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Time was I only used to watch the grand tours. These days I love the classics.
Always preferred the classics...SUPER excited!!!
Love the grand tours for the scenery but the classics for racing. Especially when it’s properly miserable weather and blowing a hoolie.
the cobbled/gravel climbs (or even the flat bits) are great for smashing any team tactics into oblivion leaving it a proper "mano e mano" contest.
be intersesting to see how Mr Pidcock does tomorrow, and it looks pretty lack luster from jumbo visma (other fish to fry? )
can't see past Alaphillipe for tomorrow though
can’t see past Alaphillipe for tomorrow though
Van Der Poel is racing isn't he?
he's not listed on the ALPECIN-FENIX roster
191 DE BONDT Dries BEL
192 DILLIER Silvan SUI
193 LEYSEN Senne BEL
194 MEURISSE Xandro BEL
195 RIESEBEEK Oscar NED
196 THWAITES Scott GBR
197 VERGAERDE Otto BEL
i guess he's covided
Bora look strong with Sagan leading
Having ridden and raced a little on some of those roads, it's hard to capture just how difficult those courses are to ride because the roads are so narrow and everyone wants to be at the front, particularly before each of the cobbled streets or climbs. I prefer Omloop as it takes in more of the classic Flandrien roads and uses the old RvV finale of the Muur/Kapelmuur followed by the Bosberg and finished in Ninove.
I was driving through Ninove exactly as the RvV finished one year - 500m from the finish as they were winding-up for the sprint and policeman wouldn't let us stop and watch 🤣
Van Der Poel is racing isn’t he?
Not the Omloop. He's doing KBK on Sunday.
Van Der Poel doing KBK not Omloop 😟
We went out to Omloop 2 years ago. Watched on Saturday. Rode on Sunday.
Stayed in a basic hotel with a great bistro downstairs, when we got back from the ride on Sunday we popped in and said we'd like to eat and they kept us a table and did us proud after we'd recovered from the miserable rain we ridden in for 4 hours.
what's going on with Jumbo Visma ? seems like they're not even riding KBK.
blimey they are not hanging around!!!
Loving this. The spring classics are fantastic anyway, but today’s is hitting the spot!
costly for dst that slip
Not really watched much racing over the years, don't know why. Have GCN+ now though and am enjoying it very much. Of course I know the classics by name and reputation and its great to actually see the races for once.
gutsy from pidcock! (he looks tiny)
gotta love the way Alaphillipe rides
This is finely poised. I've missed the (semi) Classics.
a breeze
Quite a few painful-looking accidents today!
Great start to the season today. Just calculated my TV schedule for the next 2 months, over 100 hours! And thats before catching any of the womens races. This may impact my training regime!
That image is now saved on my desktop
2 really good races. Shame the coverage of the Women's was a bit crap. Bring on KBK.
Yay, is the man god riding today?
Watched OHN with my 3yo and he says ‘the man with rainbows on is the best one.’ If you know, you know.
Got to say the teamwork ethic is strong at DQS - Alaphilippe does his turn at a breakaway, realises it isn't going to stick so rather than drifting back through the bunch and out the back to roll home, he gets stuck back in to help pull the train for the sprint.
Unless VdP can force a break today at KBK, can't see it not finishing in a bunch sprint.
Had forgotten (nearly) how sketchy thos narrow roads are for racing, or else maybe there was more overhead filming than usual - 😮
Was quite pleased that FBG, who apparently hates, loathes and detests exercise and cycling in particular, was getting quite sucked into watching it all unfold 🙂
What are people watching these on. Not a nassive racing fan but they're nice yo have on in the background
Had forgotten (nearly) how sketchy thos narrow roads are for racing, or else maybe there was more overhead filming than usual – 😮
We did a small sportive last July around the area. It really is a network of tiny roads. The only famous 'climb' we did was the Molenberg, and we didnt know we had done it until I saw a windmill at the top of this small climb.
