The Classics

[Cav']

Yes, Katusha is even more useless than DDD at the moment.

 

I do however think we should wait till the end of the season before dissecting the rankings.

[Gen]

Yes, Katusha is even more useless than DDD at the moment.

 

I do however think we should wait till the end of the season before dissecting the rankings.

They need to start thinking about how to earn points differently..perhaps send stronger riders to smaller WT races where the point are less but more achievable?

 

They also really need to get rid of the dead weight who earn far to much.

 

When does the relegation system start..end of this year?

 

Edit -they scrapped the relegation thing which IMO is silly I liked the idea of a relegation battle.

 

https://www.velonews.com/2018/12/news/uci-to-roll-out-reform-light-by-2020_482522

Edited April 1, 2019 by Gen

[dsw]

As far as DDD is concerned, for me the biggest dissappointment is the lack of performance by Michael Valgren. I know he was sick a while ago but by now one would expect him to at least start living up to his well earned reputation as one of the best one day racers in the world.

[Gen]

As far as DDD is concerned, for me the biggest dissappointment is the lack of performance by Michael Valgren. I know he was sick a while ago but by now one would expect him to at least start living up to his well earned reputation as one of the best one day racers in the world.

Having 1 really good season with some good results doesn't elevate you to one of the best in the business..it means you had a few really good results that season and show signs of being able to possibly contest other big one day races in the future, being one of the best means you are right up there year in and year out..

 

But saying that Valgren is still young when it comes to the classics..he is 26ish? and there is hope that he will be right up there..but without a supporting team that will be very difficult.

 

He IMO is also better suited to the Ardennes..a little light for the cobbles ?

 

He probably also has an eye on LBL.. the new finish has also attracted interest from a lot of riders who in the past wouldn't even consider LBL.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Gen

[Shebeen]

Think he is looking at Pro cycling stats rankings and not the UCI rankings..two completely different ranking systems and Pro Cycling Stats are NOT official rankings..just their own formula

yes indeed. my problem with the UCI rankings is how they are put together, when a rider transfers the points should stay with the team

 

case in point - https://www.uci.org/road/rankings

go look at the DDD details, and the bulk of points all come from Valgren, Kreuziger and Gasparotto - when they were on other teams! only EBH and Gibbons have brought in significant points while wearing green helmets.

 

in short . we suck. let's hope it gets better from here

[Gen]

yes indeed. my problem with the UCI rankings is how they are put together, when a rider transfers the points should stay with the team

 

case in point - https://www.uci.org/road/rankings

go look at the DDD details, and the bulk of points all come from Valgren, Kreuziger and Gasparotto - when they were on other teams! only EBH and Gibbons have brought in significant points while wearing green helmets.

 

in short . we suck. let's hope it gets better from here

It is how they are able to hold onto WT status (together with DD financial backing and involvement in ASO races)

 

They find riders who have WT points and will be out of contract... A lot of teams adopt that strategy to survive as WT teams.

 

I am not a fan... and def not going to be a fan because on paper they are SA team.. I like some of their riders..but that's about it.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Gen

[Cav']

Having 1 really good season with some good results doesn't elevate you to one of the best in the business..it means you had a few really good results that season and show signs of being able to possibly contest other big one day races in the future, being one of the best means you are right up there year in and year out..

 

But saying that Valgren is still young when it comes to the classics..he is 26ish? and there is hope that he will be right up there..but without a supporting team that will be very difficult.

 

He IMO is also better suited to the Ardennes..a little light for the cobbles ?

 

He probably also has an eye on LBL.. the new finish has also attracted interest from a lot of riders who in the past wouldn't even consider LBL.

They have no reason not to perform well, I mean this line-up for Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday is supposed to be a bloody strong team (apart from Venter maybe):

Team Dimension Data

81 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald

82 VALGREN Michael

83 BAK Lars Ytting

84 VENTER Jaco

85 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt

86 NIZZOLO Giacomo

87 VERMOTE Julien

[Cav']

I can see Vermote going to a Belgian team (probably Lotto Soudal) in 2020

 

['Dale]

Such a fantastic pic from E3 by Gruber Images

 

 

 

[Gen]

They have no reason not to perform well, I mean this line-up for Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday is supposed to be a bloody strong team (apart from Venter maybe): Team Dimension Data

81 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald

82 VALGREN Michael

83 BAK Lars Ytting

84 VENTER Jaco

85 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt

86 NIZZOLO Giacomo

87 VERMOTE Julien

You would think hey

Who will be DS ?

