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Well sort of... not quite the classics just yet, but this weekend is the first of the events with the big ones coming up soon.
Anyone else looking forward to them ?
oh yes
best part of the year for road racing, by miles
"big boys" are keeping their powder dry for Strada Bianca the weekend after this, though Tom "wall of death on a tt bike" Piddock is riding Nieuwsblad (sp) Saturday.
Looking forward to it. Went over to Oudenaarde last Sept for a long weekend of riding so will be interesting to watch them again this year knowing just what the roads and climbs are like.
The only downside to Spring Classics is having to make sure I get all my riding done during the week so I can fester in front of the telly all weekend with Belgian beer.
The only downside to Spring Classics is having to make sure I get all my riding done during the week so I can fester in front of the telly all weekend with Belgian beer.
Definitely this
I'm going to miss most of the racing live... so it's either highlights or recorded versions for the whole of them really. I don't think there's a weekend we're about for 1 day, let alone both.
Where can we get the races, or highlights? Is it just Eurosport or GCN?
Where can we get the races, or highlights? Is it just Eurosport or GCN?
cyclingfans.com used to be great for links to all the races, but often they are georestricted and in the end it was just much easier to sign up for GCN
It's the only part of the road racing season I really look forward to.
We're going to be in Bruges this weekend so I might have to see how easy it is to get across to Ghent for the start of the race.
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/omloop-het-nieuwsblad/2023/startlist
Jumbo Visma with a strong squad.. Laporte ?
Quick Step of course taking a strong one too.
Maybe the boy wonder Pidcock ? All of the old favourites playing, Stuyven, Van Avermat, Asgreen, Sagan, Vanmarke etc...
Looking at the startlist for Omloop, most teams have at least one rider who could be interesting. Even Movistar.
Really hope that Intermarché and EF continue to race the way they have been in the earlier races - they've been great fun to watch.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Stefan Kung fanclub:
https://twitter.com/GroupamaFDJ/status/1509945252529983493?s=20
@crazy-legs
That's the 2022 start list.
This should be this years race:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/omloop-het-nieuwsblad-we/2023/startlist
Bugger! Was on my phone, just copied the wrong link. Thanks for the correction!
/embarrassed face
Women’s start list is here:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2022-omloop-het-nieuwsblad-women-start-list/
No Cecilia Ludwig - queen of the post-race interview 🙁
No Cecilia Ludwig
She is if you look at the correct link.
As for the men, Kasper Asgreen is looking good.
Annameik va Vleuten is just back from a couple of months training in Colombia. She'll probably manage to win on a single sea-level breath.
Quick mention this morning to Mrs Crossed about it being Omloop this weekend, her response was...
"well we're already in Bruges so might as well got the train to Ghent for the start, it's only 30 minutes each way and £20 return"
Happy days!!
Bargain... Last year i went to the E3 Herelbeke and the Gent Wevelgem, both were absolutely brilliant days..beers, laughs, chats, banter.... awesome time.
Not just the best part of the cycling year, best part of the entire sporting year. I have a good supply of Belgian beer laid in for the eight week “who will beat Quick-Step” fest.
Well i'd assume both Jumbo and Alpecin will be doing just that.
I have a good supply of Belgian beer laid in for the eight week “who will beat Quick-Step” fest.
We may well be stocking up on the drive back to Calais on Sunday!
Well I took a little tumble yesterday hopping my bike over a fallen tree and have cracked a few ribs, so will be making full use of my eurosport subscription for a few weeks. Happy days! 😁
Jumbo's classics squad looking ridiculous now that they have van Baarle. The start list for this weekend looks great and that's with WVA still to come in.
De Lie is bookies favourite for Omloop..
Is there usually a STW velogames for the classics?
Is there usually a STW velogames for the classics?
@NBT is usually the one for Velogames stuff, he seems to be the forum regular for the grand tour ones anyway!
he was racing in the Zwift world champs recently too... he's a crazy boy.
Victor Campenaerts set to use Classified hub and monster chainring at Opening Weekend
A 62T chainring, narrow bars, Classified gearing and wide tyres are just part of his unusual Classics setup
What happens if he punctures? Stuck in a 62T chainring if gets a regular new wheel?
Right I'm just popping out to get the beers in.
What happens if he punctures? Stuck in a 62T chainring if gets a regular new wheel?
