2025 Races with Spoilers.

[mjr]

But my main interest in the race is Wout. [...] Has he nailed the form prep with this under the radar approach? Is he sandbagging? Will he give Boonen an aneurism?

Belgian newspapers are making fun of him, with unflattering comparisons with MvdP. Will it fire him up? Fill him with doubt? Or something else?

 

[Pross]

Jasper is definitely a strong pick for today, he was a little unlucky at Gent-Wevelgem, Though Mads was in incredible form.

But my main interest in the race is Wout. Bugger all racing - just Algarve then OHN (11) and KBK (75), skips MSR, all to be in best possible shape for Flanders, does his altitude training and pops up at E3 (15) where he's entirely anonymous and didn't race GW. Has he nailed the form prep with this under the radar approach? Is he sandbagging? Will he give Boonen an aneurism?

I assume the Ronde is part of the wider training for his main event, supporting Jonas around France in July.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Paris - Liverot failed to gain many entries, so only lasted one year. Locals could never understand the reluctance to enter.

More dissing of my favourite things.

Livarot is top of my cheese list.

I frequently make a pilgrimage to the Fromagerie Graindorge in Livarot. It's got a little stinky museum and everything.

There was a stage of the Tour started there not long ago.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Belgian newspapers are making fun of him, with unflattering comparisons with MvdP. Will it fire him up? Fill him with doubt? Or something else?

I honestly don't think the Belgian press will bother him much at all - they've always been like this, and he's been around long enough to know how they work. He's got good people around him that he'll be listening to before he worries what some old cokehead with a taste for underage girls is saying, regardless of the palmares.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I assume the Ronde is part of the wider training for his main event, supporting Jonas around France in July.

'
Well after Roubaix he's riding the Brabants Pil and Amstel, and then the Giro, so he's got plenty of goals for himself before that.

 

[mjr]

He's got good people around him that he'll be listening to before he worries what some old cokehead with a taste for underage girls is saying, regardless of the palmares.

I thought we were talking about journalists, not [ex-rider name removed for legal reasons], not that I think Wout has anything to do with him.

 

[BrumJim]

More dissing of my favourite things.

Livarot is top of my cheese list.

I frequently make a pilgrimage to the Fromagerie Graindorge in Livarot. It's got a little stinky museum and everything.

There was a stage of the Tour started there not long ago.

I love a good piece of Liverot myself, but can fully understand why most wouldn't.

My cheese supplier described it thus:
Wrap it in something. Put it in an air tight box. Put that box in another air tight box before putting it in the fridge, otherwise you will never get rid of the smell.

He was right!

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I thought we were talking about journalists, not [ex-rider name removed for legal reasons], not that I think Wout has anything to do with him.

There's not really any reason to distinguish between journalists and pundits is there? It's all part and parcel of the media.

 

[Adam4868]

Feel for Van Aert and hope he does well today...he's had two shocking injuries in the last year and come back from both.You would hope these early races are just to get him back into the swing of things for Flanders and Roubaix.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Feel for Van Aert and hope he does well today...he's had two shocking injuries in the last year and come back from both.You would hope these early races are just to get him back into the swing of things for Flanders and Roubaix.

I'm desperate for him to win a Ronde (though would obv take a Mads P win over that).

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Paris - Liverot failed to gain many entries, so only lasted one year. Locals could never understand the reluctance to enter.

More dissing of my favourite things.

Livarot is top of my cheese list.

I frequently make a pilgrimage to the Fromagerie Graindorge in Livarot. It's got a little stinky museum and everything.

There was a stage of the Tour started there not long ago.

As I'm sure you're both aware, Paris-Camembert passes through Livarot around 17km from the finish. The last 17kms are always very, very quick if the wind is blowing from the fromagerie

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

Also on today is Paris-Camembert, which has a less than stellar startlist - Guillaume Martin and Remy Cavagna probably the biggest names - and will be won by a Frenchman (this seems historically baked-in to the race)

I don't want the phrase "baked in" to go past unnoticed. Hat to you, good sir

 

[Pross]

I don't want the phrase "baked in" to go past unnoticed. Hat to you, good sir

I couldn't work out if had been deliberate or not.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Live coverage has just started

 

[mididoctors]

WvA involved