Liège-Bastogne-Liège *contains unmasked spoilers*

Darkglasses

Gentlemen, ladies, the spring classics are coming to an end. We finish with the 100th edition of La Doyenne, and the startlist is tough. We have Froome, Rodriguez, Dan Martin, Valverde, Betancur, Mollema, Moreno, Cunego, Scarponi, Porte, Barguil, Voeckler, Nico Roche, Kreuziger, Kwiatkowski, Rui Costa and both Schlecks.



The route is the same but different. New climbs, but same challenge, and still very tough to predict. Plenty of launch-pads for attacks. The final 1.5 km of Liège-Bastogne-Liège are uphill with an average gradient of 5 %.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzXGbjMm7cU

And a song to set the scene - https://soundcloud.com/cosmocatalano/liege-bastogne-liege-chorale?in=cosmocatalano/sets/cyclocosm-music

Morrisseeee

Looks flattish enough............rolling roads I'd say..............:pac:

dastardly00

This Monument really is unique as it has both Classic and GC riders entering (and going for the win). It's gonna be cool seeing Dan with No.1 on his back.

Coverage is starting on Eurosport1 at 1pm!

Article by Dan on Cycling news.

MPFG

Whey ...one of my favs...lets hope we see a lot of attacking and counter attacking and an open race with lots of tactical battles

Lots are backing Valverde or Gilbert

however I think Dan Martin and Roman Kreuziger will be up on podium ..would like to see Nibali up there with them

BTW no Nico Roche in this race ...He is keeping himself for Tour of Romandie starting on Tuesday

pelevin

Would love to see Nibali up there too though seems guesswork to know whether he really has the legs compared to other contenders. I think Dan has every chance of victory.

Morrisseeee

Valverde to do his usual wheelsucking until DanTheMan lights it up and leaves him for dust (dream scenario)

Hard to see Valverde out of the top 3 (barring puncture/luck/crash etc). If he gets in the same position as last year, it'll be hard to shake him off.

dastardly00

MPFG wrote: »

BTW no Nico Roche in this race ...He is keeping himself for Tour of Romandie starting on Tuesday

I don't think Nico is riding in the Tour of Romandie. Next up for him is the Giro.

drogdub

No Froome either, due to illness. But still doing Romandie.

pelevin

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Valverde to do his usual wheelsucking until DanTheMan lights it up and leaves him for dust (dream scenario)

Hard to see Valverde out of the top 3 (barring puncture/luck/crash etc). If he gets in the same position as last year, it'll be hard to shake him off.

Have only been watching pro-cycling again for a year so not a whole lot of viewing to go on but from the scraps I've noticed, I really don't like how Valverde rides. Could be an unfair picture but a couple of things particularly - how his full focus in the Worlds was draining every bit of life from Nibali even when Nibali was clearly no longer relevant; and just a couple of weeks ago, another leech impression on Contador in a stage race. Will still keep my mind open though rather than pigeon-holing him as a pure parasite yet. I'm good that way.

dastardly00

drogdub wrote: »

No Froome either, due to illness. But still doing Romandie.

Froome has a mild chest infection according to Team Sky.
Peter Kennaugh also hasn't started due to illness.

pelevin

Betancur who was 4th last year is out with knee problems.Re Froome & Sky - still of course a long way from the TdF but plenty hiccoughs it seems this year in the build-up for Froome & Sky, & by contrast Contador who couldn't get near Froome all year absolutely flying. If marginal gains is the accumulation of minor pluses, all these stoppages for Froome must equate to a substantial enough overall deficit compared to 2013.

MPFG

dastardly00 wrote: »

I don't think Nico is riding in the Tour of Romandie. Next up for him is the Giro.

He said he was last week on Twitter

MPFG

Betencur out with a sore throat ....

Very variable rider .....

dastardly00

MPFG wrote: »

He said he was last week on Twitter

Apologies MPFG!

MPFG

dastardly00 wrote: »

Apologies MPFG!

Just don't let it happen again

Kurtosis

Any idea what time this should finish at this afternoon? I was going to head out for a spin but don't want to miss the end!

MPFG

penguin88 wrote: »

Any idea what time this should finish at this afternoon? I was going to head out for a spin but don't want to miss the end!

https://twitter.com/pelotonmagazine/status/460214909364883457/photo/1/large


Soemtime from 3.30pm Irish time ....but could be faster or slower

Kurtosis

Thanks! Will try to be back for 2 so, to make sure I catch the business end.