My guess would be that there's a spare bike with a more regular set-up, the mechanics can take the whole bike and potentially change the wheel or fix the puncture (I assume he's running tubeless...?) in a slightly less stressed situation then swap him back to it later.
Maybe there's even a second bike with the same set-up...
Those Classified hubs aren't cheap though.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow! Early road ride for me, back in time for the last couple of hours of racing. 🙂
No spoilers on rest of forum please. I'll stay out of this thread until Monday.
been a few showers knocking around today but dry tomorrow with a bit of an "edgey" northerly 10-11 mile an hourer. Can't wait though riding early morning tomorrow means regressing back too nearly full winter kit 🙁
Preview here from the ever reliable Inrng:
https://inrng.com/2023/02/omloop-preview-2023/
And the Women's Race preview:
https://procyclinguk.com/omloop-het-nieuwsblad-women-2023-race-preview/
Pidcock then, can't help but think INEOS must be thinking it's time for him to shit or get off the pot as far as classics are concerned. I would expect they want him to be a grand tour rider long term, if he wants to be a classics rider like an Alaphileppe type it's time to start getting results.
The idea of him racing down the Poggio is making my sphincters twitch already
I dunno. I think Pidcock's already won today:
https://twitter.com/INEOSGrenadiers/status/1629433253261197314?s=20
Just back from my ride, settling in with EuroSport for the afternoon. 🙂
rusty peleton 🙁
Settling in with GCN+....
oooh wet cobbles 🙂
Great races. No spoilers from me.
Start list for tomorrow's Men's Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/kuurne-brussel-kuurne/2023/startlist
Quick rundown of the parcours and the favourites here:
https://www.cyclingstage.com/kuurne-brussels-kuurne-2023/favourites-kbk-2023/
Hands up who predicted that the team with the most Brits in a Belgian classic would be FDJ.
just going to post Jumbo dishing out the pain, and wham Jasper down in a heap hard!
That poor Uno-X rider looked in a bad way as well. 🙁
Jumbo on form!
they've smashed it with 80k tp go!
What would really help is F1-style graphics - picking out individual riders, is the gap going out or coming down, speed and so on. For small breakaway groups, the rider names should be on the screen the whole time.
A few weeks ago, Anthony McCrossan (commentator) asked on Twitter what info people wanted to see on screen and there were loads of replies about power and HR. How about just getting the basics on there?!
Climb name and profile would be good too.
Well, only one team there. And it wasn’t INEOS.
Good finish!
And we move to Italy next week for Strada Bianche!
can't believe Alaphilippe is riding it again this year after the torrid time he's had before... the man has no fear 🙂
can’t believe Alaphilippe is riding it again this year after the torrid time he’s had before… the man has no fear 🙂
What, like winning in 2019?🤓🤪
crazy-legs
Full Member
And we move to Italy next week for Strada Bianche!
2nd best Monument behind P-R 😉.
best Monument behind PR, RVV, MSR, Tour of Lombardy & LBL (and Tros Bro Leon & Omloop) ftfy 😉
best Monument behind PR, RVV, MSR, Tour of Lombardy & LBL (and Tros Bro Leon & Omloop) ftfy 😉
It's the most photogenic of the early season races!
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It’s the most photogenic of the early season races!
The spring races aren’t meant to be photogenic; they’re black and white photos, misery and dirt, hardship and the working class roots of cycling, Mercx, Kelly and De Vlaeminck not poncing around in Tuscany 😉
kilo
Full Member
best Monument behind PR, RVV, MSR, Tour of Lombardy & LBL
I'd be amazed if Milan-San Remo is even the best bike race finishing in San Remo, let alone better than SB.
best Monument behind PR, RVV, MSR, Tour of Lombardy & LBL (and Tros Bro Leon & Omloop) ftfy 😉
😂 nah it’s the best monument (that isn’t). It’s (Strada) my favourite race of the early season. But far to picturesque (as others have said) to be a grit and grime monument. Tro Bro is an amazing race. It has a sense of history and place that is absolutely tangible.
Tro Bro is an amazing race.
Yes! I still revisit the YouTube footage from that particularly wet edition one or two seasons past, motorbikes going down in front of riders and team cars in ditches 😂
Actually, Le Samyn and Le Samyn Des Dammes both on tomorrow.
Men's startlist:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/gp-samyn/2023/startlist
Women's startlist:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/le-samyn-des-dames/2023/startlist
OK, it's more of a "semi-classic"...
