Velominati Super Prestige: Luik-Bastenaken-Luik 2012
I thought I’d take this opportunity to move en danseuse on Rule #89 and to refer to Liege-Bastogne-Liege by its less-common Flemish name. It also draws into sharp relief that fact that while Dutch may be every bit as expressive and subtle as French, it certainly sounds less sexy.
Some races seem to foster a romanticism that other races of equal difficulty simply can’t match. Sometimes it is due to the parcours of the event, but many times it has to do with its history and the tales of superhuman effort that capivate our imaginations and builds on itself. The last few editions of this event have left something to be desired in terms of its legend, with the event falling to riders with less-than-pristine records. But that probably only means we’re due for another epic, so buckle in. Perhaps snow is in the forecast, or perhaps the hearts of the early break foil the computers dictating the pace to the field and it stays away. Or perhaps we wind up with a nail-biting sprint finish between the big names. One thing is for sure; the final of this race is perhaps the most difficult of any race on the calendar, with a combination of kilometers and climbs taking its pound of flesh from any who venture towards the line.
La Doyenne is a monument, and as such the winner of this event will win the customary symbol pack and earn the right to comment for the remainder of the season with the LBL Winner’s comment badge. Check the start list, watch the countdown timer, and try not to Delgado this beautiful race. Bon chance.
@Buck Rogers
my thought exactly
Astana owning the Ardennes Classics this year… Gasparotto gets another podium.
@MJ Moquin
I dont think we Sicilians are known for luck.
@RedRanger
Kind of having a flashback “Veino” moment here.
@Nate
I think mullets are still fashionable in Kazakhstan.
Iglinsky
Nibali
Gasparatto
Voeckler
Martin
@LA Dave
Any idea who took fourth and fifth?
The only thing worse than my picks is Gilbert’s performance.
But really, this LBL got me stuck on my seat for hours! Massive ride by Nibali & Iglinskiy!
Absolute goose egg.
Great final km’s though.
@Nate
Well foooook me! No points again! Painful!
1. Maxim Iglinskiy (AST)
2. Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ)
3. Enrico Gasparotto (AST)
4. Thomas Voeckler (EUR)
5. Daniel Martin (GRM)
@Netraam
Absolutely. Total balls award for Nibbles for going for it so far out! Pure class right there! Glad that he hung on for second place at least.
@Buck Rogers
A whopping one point myself. Probably some people are getting points on Nibali and Gasparatto.
@Sauterelle
What you said.
fookin goose egg. ha! I’ll be back…
one point for me as well. this has been a crazy classics season apart from Boonen killing it.
@Buck Rogers
Deja vu, right?
But on the up side Tommy V is showing fine form.
One fooking point when I thought I was gonna get seven. And Iglinskiy was on my first list before I started trimming.
Iglinskiy looks like he pissed himself.
Low points today due to the unusual finish. Nibals is henceforth Nibal-V as far as I’m concerned.
Anyone else think the way Iggy rode away on the climb to Ans (after a 20km chase) reminded an awful lot of Frank Vandenbroucke in 1999?
Congrats to @xyxax who takes the win over @GProsser and the bunch in the 5-way tie for third. Nice work!
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Are we going to have to condone mullets as part of the Rules, now? Because Karpets had nothing on this guy. Brilliant ride, though.
Goddammit!!!! Unibet must be making a killing!
Good showing from Dan Martin as well – had him in Fleche when he came sixth and didn’t put him today.
On the down side… I wonder if and what the Cycling News live text commentary meant when they said “The Kazakh team has certainly had the winning formula in the Ardennes this week.”
Answers on a postcard…
Well at least I had Nibbles…
“Only now, at the end, do you understand…”
Hopefully they’ll play Borat’s version of the Kazakh national anthem as punishment for such poor taste in haircuts
@RedRanger
Is Nibbles riding the Giro? If so, he’s also showing great form.
