T-Bob Posted April 9, 2015 Author Posted April 9, 2015 I know it's only about a 1/4 way through the season but anyone else think that Dougie Ryder & MTN seem to have gambled a bit on collection of old hands who are a looking past their prime / unwanted by their previous teams rather than talented riders who just didn't get a crack at their own chances? The young SA guys seems to be doing the best at the moment, and their tame irishman did win his weight in beer so its not all bad news. I'd actually forgotten that they'd signed Matt Goss this year! At the time I thought that was a donkey move.
gummibear Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 Indeed, gummi' Any rain clouds about like that magical stage Stage 5 of Le Tour 2014?small chance of rain for Saturday but partly cloudy and warm at 20 on Sunday [emoji106][emoji106]
GrumpyOldGuy Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 I went away to warmer climates over Easter so I had to record the Ronde Van Vlaanderen and only got to watch it last night. To be honest I thought Greg Van Avermaet looked the strongest at the end, it was just a pity he started his run a bit late or I think Kristoff may have had his hands full as Greg is also pretty handy in the sprints. Never the less, Kristoff is on a roll and when its all going your way confidence levels soar, so one would be hard pressed to bet against him for PR, but I will still be rooting for Wiggins, I think, if this was his goal he will be there boots and all, and if its decided in the Velodrome, its unlikely anyone will beat Wiggins with his experience on the track.
T-Bob Posted April 9, 2015 Author Posted April 9, 2015 Great images from Ronde by Kristoff Ramon on Cyclingtips Here
T-Bob Posted April 9, 2015 Author Posted April 9, 2015 And a great photo retrospective of Roubaix ahead of the weekend. Here. This is gold: http://images.cyclingtips.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CORVOS_00004091-043.jpg
T-Bob Posted April 9, 2015 Author Posted April 9, 2015 And the infamous Kelly Quote: A Paris–Roubaix without rain is not a true Paris–Roubaix. Throw in a little snow as well, it’s not serious.” – Sean Kelly
GrumpyOldGuy Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 And the infamous Kelly Quote: A Paris–Roubaix without rain is not a true Paris–Roubaix. Throw in a little snow as well, it’s not serious.” – Sean Kelly Ha, Ha,Yeah, a bit of Irish humour.!
tombeej Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 "De Revelatie", the young full time university student called Tiesj Benoot who came 5th at De Ronde, will be on the start line for Paris Roubaix. The Belgians are pinning all sorts of hopes on him for the future, and he's been trying to duck the media circus since his brilliant result last weekend. One of the papers, pointing out that it was a better debut at De Ronde than either Boonen or Cancellara:
tombeej Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Who is Tiesj Benoot? "When the Tour of Flanders was over, not all the journalists who were attending the race rushed to take an interview to Alexander Kristoff, the winner of the 99th edition. The Belgians, left without a top contender for this year’s race after Tom Boonen’s injury, were more interested in getting a reaction from Tiesj Benoot. And why not, considering that Lotto-Soudal’s rider (just 21 years and 25 days at the start of the race) wrote a little piece of history, by becoming the best placed neo-pro in the last 41 years of Flanders, as well as the youngest rider since 1973 to finish in the top 10 of De Ronde." "Then, last Sunday, in the Tour of Flanders, he launched a late and surprising attack, with about 2,5 km to go, that netted him 5th place, just 36 seconds behind the winner, after a 264 km-long battle of attrition. The Belgian press was ecstatic after this result and dubbed him “the new Museeuw”. But they’re wrong, because he’s the first Tiesj Benoot and has every chance of becoming a cycling legend in the following decade, as almost every one-day race is within his reach." From the Cafe Roubaix website
SwissVan Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Looks like its going to be a dry and dusty race My dosh is on Geraint Thomas or Wiggins or Terprstra or Degenkolb No Belgians?
Long Wheel Base Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Interesting fork on that Pina...CORVOS_00000617-036.jpgClearly if you wore a helmut you where too slow. Those helmut wearing guys are dropping back.
T-Bob Posted April 10, 2015 Author Posted April 10, 2015 Interesting fork on that Pina...CORVOS_00000617-036.jpg How did the guy 3rd in line get hold of one of the new, breakthrough aero helmets from 2015?! I reckon: - Kristoff will be marked out of the game esp' if he's still there at Carrefour de l'Arbre. His recent form means no one will want to take him to the line, they'll attack and everyone else will look to him to shut it down. He won't have much support in the last 50kms- Wiggins will have to do something different as sprint blistering attacks down the left aren't really his style maybe a big pursuit style effort @ Gruson to dislodge and break the rest? - Lars Boom will be a dark horse to watch- VanMarcke should be a force but his form seems to have dipped recently- GVA is an other year along, super strong but again just in the wrong place, repeatedly. - Sagan will either kill it this year or die trying but is his head to messed up and over thinking things?- Terpstra is looking like top 5 if not podium (aka if Ettixx snatch defeat from the jaws of victory again)- Gee & Stannard could make it a very interesting finale with Wiggins as all in good form, all know the cobbles and have done well. Better believe they won't try Ronde tactics this time around- Deginkolb will be one to watch as a quiet fav. His team seems to have been absent from the front for most of the classics but they are always, looking after him, putting him in the right places and avoiding doing much grunt work for km's on end Winner? Not a clue, it's wider open this year. It's Roubaix. I would (flame suit on) like Wiggins to win. He has such an appreciation for the history of the race, despite whether you like him or not his record is outstanding across all elements of bike racing and this and the hour would make him one of the most complete cyclists of our generation. This is his last race for Sky, a team he gambled a bit on, and has helped reshape a lot of the cycling landscape in the peloton and in the UK as a whole since they arrived on the scene.
Gen Posted April 12, 2015 Posted April 12, 2015 We have TV coverage. . And stupid Phil and Paul as commentators. Why can't we have Eurosport commentators, Jens is commentating there today.
HappyMartin Posted April 12, 2015 Posted April 12, 2015 And we are live!!! Yeeeehaaa. 145km to go break 7:49 up the road. Nine riders
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