 

And how is Bak still racing he is 39.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Gen

[Cav']

Such a fantastic pic from E3 by Gruber Images

 

 

 

That's my Avatar FYI (Portion of it)

['Dale]

Kirsten Wild does it again

The fine and painful art of deciding when to release the sprint in a headwind

 

['Dale]

He wasn't afraid to fail, The Viking

Went solo with about 45 kms to go, chasing the break.

 

What a pic of concentrated pain. 

 

Pic by Cor Vos

 

[Gen]

Will be interesting to see how many riders on the RVV startlist will be racing midweek.

 

I know Sags normally gives DDV a skip.

[Cav']

Will be interesting to see how many riders on the RVV startlist will be racing midweek.

 

I know Sags normally gives DDV a skip.

• Deceuninck - Quick Step
  1 LAMPAERT Yves

  2 GILBERT Philippe

  3 ASGREEN Kasper

  4 DECLERCQ Tim

  5 HODEG Álvaro José

  6 JUNGELS Bob

  7 KEISSE Iljo

• 2. Movistar Team
  11 VALVERDE Alejandro

  12 CASTRILLO Jaime

  13 ERVITI Imanol

  14 MAS Lluís

  15 OLIVEIRA Nelson

  16 ROELANDTS Jürgen

  17 SÜTTERLIN Jasha

• 3. CCC Team
  21 VAN AVERMAET Greg

  22 BERNAS Paweł

  23 MARECZKO Jakub

  24 SAJNOK Szymon

  25 VAN HOECKE Gijs

  26 VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume

  27 VENTOSO Francisco José

• 4. Lotto Soudal
  31 BENOOT Tiesj

  32 BLYTHE Adam

  33 DEWULF Stan

  34 KEUKELEIRE Jens

  35 MAES Nikolas

  36 NAESEN Lawrence

  37 VAN GOETHEM Brian

• 5. AG2R La Mondiale
  41 NAESEN Oliver

  42 BAGDONAS Gediminas

  43 DENZ Nico

  44 DILLIER Silvan

  45 DUVAL Julien

  46 GODON Dorian

  47 VANDENBERGH Stijn

• 6. EF Education First
  51 VANMARCKE Sep

  52 BETTIOL Alberto

  53 BRESCHEL Matti

  54 DOCKER Mitchell

  55 LANGEVELD Sebastian

  56 SCULLY Tom

  57 VAN DEN BERG Julius

• 7. Trek - Segafredo
  61 STUYVEN Jasper

  62 DE KORT Koen

  63 FRAME Alex

  64 KIRSCH Alex

  65 MULLEN Ryan

  66 PEDERSEN Mads

  67 THEUNS Edward

• 8. Bahrain Merida
  71 COLBRELLI Sonny

  72 GARCÍA CORTINA Iván

  73 HAUSSLER Heinrich

  74 KOREN Kristijan

  75 MOHORIČ Matej

  76 PIBERNIK Luka

  77 TRATNIK Jan

• 9. Team Dimension Data
  81 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald

  82 VALGREN Michael

  83 BAK Lars Ytting

  84 VENTER Jaco

  85 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt

  86 NIZZOLO Giacomo

  87 VERMOTE Julien

• 10. UAE-Team Emirates
  91 KRISTOFF Alexander

  92 GAVIRIA Fernando

  93 BYSTRØM Sven Erik

  94 LAENGEN Vegard Stake

  95 MARCATO Marco

  96 PHILIPSEN Jasper

  97 TROIA Oliviero

• 11. Team Katusha - Alpecin
  101 DEBUSSCHERE Jens

  102 BIERMANS Jenthe

  103 HALLER Marco

  104 HOLLENSTEIN Reto

  105 KUZNETSOV Vyacheslav

  106 POLITT Nils

  107 WÜRTZ SCHMIDT Mads

• 12. Groupama - FDJ
  111 DÉMARE Arnaud

  112 GUARNIERI Jacopo

  113 KONOVALOVAS Ignatas

  114 KÜNG Stefan

  115 LE GAC Olivier

  116 SCOTSON Miles

  117 SINKELDAM Ramon

• 13. Astana Pro Team
  121 DE VREESE Laurens

  122 BALLERINI Davide

  123 BIZHIGITOV Zhandos

  124 BOHÓRQUEZ Hernando

  125 GIDICH Yevgeniy

  126 GRUZDEV Dmitriy

  127 HOULE Hugo

• 14. Direct Energie
  131 TERPSTRA Niki

  132 CALMEJANE Lilian

  133 GAUDIN Damien

  134 LIGTHART Pim

  135 PETIT Adrien

  136 PICHOT Alexandre

  137 TURGIS Anthony

• 15. BORA - hansgrohe
  141 ACKERMANN Pascal

  142 DRUCKER Jempy

  143 PFINGSTEN Christoph

  144 PÖSTLBERGER Lukas

  145 SAGAN Juraj

  146 SCHILLINGER Andreas

  147 SCHWARZMANN Michael

• 16. Team Jumbo-Visma
  151 TEUNISSEN Mike

  152 EENKHOORN Pascal

  153 JANSEN Amund Grøndahl

  154 ROOSEN Timo

  155 VAN DER HOORN Taco

  156 VAN POPPEL Danny

  157 WYNANTS Maarten

• 17. Mitchelton-Scott
  162 AFFINI Edoardo

  163 MEZGEC Luka

  165 HEPBURN Michael

  166 JUUL-JENSEN Christopher

  167 SCOTSON Callum

• 18. Team Sky
  171 ROWE Luke

  172 BASSO Leonardo

  173 DOULL Owain

  174 HALVORSEN Kristoffer

  175 LAWLESS Chris

  176 STANNARD Ian

  177 SWIFT Ben

• 19. Team Sunweb
  181 FRÖHLINGER Johannes

  182 BOL Cees

  183 CURVERS Roy

  184 HIRSCHI Marc

  185 KRAGH ANDERSEN Asbjørn

  186 STORK Florian

  187 WALSCHEID Max

• 20. Corendon - Circus
  191 VAN DER POEL Mathieu

  192 DE BONDT Dries

  193 DEVOLDER Stijn

  194 JANS Roy

  195 JANSSENS Jimmy

  196 HANSEN Lasse Norman

  197 VERGAERDE Otto

• 21. Wanty - Gobert Cycling Team
  201 BACKAERT Frederik

  202 BAUGNIES Jérôme

  203 DE GENDT Aimé

  204 DUPONT Timothy

  205 PASQUALON Andrea

  206 VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter

  207 VLIEGEN Loïc

• 22. Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
  211 LAPORTE Christophe

  212 CLAEYS Dimitri

  213 LEMOINE Cyril

  214 SOUPE Geoffrey

  215 VAN LERBERGHE Bert

  216 VANBILSEN Kenneth

  217 WAEYTENS Zico

• 23. Vital Concept - B&B Hotels
  221 COQUARD Bryan

  222 BOECKMANS Kris

  223 DE BACKER Bert

  224 GAREL Adrien

  225 TURGIS Jimmy

  226 MORICE Julien

  227 VAN GENECHTEN Jonas

• 24. Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise
  231 ALLEGAERT Piet

  232 CAPIOT Amaury

  233 DECLERCQ Benjamin

  234 GHYS Robbe

  235 NOPPE Christophe

  236 PLANCKAERT Emiel

  237 WILLEMS Thimo

• 25. Israel Cycling Academy
  241 VAN ASBROECK Tom

  242 BOIVIN Guillaume

  243 CARISEY Clément

  244 DEMPSTER Zak

  245 GOLDSTEIN Roy

  246 RÄIM Mihkel

  247 DUNNE Conor

[Cav']

I'd watch the defending champ again.

 

Or GvA will finally get his win.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Cav'