Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 03/25/2016 10:28 AM |
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Cancellara works his way back up to the front after ripping his rear D of the bike, good select group up front with 30K to go, Boonen, Cancellara, Sagan, Terpstra, Kwiatkowski, this is going to be good
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 03/25/2016 10:39 AM |
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| Sagan puts the hammer down, brings Kwiatkowski with him, 20 seconds on the Cancellara / Boonen group |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 03/25/2016 11:07 AM |
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| awesome race! |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 03/25/2016 12:39 PM |
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Cancellara's ride was jaw dropping! To come back to the leaders after the mechanical that put him back with big third group, then pull off a 4th place. Granted, he was the lone Trek rider and never had an obligation to work in any group he was in, but still, one impressive show of power and grit just to be able to make up that kind of time while Etixx Q-S powered with 3 and 4 riders intent on leaving him in the dust.
Hard to gripe about Kwiatkowski pulling this off. He is a smart and strong rider. Not hard to imagine a few more wins in his future. And fun seeing the past two world champs pulling off a long move. (I would rather it have been Boonen and Cancellara, but oh well. And Extixx Q-S being shut out of the top 10? Wow! Poor returns for massive amounts of work.)
What a race!
Ben |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/25/2016 02:18 PM |
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Looking forward to seeing these guys up close and personal next week and the one after.
My jaw is dropping too but its to devour a burger at 110k mark of a 195k ride. |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 03/25/2016 02:41 PM |
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Astana or Trek for Sagan next year? Could have been slightly different outcome with one less puller in the pack but probably not too much different. No top 10 for EQS, ouch!!
OC, what's your strategy for following the races? Sitting in one spot or moving around and trying to catch them in multiple places? Enjoy!
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 03/25/2016 04:22 PM |
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WHAT?!?!? Sagan got another 2nd place finish?
I'm shocked, I tell ya...SHOCKED! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/25/2016 06:03 PM |
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M
Posted By ChinookPass . on 03/25/2016 02:41 PM
OC, what's your strategy for following the races? Sitting in one spot or moving around and trying to catch them in multiple places? Enjoy!
Headed for Kwaremont where they pass three times at Flanders. For P-R it will be hop-skotch targeting several places. And hoping I don't ride into a ditch on days prior.
Today was a good reality check 195k solo; 8hrs. Toast. LOL - CK. |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 03/26/2016 12:15 PM |
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great finish for sure, those guys just powered away, and now Patrick Lefevere is crying about no help, but hiw do you have four guys in the remaining 15, and still get out foxed?
Once again, the strongest Patrick, but not the smartest. Amazing ride by Cancellara to get back into the mix
Nice OC!! Sounds like a blast, take some pics for us!! 195K? your a beast OC!! |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/26/2016 01:35 PM |
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| Did you guys read about the Dimension Data rider who ended up behind, started following a group of other dropees who were taking rural roads in shortcut back to Harelbeke, lost those, started following course arrows for race, lost those and ended up clocking 206k and being totally lost before he found help. That's the crazy maze of rural roads in Belgium for ya; I had those growing up in NL. So many routes to pick from. Next week will be a homecoming of sorts. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/27/2016 11:18 AM |
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| Sagan finally gets one today. We know who the big three favorites for Flanders are. |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 03/27/2016 11:56 AM |
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OC, read something about how he got lost, and one of the spectators gave him a ride back to his team hotel? That is crazy....
I can imagine, your watching the peleton snaking through the roads, on some paths that look like small foot paths |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 03/27/2016 05:45 PM |
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| Ditto OC. I had to work today and just watched the recording of Ghent - Wevelgem. It was doubly fun for me as a Richmond, VA, USA resident to once again watch Sagan storm up a steep cobbled climb on his way to a well deserved win. And after the race he gave another well intentioned, mature interview in badly broken English. How can you not like this guy?!? |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 03/27/2016 08:36 PM |
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PS: Another rider was IMHO inexcusably injured by a 500+lb moto at GW
WTF get the motos much further away from the riders' faces and rear wheels.
I don't want or need to see the rider's nose hairs or butt cracks that closely. Back Off!
 
PS: and lose the radios. Let the racers race on their instincts, not robots directed by DS's.
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 03/27/2016 08:48 PM |
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I did see a report that said the moto had no chance of avoiding him, but I can't say how accurate the report was.
Sad news, either way....motos have been an increasing problem for years and now we have a rider killed by one. Tragic. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 03/27/2016 09:48 PM |
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The moto tried to avoid the crashed riders but was unable to is what it sounds like. Tragic. The moto rider was very experienced and well known.
Something will have to change in the way races are run and covered. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 03/27/2016 10:05 PM |
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And I'll speculate without knowing all the details that keeping his job depended on riding tight with the peloton. The driver took risks to keep his job.
I ride the same BMW R1200GSLC moto as most of the professional drivers who escort the ProTour races. My moto skills don't match up to theirs but I don't suck and I know whereof I speak. This is a fantastic moto but no where near as agile as a bicycle. These drivers are screwing up the races, by providing drafting to the front riders and endangering riders off the back or off the side.
The only time motos should be that close to the riders is when providing time checks (ditch the radios!!!) or making space around / between the riders and the spectators on the cols, cobbles, or other places infested by crazed spectators.
This is a very, very dark day for professional cycling and I hope a wake-up call for the powers-that-be regarding a bad situation that needs to be and can easily be fixed.
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 03/28/2016 09:41 AM |
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Crazy, read the story he was hit, and now just read he died from his injuries? How Tragic, only 25 years old!!
+1 OC, things need to change, this is getting ridiculous, I'm OK with giving up some of those close up shots if that is what it takes, I have to agree LSD
On another note, great race, nice finish by Sagan, really gonna miss Fabian animating these races, that dude is always in the mix, everyone is always aware of where he is, in E3 when he had his mechanical, Etixx tried and tried to drop him for good, but he worked his way back, they had to be somewhat demoralized
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