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the Tour of Flanders

Ash

Warming-Up
Apr 23, 2006
686
1
Goody, goody, it's time for the cobbles! :D

For those of you with access, J Sports Plus has the Tour of Flanders tonight starting at 7.50 pm

This year we see the return of the infamous Koppenburg :eek::eek::eek:

http://www.velonews.com/photo/74137

which rears its ugly head at 22% (thats right hillfreaks! :eek:) and it is going to be WET. Those of us heading up Kusatsu might be interested in this one!

Look for lots of spills and thrill on this one ladies and gents, its going to be a lot of fun (as Hannibal Lecter once said).

Next Saturday J sports (Channel 32) has the Paris - Roubaix, the granddaddy of all the Spring Classics.

A couple of interesting articles for those wanting a bit more info:

From Velonews:

http://www.velonews.com/article/74236/john-wilcockson-assesses-the-favorites--chances-at-flanders

Also check out the Graham Watson Flanders gallery on this site, this is where I lifted the first picture.

and from PezCyclingnews:

(these guys always have very interesting reviews and generally go out and ride the courses and take pics so it is a fascinating look at what the race will be like. Is it only me that thinks cyclingnews.com is getting rather dull?)

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5794&status=True

Anyway, be interested to read your comments.

Ash
 
I love the spring classics season. Just settling down for the Ronde van Vlaanderen now...
 
21.18

on the kwaremont now!

Ash
 
21:20

raining hard, sleet, freezing now.

8 km to the koppenburg, stay tuned for a dramatic climb here. Where are Boonen and Cancellara?
 
the almost gentle 11% of the kwaremont!

The snow is bouncing off the riders backs, arms jarring on the cobbles...

the worst is still to come!

2 km to the koppenberg!
 
snow blurs the cameras!

The very short 20 % of the pattenberg gives to the much longer strain of the 20% koppenberg. Here is where reputations are made!

The riders assemble, Ballan, Boonen, Cancellera...
 
up we go...rain slicked roads, snow on the trees... the traditional koppenberg, rearing 22%

Ballan and Boonen are there...
 
Its boonen! Tires skipping on the road behind behind him, riders giving up and walking...
 
and the sleet falls. Riders, exhausted, pushing their bikes, the road continuing on some kind of goat track...

now we enter the final phase...
 
Nice and dry now...that was worse than what Phil and I did today ealrier in snow and rain.
I think an underdog will win this.
 
Well, you were right!

Results:

1 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step
2 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
3 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank
4 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
5 George Hincapie (USA) Team High Road
6 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas
7 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence-Lotto
9 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - Fondital

Ballan and Hincapie were both favoured to win, but....
 
Haven't read any of the commentary on the race, but from this non-expert eye it looked like Quickstep played that to perfection. With Boonen sitting in the pursuing group, no one seemed willing to chase and effectively hand a sprint victory to him. So everyone looked at each other and Boonen followed along, enjoying his teammate's victory parade.
 
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