The Pro Cycling Thread

Well, we still have the Ardennes classics.
It was kind of obvious the cobbled classics were not going to be particularly successful.
I wonder if they’ve over raced Trentin?

I suspect they over-raced Trentin - And having him as the only leader meant he went to deep in some races - he did three stage races which is too many plus other one day races - My understanding is he’ll stay at the team, so MS must readdress his first part of the season - I break teams into three parts - GC, Sprinting and Classics - Reckon you can only be strong in two of these three disciplines - Obviously MS is strong in GC but weak in sprinting and classics - They need to strengthen one of these two areas - Apparently there is some budget so it will be interesting to see who they target - I’d have a crack at Kristoff who is a versatile rider and of course S.bennett will appeal to many.

Tour of Turkey this week - Let’s see if Ewan can defeat S.Bennett.

Ewan beaten by Bennett and Jakobson on stage 1 Tour of Turkey.

Ewan’s had a crash on stage 2.

Ewan was to far back in stage 1, while today was probably a bit too tough - This is shades of the Tour of Slovenia in 2018 - Crash in his final lead up race and then we know what happened - Though being with LS he will ride the Giro - Gee, Bennett is wasted at Bora - They don’t want to select him for the Giro or the TDF, yet they could have developed him as a Classics rider this year - I’d love him at MS - Interesting that Hamilton is not riding Romandie which seemed a logical race - He must be a chance for the Giro.

Bennett won again. Ewan was some 30 seconds back, not sure if he made it back to the group, but Bennett is looking far to fast for Ewan at the moment.

The finish in Turkey was an average of 7% for the last 3km. Ewan made it back but the finish was out of his range. This is why i want MS to pursue Bennett. He is the most versatile of the sprinters. Van Der Poel comfortably defeats Alaphalippe, Wellens and Matthews in a four up sprint. Van Der Poel is as talented as Sagan. And Impey attacked one lap too soon

Ewan could only manage 4th in today’s stage. MS made the right call.

Ewan got too far back in both flat stages - I’m not seeing a lead-out train from LS - Ewan needs to perform in the Giro/TDF as LS allowed him to choose his own program which included no racing Belgium - Surely he could have raced Schelderpris or De Panne.

Schelderpris would have been ideal.

Ewan wins stage 4.
Of course it was an uphill sprint.

Ewan will find one or two uphill sprints in the Giro - It’s a stacked field of sprinters in the Giro - The only one missing is Groenewegen.

Alaphillipe and Fuglsang ■■■■ up the end of Amstel Gold royally, MVDP just pulls the pack over the top and crushed them at the end.
What a great ride from Clarke to finish 2nd, he’s having a great season.
Women’s race was a cracker too with niewiadoma holding off a fast finishing AVV.

Lance Armstrong thinks that was one of the best races ever.

Alaphillipe and Fugslang didnt want to work playing cat and mouse.
Alaphillip should have just backed himself in to beat Fugslang in the sprint and not slowed down as much.

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Yeh, Alaphillipe would beat Fugland 9 times out of 10, so he should have backed himself.
Instead they both screwed up.

Next level riding by VDP - Led out the field for the last 7kms and still won the sprint - Apparently Fuglsang was under instructions not to work for the last 3 kms which made him angry - MS must be wondering about Trentin - Amstel Gold doesnt ideally suit his characteristics but yet he was fighting out the finish which you hope would have happened in Flanders and PR - Dion Smith rode a very good race to finish top 20 - He should have ridden the cobbled classics, instead of using two or three neo-pro’s - Interested to see what A.Yates can do in Fleche Wallone - I believe a top five is possible - Have no idea what’s happened to Jack Haig - Missed Brabaje, Amstel Gold and not on the start line for Fleche.

Ewan won the final stage of the Tour of Turkey, beating Jakobsen.

Ewan brilliantly used the QS train to chase down Bennett - Will add that bennett seemed to run out of fitness after the first two stages - He’ll face a strong sprint field in the Giro including Viviani and Gaviria. A stage win is a possibility if LS give him decent lead out.

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Amstel gold was undoubtedly one of the best races ive ever seen…hard to get enough sleep lately with my sydney to surfers ride in 2 weeks plus nightly euro sports watching!

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MS team for Fleche Wallone is A.Yates, Grmay, Albasini, Howson, Smith, Impey and Schultz. A. Yates should be top in this race. No Haig. No idea.