Categories: Racing

Let the Season Begin

Omloop Finish photo:cyclingweekly.co.uk

Omloop het Nieuwsblad is fast approaching on March 1st, Strade Bianche goes off the next weekend; finally, ladies and gentlemen, we have a season. For me the racing season really has to start in cold, wet Europe. I like the Tour Down Under just fine, I watch it, but it’s too early, too sunny and too hot to signify the start of the racing season. The races in the desert, though I’m sure they are windy and tough, hold no interest for me. Camels and embrocation do not compute. The endless speculation about Faboo’s lack of perfect February form only means every reporter is bored and has no real stories to write.

The most interesting thing about the racing in the Middle East was seeing that Tom Boonen is whippet thin and ready to bring the pain in 2014. Knowing that Boonen is back lets me sleep better at night. He is lining up for Omloop, his team is ready to rumble on the Taaienberg, all is right with the cycling world. Please let it rain, but don’t let Tommeke get hurt.

I need to see some racers with every bit of wet weather gear on, riding into a hell storm off the North Sea. Cold and wet and in Belgium; that is the way we start the season.

The other thing that is great with the cycling world is the Strade Bianche the following week. A gravel race for the professionals? The race is new, not even ten editions have been raced, but it seems so right. San Gimignano to Siena, rolling up and down across the Tuscan countryside, many secteurs of white gravel, this is a stroke of Italian genius.

Another reason to be excited is Peter Sagan. The wheelie poppin’ curb jumpin’ bad boy comes into this season a year wiser. He has watched both Fabs and Tommeke ride away from him in different editions of the Ronde but they aren’t getting any younger and Sagan is only getting better. The younger generation of riders would like to topple the reigning twin kings of the Spring Classics but Boonen and Cancellara are still there because they are the two best Spring Classic riders of their generation. They aren’t going to go without a battle.

If no one breaks bones in the feed zones or gets infected elbows, this all portends a beautiful spring.

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

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View Comments

Darren H says:

Feb 26 2014 at 3:42 am

@Mike_P

@Gianni

@Darren H

Will be interesting to see how Sky get on after abandoning their ill fated 'classics' build up of last year - but can't see past Boonen, Fabio, Stybar and Sagan for the big ones (can't wait). If Wiggins is genuinely on it and as motivated as he would have us all believe, could he be in the mix at P-R?

Wiggo...I've been thinking long and hard about his chances at P-R and I don't like them. In his favor: he has done the race a bunch of times, he has a huge motor, he understands the full gas concept for each secteur. But, those skinny-ass twiggo legs, something about them that makes me think he will get the shiet bounced out of him, and not be able to float (no one is floating) over the stones. Cancellara has intimated that the grand tour riders are too light for P-R. I hope Twiggo proves me wrong. I usually am.

Der Boss Hogg should be killing it at P-R, he seems a better man for that race. Was he not the great white hope a few years back?

I suspect that if any of the Sky boys are going to do something at P-R it's going to be Geraint Thomas. He seems to love the race, has got previous form there and looks to be going pretty well. Boss Hogg seems to have parked his huge early potential and settled for domestique duties. Shame really, cos although his baby face kinda freaks me out and I hate his almost effeminate victory salutes, he was shaping up to be a hell of a rider. It'd be interesting to see what he did with another team.

No-one is mentioning Hushovd these days. Lurking quietly in the wings or lost forever???

Boss Hog has definitely stalled hasn't he - needs a big 2014. G Thomas is definitely due some luck after going down in just about every race he entered last year and I hope Stannard does okay (6th in MSR last year was a great result for him). Perhaps Wiggo will ride for G (but I doubt it). How do OPQS play it with both Boonen and Stybar - I hope it's every man for himself if they're in the mix with 40km to go!
norm says:

Feb 26 2014 at 5:15 am

Rain is forecast all day long on Saturday for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
wilburrox says:

Feb 26 2014 at 5:20 am

It was only two years ago that I was intro'd to Paris Roubaix and watching one badass Belgian ride the hell out of his bike and run away with the race. The next year I was intro'd to a big Swiss cat that proved to be awfully precise at the end. Man there is something to be said for high def and big screen. I don't know if I'm lucky just to be discovering this stuff or unlucky to have missed out on the beauty for so many years. To see these guys and the wheelie poppin' green hulk bike riding youngster in the mix should be a blast. Along with some GC contenders ?? Oh yea. cheers all, RC
Ron says:

Feb 26 2014 at 5:34 am

My gosh, Sagan is looking slimmed down this year, but with bigger guns. Sagan, Cancellara and Boonen...things are going to be fast this spring.

Classement. Yup, I've heard that one. No tv here, I watch all races online. I haven't watch cycling on tv since espn used to broadcast the Tour when I was in middle school.

Gianni - yep, those skinny damn legs, and body, make me think Wiggins has zero chance of doing well at P-R. He just seems to fragile.
andrew says:

Feb 26 2014 at 5:50 am

@wilburrox There are so many Classics I've missed, too -- my youtube history is now just hours and hours of blocky vhs footage of amazing races. When I'm working from home, I can have it going on a second monitor and time my breaks for the finales if I can. Kelly coming down off the Poggio leaving motorcycles in his wake to take M-SR had me constantly checking my mic was on mute for a telco I was in, though. Moser's and Cav's wins there were also awesome. I was stupidly happy to see I've come far enough to realise the guy I was watching win the cyclocross worlds was the same guy I saw in the P-R get bumped out of the lead three by a spectator last year.
seemunkee says:

Feb 26 2014 at 8:44 am

There is an article today in the Washington Post about the 2015 Worlds being in VA. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/othersports/richmond-ready-to-host-the-2015-uci-road-world-cycling-championships/2014/02/25/e66183a2-9e72-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html

Has anyone looked into volunteer opportunities?
gilly says:

Feb 26 2014 at 8:48 am

Couldn't agree more Gianni, I'm just not feeling the love for the TDU or the desert. Omloop is the season opener for me.
Beers says:

Feb 26 2014 at 12:57 pm

@Teocalli

@Beers

Can't fuckin wait. I might actually try to keep up with VSP this year.

So help me with the international time thing. Just as a simplified example - If I'm at UTC-9hrs and the race time zone is UTC+3hrs, and the race starts at 10am 1 March in that location, then I watch at 10am-9hrs-3hrs = 10pm on 28 Feb?

If you have a smart phone just set the timezone as an alternate clock and it will do it for you.

Brilliant!
Ron says:

Feb 27 2014 at 12:55 pm

@Nate

The best 6 weeks of racing of the year are about to start.

http://fuckyeahcobbles.tumblr.com/

Interesting. A young Pippo in the background saying, "Ah, so that is how you go hard and fast in the Classics. Looks tiring. But, getting tattoos and riding jerseyless in the sun...easy!"
wiscot says:

Feb 27 2014 at 3:54 pm

@Ron

@Nate

The best 6 weeks of racing of the year are about to start.

http://fuckyeahcobbles.tumblr.com/

Interesting. A young Pippo in the background saying, "Ah, so that is how you go hard and fast in the Classics. Looks tiring. But, getting tattoos and riding jerseyless in the sun...easy!"

The closest Pippo will ever get to winning PR is washing Tom Boonen's bike. Moser has more style and class in his pinky than Pips will ever have.