Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s La Fleche Wallonne 2017
Valverde is one of those guys who seems to never suck. And he looks great on a bike; he doesn’t spin too much, he doesn’t grind too much. He likes to stomp a big gear uphill in the drops, 90’s-style, when the mood strikes. What’s not to like? I’m not sure, but I can’t find myself liking him, must be the Piti Principle nonsense that spoiled him for me.
In any case, I can’t believe the guy is still an active Pro, let alone still winning. This race always comes down to who can go uphill like he stole something at the end of a long, lumpy race, and have the patience to wait until the right moment – go too early and you’ll burn out. Go too late and you’ll have missed the move from the guy who timed it right. And don’t get tempted into it by that skinny climber who goes well in the Alps; if he hasn’t done this climb yet, he’s likely to get it wrong.
Dan Martin is due to win this race, and my money is on him, assuming he’s starting, and I haven’t checked that he is. (Update: He is.) That’s a free tip, the rest I leave to you. Contemplate the start list (which I can’t find), peruse those pesky tea leaves, and get your picks in before the timer goes to zero.
[vsp_results id=”104291″/]
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
Are they renaming this La Valverde Wallonne
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
Would have liked to include Vuillermoz or Woods, but it’s hard to look past the big favourites.
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
Picks
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
VSP PICKS:
and again .. I can only enter one name ..
1: Valverde
2: Kwiatkovski
3: Martin
4: Henao
5: Geesink
VSP PICKS:
Picking Valverde for the win (urgh)
, but rooting for Dan…..
VSP PICKS:
@frank
Never bet on your own team. Golden rule.
@RobSandy
I have a friend who regularly bets against his own teams. He calls it “emotional insurance”.
Why isn’t Wout Poels racing?
VSP PICKS:
@The Grande Fondue
He’s recovering from a knee injury – he won’t be defending his Liège title either: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/poels-disappointed-to-miss-out-on-chance-to-defend-liege-title/
VSP PICKS:
Results of the 81st Flèche wallonne:
1. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
2. Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors)
3. Dylan Teuns (BMC)
4. Sergio Henao (Sky)
5. Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott)
I got 3 in the right place.
Two in the right place plus Henao as a top 5 finisher! Bring on La Doyenne!
Fuck Malmerde. It’s just not right. Just not right at all.
Cyclingnews quote from today’s race … Malmerde attributed his latest success to “confidence and strength … and drugs–shitloads of drugs”. I might have changed it just a whee bit!
@Buck Rogers
Cyclingnews quote from today’s race … Malmerde attributed his latest success to “confidence and strength … and drugs–shitloads of undetectable drugs”. I might have changed it just a whee bit!
Fixed your post! A 36 years old former doper and kicking the ass of riders 10 years younger on the Huy? I know a lot of success in this race is timing, but really? I just don’t buy it.
@wiscot
+1 and same for the Labrador
Not normal
I’ll be cracking a Chimay bleu the day day he goes down. He leaves me cold.
Dang – 4 out of 5 and just 5th in the right place.
@Harminator
Right? I mean this is not an elder statesman of the peloton slipping into a break and using some tactical nous acquired over the course of a long career to outsmart some younger riders. This is a guy who turns 37 next week winning by a considerable margin on perhaps the nastiest finishing climb in pro cycling. Smells fishier than than a dumpster full of fish behind a fishmongers on a hot day.