2015 'PRO' cycling discussion

[nathanong87]

yea my legs are still burning from seeing phil and matthews on the cauberg. Kudos for matthews... he was in the hurt locker for sure. suffer score over 9000

[Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez]

Impressive ride from Valverde, you can't even see him in the picture (probably behind Gasparotto on the 2nd gif)

He kept fresh legs for the false flat at the top of Cauberg and came back with terrific ease

[hasbeen]

I think Gilbert left a little in the tank there at the end. Next weekend winner!?

[bruno2000]

If the race stays 'closed' next sunday...Gilbert will be the guy to beat I believe...

In general watching cycling on television is geting boring...It's even worse this season.
I believe if UCI, teams and organisers does not change anything quickly, cycling will be less and less attractive.
If you are passionate about cycling like I am, you still love to watch all the race on TV but the occasional viewer will not keep on watching.
I loved it when belgian TV broadcasted nearly the complete Tour of Flanders. But actually all the action is only in the last 15km.
Milan-San Remo? Start watching at the beginning of the Poggio and you didn't miss a thing.
Tour of Flanders? Start watching at the final climb of the Kwaremont and you didn't miss a thing.
Amstel Gold Race? Start watching the final climb of the Cauberg and you didn't miss a thing.
Liege-Bastogne-Liege...I guess if you start watching TV at the last clim Cote de Saint Nicolas, you will not miss a thing.

It seems like all races are becoming like the World Championships.
If you watch the last lap, you will not miss any action...

[Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez]

If the race stays 'closed' next sunday...Gilbert will be the guy to beat I believe...
..

Valverde owns him in the climbs and in the sprint.

On-form Nibali and Fuglsang duo could be a game changer setting an attacking race.

[Rondje]

If the race stays 'closed' next sunday...Gilbert will be the guy to beat I believe...

In general watching cycling on television is geting boring...It's even worse this season.
I believe if UCI, teams and organisers does not change anything quickly, cycling will be less and less attractive.
If you are passionate about cycling like I am, you still love to watch all the race on TV but the occasional viewer will not keep on watching.
I loved it when belgian TV broadcasted nearly the complete Tour of Flanders. But actually all the action is only in the last 15km.
Milan-San Remo? Start watching at the beginning of the Poggio and you didn't miss a thing.
Tour of Flanders? Start watching at the final climb of the Kwaremont and you didn't miss a thing.
Amstel Gold Race? Start watching the final climb of the Cauberg and you didn't miss a thing.
Liege-Bastogne-Liege...I guess if you start watching TV at the last clim Cote de Saint Nicolas, you will not miss a thing.

It seems like all races are becoming like the World Championships.
If you watch the last lap, you will not miss any action...

I do agree that most races get to boring, the only thing that can make it interesting at the moment is the weather. For example at Gent - Wevelgem the final started at the 130km point when the peloton got shattered by crosswinds. Maybe teams should be smaller which will make it harder to control the race.
But for the Amstel the biggest problem is the "new" finish. Before they changed the finish line from Maastricht to the Cauberg you actually had a chance to win if you attacked at the Keuteberg and could stay ahead of the peloton at the Cauberg. But now with the finish so close to the Cauberg it's just a bit like Waalse Pijl (Flèche Wallonne) race all day to get people tired then sprint up a hill. But the Cauberg doesn't come close to the "Muur van Huy" as far as heroics/pain goes.

[djconnel]

Disagree M-SR was boring: it has a crescendo aspect, building to the final climb. Saying you should cut to the Poggio is like saying just cut to the end of the final movement of a Beethoven symphony. The symphony's finale can only be appreciated if you listen to the rest. Watching the pack rage up the Cipressa is simply amazing, more so having ridden it myself.

But I've not ridden any of Amstel Gold. I saw only the final 10 km on youtube. It wasn't boring, but it lacked the history of M-SR which makes that so engrossing. Maybe if I'd watched 40 km I'd have appreciated it more. Maybe in part it was the parked cars at the side of the road riders needed to dodge. That partially spoiled it. It just seemed a bit silly. The Cauberg at least was intense.

I do very have fond memories for the San Francisco Grand Prix, which was an incredible race before it was destroyed by absurd politics. There was nothing boring about that -- fans went crazy every time the riders scaled Fillmore or Taylor in San Francisco.

But MSR, Flanders, and PR were all engrossing in anticipation. I didn't feel as much of that in Amstel Gold.

[KWalker]

If the race stays 'closed' next sunday...Gilbert will be the guy to beat I believe...
..

Valverde owns him in the climbs and in the sprint.

On-form Nibali and Fuglsang duo could be a game changer setting an attacking race.

Gilbert has beaten him more times in the Ardennes than vice versa technically.

[Pieter]

Problem is that too many riders think they can win or be close enough to get world tour points. But really, only about 5 have a real chance of winning. So all the riders other than Gilbert, Kwiatkowski, Valverde and Matthews (for this race, some other names like Rodriguez and Martin for LBL), should go with an attack a la Nibali. If you get a group at the front with 7 Nibali's at 20-30 k from the finish, the favourites will have to burn many teammates which means a less controlled race.

