Flanders

sy

OK so the first big Northern Classic this weekend. Anybody like to pick from the following or offer other suggestions.
Boonen, Pozzato, Devolder, Nuyens, Leif Hoste( like Kelly third three times!), Gilbert, Van Avermaet, Juan Antonio Flecha, Hushovd , Haussler,Karsten Kroon or Chavanel and Bennati.
Personally I feel it will be between Devolder and Boonen but should be a great race.
Would love to see Big George win

DirkVoodoo

I have no idea, but I will be seeing it in person .

Maybe Boonen? It is his back yard right?

TinyExplosions

Hincapie as my wildcard (I always have to pick one!), or Devolder or Boonen

scottreynolds

I love the cervelo test team -- picking these guys cause I like them and they have good form. Hushovd , Haussler

My other pick -- Boonen.

Caroline_ie

Chavanel

Chips Lovell

Boonen's race to lose this year. Two of his biggest rivals are gone. Ballan won't be starting because of his virus and Cancellara has been injured for a while (although he is togging out).

Devolder and Chavanel will be plans B and C for Quick Step and can force Boonen's rivals to chase their attacks. If one of them stays away, like Devolder last year, then they still get the win. I suspect nobody will underestimate Devolder this year though. I could watch that guy storm up cobbled hills all day.

Lotto will probably be a disaster. Hoste will wave his arms around and ultimately come up short (again). Gilbert has been out of sorts in the past few weeks. He looked marginally better this weekend, but still not as sharp as he usually is. He will win here someday though.

Rabobank would probably present a stronger challenge, but they've blown it every chance they've had this year. How many Belgian races have we seen them with three or four guys in the selection and then fail to seal the deal. Flecha and Nuyens are great riders and Flecha in particular deserves a big win, but other teams seem to be able to play them.

Pozzato looked great on Saturday, but he's the kind of guy who doesn't win consistantly. Steegmans is out I see, which weakens his team.

Saxo's Kroon also looked good at the weekend and is definitely in with a chance of a top 5 if not more. Columbia are sending a strong team, but none of them jumps out as a podium. As for Cervelo, I think the Ronde is a bit too hilly for Hushovd and Haussler.

Quinziato is a bit of a dark horse.

Caroline_ie

Remember last time you wrote your predictions Tonto??? What's your blog again? eh?

Chips Lovell

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Remember last time you wrote your predictions Tonto??? What's your blog again? eh?

Hey, I can't get them all right.

sy

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Chavanel

Loyalty!

PS I think he is the only french rider with a chance of winning a major classic

Muller_1

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Hincapie as my wildcard (I always have to pick one!), or Devolder or Boonen

Yep got Big George at 16/1 each way on Paddy Powers not a bad bet for a place.

BH2008

el tonto wrote: »

Boonen's race to lose this year. Two of his biggest rivals are gone. Ballan won't be starting because of his virus and Cancellara has been injured for a while (although he is togging out).

Devolder and Chavanel will be plans B and C for Quick Step and can force Boonen's rivals to chase their attacks. If one of them stays away, like Devolder last year, then they still get the win. I suspect nobody will underestimate Devolder this year though. I could watch that guy storm up cobbled hills all day.

Lotto will probably be a disaster. Hoste will wave his arms around and ultimately come up short (again). Gilbert has been out of sorts in the past few weeks. He looked marginally better this weekend, but still not as sharp as he usually is. He will win here someday though.

Rabobank would probably present a stronger challenge, but they've blown it every chance they've had this year. How many Belgian races have we seen them with three or four guys in the selection and then fail to seal the deal. Flecha and Nuyens are great riders and Flecha in particular deserves a big win, but other teams seem to be able to play them.

Pozzato looked great on Saturday, but he's the kind of guy who doesn't win consistantly. Steegmans is out I see, which weakens his team.

Saxo's Kroon also looked good at the weekend and is definitely in with a chance of a top 5 if not more. Columbia are sending a strong team, but none of them jumps out as a podium. As for Cervelo, I think the Ronde is a bit too hilly for Hushovd and Haussler.

Quinziato is a bit of a dark horse.

El Tonto, did you ever listen to that horse racing guy on the sports show on newstalk, Don something......your the cycling equivalent, I doff my cap to your impressive knowledge of the pro scene!

Hard to rule Boonen out for sure,but would go for Gilbert, langeveld (rabo) in as an outside shot, was reading about him in pro cycling, last year he came 18th at flanders and 2nd in kuurne-brussels-kuurne, pretty good for a 23 year old.

TinyExplosions

Muller_1 wrote: »

Yep got Big George at 16/1 each way on Paddy Powers not a bad bet for a place.

F**k me it's worth a punt at that price!

-runs off to pp

Chips Lovell

BH2008 wrote: »

El Tonto, did you ever listen to that horse racing guy on the sports show on newstalk, Don something......your the cycling equivalent, I doff my cap to your impressive knowledge of the pro scene!

Hard to rule Boonen out for sure,but would go for Gilbert, langeveld (rabo) in as an outside shot, was reading about him in pro cycling, last year he came 18th at flanders and 2nd in kuurne-brussels-kuurne, pretty good for a 23 year old.

A sure sign that I spend far too much time watching races and not enough time training.

Langeveld has been looking good alright. Very promising for a guy so young.

Funkyzeit

If Haussler can stay with the punchers up front I think on currrent form can take Tom in a sprint.
Failing that I think Hoste might actually get Lotto's season under way...

It's on Eurosport at 1 on Sunday btw