Spoiler: Flanders

[BillG]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone more deserve a win than that!:banana::banana::banana:

[phcollard]

Agreed. He's amazing. He's in such a shape and full of positive energy!

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Last 5K ruled. Boonen is back. Nice hug with Pozzato. Class.

[patrick8037]

I can only think about Fabian's crash. I was just thinking to myself how lucky Cancellara is that he never gets injured, and that he was due an injury.

I guess this means no Paris-Roubaix. It just doesn't seem right. Seeing how this finish played out, I have no doubt Cancellara would've won with a solo effort.

[thwart]

That's real bike racing. No hanging in the peloton, protected throughout the race and winning out of a bunch sprint...

[BillG]

I can only think about Fabian's crash. I was just thinking to myself how lucky Cancellara is that he never gets injured, and that he was due an injury.

I guess this means no Paris-Roubaix. It just doesn't seem right. Seeing how this finish played out, I have no doubt Cancellara would've won with a solo effort.

Why do you have no doubt Cancellara would have won? Those dudes in the front three and Sagan were pretty strong today too. I can see a scenario where Cancellara gets loose with a surge on the final climb and TTS, but I can also see a lot of other possibilities if he remained in the race.

[phcollard]

That's real bike racing. No hanging in the peloton, protected throughout the race and winning out of a bunch sprint...

Plus one thousand!

[BillG]

Chapeau to Pozzato too. He's back and no wheel sucking!

[FlashUNC]

I like the new course, despite all the hate it got before the race.

[nate2351]

I felt like Pozzato deserved the win there, too bad. Chavanel and Terpstra killed it.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Maybe. If he was with those three. A big "if".I have no doubt Cancellara would've won with a solo effort.

[BillG]

I felt like Pozzato deserved the win there, too bad. Chavanel and Terpstra killed it.

He had perfect position. He didn't win. So he didn't deserve it!

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Fabian, Tom and Pippo, would've been clash of the titans.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

he had perfect position. He didn't win. So he didn't deserve it!

+1

[ultraman6970]

What in the world happened with cancellara???

At least got it right, won my fav.

[nate2351]

He had perfect position. He didn't win. So he didn't deserve it!

True, its his own fault he didnt beat Boonen in the sprint, but if not for him Boonen wouldnt have been there. For once he wasnt wheel sucking and he's racing with a fractured collar bone. Boonen didnt look to hot and i doubt he would have won if not for the work of Chavanel and Terpstra, not to mention a certain rider crashing in the feed zone.

[firerescuefin]

True, its his own fault he didnt beat Boonen in the sprint, but if not for him Boonen wouldnt have been there. For once he wasnt wheel sucking and he's racing with a fractured collar bone. Boonen didnt look to hot and i doubt he would have won if not for the work of Chavanel and Terpstra, not to mention a certain rider crashing in the feed zone.

Boonen and FC are THE marked guys in the race. What's Boonen supposed to do, pull the entire race. Of course his teammates are going to make the race hard, create a selection and work for their leader...who has been the most dominate rider this season.

Gerard Vroomen put it best at Milan San Remo when he addressed those that criticized Gerrans...he said they should stop watching bike racing and join the United Nations.

Would have loved to see FC there, but Boonen is certainly a worthy winner.

[gone]

Really hated to see Cancellara crash out, would have loved to see him going for it after the last climb as it would definitely have changed the complexion of the race.

Also sucks that he'll miss Roubaix.

I will say that I thought Boonen was a deserving winner. He rode a smart race and it was good to see Pozzato racing rather than sitting in.

Boonen owes a big vote of thanks to Chavanel for toughening up the race.

[Elefantino]

I'm glad to see Boonen off the stuff and dominating again.

[jpw]

What in the world happened with cancellara???

At least got it right, won my fav.

I don't know what caused him to crash, but it's a triple fracture of his collarbone.

[FlashUNC]

I'm glad to see Boonen off the stuff and dominating again.

Or.... he just found better stuff....

[phcollard]

Triple collarbone fracture. Off for 4 to 6 weeks :(

[ultraman6970]

Wow did not know that, woke up around 9 something and put the tv and did not see cancellara... somebody in another forums got the trifecta prediction big time.

Boonnen was never going to let ballan to go, and pozzatto can't sprint. Good for the 3 teams tho...

[MattTuck]

Maybe we'll see FC and Boonen healthy and on good form and both lucky at some point in the future....

Won't be this year. Hopefully next year they both give us the race we were wishing for...


as for the Langeveld crash, it is here... not that lawyer tabs would have helped, that was a nasty crash that looked like moto racing in the way the machine tumbled. (http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_sporzatips/MG_Ronde_van_Vlaanderen_2012/MG_RVV12_belangrijkste_momenten/1.1261294)

[pdmtong]

you see that guy behind langeveld snake around to avoid crashing himself?

I was as surprised the spectators basically just sat/stood around and only one woman ran over.

If a crash like that happened in front of me I know enough not to touch the guy and leave that for the medics. but at least I would go over to attempt to help.

[rnhood]

Maybe we'll see FC and Boonen healthy and on good form and both lucky at some point in the future....

