reminder. Amstel gold on sunday

[MattTuck]

Didn't see a thread already. But Amstel gold is in the morning. My pick is Kwiatkowski.

[Elefantino]

Good pick. I'm going with Slagter, but I haven't gotten one right this year.

[Md3000]

on Bein right now..

[jlwdm]

Best rider won.

Jeff

[phcollard]

Awesome finish by Gilbert. Wow! Makes my day!!! :banana:

[chengher87]

Everyone else attacked way too early. Man, they were burnt and Gilbert just snuck up on the inside a little ways into the Cauberg.

Gotta give credit to Burghardt and Sanchez, they set a brutal pace into the climb.

But my pick for the day, Purito, crashed out hard and is out for the rest of the Ardennes. I hope he's well enough for the Giro.

Still, I'm Pretty happy for Gilbert. Great racing all around today.

[yoshirider]

Awesome fight to the finish. However, I'm wondering one thing. Is it just me or does BMC not know how to work together as a team? Van Avermaet was attacking while his own team helped lead the peloton with only a few km to go. Also, they seem to do not so great in team time trials despite having a rocking team???

[bobswire]

Awesome finish by Gilbert. Wow! Makes my day!!! :banana:

This is the Gilbert before the Worlds Stripes, great to see him back in form.

[giordana93]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=145394

[the bottle ride]

Gilbert is a beast!!!

[Elefantino]

How the race was won:

Sanchez took a flyer, drawing Kwiatkowski, Gerrans and Valverde with him as the neared the cemetery turn. Sanchez then eased up on the inside, and Gerrans took those other three with him, inexplicably, to the outside of the turn. That opened up a hole for Gilbert, who exploited it perfectly.

[harlond]

Awesome fight to the finish. However, I'm wondering one thing. Is it just me or does BMC not know how to work together as a team? Van Avermaet was attacking while his own team helped lead the peloton with only a few km to go. Also, they seem to do not so great in team time trials despite having a rocking team???
Weren't they blocking when GVA was up the road?

[FlashUNC]

How the race was won:

Sanchez took a flyer, drawing Kwiatkowski, Gerrans and Valverde with him as the neared the cemetery turn. Sanchez then eased up on the inside, and Gerrans took those other three with him, inexplicably, to the outside of the turn. That opened up a hole for Gilbert, who exploited it perfectly.

The reason is simple -- outside of the curve is less steep than the inside. Gilbert took the harder route and was rewarded.

[weisan]

How many watts did Gilbert put out to drop Gerrans and the rest at Cauberg, any guess? That's after 250km of racing.

[ultraman6970]

They did exactly the samething than in the world cup gilbert won 2 years ago.

At that point or you jump right away with gilbert or the guy is way gone, Valverde thought it way too much (again).

Good for BMC, gilbert lost a lot of weight too.

[Md3000]

Kwiatowski was the man to beat, Sanchez wore him down on purpose so he would not be able to jump after Gilbert when he attacked. Great team work, it was obvious that it was a setup cos Sanchez completely stood still on the hill after his attack. He had done his job :)

[alessandro]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/b12645a283d3f27e1a46d6dcf579ed8d/tumblr_n4c8iyHkYg1qbw072o1_400.gif

http://cyclocosm.tumblr.com/post/83314088726/gerrans-placed-3rd-at-amstel-gold-but-seems-to

[jlwdm]

Kwiatowski was the man to beat, Sanchez wore him down on purpose so he would not be able to jump after Gilbert when he attacked. Great team work, it was obvious that it was a setup cos Sanchez completely stood still on the hill after his attack. He had done his job :)

The effort by Sanchez was not very long, Kwiatkowski did not have to dig real deep, Gilbert was not exactly right behind ready to counter and there was a good distance to the finish. Gilbert was clearly the strongest rider at the end of the race.

Jeff

[weisan]

Too bad an earlier crash took out Rodriguez, not that he would beat Gilbert but at least he can come closer to his accelerations.

[jpw]

gilbert lost a lot of weight too.

yes, he was looking rather svelte yesterday.

[Md3000]

The effort by Sanchez was not very long, Kwiatkowski did not have to dig real deep, Gilbert was not exactly right behind ready to counter and there was a good distance to the finish. Gilbert was clearly the strongest rider at the end of the race.

Jeff

Ok not wear him down but Sanchez put Kwiatowski in a harder position. Kwia rides up to Sanchez, then finds himself at the front where he doesn't want to be so he lets Gerrans take over the lead. He sits back a bit and is too late reacting to Gilbert who is lurking on the steeper part. Obviously Gilbert was the strongest that's why he won!

[nathanong87]

How many watts did Gilbert put out to drop Gerrans and the rest at Cauberg, any guess? That's after 250km of racing.

no comment on wattz, but noteworthy things about him and that hill

for worlds, i timed it (and still am fairly sure)
- big ring rode the cauberg
- stood out of saddle for 1 minute , gerro and valverde both sat down way before gilbert.
- his old fdj coach is quoted to say that only two riders in the world (that he will acknowledge) have such high levels of lactate resistance (or something). Gilbert and purito
"Finally a word on how he does it. There’s probably nobody else in the bunch who can tolerate lactic acid like Gilbert. He attacks whilst others are asphyiated by anaerobia. Here’s his former coach from FDJ, Fred Grappe saying he’s one of the top two riders for “lactic explosiveness” (along with the Spanish strangler Joaquim Rodriguez)"

if i were to make a wild guess at watts, i wouldn't be surprised if his 1 minute power was well into 750-800 range.

dr ferrari bro, estimated his mur attack in 2011 where he won, phil gil did 570w for 2:30minutes ~8.5 w/kg. So im sure 1 minute , despite at end of a race is still Pro level worthy at 10-11 w/kg @67kg (wiki)

[oldpotatoe]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/b12645a283d3f27e1a46d6dcf579ed8d/tumblr_n4c8iyHkYg1qbw072o1_400.gif

http://cyclocosm.tumblr.com/post/83314088726/gerrans-placed-3rd-at-amstel-gold-but-seems-to

Light weights...

[Black Dog]

Light weights...

I think that Gilbert's son would have out drank Gerrans if he was given a glass...:roll eyes: Australia hangs its collective head in shame...:confused:

On a brighter note the bike race sure was interesting.

[thwart]

I think that Gilbert's son would have out drank Gerrans if he was given a glass...:roll eyes:

POTD, IMO. At least so far...

[FlashUNC]

In his defense, Amstel is completely disgusting.

[Raffy]

yes, he was looking rather svelte yesterday.

I noticed that too as he was sitting up saluting the crowd.

Did anyone notice Gilbert was on what looks to be a Fizik Volta vs. his usual Flite Classic?