Generic Pro Road Cycling Thread

[Juggernaut]

GVA shows a lot of heart for 2nd and NT 3rd.

Wow!

I need a nap.

 

[hotsauce]

Phil Gilbert is my pick, he looks like he has something to prove on a new team this year.

What do I win?

Also chapeau to Coryn Rivera for straight up killing it.

 

[hotsauce]

Also LOL at Sep taking a nap in the ditch.

Video

 

[Juggernaut]

Also LOL at Sep taking a nap in the ditch.

Video

Sep Van DirtNap. No? How bout Sep Van That'llleaveamark

 

[stb222]

Sabotage!!!!! Sagan and GVA are down!!!!! Loose advertising banner hooks his handlebars and a spectators jacket get tangled in his rear. Heartbreak!

They cut to BORA... the two in the front seat make the face when you get regular coke when you ordered diet.


All eyes are on PG....can he hold. He's screaming for the gap.... no one is telling him. Why?


8k and the gap is 50" to G1 and 1:10" to G3.

Nail biter!!!!!

Great stuff. Sagan posted a video this morning of this angle where it clearly shows the jacket that took him down. The media immediately pointed to that he is a dangerous rider, which just didn't seem right.

@hotsauce, it is nice to see PG back in for after having issues at BMC. He probably would have been caught if that crash didn't happen. Poor GVA, has to wait a whole year (assuming he doesnt win next week).

 

[choop]

Sep Van DirtNap. No? How bout Sep Van That'llleaveamark

ha!

I still can't see what cause him to lose his wheel and go down.

 

[hotsauce]

Great stuff. Sagan posted a video this morning of this angle where it clearly shows the jacket that took him down. The media immediately pointed to that he is a dangerous rider, which just didn't seem right.

It also looks the the feet of that barrier dug in a bit and inched closer to the cobbles so he was going for a much narrower line than it was the prior time the riders went through. No reason they don't use the footless barriers on narrow cobbled sectors, they also move spectators back a bit so jacket snags don't happen.

Example:

 

[hotsauce]

I still can't see what cause him to lose his wheel and go down.

It looks like he caught a seam in the middle of the pavement. He should know better but it's a situation that has taken down a ton of riders, yours truly included.

 

[stb222]

It also looks the the feet of that barrier dug in a bit and inched closer to the cobbles so he was going for a much narrower line than it was the prior time the riders went through. No reason they don't use the footless barriers on narrow cobbled sectors, they also move spectators back a bit so jacket snags don't happen.

Example:

Yeah, that was big issue when Stybar smashed his face in the Eneco Tour a few years ago.

 

[hotsauce]

Paris-Roubaix is this Sunday. The final (and best) cobbled classic of them all. The Recon Ride has a good preview podcast where they chat with Mat Hayman, last years winner, and make some generally solid pics.

It's definitely worth watching from the Arenberg Forest through to the finish. The difference in this race compared the other spring cobbled races is that there are virtually no hills and the cobbles are much more harsh in Roubaix. So it favors the bigger guys (guys only since there is no women's race) over those that can get over the climbs like in Flanders. Also of note is that this is Tom Boonen's last race, ever.

I'll pick GVA for this one, he has been so close all spring and looked like he was in great form last weekend pre-crash. Oliver Naesen switched to Ag2R this year and has had a bang up spring so look for him to be a factor. As noted in the Recon Ride podcast, this race doesn't treat retiring riders well so don't expect much out of Boonen.

 

[stb222]

Paris-Roubaix is this Sunday. The final (and best) cobbled classic of them all. The Recon Ride has a good preview podcast where they chat with Mat Hayman, last years winner, and make some generally solid pics.

It's definitely worth watching from the Arenberg Forest through to the finish. The difference in this race compared the other spring cobbled races is that there are virtually no hills and the cobbles are much more harsh in Roubaix. So it favors the bigger guys (guys only since there is no women's race) over those that can get over the climbs like in Flanders. Also of note is that this is Tom Boonen's last race, ever.

I'll pick GVA for this one, he has been so close all spring and looked like he was in great form last weekend pre-crash. Oliver Naesen switched to Ag2R this year and has had a bang up spring so look for him to be a factor. As noted in the Recon Ride podcast, this race doesn't treat retiring riders well so don't expect much out of Boonen.

Equal to Flanders in lore and history, but much more brutal cobbles, we are told.
GVA only made the podium once and doesn't have the hills advantage of other races he does well in. But yes, he is on form. I can't believe Boonen didnt get it last year but one can always dream for this year. Degenkolb is there but just doesnt seem to be ale to get into the top 3. Sagan is a marked man and has always had bad luck at Roubaix in the few times he raced. Should be a good one even though the forecast is dry. Wait, can Specialized sue us for just writing Roubaix, not Paris-Roubaix?
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[hotsauce]

Wait, can Specialized sue us for just writing Roubaix, not Paris-Roubaix?

Fun fact: Advanced Sports International, parent company of Fuji Bikes and Performance Bike holds the trademark for Roubaix worldwide and licenses it to Specialized. Fuji uses it as the name for their aluminum race bike.

 

[stb222]

Fun fact: Advanced Sports International, parent company of Fuji Bikes and Performance Bike holds the trademark for Roubaix worldwide and licenses it to Specialized. Fuji uses it as the name for their aluminum race bike.

I did read that before, but somehow Specilized has the rights to sue and not Fuji or something like that.

 

[hotsauce]

Degenkolb is there but just doesnt seem to be ale to get into the top 3.

I want to see him win, he's a very likable guy. He just looks 1% slower than the rest which isn't good enough for the win.

 

[stb222]

I want to see him win, he's a very likable guy. He just looks 1% slower than the rest which isn't good enough for the win.

Maybe he will work with Tony Martin this year once Kristoff dies

 

[choop]

I think it will be a wide open race. As much as I hate to say, I think Sagan's crash has him a bit sore and the cobbles are going to beat him up.

If Kristoff can be an independent thinker and either initiate or follow a move, I think he has a solid chance. He misses what goes off the front of the race a lot though, so no money would be put down on him.

I would like to see Boonen get the fairy tale ending to his career though.

 

[jackx]

Alright, so the best racing of the year starts today with the cobbled classics / belgian races followed by the Ardennes:

Cobbled
Dwars d Vlaanderen Mar 22
E3 - Harelbeke Mar 24
Gent-Wevelgem Mar 26
Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (2.HC)Mar 28 (3 days of Panne)
Tour of Flanders Apr 2
Scheldeprijs Apr 5
Paris-Roubaix Apr 9

Ardennes
De Brabantse Pijl Apr 12
Amstel Gold Apr 16
Flèche Wallonne Apr 19
Liège-Bastogne-L Apr 23


I included a link to the Dwars d Vlaanderen. Can Quick Step keep their shit together this year? They are already close to 20 wins on the year and they seem to have the depth to actually play a tactical game correctly this year. Gilbert and Dan Martin seem to be on form for a good showing at the Ardennes and obviously Kwiato is as well. And I am sure @seanrunnette is excited that Valverde is still around and on form.

Thanks for the lynx @stb222 . I'm watching Paris-Roubaix now on Steephill.tv. Coverage is good, but the commentary is spotty, with a number of gaps / silence, or maybe Sean Kelly doesn't have as much to say as Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen who I am used to hearing on NBC Sports.

Good stuff though. I'm, glad to be able to watch it online.

 

[hotsauce]

I'll pick GVA for this one, he has been so close all spring and looked like he was in great form last weekend pre-crash.

 

[jackx]

I hate seeing that guy

 

[stb222]

Good race, was pulling for Stybar but it was not to be. On to the Ardennes!