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Spring Classics

I noticed that these races are now included in the 'Coming Up' list.

Last year all the races included in the competition were World Tour events, and Kurne-Bruxelles-Kurne was not included.

KBK is currently on this years list despite not being a WT event. Is this correct ?

Will Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne be included? This is WT in 2019

Thanks

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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177 comments

Avatar
Condor Andy | 4 years ago
0 likes

I have:

Colbrelli
Alaphilippe
Matthews
Wellens
Bettiol
Van Der Poel
Hirschii
Kreuziger

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MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Same again for the weekend.

5 of the the top 6 from today + 3 others.

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Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Hat the hell happened to Impey?...Had to go out for the run in...he was there when I left. 

Mind you...What was he doing going for home with over 20kms left as well...

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Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Shockingly good line up for Amstel.  Where to begin....

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MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Lucky I dod a midnight check on rider changes.

Ion Izagirre out - Ion is still recovering from his GC win at @ehitzulia

How much did he drink after ???

Lucky I have loads of transfers remaining.

Avatar
MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

My team for today -

ALAPHILIPPE
MATTHEWS
GILBERT
WELLENS
FUGLSANG
VAN AERT
BETTIOL
VAN DER POEL

Not 100% happy. I would have arranged things differently if I had known Izagirre wasn't racing.

I wasn't brave enough to take a punt on Madouas, I think he could surprise today.

 

Avatar
Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Strange but true, I have some friends who think cycle racing is boring....VAN DER POEL...WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU JUST DO...FANTASTIC..

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JohnnyRemo | 4 years ago
0 likes

WTF did I just watch? AVDP shutting down a minute in the last 8km on his own - and winning the sprint?!? 

Avatar
MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Playing safe today -

ALAPHILIPPE
VALVERDE
YATES A.
MARTIN D.
FUGLSANG
VANENDERT
LAMBRECHT
KREUZIGER
 

I was tempted to go for Kwiatowski & Schachmann in place of Valverde & Vanendert but decided to play safe.

Avatar
JohnnyRemo | 4 years ago
0 likes

Yates is on form, but maybe too light-weight for the cobbles at the finish? Gone for Pogacar instead as an untested outsider and hope he's not just there to lead out Dan M.

Avatar
MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
1 like

Not looking greta for me angry

Dan Martin ill and dropped.

Kreuziger crash.

Yates crash.

indecision

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Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Looks like I made the same “mistakes” as us other regulars. Yates and Martin mainly...this race looked made for them but..well...what can you do. Took Matthews out...i’m Amazed he kept up so well at the end...no doubting he’s fine when things go uphill but that was uphill and some....

Avatar
Condor Andy | 4 years ago
0 likes

Matthews was one of my nagging doubts. His 6th last year was a surprise, but I was interested to see if he'd do it again. I plumped for no, and I've been proved wrong again. I also wrote off Lambrecht and Vanendert, had no idea Martin was ill which gave Ulissi the lead, and Mollema looks to be in good form.

Moving onto Sunday, the finish is back in Liege. It's a flat finish and guys like Sagan and Matthews might want it. Also, the weather looks a little inclement.

Avatar
MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

My team for LBL -

ALAPHILIPPE
SCHACHMANN
YATES A.
KWIATOWSKI
FUGLSANG
BARDET
LAMBRECHT
CLARKE S.

I expect lots of people have similar line-ups.

Does anyone want to buy some spare transfers? I have 5 left, which may explain why I had such a poor Spring Classics.

Avatar
Condor Andy | 4 years ago
0 likes

I have:

ALAPHILIPPE
KWIATKOWSKI
BARDET
NIBALI
S CLARKE
LAMBRECHT
ULISSI
SCHACHMANN

Avatar
Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Ended up taking a very risky Matthews. Has he managed to keep in so far or has he been dropped?...

Avatar
Sniffer replied to Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Dr Winston wrote:

Hat the hell happened to Impey?...Had to go out for the run in...he was there when I left. 

Mind you...What was he doing going for home with over 20kms left as well...

Doubt he would have won with any tactic thoughh.

Missed Lambrecht

Avatar
MinardiM189 replied to Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Dr Winston wrote:

Shockingly good line up for Amstel.  Where to begin....