Pog & WVA not riding strada 🙁
What would really help is F1-style graphics
Nah, keep it simple.
I learned something today on a vaguely related subject - the word “kermesse” is derived from the Flemish for church mass, cos kermesses were held on those days. Probably you already knew. Or don’t care. But I thought it was interesting - I’ve heard that word for ever and had no idea 🙂
Pog & WVA not riding strada
Bit disappointed in both to be honest, WvA missed a few days training but it's difficult to respect a decision that appears to be based on 'I don't think I'm going to win'.
Are they waiting for MvdP to come down from his CX World Champs peak?
WvA missed a few days training but it’s difficult to respect a decision that appears to be based on ‘I don’t think I’m going to win’.
Without knowing anything about it, I would assume its more to do with his recovery post-illness and how it might affect him further into the season. These guys put their bodies through a lot of abuse. It's a fine line to walk, and racing while not 100% recovered could easily push you well over it.
Pog & WVA not riding strada
I imagine that's to do with them competing in events shortly afterwards.
Le Samyn was unexpectedly good - breakaway, caught, split again, caught again, small bunch sprint.
Victor Campanaerts was right up there for a long time on his massive single ring / Powershift rear hub set up then he got a bit clipped in the finish as a couple of other riders went down.
Women's race was a 2-up break that stayed clear (just).
Right - sunshine in Tuscany incoming!
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/strade-bianche-all-you-need-to-know
i thought the Trek trio were going to keep that final split.. and arguably they really should have, they had 4-5s at one stage and needed more power right there and then.
Victor Campanaerts was right up there for a long time on his massive single ring / Powershift rear hub set up
The commentators kept talking like this meant he had to be in a high gear. Surely that’s not the case - what am I missing?
The commentators kept talking like this meant he had to be in a high gear. Surely that’s not the case – what am I missing?
Well assuming he had a decent cassette fitted then yeah, he wasn't exactly going 60-11 all day 😀
The commentators kept talking like this meant he had to be in a high gear. Surely that’s not the case – what am I missing?
For whatever reason, he uses higher gears than "normal". He's running it with a 60T (I think he had 62T at OHN) but the rear hub acts as a derailleur - it's got a planetary gear in there so it can run a 1:1 ratio or a 1:0.686 so it's effectively the same as having a 42/60T chainring set up.
It has to be used with the Classified cassette which is bigger anyway so he's not using a standard 11-28 Shimano, it's something like 11-32.
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/reviews/classified-powershift-hub-review
Most chainsets in the pro peloton now are 42/54 or 42/55 anyway - they went back to bigger with the generally increased speeds as a result of better aero kit - so VC's setup isn't that different to "normal". Bigger rings are marginally more efficient as well.
Chain-line innit. Instead of often riding the little inefficient cogs on the cassette with a slightly skewed chain, you get to spend more time in the middle 😀
“My bike cost more than your car”
Campenaerts “My drive train cost more than your car”
One thing I'd like on GCN - especially on the "highlights" - is actual information. THe ften miss basic stuff like who's in the break, and which teams do they ride for? I'm not familiar with every single rider in the pro peloton and if I'm watching the highlights, it's becuase I haven't watched the entire rice and so don't know how the current situation evolved - so while I can recognise names like Campanearts, Van Hooydonck, Wellens, Van Der Hoorn and so on, I don't necessarily know which team they ride for. Ned & Dave on ITV4 do a much better job of this kind of thing
For whatever reason, he uses higher gears than “normal”.
Time trialist innit? I reckon if he'd have got to the end of the Rue Bellevue on the last lap in a leading group he could have ground his way to the win by simple virtue of having a higher gear and able to push a higher speed than the others.
But yes, the commentators seem to have missed that the Classified Hub is simply a replacement for double chainrings, not some sort of magic. I haven't seen it confirmed but I reckon the main reason for trying it was to reduce the chance of dropping the chain on the cobbles, a bit like Lizzie using a single chainring when she won Paris Roubaix.
Strada Bianche course preview - it's looking slightly grim out there so the people that wanted epic and gritty and black & white rather than sunshine and scenery may well get their wishes!
Can we have a sweepstake on how many times the commentary will mention that some of the CX riders may be more at home in the muddy conditions? 😉
... or "come form mountain-biking so a great descender"
NOt actually sure when i'll get to see this... can't recall the last time i missed it live.
Saw son of local shop owner this morning, asked if his dad was out tomorrow. No he is in Sienna...bastard!