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Liège - Bastogne - Liège 2016
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 24-04-2016 16:25
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15830
Joined: 08-02-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Stromeon wrote:
Well now that we've done away with the Ardennes it's time to cheer myself up by thinking about the Giro. Speaking of which, now's probably a good time to go away and write a preview and remind myself what good races look like 
Giro yeaah..my favorite GT for last 5 years. |
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| Arberg27 |
Posted on 24-04-2016 16:34
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1070
Joined: 21-10-2007
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Incredibly boring as usual, but nice with a surprising result. |
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| Smowz |
Posted on 24-04-2016 16:36
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Team Leader
Posts: 6479
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Watch LBL - thought it was a decent enough race. It certainly was not fantastic as the climbs ticked off it was like gradual war of attrition. It reminded of a stage in Tour of Basque.
Not quite sure what Movistar tactic was they played they fast finisher card but then Betencur kept pressing away. Bit of an Etixx fail also, though Ardennes was always a longer shot.
Albasini is hard nut I always recall him riding like a nutter up constitution hill in Tour of Britain his move so reminsicent of that. In fact I love that the Tour of Britain was what closely resembled that sort of race.
I can be happy for Poels - a bit like Orica winning PR they looked unlikely winners in LBL for a while but they have got a real gutsy guy in Woet. Poels has come back from an awful injury a few years back and for him to take a monument is a nice enough story.
Samu mind you would have been the Hayman winner, what an epic story that could have been. I find that a guy who what two years ago was surely a hairs breathe away from retirement is riding so well this week inspiring... well any guy who is older than me to riding so well is fantastic 
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 24-04-2016 17:12
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15830
Joined: 08-02-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Kangert 10th. I did not see him once. What a week for that guy |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 24-04-2016 17:18
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Happy for Poels. Despite him riding for Team Sky, I can't help but feel sympathetic towards him. His long way back. But mostly because he was part of Vacansoleil and my first TDF on the ps3 game was with Vacensoleil and he was just the perfect guy to go for KoM 
Ah, good memories.
Well done, Wout. The Netherlands finally have another LBL. Though I was hoping Mathieu Van Der Poel would be the first dutch winner since Adrie Van Der Poel  |
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| ruben |
Posted on 24-04-2016 17:38
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7721
Joined: 23-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Poels, you brute hero
First time he really made a goal of the classics and he wins LBL. Ok, the most boring and horrible LBL I've seen, although the Gerrans edition was slightly worse. But still, he won.
The last 2 climbs were good. The rest of the race was forgettable. I'll only remember Poels winning anyway |
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| Vali |
Posted on 24-04-2016 18:39
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Domestique
Posts: 735
Joined: 05-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Have to agree with the general consensus here, this was yet another very boring edition of LBL in the last few years, only the last 3 km were somewhat exciting with an anticlimatic finish though.
I also don't think that the inclusion of this new climb was a good decision, as it will probably only lead to even less action on the climbs before the last 3kms. Yes it might make sure that we won't see another mass sprint a la 2014 but yet at the same time it will imo make for a duller race in general. Yeah I know that the past editions were boring as well, but I hadn't lost hope completely.
As for the result: I would have loved to see Samu or Albasini take it but in the end the smartest deservedly won.
Credits to the_hoyle for my avatar. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 24-04-2016 19:13
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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I think there are a number of reasons as to why it was a fairly dull race. Firstly the weather wouldn't help, Pro Cyclists can't stand anything that isn't 18C apparently. Movistar did a strong job of controlling the pace with their whole team, you'd be pretty nuts to go against them, and then Etixx took it up late on. Just some really negative team riding, but if you've got Julian and Piti what else will you do? The strong break played into this as well, no way was anyone going to allow them a huge gap, which keeps the peloton pace just high enough to discourage chasers.
Naimont didn't really seem to add anything. I'd keep it around for another year or two because it certainly didn't hurt the finale. Really that final rise in Ans needs to be tougher, not Huy tough but enough where you could really attack and put people in trouble. As it is most guys will be able to stick together and sprint at the top.
Poels played his finish excellently, i don't think anyone quite expected him to kick as hard as early. Great riding i think.
I get the history of the Ardennes races dictating a lot of the route. But christ almighty they need to do something to liven the racing, bring EPO, just do something!
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| Selwink |
Posted on 24-04-2016 19:18
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8856
Joined: 17-05-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Seems like Zubeldia has been teaching Mollema throughout the last two seasons. Haven't seen him all day and then finishes 9th.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 24-04-2016 19:32
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Good win for Poels |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 28-11-2024 16:44
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 24-04-2016 19:47
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
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For one minute I'd like to scold the organizers of this race. How could they not invite CCC? They've robbed Rebellin of a victory here today.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Wilier |
Posted on 24-04-2016 20:02
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5405
Joined: 28-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Really great victory. Thought Poels was done for after his horrible crash in 2012. Also really pleased by Oomen en Teuns. |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 24-04-2016 20:23
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3507
Joined: 06-10-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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TheManxMissile wrote:
Really that final rise in Ans needs to be tougher, not Huy tough but enough where you could really attack and put people in trouble. As it is most guys will be able to stick together and sprint at the top.