I loved his move, and was really hoping it would stick. He drove it up to the top of the Stockeu (?) and saw everyone hesitate and made his move from 20 k out – not waiting for the finale. Beautiful move. Beautiful.
@the Engine
:::snort::: :-D
@ChrisO
“And in other news, there are several new, untestable variants of EPO on the market.”
@the Engine
And kit.
@frank
I read some were that he is gunning for a spot in the Giro, but I thought Basso was gonna be captain of the Giro squad and Nibali-V was gonna head up Le Tour team. could be all wrong though. one thing for sure, that guy knows how to make moves.
Nabali gets me home in the bunch sprint for 3rd!!
I was bummed when he got caught though. What a move!
Another lame “no chase” by a group who should have known better. Nibbles couldn’t have done much more. Great ride Iglinsky. Loved the ‘look and go’ when he caught Nibs.
@ChrisO
Unfortunately I can’t watch an Astana rider get over the line without that thought running right through my head…
@harminator
Yeah at the bottom of Saint Nicolas when they were all looking around at Gilbert to run the chase all I thought about was Faboo at last year’s Flandrian classics, some shit riding from the others just assuming the ‘strong’ man will carry them to the finish.
Not a fan of Bruyneel at all but it looks like he’s finally laying down the law on Frandy. its about time to. those two need to HTFU and ride their damn bikes!
@ChrisO
I saw that too and thought the EXACT same thing. Perfect wording on their part, hopefully it was intentional.
@Sauterelle
Chapeau!
these Basque riders really need to learn how to stay on their bikes Anton crashes out of LBL before KM 0.
@RedRanger
“Not a fan of Bruyneel…” is enough for me.
I can just add that I wasn’t a fan even when he was a rider too.
@Pedale.Forchetta
Totally agree. The stunt he pulled on Indurain in 1994 was just not a classy way to ride. You learn a lot about a person by the way they ride in a group.
@frank
I will resist the urge to comment on reasons why someone might not be a fan of a sports figure. Did he not do his time in the pain cave? Who cares how he got there etc etc?
I won’t say those things. Good on ya for having likes and dislikes.
I real;y am fucking useless at this game. However I believe I have learnt a few things from this spring:
1) J-Rod will never win a monument as he can’t go the distance (neither can Boss Hog)
2) Vo-clair (beautiful pronunciation by the Sporza commentators) will be a major factor next year)
3) Vanendert & Rolland (who on a bike has style in spades) are part of the new generation coming through)
4) Philleeeppe will be back next year
Brunyeel is a CotHO
@Jarvis
Rolland was looking Magnificent today, and so was Tommy V. Great, great stuff. I am secretly very glad that Philippe tanked at the end; he hasn’t shown the form and it would be…disappointing…had he suddenly risen to the top. And, as always, I admire a rider who fights in the face of a setback – putting his team on the front and riding like a leader was a great thing to see. His stock rose for me today.
J-Rod, and anyone on Astana: waiting for your positive tests is like waiting for a kettle to whistle: you know it will happen, but the fucking thing is just gurgling and wheezing but won’t just get around to actually boiling…
@eightzero
At least you’re letting it go!
@frank
Ahhh, someone finally actually goes there! I did not have the heart to say it.
@frank
Although I am still waiting for JJ Cobo’s to boil.
@frank
The Astana kit is an abomination – on a good day it looks like spare stuff from an amateur cross country ski team from a fairly remote part of an underpopulated American state.
Not that I’m bitter about him losing me points etc but did anyone spot the major Rule #82 faux pas as Iglinsky crossed the line?
Of course we shouldn’t be surprised as Astana riders are frequently seen wearing their turquoise and yellow team tights whilst actually riding in races>.
Maybe the Astana team kit designer is on something?
@Buck Rogers
Feels good, though, eh?
On the Keepers Tour RVV ride we rode past a dude at least as fat as Lampre Man wearing an Astana kit pissing on the side of the road. That was weird.