Spring Classics

Gecko-cyclist wrote:

Similar day for me. 6 riders in the first 16 and a proxy 76 points - it looked so good until bettiol broke free.... Still had a better day than poor old Terpstra though. Never nice when a riders out cold. hope it's just concussion.

Must be something more than concussion. His team declared him out of Roubaix before today's race had even finished.

jollygoodvelo wrote:

Just checking... Is the number of transfers in the Classics game correct? I thought it was eight per race so we could simply pick independently but I, er... Seem to have less than that. Somewhat belated realisation, my fault etc but wanted to check it's deliberate before I start trying to work out who might target AGR *and* Fleche...

It's not 8 per race. It averages out at just over 5. I'm in the same boat, I've been a bit liberal so I'm saving some back for the Ardennes.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Fortunatley I switched Gibbons out before he was removed from the startlist, ill.

Is he? Damn, he's still in PCS and the deadline has passed. Hopefully not too many are affected.

I only have Jakobsen, Ackermann, Kittel, and Hofstetter. Saving transfers for later.

Dr Winston wrote:

Just looking at the Roubaix line up. Does anybody else think it looks a bit thin on major riders this time?

I was thinking the same thing, my team seemed to pick itself.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Strongest rider won today.

Very unlucky for Van Aert, so many problems and so much energy wasted chasing back on.

Vanmarcke with awful luck again, bike change right near the end.

Reasonable result for me I think, I never considered Gilbert after he was ill last week.

I wouldn't imagine too many would've picked Gilbert? With 6 high scoring riders you must be near the top today. Your call on Senechal wasnt far off either.

Agree about Sep he looked strong today. Sagan and Van aert just ran out of gas and yet again Van avermet looked amongst the best but missed the move. Not sure what happened to Naesen either after all the work his team put in.

Quickstep bossing it again!

MinardiM189 wrote:

I expect most people with enough transfers left will have 6 of the same riders.

So De Brabantse Pijl competition will probably come down to the two remaining picks.

 

Aye. I see 7 picks and a guess....

Gecko-cyclist wrote:

Almost identical for me - As Dr. winston says this one picked itself although that could be distastrous as usual!

Smith looked lively last time out but I wasn't sure if Mitchelton would be riding for Impey - Having said that the same will be certain for my alternative Hirschi and Matthews.

 

ALAPHILLIPE

MATTHEWS

COLBRELLI

WELLENS

LAMBRECHT

BETTIOL

VAN DER POEL

HIRSCHI

Six the same, but I have Hivert and Clarke instead of Lambrecht and  Hirschi.

It is often those differences that decide a race.

Decided against Lambrecht on rumour of back pain and they will ride for Wellens maybe.  Not sure about my choice of Clarke.  Might depend on where Bettiol is after Flanders.

stevemarks wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Almost forgot....as promised.

Lataest bike to get an overhaul....Carrera epic from the 1980’s. ...You can pick these up for buttons. 

Replaced the dreaded 380mm bars with Deda Elimentii specialii at 460mm wide (exact same profile as the originals)..a beautiful new and obligatory selle Italia 1980 turbo saddle...brand new unused exage brakes as exact swaps, amongst other stuff. All new cables...blah, blah, blah...basically rebuilt.

You  can’t beat a good old retro.

 

Beautiful

Going out on her shortly...the Cannondale will have to stay in the garage...ha....

Looking for another retro to do up now. Has to be 501 or 531 frame only, entry level, downshifters...and this time preferably non aero brakes.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Having missed Sagan's illness a couple of weeks ago I've ditched both of Naesen and Gilbert who've both reported sick this week....Gonna hurt me isn't it?

I considered swapping them out but decided against it.

Not convinced how ill Gilbert actually was, and both are as likely as anyone to finish top 10, even if not quite 100%.

 

Both seemed iffy. Naesen claiming he needed anti biotics immediately after his last race due to being sprayed by champagne seemed a strange one. 

Terpstra down and out is a blow...

MinardiM189 wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Uh oh......Echelons....we have Echelons.
 

" the peloton is already in pieces"....

 

Kittel ssurvived the echelons got back in the main group and then GOT DROPPED ON THE FLAT !!!

Looks like he decided to take early retirement, probably has enough money in the bank to have a decent lifestyle and do a bit of modelling.

He crashed actually Minardi. Roughly 7kms out from memory but didn’t have enough in the tank to get back in. He left himself towards the back entering a cobbled section when a few came down right in front of him.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Can’t have them all. 

 

What are are your thoughts on Sagan?...hardly been pulling any trees up lately... Do you think he’s struggling to get it back together again after his illness (didn’t actually see his last race)...

Sagan has been at the front in a few races but seems to have lacked punch at the finish.

He has taken a different approach this season, aiming to maintain form for LBL, perhaps this is affecting him.

I had VdP today but decided to drop Rowe rather than Langeveld.

Yeah. He lost weight during his illness so maybe that still affected him last time out. Just doesn’t look dominant or imposing when riding really...hard to put your finger on it...other than looking at how powerful Stybar looks visually at the moment, amongst others.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Condor Andy wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Just looking at the Roubaix line up. Does anybody else think it looks a bit thin on major riders this time?

I was thinking the same thing, my team seemed to pick itself.

I have 5 definites then a list of 8 for the final 3 places.

Not sure about QS as Gilbert & Stybar have both been ill.

What’s been wrong with them?...I seem to remember dodging Naesens points at the last race when he had been ‘ill”...he looked anything but “ill” on the day...

Dr Winston wrote:

Yeah. He lost weight during his illness so maybe that still affected him last time out. Just doesn’t look dominant or imposing when riding really...hard to put your finger on it...other than looking at how powerful Stybar looks visually at the moment, amongst others.

He lost a lot of weight over winter training as well. He's specifically aiming for Liege this year, but don't count him out of Ronde or Paris-Roubaix. He had a gearing issue during E3 I believe.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

He crashed actually Minardi. Roughly 7kms out from memory but didn’t have enough in the tank to get back in. He left himself towards the back entering a cobbled section when a few came down right in front of him.

I didn't see him crash but saw him getting dropped off the back of a group.

I also read the article on Cycling News saying how his team was worried by what happened yesterday. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kittels-poor-form-makes-no-sense-says-de...

Aye...good article. Something quite wrong about him right now. I wrote a few weeks ago how I had seen him sitting up a few times at very odd moments. Seems like if he can’t win he totally gives up looking for a place. Poor attitude to have when your team works to get you in a position to do your best.

Condor Andy wrote:

Well I got the spectacularly wrong! Seems if a group with the world champ, european champ, polish champ, slovenian champ, slovakian champ gets away on the Poggio then they STAY away.

Got it spectacularly wrong too. Bet on a bunch sprint.

MinardiM189 wrote:

Fortunatley I switched Gibbons out before he was removed from the startlist, ill.

Damn it