Not sure I agree - the tougher the final climb is the more likely people are to wait for it so it's even less likely that we'll see any proper action beforehand. Conversely if the last few km were flat you would have more people attacking from further out. The worst possible change they could make to the route imho would be to make the final climb harder.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 24-04-2016 20:29
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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There's a point between discouraging any attacks and what there is now, in terms of a final climb. Or perhaps move the finish line itself.
I like the run-in on LBL. Some tough climbs a ways out to whittle the peloton down. Then some bumps of varying difficulties mixed with good rolling roads. To my eyes there's good potential there and having a slightly tougher final climb would encourage riders to use those easier hills to make a gap.
Although yes it probably would just mean a dull race like AGR or FW where everyone is just waiting to sprint up the finish.
Conclusion, we need new riders
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 24-04-2016 22:57
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5075
Joined: 07-08-2008
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When I saw the pictures of snowy ardennes and I wasn't able to watch, I was like, fuck. Then it turned out as expected anyways, just watched the replay from Nicolas, it was some good 3 kilometres, but nothing more really...
Romandie... and the Il Giro! |
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 24-04-2016 22:59
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5075
Joined: 07-08-2008
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Shonak wrote:
Omloop wrote:
Completely agree with Guido, here on Pcm it's seems more importan who wins than how the race is won.
Bs, don't you read the comments during the race? How often do people have to say it's boring until you guys can accept that people think it's boring. Coming up with the same lines does not help at all. Nothing happened until 5k to go. This is a the oldest monument in the calendar and there is no racing happening at all. Deal with it that I am not happy with that lack of entertainment.
Guido is just pulling the old "then dont watch it" BS, better just ignore him, old and bitter man. |
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 24-04-2016 23:12
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World Champion
Posts: 10891
Joined: 19-11-2010
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SKY <3
FINALLY <3
GOING GO AND CRY SO MORE <3
MONUMENT VIRGINITY LOST <3
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 24-04-2016 23:40
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15830
Joined: 08-02-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Riis123 wrote:
Shonak wrote:
Omloop wrote:
Completely agree with Guido, here on Pcm it's seems more importan who wins than how the race is won.
Bs, don't you read the comments during the race? How often do people have to say it's boring until you guys can accept that people think it's boring. Coming up with the same lines does not help at all. Nothing happened until 5k to go. This is a the oldest monument in the calendar and there is no racing happening at all. Deal with it that I am not happy with that lack of entertainment.
Guido is just pulling the old "then dont watch it" BS, better just ignore him, old and bitter man.
yes you can ignore me..but keep saying after every damn race ..this is boring! Why damn you need to torture yourself? Stop whining please...just fuck off and do something more fun. |
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 24-04-2016 23:51
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5075
Joined: 07-08-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Guido Mukk wrote:
Riis123 wrote:
Shonak wrote:
Omloop wrote:
Completely agree with Guido, here on Pcm it's seems more importan who wins than how the race is won.
Bs, don't you read the comments during the race? How often do people have to say it's boring until you guys can accept that people think it's boring. Coming up with the same lines does not help at all. Nothing happened until 5k to go. This is a the oldest monument in the calendar and there is no racing happening at all. Deal with it that I am not happy with that lack of entertainment.
Guido is just pulling the old "then dont watch it" BS, better just ignore him, old and bitter man.
yes you can ignore me..but keep saying after every damn race ..this is boring! Why damn you need to torture yourself? Stop whining please...just fuck off and do something more fun.
You apparently did even read a word of what Shonak wrote or maybe you are just failing to grasp it. I'll stick to you deliberately not trying to understand it, it seems the most possible cause you possibly can't be that stupid |
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 25-04-2016 00:01
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Team Leader
Posts: 7357
Joined: 22-08-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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TheManxMissile wrote:
I think there are a number of reasons as to why it was a fairly dull race. Firstly the weather wouldn't help, Pro Cyclists can't stand anything that isn't 18C apparently. Movistar did a strong job of controlling the pace with their whole team, you'd be pretty nuts to go against them, and then Etixx took it up late on. Just some really negative team riding, but if you've got Julian and Piti what else will you do? The strong break played into this as well, no way was anyone going to allow them a huge gap, which keeps the peloton pace just high enough to discourage chasers.
Naimont didn't really seem to add anything. I'd keep it around for another year or two because it certainly didn't hurt the finale. Really that final rise in Ans needs to be tougher, not Huy tough but enough where you could really attack and put people in trouble. As it is most guys will be able to stick together and sprint at the top.
Aren't there enough hills already where riders can attack to avoid it ending in sprint?
And the argument that Movistar's pace was too high and team too strong is wrong too. It was Sutherland who set the pace for 60 kms and Betancur (who is still 5 kilos overweight atleast) doing some digs. No offence but those are hardly good puncheurs whose pace should not mean you can't attack. The team wasn't even strong today. One serious attack against them and none could bring it back. Visconti, Izaguirre, Fernandez and Moreno were all shite today. None of them did any meaningfull work before getting dropped.
And saying Etixx and Movistar ride negatively I can't agree with either. They know their best chance is bringing Alaphilippe and Valverde to Ans for a sprint but it's the other riders that don't stand a chance if they wait but still do so that ride negatively and should be blamed for pathetic riding.
Guys like Bardet, Rodriguez, Vanendert and Mollema. This isn't the first time they race this way during LBL and all they got was low end TOp 10 placings that mean zip. Why o why don't they try to win. Wrong mentality unfortunately.
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
