The bicycle of Gert Steegmans in the 2015 Ghent-Wevelgem
Deinze – Wevelgem really but Gent sounds correct, like Het Volk. Last year’s windy wet edition was a pretty awesome race except Luca Paolini won it wearing tights (FFS!?) and maybe high on Italian marching powder. Riders were leaning into the wind and being blown off the road. It was awesome to watch maybe not so awesome to race.
Tony Martin will be lining up as he prepares for a Spring Classics campaign. If you have Ronde van Vlaanderen dreams you best ride this and see how the gun prep has gone. Tomeke, Faboo, it should be a proper battle.
Here is the start list and it is impressive. Let us hope the Belgian weather is true to form. The prize list is equally impressive and after that weird Milan-Sanremo finish, no VSP savants are crushing it yet. So do some stretches, limber up, if you need to unload some bad choices (H. Haussler), get those out of your system now before the real races begin.
To review:
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View Comments
@Ron
Good question. Hell, I was never above a Cat 3 so what do I know?
But, the Katusha guy was in a solo break for about 10 k and then got caught and subsequently sat on for 30 k without doing jack shit. I might not have raced high level but in watching pro cycling since the late 80's, when caught, you are totally okay to sit in for a few k's, maybe even 10 k's depending on how much of the race is left and how long you've been out there/how dead you are, but to sit on for 30 k's, until you are within 200 meters and THEN mount a truly strong sprint ... nah, you're a fuckhead if you do that, in my opinion.
Besides, he's a Katusha rider so if there was any doubt, that answers it, right???
@Buck Rogers
Yeah, I'll admit to uttering a, "c'mon, man, show some class." I hate it when someone opens up a gap so the rider who just took a pull can slide into the N - 1 position. "Oh, no, please... after you."
You can make an argument that Luca's tactics last year were close to this (as I recall, he was parked at the back of the break when he wasn't bridging back up to it), but he was also fighting back after at least one crash, being dropped at least once, and he didn't sit in until 200m... he went with maybe a kilometer or two to go, didn't he? It's amazing how just a few small tweaks make the difference between hero and heel.
Speaking of heels, on my ride later, I'm going to wear some black team kit socks coming to just below the calf. Howzat!
@LawnCzar
Yeah, if he had the juice for that strong of a sprint, he has to work. Going solo is brave and if you're fucked then you can just sit on and get a tow to the line, but to sit on a sprint like that is lame in my opinion.
Katusha-boy wasn't the only one sittingin. The bunch behind sure had a lot of wheel-suckers in it too - I'm looking at you, Orica Greenedge. All just waiting and hoping for EQS to pull the break in. Katusha-boy was never going to stay away solo, the problem is, you had Sagan, Fabs and Vanmarke in the break too. WTF was EQS thinking in letting them get 5 seconds, let alone 40?
I forsee Fabs doing something awesome in the Ronde. He had to be pissed at not getting at least a podium place on Sunday.
After his rides on Friday and Sunday, don't think anyone can accuse Sagan of sitting in and hoping for the best.
Ha! Well at least they are trying (I'm still all for chucking the podium kisses).
@wiscot
Steady on people. These things can happen. The race is wild. Anyone can end up in an uncompromising position. Exhibit A: What right thinking rider would get in a 2 man break with Tony Martin.
Nobody. Ask De Marchi.
So what does Kuznetsov think when he looks to see who has bridged up to him? Unless the gap is in danger he's mad to work when those 3 strongmen are driving. In the end we see why. Rule #70 These guys are at the next level. Sags is happy to pull like Slovak Tractor and win sprint. Formidable.
@wiscot OGE only had 2 guys in there and no proper threat. BMC?
@frank
Boys! Front page in the professional racing handbook: "In order to win, you must be prepared to lose". Once you establish that you are willing to lose, your bluffs have substance. It becomes a fascinating game of rolling poker. Great finish, each rider in the break applying tactics based on what they had left. I found my hands sweating just watching with 2kmto go. All overshadowed when I heard of the tragic death this AM.
@Harminator
I see that but in the end these riders are paid first and foremost to represent the company that pays them. Their number one job is to represent their company in a positive light. If they win in a shitty, low integrity fashion, that can actually hurt the company. It is better to be present and accounted for and perhaps place third than to sit in and win while sucking off everyone else and be known as the Smith Company guy who is a fucking cheater without honour. If I owned the company, I would rather have Sagan place second every time than have him sit in and not do his part and possibly win a sprint.
If you are not being paid to win, i.e. not on a pro contract, and you wish to sit in and save it for the end and manage to do so while not working ... you win, it is only your own personal honour that you sacrifice.
@Buck Rogers
In an ideal world you'd be right, but in marketing terms a win's a win, and how that win comes about won't even come into it for the majority of non-fans that the advertising is aimed at.