Flanders 2014 ***spoilers***

[User169]

Devolder - who had a nice escape attempt at the end of Gent Wevelgem - went to train some extra 50-100K after the derny straight after finishing in Wevelgem...

He looks in tremendous shape!

 

[The Couch]

He looks in tremendous shape!

Yes, but if he would have hid his form a bit, he could have perhaps been given "a free pass" during RvV or PR. I am pretty sure (since even the newspapers and reporters are talking about him) that the other teams (OPQS especially, but Cannondale as well) won't give him much room now

 

[tigger]

Stanard is out of Flanders and PR. Thomas is OK

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17574_9242809,00.html

 

[Crackle]

Stanard is out of Flanders and PR. Thomas is OK

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17574_9242809,00.html

That is a blow and a shame as he was riding well.

 

[The Couch]

With all of the bad luck (crashes, illness) Lotto-Belisol apparently will struggle to find 8 riders (that should make it to the final of RvV) to fill their team
"The riders from Catalunya are coming back, so we can use some of them. But it is hard to ask Jurgen Van den Broeck and Jelle Vanendert to ride the Tour of Flanders" - Marc Sergeant

Then again, there is some hope as well:
"I hear very good signals Jelle Vanendert is looking like the rider of 2012 again. This offers prospects for the climb classics" - Marc Sergeant
With a 19th place stage finish in Paris Nice as best result, a "DNF" in the final stage of PN and "DNF" in MSR... I'd say their a hopeful bunch Lotto-Belisol

 

[The Couch]

Sagan "accidentally" winning in stage 1 in the 3 days of De Panne - Koksijde

Gatto was not really looking amused when he heared the news he was 2nd... still it's an unfortunate incident that you can't blame Sagan, he is just too explosive/fast for everybody in that group

Van Keirsbulck again proving he could turn into the real deal in a couple of years

Also oce more a nice result by Topsport-Vlaanderen (3rd place finish), there is talk that Vanbilsen and Van Asbroeck will join Lotto next year.
(They can use the riders )
Still... Lotto will have to start picking up some points to maintain their Worldtour status, especially with Greipel being out for a while

 

[The Couch]

Stanard is out of Flanders and PR...

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17574_9242809,00.html

He looks already better though

 

[The Couch]

After another impressive (and another unsuccessful) showing of OPQS (and more specifically Van Keirsbulck & Terpstra), Modolo takes stage 2 in a sprint from a reduced group with most important sprint names (Kittel, Demare, Kristoff, Napolitano)

 

[rich p]

Modolo seems to have moved up a notch this season, non?

 

[The Couch]

Modolo seems to have moved up a notch this season, non?

I would put him (this season) at about the level of Viviani and Bouhanni
So indeed a notch higher, let's say he would have a shot a getting the Sprinter's jersey at the Giro or Vuelta, but definitely not the holy trinity level

 

[User169]

And then one wonders why there were so much crashes...

Amateur photographer Damien Vandamme looking for a picture where he can have the riders with "the lions of the monument at the British cemetery Berks Cemetery Extension" on the background.
"That's my style, I take often pictures like these of sporting events"
"But have I endangered my life or that of someone in the peloton? I think not. I don't understand the commotion."

My daughter showed me this photo over breakfast today. It was printed in her kiddies newspaper!

 

[thom]

Modolo wins, one of the Lotto riders has a nasty fall on the final right hander...

 

[rich p]

Ouch, I felt that hit.

 

[The Couch]

Modolo wins, one of the Lotto riders has a nasty fall on the final right hander...

With all of the bad luck (crashes, illness) Lotto-Belisol apparently will struggle to find 8 riders (that should make it to the final of RvV) to fill their team
"The riders from Catalunya are coming back, so we can use some of them. But it is hard to ask Jurgen Van den Broeck and Jelle Vanendert to ride the Tour of Flanders" - Marc Sergeant

I guess JVDB should start warming for Sunday

 

[The Couch]

You know... if you would have to make a fantasy team .... you'd probably have a great team just by selecting OPQS guys :

1. Boonen
2. Cavendish
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Terpstra
5. Uran
6. Meersman
7. Stybar
8. Vandenbergh
9. Van Keirsbulck (a very young/cheap/unknown guy to fill the team, but have you seen this guy in Qatar?! he was strong)
10. You would still have the choice between Bakelants, De Gendt, Trentin, Fenn, Vermote and Maes

...
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck won the final stage in an impressive way...
Together with Vanmarcke, he should be considered as the prime candidate as Belgian successor to Boonen and Museeuw

You read it here first

Van Keirsbulck wins 3 days De Panne - Koksijde, jumping over Steegmans and Terpstra and holding Luke Durbridge at bay