Yes, difficult to know which way to go, lots of possibilities.

Tempted to drop Wellens because it will be a bit warm for is liking.

Does Naesen have a chance? No tipsters seem to give him a shout.

Will it be too tough for Schachmann ?

Valverde too expensive ?

All this and Ilkley Moor 500 yards up the hill from me is burning.

Avatar
Sniffer replied to MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

MinardiM189 wrote:

My team for today -

ALAPHILIPPE
MATTHEWS
GILBERT
WELLENS
FUGLSANG
VAN AERT
BETTIOL
VAN DER POEL

Not 100% happy. I would have arranged things differently if I had known Izagirre wasn't racing.

I wasn't brave enough to take a punt on Madouas, I think he could surprise today.

 

Think there will be a significant spread of choices today

I would have gone Izagirre too.  Strongly considered Madouas, but went Lambrecht instead.

I spent the budget on Alaphillipe, Valverde and Sagan so that limited of my options, hence I have

Julian Alaphilippe (QST)

Alejandro Valverde (MOV)

Michal Kwiatkowski (SKY)

Alberto Bettiol (EFE)

Peter Sagan (BOH)

Mathieu van der Poel (COC)

Bjorg Lambrecht (LTS)

Marc Hirschi (SUN)

 

Avatar
MinardiM189 replied to Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Dr Winston wrote:

Strange but true, I have some friends who think cycle racing is boring....VAN DER POEL...WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU JUST DO...FANTASTIC..

To be honest, cycle racing can be incredibly boring, although recently the racing has been enthralling.

If Van der Poel continues like that it will become very predictable, hopefully he stays with his current team for the next 3 years.

Van der Poel is on a whole different level to other cyclists, he is probably cycling's equivalent of Usain Bolt, in terms of natural physical talent.

That race was a change of the guard in cycling terms; Van der Poel, Lambrecht, Schachmann, Madouas showing where the future lies.

A pity I didn't have more faith in youth with my team. A bit annoyed I didn't drop Wellens when the weather forecast came out, he just cannot compete when it is relatively hot.

Avatar
Dr Winston replied to JohnnyRemo | 4 years ago
0 likes

WTF did I just watch? AVDP shutting down a minute in the last 8km on his own - and winning the sprint?!? 

[/quote

Frightening. In it's own way as big a performance as we will see all season on any terrain...it wasn't even like anybody helped him...or maybe they couldn't.

Avatar
Condor Andy replied to MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

MinardiM189 wrote:

Playing safe today -

ALAPHILIPPE
VALVERDE
YATES A.
MARTIN D.
FUGLSANG
VANENDERT
LAMBRECHT
KREUZIGER
 

I was tempted to go for Kwiatowski & Schachmann in place of Valverde & Vanendert but decided to play safe.

I went for:

ALAPHILIPPE
VALVERDE
MARTIN D.
FUGLSANG
POELS
SCHACHMANN
BARDET
GEBREMEDHIN

Okay, that last one was a random 3 pointer from Israel Cycling Academy I thought might fancy the break. Wasn't sure about Yates, he's untested on this finish. I wanted Teuns, but decided he was too pricy, same with Kwiato.

Avatar
MinardiM189 replied to JohnnyRemo | 4 years ago
0 likes

JohnnyRemo wrote:

Yates is on form, but maybe too light-weight for the cobbles at the finish? Gone for Pogacar instead as an untested outsider and hope he's not just there to lead out Dan M.

I think the race could play out differently this year, with a group getting away and making it to the finish.

Pogacar could be used to chase down attackers & might get into a group that goes all the way.

Avatar
Sniffer replied to Condor Andy | 4 years ago
0 likes

Condor Andy wrote:

Matthews was one of my nagging doubts. His 6th last year was a surprise, but I was interested to see if he'd do it again. I plumped for no, and I've been proved wrong again. I also wrote off Lambrecht and Vanendert, had no idea Martin was ill which gave Ulissi the lead, and Mollema looks to be in good form.

Moving onto Sunday, the finish is back in Liege. It's a flat finish and guys like Sagan and Matthews might want it. Also, the weather looks a little inclement.

