We came tantalizingly close to adding a foray up the Mur de Huy during our excursion to Liege-Bastogne-Liege during this year’s Keepers Tour. But good sense and the Anti-V prevailed, as they are wont to do, and only two of us were left wanting a dig at the most notorious finishing climb in the Classics season.
I write this, then, woefully ignorant of the ferocity of the climb, particularly when combined with with a few hundred k’s of racing and scaling it several times in the process. Such is the nature of this event, and it doesn’t even have the dignity of holding a weekend spot on the calendar for its troubles.
But the Huy is a brute. Steep, long, and steep. Did I mention steep? We’re talking 26% steep. And long? We’re talking 1.3km. Even the best climbers in the world fade when the effort is dished out too soon. Keep the powder dry was ever thus.
Throw the formulas out the window; its best to resort to your eye of newt for this one. Whoever wins will have good finishing speed on an uphill finish and it also won’t be Andy Schleck. That’s about all the farther anyone can narrow this puppy down, the rest is guesswork. Enter your picks by the time the countdown clock goes to zero.
Good luck, regular rules apply.
I might have posted this last year as well, but this is my favorite finish of La Fléche to date, Pre-Cancerian Pharmy notwithstanding. He takes a flier in the only spot on this climb with some easing of the gradient. Its beautiful work, that.
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Apparently the cheeky bit in the middle is 17%, still pretty cheeky though. Phil Gil to display some form in the bands, edging Martin through sheer bloody-mindedness. Would like to see Porte do well, but I'm not sure he's got the goods to take the win - yet.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilforwards
2. Martin
3. Slagter
4. Porte
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gilbert
3. Nocentini
4. Porte
5. albasini
Ouch mur de Huy looks painful. If Sagan gets up there ahead of everyone else I'll eat my black non-trade team shorts.
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Porte
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Rodriguez
5. Contador
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Nairo Quintana
3. Iglinsky
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. garrans
2. valverde
3. contadoreeeeeeeeee
4. ryder
5. martin
I can't understand these uber-steep climbs. When the road pitches to anything over about 15%, I can't even stay on the bike. After about 12% there is no way to stay on the saddle - each pedal stroke lifts my front wheel off the ground. Then if I stand to power up even steeper sections, the dead spots in the rotation make me literally stop, and I fall over. I push a 50x28 compact with 180mm cranks. I am in awe of anyone on a sustained climb of over ~16%.
Guess that's why they get paid to do it.
VSP PICKS:
1. Richie Porte
2. Philippe Gilbert
3. Simon Gerrans
4. Ryder Hesjedal
5. Joachim Rodriguez
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. Joachim Rodriquez
3. Valverde
4. Richie Port
5. Gilbert
Simon Gerrans skipping the race to prepare for Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.
source: http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/news/road/course-preview-its-the-mur-or-nothing-at-fleche-wallonne_282185
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sagan
3. Hesjedal
4. Contador
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Sagan
4. Martin
5. Slagter