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View Full Version : OK... Flanders picks?

thwart
04-01-2010, 01:03 PM
Slightly different course this year. Lance'll apparently be there. Live broadcast on VeloNews.

The best time of the year, from my point of view. :banana:

I think Boonen was sandbagging it last Saturday vs Cancellara, and then he skipped the 3-Days of DePanne warmup. I gotta think he's got the inside track.
buck-50
04-01-2010, 01:19 PM
Ned Flanders, followed closely by Rod Flanders.
that guy
04-01-2010, 01:43 PM
Spartacus.
Chris
04-01-2010, 01:43 PM
Hincapie...I crack myself up...
paczki
04-01-2010, 02:07 PM
I would love to see Spartacus take it but Boonen looks pretty tough. I don't think Spartacus will get a gap on him this time. Maybe Chavanel taking it as a decoy while everyone marks Boonen or Devolder?
GregL
04-01-2010, 02:12 PM
Boonen. Quick Step only needs to win two races every year, and this is the first on their list. They know how to ride the Belgian hills and the cobbles better than any other team. Boonen is hungry, having watched Devolder win the past two editions and losing to Cancellara last week. He should decimate the field on the Muur. Regardless, it should be a heck of a race!

-Greg
johnnymossville
04-01-2010, 02:31 PM
I would love to see Spartacus take it but Boonen looks pretty tough. I don't think Spartacus will get a gap on him this time. Maybe Chavanel taking it as a decoy while everyone marks Boonen or Devolder?

I could definitely see something like this happen. Look for someone who has been sitting on wheels all day to attack on the Muur and take it all the way to the finish. Boonen is super strong, but he'll have a tough time with the wheelsuckers refusing to work with him.
rwsaunders
04-01-2010, 03:28 PM
Nice short article about the TOF....

http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com
thwart
04-01-2010, 09:30 PM
What? What?

No one for Mr. Armstrong... ? :rolleyes:
Marcusaurelius
04-01-2010, 10:37 PM
Armstrong, Boonen, Hushovd and Pozzato but maybe not in that order. Armstrong had a stomach bug and Pozzato has one to so I'd bet on Boonen.
Elefantino
04-02-2010, 06:07 AM
It will be ...

Gilbert, maybe, even though he's not wearing the "1" number on his team.

Or Boonen, the obvious pick.

Hottest guy on wheels right now? Maybe David Millar. Don't laugh. He could win it.

Won't top 10: Armstrong.
that guy
04-02-2010, 09:06 AM
Won't finish the race: Armstrong.
KJMUNC
04-02-2010, 11:46 AM
Based on history alone the winner is going to either be a Belgian or Italian and will ride for a Belgian or Italian team.

I know that seems obvious, but check out the past winners list and it's highly unlikely anyone else becomes a factor. Plus, that narrows the "true" competitors down to a handful.

Only one native English speaker and team has ever won the race.....that was Tommy Simpson 49yrs ago. Sorry 'Shack, Sky, BMC, and Columbia.

Gilbert looks ready. Boonen will have to ride the perfect race to win, but he's capable of doing that. Cancellara doesn't attack on the hills, he attacks on the flats/low slopes and TT's away......winning Flanders requires attacking on the hills. Unless he can hang and then motor away in the last couple km's, I don't see him winning.

Watch out for Bennati now that Pippo is out. Nuyens has been on the podium before, and Matti Breschel looks to be on form too. Should be an awesome race!
rdparadise
04-02-2010, 03:54 PM
Based on history alone the winner is going to either be a Belgian or Italian and will ride for a Belgian or Italian team.

I know that seems obvious, but check out the past winners list and it's highly unlikely anyone else becomes a factor. Plus, that narrows the "true" competitors down to a handful.

Only one native English speaker and team has ever won the race.....that was Tommy Simpson 49yrs ago. Sorry 'Shack, Sky, BMC, and Columbia.

Gilbert looks ready. Boonen will have to ride the perfect race to win, but he's capable of doing that. Cancellara doesn't attack on the hills, he attacks on the flats/low slopes and TT's away......winning Flanders requires attacking on the hills. Unless he can hang and then motor away in the last couple km's, I don't see him winning.

Watch out for Bennati now that Pippo is out. Nuyens has been on the podium before, and Matti Breschel looks to be on form too. Should be an awesome race!

Is that the same Tommy Simpson who took amphetamines at the bottom of Mt. Ventoux and died before reaching the summit?

Bob

Ps. If so, then maybe that helped him on the fateful day of the TOF 49 years ago. See this link for a picture of the memorial to Tom Simpson on Ventoux. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ventoux