Flanders 2014 ***spoilers***

[smutchin]

I'm watching in Dutch so struggling to work out who's out front - is it Leukemans?

I can recognise Boonen among the chasers. I think I just heard Keukeleire's name mentioned. And Vanendert. And is that G still upright? Amazing!

 

[smutchin]

OK, Catalunya's done, I can concentrate on DDV now...

With 38km to go, a group has escaped with a lead of 30 seconds is Irizar, Van Bilsen, Van Asbroeck, Bagdonas, Van Emden, Maes (not Boonen), Saramotins...

 

[smutchin]

Terpstra and Stannard taking turns at dragging the peloton along. Awesome dudes the pair of them.

 

[thom]

An OPQS teamwork lesson.
Terpstra has 15 secs on a group of 4 with Steegmans laying anchor
20 sec further back, Boonen is policing a disorganised bunch

Time is running out for the rest.

 

[smutchin]

Seriously impressive ride by Terpstra. Even if the chasers catch him, which is looking less and less likely, he's set it up perfectly for Steegmans.

 

[thom]

Terpstra gets it - Farrar second I think

happy for Terpstra - he'll do a lot of work for others during the rest of the year

 

[The Couch]

Being a good TT helps a lot in these situations

Incredible that Valverde was going for it even in this race ("testing the cobble stone sections"... yeah, right)
....But isn't everybody even more blown away by the 2nd place of Farrar?

Unexpected people actually ending up front in that bunch sprint: Bozic, Drucker?!?, Chavanel
While people like Kristoff, Boonen, Steegmans, Boy Van Poppel, Hutarovich all ended further in the group

 

[thom]

Being a good TT helps a lot in these situations

Incredible that Valverde was going for it even in this race ("testing the cobble stone sections"... yeah, right)
....But isn't everybody even more blown away by the 2nd place of Farrar?

Unexpected people actually ending up front in that bunch sprint: Bozic, Drucker?!?, Chavanel
While people like Kristoff, Boonen, Steegmans, Boy Van Poppel, Hutarovich all ended further in the group

With a couple of kms to go, the 3 OPQS boys were at the front of the group, spread out, side by side, slowing it down.
I think Boonen & Steegmans were enjoying a job well done at the end.

You're right about Farrar though - one of his best results in a while I think.

 

[Crackle]

I like the story about Stannard in CN today, the title of which was, 'Stannard draws positives from Dwars door Vlaanderen showing' and the first comment underneath was 'please don't use the word 'positive' in your titles.....'

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I'm pretty sure Stannard will take one of these big races coming up.

 

[thom]

I'm pretty sure Stannard will take one of these big races coming up.

He punctured yesterday with 40-ish km to go and didn't seem to have too many team-mates.
All this is good prep for bigger challenges but I don't see how Wiggo can harbour an ambition of making an impression at P-R unless he shows up for some races too.

 

[smutchin]

I don't see how Wiggo can harbour an ambition of making an impression at P-R unless he shows up for some races too.

Not to mention that Stannard would have to be pretty pissed off if Wiggo just turned up when it suited him and expected Stannard to be his domestique.

 

[thom]

Not to mention that Stannard would have to be pretty ****ed off if Wiggo just turned up when it suited him and expected Stannard to be his domestique.

yeah - the way OPQS win stuff is by having 3 or 4 strong contenders who know how to read a race on the fly and play appropriately for their team-mates. They act as a streetwise pack time and time again and it works out well for a lot of them individually over a collection of races because there are lots of chances.
I hope Wiggo starts taking part in these well before P-R.

 

[The Couch]

E3 was off for only 1 minute and the first crash already happened

(and no, Thomas wasn't in it)

 

[thom]

Stannard did get caught in a crash but is back up according to sky's twitter feed
Tuft & Hayman out