Bloody Peugeots, always breaking down on hills. Stockeau, 1980
We’ve all watched bike races, that’s a given, but how many of us actually listen to a bike race? It’s at this time every year that I’m reminded of something;
The Ardennes Classics sound different.
How does a bike race sound exactly? In the case of L-B-L, it’s the low buzz of the TV helicopter that is ingrained in my psyche. The subliminal hum of the rotors, droning away, overlaid with the monologue of Phil and Paul (or some Dutch or Spanish guy), also droning away, is a trance-inducing concoction not even the likes of Ken Kesey ever experienced.
Be warned, if you’re a Vietnam Veteran watching (and listening to) this clip of Argentin taking his fourth Doyenne may lead to flashbacks.
While the cobbled northern Classics elucidate a mien that takes hold of our hearts and can’t really be explained, the hillier races in the last week of the Spring campaign offer their own charms for us to appreciate. The fragile climbers, who’ve avoided the rough and dirty roads in weeks previous, mix it up alongside a smattering of the Big Men of the Stones who make the crossover to give it one last crack, or to simply help their grimpeur buddies get a slice of their own pie. These are races that can go to any number of riders who are having an on day.
Which doesn’t make picking a winner in this, the final Spring edition of the Velominati Super Prestige any easier. Will a Schleck, any Schleck, stand up (or be countered). What will the reactions be if Veino repeats, will he still be the villain, or is a year a long time in cycling and he’ll be forgiven, cheered and revered? PhilGil could make his own history and take not only the triple crown of Amstel, Fleche and Liége, but the quadruple with his Brabanste Pijl win thrown in for good measure. Whichever way the cards fall, or whoever plays them right, it’s always a worthy winner who rolls across the line first in Ans.
All that’s left to do is take a look at the start list, use your Powers of Deductionâ„¢ to decide your Top V, fill in the blanks and pick up an Obey The Rules bumper sticker for your trouble. It’s a prize older and more coveted than any other cycling-based-website-race-tipping-competition-bumper-sticker-giveaway.
Maybe listening to your heart is the way to go on this one.
Best of Belgian to you.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
5 points isn't to bad but It looks like I will need to attack if I want to make a move up the VSP GC.
Bah. My dislike of the Schlecks and refusing to pick them comes back to haunt me. It was fantastic seeing them emerge from the bunch on the second to last climb and drop the whole field, eat the break, spit it out, and forge on ahead. Too bad the cameras weren't there for the attack that went down. Only the aftermath could be seen.
Also, Gilbert points his toes wayyy down in his stroke. A disconcerting amount of toe point.
I'd just like to point out that Gilbert came back from cancer in '07. Scroll about halfway down.
If he gets a halfway decent placing in the Vuelta or wins a few Grand Tour stages I bet he makes a BAJILLION EUROS next year.
A first! I get lanterne rouge for the day - that will teach me to go outside the box...
@Nate
I have to agree with you on this as the Schlecks are not one day types and Andy fell off on the hill with 5 to go so he was cooked and any move Frank made would have been an invite for Gilbert to go.
@Collin
I was noticing that too. Will I go out today and see a bunch of cyclists pedaling en pointe/em>?
Noo... I swapped Andy out... Oh Chav, Oh Chav where art thou
Um, no, I really don't think so. I think they proved once again that they are phenomenal riders, but they don't get strategy. And, more importantly, they only have one gear. As a team, they panicked and blew through some pretty good support (Fuglsang was on the front much too early for much too long, if you ask me) only to get a dream isolation situation and then blow it. Kudos to Gilbert"”I like Mr. Awesome"”but he didn't even have to break a sweat. He must have been as confused as we are.
I was a big Schlecklettes fan last year. And I still like most of the riders in this Leopard-Trek outfit, but I'm cooling on the Schlecks fast. As exciting as the initial break was, they ran out of ideas as soon as they were on their own. It seemed to be Gilbert who was intent on dropping Van Avermaet (because he can actually sprint), which basically ensured two podium spots for the Schlecks; there's no way they could have beaten Van Avermaet in the final stretch.
A few weeks ago, you ripped Quickstep for making a mess of RVV by finishing second and fourth. At no point did Chavanel and Boonen have the opportunity to work together like this. What did the Schlecks do? They rode a tempo and basically carried Gilbert to the line, removing the real threats in a sprint finish. Weak. Clenbutador, Gesink, Rocket Squad and anyone else riding is going to rip them to pieces in the Tour.
What do you say about such a supremely talented team that has podiumed at all four Monuments, but has failed to find the top step once? Success? Surely, but I suspect they would have hoped for better...
@Steampunk
After G. Van A dropped and it was heads up between the three, I wondered what Cancellara was thinking as he watched the race on TV. He's hard as nails - you'd think that by now that would've rubbed off on the Brothers Schleck. And watching Andy attack the race last weekend was great, but what on earth was O'Grady smoking to compare Andy to Merckx? Crazy. My liking the Schelcks has more to do with my intense dislike for Contador - but I very rarely feel the Schlecks give me much to root for.
@Steampunk
Wurd. No panache.
I say we have to start a world wide petition to make Gilbert ride P-R next year. If not for his refusal to ride P-R, he would be the undisputed BADASS of the Spring!!! (although I think he actually still easily earned that title!)