If allowed, we intend to do some more this year, around £10 entry fee, really well organised, beer waiting when we got back to the start.
If you are interested in such thing, Cycling Vlanderen on FB is worth following, along with this site:
Flanders rides
They are a great organising body, most weeks through the winter they have a route featuring, mostly, off road trails, fully signposted, around 45km, free for all to try out, just go along and follow the arrows.
MVDP off the front with 85 to go
Is GCN working for others?
error communicating with server 🙁
Arse
peleton have wound it up.....
lol at the breakaway tucking in behind MVDP
MVPD needs to go again, the break are going to sit on him.
and now crosswinds 😀
Is GCN working for others?
Nope, paid £20 for it yesterday too ffs
Not sure VdP can hang out here, but I can see him getting caught yet still winning it.
he's being leant on for sure.
fascinating chase
love the Astana passenger 😀
Starting to look possible.
fantastic stuff
Harsh on the break!
That was a good race 🙂
was thinking towards the end what was Tom Pidcocks role is in this kind of race, turns out he's got quite the sprint on him, great third place in that kind of company and 2 days of hard racing.
I see Cav is riding tomorrow @ le samyn.
MVdP... Attacks with 85km to go, bridges to break, stays away until about 2or 3km to go, still finishes 12 in sprint...awesome.
Just heard that Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado could be doing women's Roubaix!! She awesome.
blimey Cav has made a breakaway!
some nasty crashes!
blimey Cav has made a breakaway!
Working hard in it too, who is the other quick step rider, cav went back to tell him to get up front and pedal!!!
looking like it's going to be decided on the last cobbled section
MVdP leads out with broken handlebars!!!
weather forecast for tuscany is looking perfect for saturday, sadly no rain.
Really looking forward Strada Bianchi. Such great scenery and really tough course. There is just no flat!
Excellent. Quite a different propspect to the Belgian races usually with brutal splits/breaks and smaller groups, lots of attacking and relentless power surges ! Can't wait.
Let's hope MVdP has some stronger handle bars!!
Let’s hope MVdP has some stronger goes easy on his handle bars!!
the worst thing about strade (being on first name terms 'n' all) is that by the time the coverage starts the race is usually already smashed to pieces.
I have antipasti and Italian beer at the ready.
I'm going out riding, funnily enough in Berks equivalent of Strada while it's in, so recording then catching up in the afternoon.
the worst thing about strade (being on first name terms ‘n’ all) is that by the time the coverage starts the race is usually already smashed to pieces.
In previous years yes, but I think Eurosport are showing two and a half hours of it this year.
I have antipasti and Italian beer at the ready.
Similar here, once I get my appetite back from the morning curry while watching the 4th Test. Looking like a good day.
morning curry
Last night's left over chicken curry cold for breakfast?
Last night’s left over chicken curry cold for breakfast?
Reheated rather than cold (I know, the food poisoning thing). Curry the next day is so much better with all the flavours getting to really come out.
Let’s hope MVdP has some stronger goes easy on his handle bars!!
Riding the Ultimate rather than aeroroad apparently
Let’s hope MVdP has some stronger handle bars!
Might have been a case of user error as non-shimano spec bands were used on to secure the brakes to the bar - and may have been over tightened?
Canyon seem to have issued a notice to owners warning the bars shouldn’t be used until for the moment.
Back to the racing, Eurosport and GCN have not only extended the men’s coverage but also the women’s. I’d argue the women’s race is equally worth a follow. I’ll be making a day of the Strade.
LOL at the helicopter getting lost 😀
looking like "girl on girl" action for the final climb!
mugged
race is on now! and puncture time.
come on Tom!
That's one hell of a front group.
Bernal and Pogacar don't seem to be doing much work.
Boom.
IMO Deserving of classic status - it’s a beautiful place to ride. The others are going to have to drop Ala as the finish suits him perfectly. Pidcock nodding - he’s stuffed
hanging on by his fingernails
caffeine gel time
Well MVDP hasn't got long COVID then.