And Valverde is mostly stronger than Gilbert in LBL since it's more climbing.

[nathanong87]

Problem is that too many riders think they can win or be close enough to get world tour points. But really, only about 5 have a real chance of winning. So all the riders other than Gilbert, Kwiatkowski, Valverde and Matthews (for this race, some other names like Rodriguez and Martin for LBL), should go with an attack a la Nibali. If you get a group at the front with 7 Nibali's at 20-30 k from the finish, the favourites will have to burn many teammates which means a less controlled race.

And Valverde is mostly stronger than Gilbert in LBL since it's more climbing.

i mean...that's what the schlecks thought too.

[tymon_tm]

chapeau to Kwiatkowski - he outsprinted the bunch being out in the open like a boss

what was pretty noticeable was the lack of control from the peloton. amongst the escapes, that Fulsgang/Avermaet move could've made it, I can't understand why GVA wasn't allowed to try to win the race. there's a saying that comes from football (soccer) that missed chances often retaliate. the bunch seems strong and even, therefore Gilbert's and Matthews' attack was bound to be chased down. it seems like solo attacks aren't the way to go this season, which is fine as it only adds to the drama.

and if someone doesn't find this spring exciting, maybe getting doctor's prescription for prozac is a solution

[Pieter]

Problem is that too many riders think they can win or be close enough to get world tour points. But really, only about 5 have a real chance of winning. So all the riders other than Gilbert, Kwiatkowski, Valverde and Matthews (for this race, some other names like Rodriguez and Martin for LBL), should go with an attack a la Nibali. If you get a group at the front with 7 Nibali's at 20-30 k from the finish, the favourites will have to burn many teammates which means a less controlled race.

And Valverde is mostly stronger than Gilbert in LBL since it's more climbing.

i mean...that's what the schlecks thought too.

Was thinking about to write except for 2011. Gilbert will never again be like he was in 2011.

[Rondje]

But I've not ridden any of Amstel Gold. I saw only the final 10 km on youtube. It wasn't boring, but it lacked the history of M-SR which makes that so engrossing. Maybe if I'd watched 40 km I'd have appreciated it more. Maybe in part it was the parked cars at the side of the road riders needed to dodge. That partially spoiled it. It just seemed a bit silly. The Cauberg at least was intense.

But MSR, Flanders, and PR were all engrossing in anticipation. I didn't feel as much of that in Amstel Gold.

The thing that makes the Amstel Gold hard is that they are constantly going uphill (31 climbs) which just slowly tire the riders. And the constant turning around, riding there myself a few times a year i gotta to say i still feel lost sometimes. And then you have to see who still is the strongest in the end. I'm not sure if you get a better feeling of the race if you see more km's of the race tho, you probably have to feel it in your legs :p. It's just a different kind of race (more a hard one instead of a beautifull one) and isn't old enough yet (like the other classics) to give it the historic extra dimension.

[Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez]

If the race stays 'closed' next sunday...Gilbert will be the guy to beat I believe...
..

Valverde owns him in the climbs and in the sprint.

On-form Nibali and Fuglsang duo could be a game changer setting an attacking race.

Gilbert has beaten him more times in the Ardennes than vice versa technically.

Only during his time at Omega with spanish doctor than had nicely taken care of Saunier Duval just before...

His sudden surge of performance, including in really hard route like Lombardie or Liège was more than suspicious, and his drop of performance after that quite confirms the doubt.

Doping aparté closed.

Anyway, these days, Valverde is better than Gilbert for a race that has climbs exceeding 1.5 / 2 km. Gilbert still unbeatable on "his" Cauberg.

Since he joined BMC, he's 16th, 7th, 8th at LBL. Last year was the perfect scenario for Gilbert but he faded while a "bulldog" like Gerrans was still there with fresh legs.

[boots2000]

When Gilbert had his medical program dialed he could telegraph an attack like this and carry it to the line- no more.
I have sure Valverde had a solid medical program as well.
It is my belief that Valverde is super talented because he still wins races on a lessor medical program (notice I did not say clean).

If the race stays 'closed' next sunday...Gilbert will be the guy to beat I believe...
..

Valverde owns him in the climbs and in the sprint.

On-form Nibali and Fuglsang duo could be a game changer setting an attacking race.

Gilbert has beaten him more times in the Ardennes than vice versa technically.

Only during his time at Omega with spanish doctor than had nicely taken care of Saunier Duval just before...

His sudden surge of performance, including in really hard route like Lombardie or Liège was more than suspicious, and his drop of performance after that quite confirms the doubt.

Doping aparté closed.

Anyway, these days, Valverde is better than Gilbert for a race that has climbs exceeding 1.5 / 2 km. Gilbert still unbeatable on "his" Cauberg.

Since he joined BMC, he's 16th, 7th, 8th at LBL. Last year was the perfect scenario for Gilbert but he faded while a "bulldog" like Gerrans was still there with fresh legs.