MPFG

Oh God its Hatch on mic but at least there is Sean

Just learned Hatch and Magnus Backstead are doing the Giro for Eurosport UK...............sigh

dastardly00

MPFG wrote: »

Oh God its Hatch on mic but at least there is Sean

Just learned Hatch and Magnus Backstead are doing the Giro for Eurosport UK...............sigh

Well I suppose at least it's not Rob Hatch & Brian Smith!

Darkglasses

Wake up cycling fans - Tony Martin and Kwiatkowski are making an attack with 89km to go. Strong pairing. Slightly naive though, no? Kwiato's surely got better options than a 89km attack...

dastardly00

Interesting attack from Tony Martin and Kwiatkowski with 90km to go.

Darkglasses

Already back in the peloton. Just a moment of madness I'd say.

dastardly00

Darkglasses wrote: »

Already back in the peloton. Just a moment of madness I'd say.

A bit bizarre alright. Maybe they might try it later on. They could do something like Ryder and Dan last year.

Morrisseeee

Darkglasses wrote: »

Already back in the peloton. Just a moment of madness I'd say.

The 'boss' said stop, and also Kelly laughed it off

Morrisseeee

That's a steeeep climb !
Andy Slack has slackened off & abandoned

MPFG

OH Great Sean is doing the Giro !!!!!

dastardly00

There's a lot of aggressive riding at the moment. And Purito doesn't look comfortable at all!

MPFG

Yes .unfortunatley ......as I said early in the week Purito may have been better skipping this race and concentrating on getting better for the Giro

Pudsy33

Does anyone know of anyone live tweeting this? Can't get on front of a tv.

dastardly00

MPFG wrote: »

Yes .unfortunatley ......as I said early in the week Purito may have been better skipping this race and concentrating on getting better for the Giro

I think I need to apologise to you again

Darkglasses

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Does anyone know of anyone live tweeting this? Can't get on front of a tv.

@inrng and @cyclocosm are good

Morrisseeee

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Does anyone know of anyone live tweeting this? Can't get on front of a tv.

Us

World Champ down in a crash, damn I had him in my Fantasy team

MPFG

Cyclingfans.com have live tweet

dastardly00

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Does anyone know of anyone live tweeting this? Can't get on front of a tv.

Cycling news live text ticker is probably the best to follow.

dastardly00

Rui Costa has abandoned after a crash.
An AG2R rider had a massive crash as well.

Purito has abandoned now as well!!

Darkglasses

All good news for Dan!

pprendeville

Quite like Magnus Bakstedt. Really knows his stuff plus his English is absoultely spot on for a a non-native speaker even with a hint of a British accent.

Sean Kelly "Rui Costas shorts were absolutely ripped asunder". Love the Irishness in his commentating.

Darkglasses

I'm out, have to watch the football, will watch the repeat.

MPFG

Hesjedal not looking great

Sarz91

Darkglasses wrote: »

I'm out, have to watch the football, will watch the repeat.

Boourns.

Amprodude

Lads anyone know the model of that amber Trek bike in the breakaway group? Gorgeous looking bike.
Some nasty crashes in it so far.

MPFG

Amprodude wrote: »

Lads anyone know the model of that amber Trek bike in the breakaway group? Gorgeous looking bike.
Some nasty crashes in it so far.

Tweet Eurosport and ask ...I dunno

Morrisseeee

Climbs that are left:
226.5 Côte de la Redoute 2.1 km 8.4%
241.5 Côte de la Roche aux Faucons 1.5 km 9.9%
255.5 Côte de Saint-Nicolas 1.0 km 11.1%

AIR-AUSSIE

Amprodude wrote: »

Lads anyone know the model of that amber Trek bike in the breakaway group? Gorgeous looking bike.
Some nasty crashes in it so far.

It probably a customised Project One Madone 7.
http://www.trekbikes.com/int/en/projectone/#bikerack/1186548

ROK ON

Sweet jebus this is gawdawful. Is this the most boring classic ever?

Morrisseeee

Fuuuuuk............sky.go just melted, can't watch anything noooooo :mad:
Fuuuk you sky

Zzippy

Has Dan got any teammates with him? Saw him in the group a few mins ago but didn't spot any other Garmin jerseys

Bambaata

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Fuuuuuk............sky.go just melted, can't watch anything noooooo :mad:
Fuuuk you sky

same, raging!!!

drogdub

Bambaata wrote: »

same, raging!!!

Dan right in there. Looks ok

Pudsy33

Zzippy wrote: »

Has Dan got any teammates with him? Saw him in the group a few mins ago but didn't spot any other Garmin jerseys

Apparently Slagter is there