Spring Classics: Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne ***SPOILERS***

Melodeon

A quick and dirty thread for KBK 2017.

Race website:
http://www.kuurne-brussel-kuurne.be/

Elite race programme:
http://www.kuurne.org/KBK/Elite2017.pdf

Main map:


Final lap (done twice):


Bigger versions of the maps:
https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/320249/410343.jpg
https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/320249/410341.jpg


Anyone willing to bet on anything other than a Tom Boonen win?

letape

Melodeon - I think you put a curse on Boonen with your preview!


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen-ruled-out-of-kuurne-brussel-kuurne-by-stomach-problems/

Melodeon

letape wrote: »

Melodeon - I think you put a curse on Boonen with your preview!


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen-ruled-out-of-kuurne-brussel-kuurne-by-stomach-problems/

I guess I should've checked the latest news BEFORE posting :rolleyes:

pelevin

Sam Bennett riding presumably for Sagan today. Very good in shaking up his career I'd hope rather than simply expected to win sprints here & there. Looks like it's on ES from 1:30 or maybe 2 pm.

MPFGLB

Sam Bennett could make it to a sprint finish and then who knows

Quickstep should have sarificed a man yesterday for the collective good
Think they will have a fire light unde the today ...so could be Trentin or Gilbert or an earlier attack by Stybar who looked lively yesterday

pelevin

Well if Sam can make it to the finish, Sagan seems the kind of rider who could well try to set things up for Sam as easily as the other way round.

neris

you think the police would do some thing about them riding on the footpath

Inquitus

Bennett and Sagan made the potentially race winning split.

longshanks

Tony Martin riding on with blood pouring down his face.

Somedude9

Nasty face plant for Tony Martin.

Lead group told to get off the bike path whilst chasing groups ride unbothered on bike path :rolleyes:

lukegjpotter

They need to get Tony off the bike after a head wound/impact like that.
Good to see Sagan sitting in the bunch and not taking a turn.

Someone Letting a Wheel Go... but in a different way.
https://u.nya.is/pxwluh.mp4

@Mods, I hop the link to the replay is OK to post.

MPFGLB

Looked like the peloton was coming back but now gp gone out again

marvin80

Stuyven for the win!!

Somedude9

Sagan has got this.

marvin80

Somedude9 wrote: »

Sagan has got this.

Should be a good finish - some strong riders in that group

Somedude9

marvin80 wrote: »

Should be a good finish - some strong riders in that group

It's between Sagan & Trentin.

neris

go sagan

neris

great finish

longshanks

Made it look easy.

velo.2010

Chris Froome's post race recovery includes meticulously prepared and measured white rice... Peter Sagan's is a mouthful of Powerbar jellies!

Somedude9

There's Sagan & then there's everyone else.

Miklos

That was the most half arsed sprint I've seen, and he still beat the four of them by miles.

robyntmorton

Miklos wrote: »

That was the most half arsed sprint I've seen, and he still beat the four of them by miles.

He really had the look of Sunday morning club spin crossing the line.

D9Male

Trentin really played that poorly. Maybe he didn't have much juice left but a weak attack from that far out was never going to cut it.

Stuyven looks very strong. He can climb a bit, so I am interested to see him in RVV.

nialljf

that was an enjoyable weekend of racing. and strade bianche next weekend--love this part of the season.

whacker00

nialljf wrote: »

that was an enjoyable weekend of racing. and strade bianche next weekend--love this part of the season.

the best part of the racing season IMO, the races around spring are always the best for viewing entertainment

D9Male

Agreed, lads.

TheBlaaMan

Is he trying to tell us something?



Stupid as a donkey for not winning on Saturday?
or
Hung like a donkey?

harringtonp

Presume this is a doctored image rather than how he actually appeared on the podium

TheBlaaMan

harringtonp wrote: »

Presume this is a doctored image rather than how he actually appeared on the podium

No. It's genuine - from the series here : https://cyclingtips.com/2017/02/photo-gallery-cobbles-crowds-crashes-spring-classics-opening-weekend/ from photographers Kristof Ramon and Jered & Ashley Gruber. Kuurne’s mascot is a donkey with the name Ambroos.

"The citizens of Kuurne are called “donkeys”. This name was given to them by the people of Kortrijk, a nearby city. Kuurne used to be “Kortrijk’s vegetable garden” back in the days. It was a tradition for Kuurne traders to set off to the market in Kortrijk very early with their carts full of vegetables. More importantly, these carts were all drawn by asses. Obviously, the inhabitants of Kortrijk would wake up because of the noises these carts and asses made so early in the day. In Kortrijk it then became very common to say at that particular time in the morning: “It’s those asses from Kuurne again!” https://rideonblog.wordpress.com/2014/03/01/ambroos-the-donkey/




https://twitter.com/TheSlowRidePod/status/835875816047280132