This weekend proper bicycle racing starts for the season with Omloop Het Volk (yes, I know it’s not called that anymore but I like the old name better and it’s easier to spell for my dumb American ass) and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Now that riders have stretched their legs in the TDU, Oman, Algarve, Qatar and various and sundry other spots on the planet, the peloton gets down to serious business in the country that suits it best in weather that will hopefully befit Rule #9. Can I get an A-Merckx from the cog-gregation!?!?
Although the Velominati Super Prestige won’t launch officially until Milan-San Remo, we thought it would be fun to have an un-official, no points awarded banter about this weekend’s races. Is Flecha going to repeat in Gent? Will Vaughter’s strategy of splitting Thor and T-Bone to captain each race respectively result in two for the win column for Garmin-Cervelo? What of Phillipe Gilbert, is he primed to start an onslaught on the great podiums of his country? Will Steampunk show his form in a semi-classic by tipping the winner or bluff until a monument? We will never find consensus among us when it comes to tipping the winners and also-rans.
The one thing I can say for sure is that we’ll all be cheering for rain to cover, no deluge, the cobbled bergs of Flandria. The potential for a heaping helping of Rule #9 served up on a big old platter of the V is the one thing we can all agree would make this weekend’s racing that much better. So I tuned in Al Roker to see what the chances are that our heroes will need to don arm and knee warmers underneath rain capes and he says yes, more than likely. The Flandrian forecast for both Saturday and Sunday looks like precip has an 80% chance of coming from the heavens. Looks to be a good weekend.
So tip your top five for OHN and KBK here if you’d like and know that no points will be awarded. But at a minimum, we felt the need to create a space where we could discuss the weekend’s festivities. Our V-Chalice runneth over with stoke and it just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t have a dry space for it to spill.
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@Jeff in PetroMetro
I just hit up the first link on cycling fans and read the CN ticker once in a while if I couldn't tell who was who.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
You've discovered the secret meaning in Marko's title: The hunt for viable internet feeds begins again. FWIW I was able to get the spanish feed posted on a couple of the sources you mention to work tolerably.
What the hell. Tips for KBK
Hoste
Van Summeren
Boom
Syl Chavanel
Lancaster
I was thinking the same thing. You beat me to it.
Al Roker is god"”and half the man he used to be...
@Steampunk
One of the many American exports that we subject the world to. Sorry you live so close to the border and have to endure Roker. Move your ass up to Whitehorse, P.G., or Yellowknife and you won't have to put up with him. You're right though, I'm sure Al climbs well for his weight now that his stomach is the size of a golf ball.
@Nate
Nice one. Flèche is one of my all-time least favorite riders. Just massive a wankpod. Virtually unbeatable in a one-man sprint, though. He's also really good at sprinting for second in a two-up sprint. Of for third in a three-up. You get the idea.
I didn't like him already when he was riding for iBanesto in '03; then really lost it for him when he destroyed the lead group in P-R in '09 by going through a small gap and crashing at the critical moment. Douche.
Fantastic way to open the season. Let's hope the rain holds until April.
@Eightzero
Rule 5 and Rule 9. Come on. Really, you're asking US if you should do it? Do it. Obviously.
@Marko
Actually, Al Roker is Canadian.
@frank
Dude: way harsh. Today's ride was pretty impressive. He's not an out-and-out sprinter, but I can't think of more than a couple of riders who demonstrate more class on cobbles.
@Steampunk
Whew.
A bit of class from the world champion:
@Steampunk
I enjoyed him bunnyhopping onto the sidewalk in the last km to try to make Langeveld come through. Of course, he put himself in that position, leading going into the last k. My take on him, he's tough but he has less tactical sense than a sack of potatoes.