Amstel Gold 2024 : Click to find out winners and MORE! :D

[weisan]

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[72gmc]

The premature post-up. Has to happen every few years to remind everyone not to do it … then the lesson is forgotten again …

[Xrslug]

Given how often this happens (at least once a season in a high profile race or stage?), why don’t coaches/sports directors just tell their riders — NEVER post up, just ride hard through the finish and then you can throw your arms up, and if you ever post up early and lose a race because of it, you’re not getting your contract renewed. All of that effort by everyone on the team thrown away because a rider wants to celebrate before they’ve even won the race — one of the few things in a cycling race that is entirely preventable. It’s just bizarre that riders continue to do this when they *know* there are riders within a bike length of them at the finish.

In happier news, highlight of the race for me was seeing how excited Pidcock’s two Dachshunds were to see him at the finish line.

[nalax]

Wiebes is a hot dog at the finish line anyway. The Goat never gave up!

[prototoast]

Even by early celebration standards, that one was exceptionally early.

I don't get it. Admittedly I've only ever won one bike race in my life, but it's just crazy to me that celebrating before the finish line is so important to these riders that they risk losing for it.

[weisan]

[fried bake]

Yeah, painful but so much credit to her for how she faced up to it. She’s got the ability to go one better next year, for sure.


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[NHAero]

Marianne Vos is truly the GOAT! I love seeing her combining her physical talent with her years of racing experience. How many others would have taken advantage of Wiebes error like that?

[osbk67]

Originally Posted by fried bake

Yeah, painful but so much credit to her for how she faced up to it. She’s got the ability to go one better next year, for sure.


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I’m not so sure. Yesterday’s race was cut to 55km due to a vehicle crash. Wiebes is climbing well but to survive another 100km of hilly course and contend again could be a stretch.

Great to see Vos win again through good teamwork against much stronger teams, and with her own outstanding commitment, tactics and technique. Her finish line bike throw was perfect and something other riders at World Tour level sometimes mistime.

[NHAero]

It looked to me that Pidcock also threw his arms up before crossing the line. Maybe it's something about sampling the sponsor's wares

[72gmc]

Definitely happy to see Vos win, such a gift to have her back at this level after all of her health issues.

Did Tom chug a large ceremonial vessel of beer? I assumed he would.

[72gmc]

Originally Posted by 72gmc

Did Tom chug a large ceremonial vessel of beer? I assumed he would.

I guess Tom doesn’t drink. And judging from this escape collective retrospective, he was smart not to …

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Xrslug

Given how often this happens (at least once a season in a high profile race or stage?), why don’t coaches/sports directors just tell their riders — NEVER post up, just ride hard through the finish and then you can throw your arms up, and if you ever post up early and lose a race because of it, you’re not getting your contract renewed. All of that effort by everyone on the team thrown away because a rider wants to celebrate before they’ve even won the race — one of the few things in a cycling race that is entirely preventable. It’s just bizarre that riders continue to do this when they *know* there are riders within a bike length of them at the finish.

In happier news, highlight of the race for me was seeing how excited Pidcock’s two Dachshunds were to see him at the finish line.

Counter-point:

I think you'll find that team directors WANT their racers to throw their arms up in victory before they cross the line. Bike teams don't make money by winning races - they make money by providing exposure for their sponsors. Winning race iss just a means to the end, because it provided good exposure. How often do we see a racer who is far ahead of the field actually take time to make themselves presentable for a good photo as they cross the finish line? They'll zip up their jersey and straighten out their team kit, take their glasses off (photos look better when you can see the subjects eyes), and then often point to the sponsors logo on their jersey, because they know that's the photo that will be on the front page of the sports section, and that it will make the sponsors happy.

Obviously, racers have to get the timing right when they plan out their sponsor pleasing photo with their arms up in victory. Sometimes in a close finish they don't have time to throw their arms up, but often they do. Wiebes just got the timing wrong this time.

[deluz]

I wonder what happened to MVDP.
It seems normally he would ride across that gap like it was nothing.
It seemed like he was not able to leave the peloton.
Maybe he was thinking ok I have won enough and won’t mind if somebody else wins today.

[72gmc]

Maybe riding a to a predetermined level with LBL in mind?