If Cancellara can repeat his E3 chase, but starting in the first group, he wins I think.
I don't expect much from Boonen, he seems to such in every cobbled race that has too many hills in it (Omloop, E3). I still he see him doing well next week in Roubaix though.
fosforgasXIII wrote:
If Cancellara can repeat his E3 chase, but starting in the first group, he wins I think.
I don't expect much from Boonen, he seems to such in every cobbled race that has too many hills in it (Omloop, E3). I still he see him doing well next week in Roubaix though.
This! I told it before, imo he isn't the leader for RvV and never was this year. Through some statements I think that Ĺ tybar was considered as leader, even though recent Terpstra's form can change it.
I would be very surprised if Boonen will finish ahead of them. But still, I belive in him.
Die hard fan of Tom Boonen and Quickstep since 2004.
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Depends what is a "surprise" from Degenkolb. Top10 would not surprise me, top3 would.
I was saying pre-season that he could Top 5 RVV, and I stand by that prediction.
Not that he certainly can distance everyone but four riders by himself, but recent history shows that you don't have to do that to finish there
Not sure how the latest rejigs with the route change things? He certainly got very close to making the decisive break at E3 but wonder how motivated he has been since the big win last weekend?
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Depends what is a "surprise" from Degenkolb. Top10 would not surprise me, top3 would.
I was saying pre-season that he could Top 5 RVV, and I stand by that prediction.
Not that he certainly can distance everyone but four riders by himself, but recent history shows that you don't have to do that to finish there
Not sure how the latest rejigs with the route change things? He certainly got very close to making the decisive break at E3 but wonder how motivated he has been since the big win last weekend?
Of course he will be motivated, this is the Ronde and one of his main objectives of the season!!
Not really confident about Boonen tbh.
Probably a Cancellara win, with Sagan & Vanmarcke as other favourites, but could as well just be an outsider who wins this.
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Depends what is a "surprise" from Degenkolb. Top10 would not surprise me, top3 would.
I was saying pre-season that he could Top 5 RVV, and I stand by that prediction.
Not that he certainly can distance everyone but four riders by himself, but recent history shows that you don't have to do that to finish there
Not sure how the latest rejigs with the route change things? He certainly got very close to making the decisive break at E3 but wonder how motivated he has been since the big win last weekend?
Of course he will be motivated, this is the Ronde and one of his main objectives of the season!!
Yes, it was more a comment that winning big can get in the way of preparing well = more sponsor work, interviews etc and less riding. Plus with all the will in the world realising a big goal in life can sometimes result in a loss of focus for a while afterwards but like you say I'm sure he's up for it
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Depends what is a "surprise" from Degenkolb. Top10 would not surprise me, top3 would.
I was saying pre-season that he could Top 5 RVV, and I stand by that prediction.
Not that he certainly can distance everyone but four riders by himself, but recent history shows that you don't have to do that to finish there
Not sure how the latest rejigs with the route change things? He certainly got very close to making the decisive break at E3 but wonder how motivated he has been since the big win last weekend?
Of course he will be motivated, this is the Ronde and one of his main objectives of the season!!
Yes, it was more a comment that winning big can get in the way of preparing well = more sponsor work, interviews etc and less riding. Plus with all the will in the world realising a big goal in life can sometimes result in a loss of focus for a while afterwards but like you say I'm sure he's up for it
Plus he still wants a monument podium a lot, I guess...
MSR 2012: Just missing out because Canc pulled hard to get second
RVV 2012: Fell over Vansummeren in a strategically important corner in third position
PR 2012: Mechanical before Arenberg
MSR 2013: Sick after Tirreno
RVV 2013: Still not fully healthy, but with the big group
PR 2013: No more power after rebuilding form and giving everything in the Ronde
MSR 2014: Mechanical before Poggio, obvious Top 3 candidate without that
I don't think GW will make up for all that bad luck in his mind, quite contrarily it should give him the confidence that he would've been right up there in most of those races.
I got to go with Cancellara to win the race,he remind us how strong he is on E3,bad luck aside he is the srongest rider on cobbles.
As for the others i only see Sagan capable of staying with him and as OPQS goes i don't see Boonen is capable to be with the best and i think OPQS should ride for Terpstra or Stybar,they are clearly the stongest riders of the team right now.
This edition should be better than last years because theres Koppenberg with 40 k's to go that will make a big selection. I'm so excited for this race.
