79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 02/27/2023 11:27 AM |
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Yesterday after Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne I had the thought that Jumbo-Visma is the new QuickStepa and QuickStep is now the mediocre cobbled classics team of Jumbo a few years ago. Today's CN:
"Lefevere: Jumbo-Visma are now the team we were a few years ago"
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-jumbo-visma-are-now-the-team-we-were-a-few-years-ago/
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 02/27/2023 08:16 PM |
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Patrick is a bit of a drama queen already bringing in the sceptre of contract negotiations.
JV better turn this strength into major wins for Wout. Voices are starting to compare Wout to Boonen. Wout sits at zero Flanders wins, zero Roubaix and zero Worlds as the pundits put it. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 02/27/2023 08:42 PM |
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| Hard to disagree. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 02/27/2023 08:44 PM |
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| Depends as well on WVA’s goals. Money and glory do not always come hand in hand. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 02/27/2023 08:45 PM |
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Posted By Frederick Jones on 02/27/2023 08:44 PM
Also Depends as well on WVA’s goals. Money and glory do not always come hand in hand.
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 02/27/2023 08:51 PM |
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| Wout is Flemish and a classics specialist. That means the three races mentioned are the measuring sticks by which his legacy is gauged. Harsh as that may be. Money wise and as a bike racer overall he’s top of class yet there’s grumbling. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 02/28/2023 08:20 PM |
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| Today was even worse than no podium. They had so many crashes they ran out of spare bikes. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/22/2023 09:47 PM |
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So far not much encouraging signs of life from Patrick’s team. Merlier is the only one with some consistency.
But that predicted JV spring dominance also seems to have fizzled. Roglic rocks but the classics squad is beatable.
Instead going by last two weeks Alpecin seem to be on a roll. Their team is properly strong. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/26/2023 08:41 PM |
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More quotes from Patrick. On Friday he said that lunch was the only good part about E3.
Deafening silence after Wevelgem. That is really telling. But he can only blame himself, investing in a team around Remco (makes sense) but with limited funds neglecting the classics squad. The outcome was predictable. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 03/28/2023 11:29 AM |
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| Cyclingnews reported that Merckx and Boonen opined that WVA should not have gifted GW to LaPorte. Seemed classy to me but I am not a cannibal. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 03/28/2023 12:20 PM |
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| I forget the race (and I didn't follow it but learned of it years later) but Alberto Contador gifted a race to his breakaway companion, a competitor, not teammate. Years later, that fellow was onboard again and worked very hard. They put in real time to cement a Tour win for Contador. So maybe, that gift was the best race Contador didn't win? |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 03/28/2023 12:29 PM |
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| I'm guessing that WVA is hoping for payback this weekend at Flanders. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/28/2023 05:43 PM |
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The Strade sprint, or at least the post-sprint happenings, between Kopecky and Vollering were a bit awkward so perhaps gifting is the way to go. Cancellara opinioned that the fact that there was gifting at all meant the race was made too easy by competition; definitely agree with that one.
As to payback on Sunday, when Pog and/or VDP go, WVA may be able to latch on but I doubt LaPorte will be there. Heck these two pulled the same stunt in reverse at E3 last year but neither was a factor at Flanders. Different game. |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 03/29/2023 11:23 AM |
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"Gifts? I don't need no stinking gifts" Laporte
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