[/URL]

For Boonen, I don't think you have to wait for the future to unfold. He looks plenty healthy now. In fact its nice to see cycling form other than the typical anorexic bean stalk look.

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/whatsnew/gallery/15334_l_BONNEN_RVV_2.jpg
http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/whatsnew/gallery/15334_l_BOONEN_RVV_WIN.jpg

[Climb01742]

Chapeau to Pozzato too. He's back and no wheel sucking!

+1
when it mattered, he did his pulls full gas. which, based on his past, shocked me. but big props for how he raced today. the fact that all three did their pulls helped insure they stayed away. it was great racing.

[wallymann]

Cancellara will win the Olympic Road Race.

I can only think about Fabian's crash. I was just thinking to myself how lucky Cancellara is that he never gets injured, and that he was due an injury.

I guess this means no Paris-Roubaix. It just doesn't seem right. Seeing how this finish played out, I have no doubt Cancellara would've won with a solo effort.

[wallymann]

as said before, no more wheelsucking BS. he played a big part in making the race. pippo just got beat by a stronger guy.

maybe with a little more tactical nous to go along with his strong legs and fearless riding would have seen a different result. this is the first time in a monument that he's ridden like this, so he'll learn.

i like his chances for the rest of april. if not this season, then definitely in the coming years. he's a for-real racer now, to go along with class and his promise from a few years ago.

[nate2351]

as said before, no more wheelsucking BS. he played a big part in making the race. pippo just got beat by a stronger guy.

maybe with a little more tactical nous to go along with his strong legs and fearless riding would have seen a different result. this is the first time in a monument that he's ridden like this, so he'll learn.

i like his chances for the rest of april. if not this season, then definitely in the coming years. he's a for-real racer now, to go along with class and his promise from a few years ago.

Exactly! It was awesome to see him racing at his true potential... up until 3k to go when the old Pozatto returned. He looked so strong on the climbs and when taking pulls. I thought for sure he was going to ride away with it. Cant wait to see him at PR.

[Fixed]

I agree pippo looks great
fun to be a fan and get a front seat
Cheers

[BillG]

Exactly! It was awesome to see him racing at his true potential... up until 3k to go when the old Pozatto returned. He looked so strong on the climbs and when taking pulls. I thought for sure he was going to ride away with it. Cant wait to see him at PR.

At 3K they had successfully gapped the peloton. That wasn't wheel sucking, that was racing. I thought the last 3K was tremendous, like a track race!

[nate2351]

At 3K they had successfully gapped the peloton. That wasn't wheel sucking, that was racing. I thought the last 3K was tremendous, like a track race!

After that point he let Boonen decide what to do. Granted he got him to close down Ballan twice but then didnt Attack to initiate the sprint....

[MattTuck]

After that point he let Boonen decide what to do. Granted he got him to close down Ballan twice but then didnt Attack to initiate the sprint....

There's not much you can do in the final kilometers of RvV against a Belgian... aside from hope.

[Gummee]

There's not much you can do in the final kilometers of RvV against a Belgian... aside from hope.

Sure there is! When Ballan got pulled back, then you go. You get caught, Ballan goes again. Work TB over 2-on-1 and you may have a chance. If you both know you can't outsprint the guy, try something else!

As it was FP looked like he was racing not to lose vs racing to win. (at least at the end)

In short, the finale was a classic example of screwing up a 2-on-1 sprint

M

[jpw]

I watched the 2011 edition (the real course) again on YouTube last night. The final 15 km was much more exciting than '12.

[BillG]

Interesting interview with Ballan:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ballan-pozzato-cant-beat-boonen-in-the-sprint

[jpw]

Looking back at the video of the race I thought Boonen came as close as it gets to snapping the elastic on the final berg. His climbing action at that moment reminded me so much of 2010 when Cancellara went past him and away up the Grammont. He was a little bit lucky. Of course he also has his stormtroopers guarding him everywhere he goes. It's not quite man against man IMHO. The dice are loaded.

[jpw]

Interesting interview with Ballan:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ballan-pozzato-cant-beat-boonen-in-the-sprint

Yes, Ballan is a realist and Pozzatto was dreaming. Also, if sprinting against Boonen you have to jump first, with timing, to hope to win. Pozzatto just waited for Boonen to go. That won't work.

[tannhauser]

Pozzato beats Boonen in a sprint 1 time out of 20 only when Boonen has his leg cut off. Doesn't matter which way it plays out. Ballan was always a non-factor.

[weiwentg]

Sure there is! When Ballan got pulled back, then you go. You get caught, Ballan goes again. Work TB over 2-on-1 and you may have a chance. If you both know you can't outsprint the guy, try something else!

As it was FP looked like he was racing not to lose vs racing to win. (at least at the end)

In short, the finale was a classic example of screwing up a 2-on-1 sprint

M

They weren't on the same team. At best they were from the same country, but that doesn't matter so much on the trade teams. It's still a prisoners dilemma. I doubt many pro racers in that situation will do the tag team thing - are there examples where they did?

Jan Ullrich's Olympic Gold in the RR was an obverse of the above scenario - he teamed up with Vino and Kloeden, but they were all on T-Mobile. Proves my point that trade team usually trumps nationality, or whatever else.