This!maquisard wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:09 amYes, go for a ride, Eurosport on Demand is brilliant nowadays. You can watch the entire stage anytime it suits.
One of life's great pleasures in the summer is going for a long bike ride, arriving home incredibly tired and then collapsing on the sofa to watch the TdF.
2018 PRO thread
Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team
Ride lots!
Chapeau to Julian Alaphilippe for Fleche Wallonne win, hugely impressive out of the saddle sprint up the mur de huy.. Valverde in second was just totally outpowered... The most interesting, attacking, Fleche Wallonne I can remember seeing for a while. I'd have liked to have seen Nibbles take the win from the break but he was simply asking too much from himself, I like watching 'one day Nibbles' he's much more fun than GC Nibbles.
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
-
- Resident master of GIF
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:44 am
- Contact:
x2peted76 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:58 amChapeau to Julian Alaphilippe for Fleche Wallonne win, hugely impressive out of the saddle sprint up the mur de huy.. Valverde in second was just totally outpowered... The most interesting, attacking, Fleche Wallonne I can remember seeing for a while. I'd have liked to have seen Nibbles take the win from the break but he was simply asking too much from himself, I like watching 'one day Nibbles' he's much more fun than GC Nibbles.
me and my buddy had a lengthy discussion on if nibali will win another GT before he retires .... and if he should go after the one day races/ monuments
i wonder if he has the explosiveness for fleche, but LBL is a possibility for his skill set. So that would be MSR, Lombardia, LBL*, and possiblyyyyyy fleche (athough not monument)? he rides the cobbles decent too haha
-
- Posts: 2315
- Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 1:39 pm
- Contact:
I have a soft spot for watching the Fleche-Wallone race... to me, there's something kind of romantic about the fact that it just always comes down to that final hill. I think it is something that every cyclist can relate to, sprinting against your buddies for that final town sprint line. There are other races, with huge climbs and epic mountain passes, races with nasty cobble stone sectors and all of that good stuff, but there's something about that short, steep Mur de Huy that is so relatable to me... maybe because its one of the few world tour races that is most similar to the kind of small farm roads that I ride on in NJ, with short, sharp climbs.
Yesterday's race was exciting, first with Kwiato trying to bridge up to the break early, then with Nibbles Jack Haig catching and pushing the break... it was more exciting than previous editions, but once again, it still comes down to the final hill. Alaphillipe played it perfectly... having Schachmann up the road really allowed him to just sit back and not force his hand. He can be a little over-ambitious at times and I think that the make up of riders up the road calmed his tendencies a little... in a sense, he saved his matches for when he really needed them. I really like watching him race. He's always fighting, climbing, descending.
this picture says it all.
Yesterday's race was exciting, first with Kwiato trying to bridge up to the break early, then with Nibbles Jack Haig catching and pushing the break... it was more exciting than previous editions, but once again, it still comes down to the final hill. Alaphillipe played it perfectly... having Schachmann up the road really allowed him to just sit back and not force his hand. He can be a little over-ambitious at times and I think that the make up of riders up the road calmed his tendencies a little... in a sense, he saved his matches for when he really needed them. I really like watching him race. He's always fighting, climbing, descending.
this picture says it all.
Is it just me, or does Froome ride un-Froome like in the Tour of the Alps? Attacking on more different spots, keep riding full gas on the head of a group while they are all on his wheel. I know it's just a built up race, but I can't remember seeing Froome ride like this.
Also Astana really got wings since their possible sponsor problems in early spring, decently good in the spring classics and now amazingly strong in the Tour of the Alps with always the highest number in the final group. Wonder if they got extra motivation for Scarpino to ride like this in the Tour of the Alps. (Yes I know it's Astana just don't feel like going into the negative spiral about possible strong results)
Also Astana really got wings since their possible sponsor problems in early spring, decently good in the spring classics and now amazingly strong in the Tour of the Alps with always the highest number in the final group. Wonder if they got extra motivation for Scarpino to ride like this in the Tour of the Alps. (Yes I know it's Astana just don't feel like going into the negative spiral about possible strong results)
+1. He rides much freer, never afraid to roll the dice and gamble. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't. He is exceptional at riding to his strengths, and making the most of his opportunities. As I've said before, he is such an intelligent racer.
"Deserve's got nothing to do with it." William Munny
Valverde was in the wheel of Alaphillipe for a while but he let go , so Kreuziger and Wellens passed him but soon they were losing ground.
I wonder if he made a mistake or if he couldn't follow.
He almost came back but then he blew up : https://youtu.be/9hDvZiheaMg?t=1000
I wonder if he made a mistake or if he couldn't follow.
He almost came back but then he blew up : https://youtu.be/9hDvZiheaMg?t=1000
Valverde also was ‘t much weaker then previous years, his Huy times:
Alejandro Valverde's climbing times on Mur de Huy:
2018: 2:52
2017: 2:53
2016: 2:52
2015: 2:53
2014: 2:41 (ALL-TIME RECORD)
2006: 2:51
Credit: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/statu ... 07424?s=21
Alejandro Valverde's climbing times on Mur de Huy:
2018: 2:52
2017: 2:53
2016: 2:52
2015: 2:53
2014: 2:41 (ALL-TIME RECORD)
2006: 2:51
Credit: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/statu ... 07424?s=21
Maybe the difference is that the attacks aren’t sticking, but didn’t he ride a bit like this in his early Romandie or Dauphine wins?Rondje wrote: ↑Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:11 pmIs it just me, or does Froome ride un-Froome like in the Tour of the Alps? Attacking on more different spots, keep riding full gas on the head of a group while they are all on his wheel. I know it's just a built up race, but I can't remember seeing Froome ride like this.
I agree with wingguy, this is typical Froome. Lots of repeated high cadence attacks with everyone on his tail, an occassional glance back to see if anyone is dropped. Reminds me of Dauphine 2014, one of the times when Contador had the pace to match Froome. Froome's attacks were very much like they are now, just with Contador stuck to his wheel.
Froome's personal issues have perhaps knocked a few % off his level.
That said, on stage 4 of the TdAlps today even if the attacks didnt always appear intelligent he at least tried against the 5 Astana guys, whereas the others sat up in the final 5 km and let the Astanas attack. What did they think would happen? I guess he's giving himself a good workout in the hope that the killer form comes for the Giro. But the only problem is that Aru and others are doing the same.
Totally agree re Pozzovivo style comments.
That said, on stage 4 of the TdAlps today even if the attacks didnt always appear intelligent he at least tried against the 5 Astana guys, whereas the others sat up in the final 5 km and let the Astanas attack. What did they think would happen? I guess he's giving himself a good workout in the hope that the killer form comes for the Giro. But the only problem is that Aru and others are doing the same.
Totally agree re Pozzovivo style comments.
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com