Fuglsang, why didn't I go for Fuglsang?  Form great, been at the front of lots classics recently.  Why?

Avatar
Gecko-cyclist replied to MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes
MinardiM189 wrote:

My team for LBL -

ALAPHILIPPE
SCHACHMANN
YATES A.
KWIATOWSKI
FUGLSANG
BARDET
LAMBRECHT
CLARKE S.

I expect lots of people have similar line-ups.

Does anyone want to buy some spare transfers? I have 5 left, which may explain why I had such a poor Spring Classics.

Same team for me bar Nibali instead of Bardet. Not sure how he'll be after the transfer but he looked lively.

I wondered if I'd have enough transfers left mid way but 3 left for me too.

Avatar
MinardiM189 replied to Dr Winston | 4 years ago
0 likes

Dr Winston wrote:

Ended up taking a very risky Matthews. Has he managed to keep in so far or has he been dropped?...

He was dropped on the final climb.

Avatar
Dr Winston replied to Sniffer | 4 years ago
0 likes

Sniffer wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Hat the hell happened to Impey?...Had to go out for the run in...he was there when I left. 

Mind you...What was he doing going for home with over 20kms left as well...

Doubt he would have won with any tactic thoughh.

Missed Lambrecht

I didn’t really expect him to win...just a decent place. Did he blow up?

Avatar
Dr Winston replied to MinardiM189 | 4 years ago
0 likes

MinardiM189 wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Shockingly good line up for Amstel.  Where to begin....

Yes, difficult to know which way to go, lots of possibilities.

Tempted to drop Wellens because it will be a bit warm for is liking.

Does Naesen have a chance? No tipsters seem to give him a shout.

Will it be too tough for Schachmann ?

Valverde too expensive ?

All this and Ilkley Moor 500 yards up the hill from me is burning.

Why do you think it will be too warm for Wellens?

No reason for them to write Naesen of at all.

I learned my lesson about “too tough for Schachmann”

No...At least with Valverde you get a very high probability of a good finish even if he doesn’t win. Sagan is probably the one that suddenly looks far too expensive imo.

I can see literally dozens that could chuck in a good finish alongside Naesen....tough call this one. 

Nice part of the world you’re in Minardi....i’m In Lancashire. I take it you’ll be going to the world championship then...

 

Avatar
MinardiM189 replied to Sniffer | 4 years ago
0 likes

Sniffer wrote:

Think there will be a significant spread of choices today

I would have gone Izagirre too.  Strongly considered Madouas, but went Lambrecht instead.

I spent the budget on Alaphillipe, Valverde and Sagan so that limited of my options, hence I have

Julian Alaphilippe (QST)

Alejandro Valverde (MOV)

Michal Kwiatkowski (SKY)

Alberto Bettiol (EFE)

Peter Sagan (BOH)

Mathieu van der Poel (COC)

Bjorg Lambrecht (LTS)

Marc Hirschi (SUN)

 

I would have picked Valverde & Madouas rather than Matthews & Gilbert if I had known Izagirre wasn't starting.

Avatar
stevemarks replied to Condor Andy | 4 years ago
0 likes

Condor Andy wrote:

MinardiM189 wrote:

Playing safe today -

ALAPHILIPPE
VALVERDE
YATES A.
MARTIN D.
FUGLSANG
VANENDERT
LAMBRECHT
KREUZIGER
 

I was tempted to go for Kwiatowski & Schachmann in place of Valverde & Vanendert but decided to play safe.

I went for:

ALAPHILIPPE
VALVERDE
MARTIN D.
FUGLSANG
POELS
SCHACHMANN
BARDET
GEBREMEDHIN

Okay, that last one was a random 3 pointer from Israel Cycling Academy I thought might fancy the break. Wasn't sure about Yates, he's untested on this finish. I wanted Teuns, but decided he was too pricy, same with Kwiato.

ALAPHILIPPE

MARTIN D

FUGLSANG

YATES A

KWIATKOWSKI

SCHACHMANN

MADUOUS

LUTSENKO

Always have Valverde for these but decided was too expensive and would have better team without him. possibly going to regret that decision.

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