Yes it is a race named after a barely drinkable Dutch beer. I have enjoyed Amstel beer, brought to our table by a nice waitress, sitting outside in the Dutch spring. Atmosphere is everything. Do the Dutch brew awesome beer? I drank some good stuff in Amsterdam last spring but I’m pretty sure it was Belgian.
Now we begin the Ardennes three race-fest of Amstel, La Fléche Wallone and LBL. Peter Sagan has been resting up, Phil Gil is looking for his 2011 form (or his cortisone), Andy Schleck is suiting up for da ‘Shack. The big Spring Classic boys have moved on to the couch. They are not welcome here. Riding up to the start line now are the tough riders who can climb and climb again. Power to weight ratios must be honed to the razor’s edge to win these Ardennes races. Cancellara has talked of losing weight to be competitive in Liége-Bastogne-Liége. Just winning Ronde van Vlaanderen does not qualify you to win in the Ardennes races. Unless your first name was Edddy and last name Merckx.
Enjoy the start list. The betting window is open. Do not let Pedro Delgado sit on your couch.
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Ah, yes Perth and Brooklyn are easily confused, though I don't know how I got asyax and xyxax mixed up.
Dear commisaires: I will take a Delgado, but my picks didn't stick. What happemed? See above com ment where I describe my whole plan.
Shit.
This is what I get for choosing family over bike yesterday. If I am right... I will be pissed!
Wow, crashes causing issues for some big names so far...Tommy V out with a broken leg, Andy out with a pulled heartstring & Purito looks to have done something to a knee.
I'm really liking the slow-motion thing they are doing this season.
JRod down.....
@biggles
seeing plenty of it when the live pictures die!
@Mikael Liddy
Yup. And it's better than last season when I just had to watch pixels and the commentators going ''well bugger''.
I just looked at my VSP picks and realised I had not put my money on Vansummeren for second place like I wanted to in the first place. Harrumph.
Pliuschin is doing awesome. He's from my part of the world so I hope he does well. :D
TommyV shoulder fracture? Imagine the facial expressions!
@Mikael Liddy
Tommy V broke his leg? I cannot even imagine the face he must have made. I mean, he turns his face inside out and spins his head around 180 degrees when he ups his cadence by 5 rpm. Must have been something to see.
Sean Kelly just stated that during his races at PR he used: 53/46 up front and a straight block 11/21 in the back. Also something about "ya, I had to get in the 46 a couple times". Fuck.