG failed to drop him it was a done deal.

😳😳😳😳😳

Battle of the giants. Tom P can’t be happy, I thought he’d be in the mix.

Me too. The sorting was early though and no one else was getting in.  Good race. Really enjoyed it though quite cold this year