Velominati Super Prestige: Gent – Wevelgem 2016

The bicycle of Gert Steegmans in the 2015 Ghent-Wevelgem

Deinze – Wevelgem really but Gent sounds correct, like Het Volk. Last year’s windy wet edition was a pretty awesome race except Luca Paolini won it wearing tights (FFS!?) and maybe high on Italian marching powder. Riders were leaning into the wind and being blown off the road. It was awesome to watch maybe not so awesome to race.

Tony Martin will be lining up as he prepares for a Spring Classics campaign. If you have Ronde van Vlaanderen dreams you best ride this and see how the gun prep has gone. Tomeke, Faboo, it should be a proper battle.

Here is the start list and it is impressive. Let us hope the Belgian weather is true to form. The prize list is equally impressive and after that weird Milan-Sanremo finish, no VSP savants are crushing it yet. So do some stretches, limber up, if you need to unload some bad choices (H. Haussler), get those out of your system now before the real races begin.

To review:

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Oli says:

Mar 28 2016 at 7:13 pm

@Oli

By 'non-fans' I mean that it's only the hardcore aficionados who care about such details as who's lapping and how much - most casual viewers would be oblivious. And a film clip, picture or poster of a rider throwing up his arms at the finish tells nothing about how that win transpired, so won't reflect badly on an advertiser/sponsor in the least. People will just see said brand succeeding.
RobSandy says:

Mar 29 2016 at 4:11 am

@Buck Rogers

@Harminator

@wiscot

Katusha-boy wasn’t the only one sittingin. The bunch behind sure had a lot of wheel-suckers in it too – I’m looking at you, Orica Greenedge. All just waiting and hoping for EQS to pull the break in. Katusha-boy was never going to stay away solo, the problem is, you had Sagan, Fabs and Vanmarke in the break too. WTF was EQS thinking in letting them get 5 seconds, let alone 40?

I forsee Fabs doing something awesome in the Ronde. He had to be pissed at not getting at least a podium place on Sunday.

Steady on people. These things can happen. The race is wild. Anyone can end up in an uncompromising position. Exhibit A: What right thinking rider would get in a 2 man break with Tony Martin.

Nobody. Ask De Marchi.

So what does Kuznetsov think when he looks to see who has bridged up to him? Unless the gap is in danger he’s mad to work when those 3 strongmen are driving. In the end we see why. Rule #70 These guys are at the next level. Sags is happy to pull like Slovak Tractor and win sprint. Formidable.

Just had to say I LOVE this photo. I'd not seen it before but it tells such a story. TM, comfortable but forcing the pace, DeM - hurting, barely hanging on but not wanting to drop off the wheel.
Harminator says:

Mar 29 2016 at 4:48 am

@Oli

@Buck Rogers

In an ideal world you’d be right, but in marketing terms a win’s a win, and how that win comes about won’t even come into it for the majority of non-fans that the advertising is aimed at.

"D'you see that guy Kuznetsov wheelsucking last weekend"

"Da. Last time I buy my vehicle-mounted rocket launchers from those phonies"
Buck Rogers says:

Mar 29 2016 at 5:29 am

@Harminator

@Oli

@Buck Rogers

In an ideal world you’d be right, but in marketing terms a win’s a win, and how that win comes about won’t even come into it for the majority of non-fans that the advertising is aimed at.

“D’you see that guy Kuznetsov wheelsucking last weekend”

“Da. Last time I buy my vehicle-mounted rocket launchers from those phonies”

I know, I know. My problem is that I still expect people to behave with integrity and honour in this world of Trumps and Hillarys.

I'll leave it to Atticus and be happy that the wheelsuckers of life lost, at least they did this last weekend.

“They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”
Harminator says:

Mar 29 2016 at 5:59 am

@Buck Rogers

Of course. I agree. Its the best way to win. Its the best way to race. So kudos to Mr P Sagan for staying alert all day, doing his work and taking the sprint. In the bands. Like a boss. I'm sure that if Kuznetsov could win bike races like that he'd prefer to do it with that kind of class. But you know what he's thinking. The poor fucker only got let off the leash the day before when Kristoff bailed. Suddenly he's at the pointy end with a little chance to actually win. He's already imagining telling his kids about the day he outfoxed Faboo and the world champ. Plus he's been in the red zone for the last hour and a half. His mind is weak. I'm not judging him. He helped make a great race. I love this shit. Tuesday and still talking about it.