Everyone crazy about MvP losing a sprint, but I don't see anyone bat an eye at Vanmarcke actually winning a sprint (for 4th). That's one for the history books!
I don't know why, he was never slow. I guess him getting beaten by Cancellara still hurts him. As someone else said, he really could've been great in Roubaix.
I agree, has almost become a meme by now but he's a more gifted cobbler than most of the 10-15 latest winners.
Shonak wrote:
I think Asgreen is overestimating himself when he decides he wants to ride with VDP and WVA... unless Alaphilippe is trying to catch up later on and QS returns to some negative racing of the old ways.
Ok, so neither Asgreen nor Alaphilippe are taking any turns... QS at its worst. Either chase or lead but this neither/or is so negative racing.
Shonak wrote:
I think Asgreen is overestimating himself when he decides he wants to ride with VDP and WVA... unless Alaphilippe is trying to catch up later on and QS returns to some negative racing of the old ways.
Ok, so neither Asgreen nor Alaphilippe are taking any turns... QS at its worst. Either chase or lead but this neither/or is so negative racing.
I am impressed by Mathias Norsgaard too looking at the results. He was in the break, didn't look the strongest and still managed to finish only 3:19 down on the winner. That's some serious stamina and ability to suffer, especially standing 2'02 tall up all the cobbled climbs.
Shonak wrote:
I think Asgreen is overestimating himself when he decides he wants to ride with VDP and WVA... unless Alaphilippe is trying to catch up later on and QS returns to some negative racing of the old ways.
Ok, so neither Asgreen nor Alaphilippe are taking any turns... QS at its worst. Either chase or lead but this neither/or is so negative racing.
Lol
At that moment, Asgreen was sitting on the wheel of WVA and VDP and Alaphilippe was sittin gon the wheel of the other group. Not sure what is being lol about it, since this is a tactic that QS has deployed many times in the past and usually it is seen as negative racing since they don't make the race then, but hey - so it's all cool. Of course Asgreen has eventually committed to leading too (after my comment was posted), presumably after they realized Alaphilippe was not so strong.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Nice race; this young generation is insane
I am just sad that GVA still has not got his win in his home classic and probably never will as he is running out of time and starting to decline
Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.
_____________________________________________ PCM Velogames Championship - Top Results
* 1st Tour de Suisse ('23)
* 1st Tour de Romandie ('19, '18)
* 1st Tour de Pologne ('20, '19)
* 2nd Tour of California ('19)
* 2nd Tour de Suisse ('18)
* 3rd Tour de France ('23, '21)
* 3rd Giro d’Italia ('22)
* 3rd Vuelta Espana ('23)
* 3rd Autumn Classics ('19, '18)
* 9th Spring Classics ('18)
In the end Quicksteps tactics having multiple riders and forcing WVA and MVDP to chase from 60km out seems to have worked. They bluffed that Alaph was the leader to get those responses in the middle part of the race, and let Asgreen rest compared to VDP and WVA. The sprint at the end was quite surprising, but definitely something that can happen after so many kms.
VDPs accelerations on climbs this year are amazing to see too.
What is LOL about it is that even at that point Kasper had done a lot to create a race, constantly attacking at all the tough moment, where as the other favorites had shown almost nothing. The Jumbo boy a bit being all alone, but can't really blame QS that Jumbo has a weak team. Just as you can't blame Jumbo on a mountain stage that QS has a bad team.
Anyway being able to outnumber the others is what RR is all about, otherwise it would be more logical to just watch ITT.
