[VdB]

Always strange to see the overflow of riders from the cobbled classics mingling with the "fresh" riders from the Tour of Basque country and other races! Suddenly we have Valverde, Cunego, the Schlecks and Sanchez competing. Traditionally, these riders come out guns blazing and blow away the guys who featured in the classics in the past two weeks, so we can assume the same will happen this year. With two possible exceptions: Sagan and Gilbert. Very unclear what Gilbert's shape will be like after an early season that has been extremely disappointing so far though.

Valverde has been on fire so far this year, so I'm going with him!

[Burkni]

Valverde is the most logical pick, I agree.
However, I have a theory that on paper, the best run-in to the Ardennes classics is being up there but not quite the best in the Basque country. Therefore I voted for Cunego ahead of Sanchez, who like JRod (missing from the poll) could feature quite prominently.

[VdB]

Oops, I looked over Rodriguez when I saw Freire on Katyusha! fixed!

[N.B.O.L.]

I went with Valverde because he is on my WP team and I need him to do something.

[N.B.O.L.]

I don't believe that the U.S. has even delayed coverage. I guess it will be either a ticker, or try to see if I have better luck than normal with one of Steephill's streams.

[buddy]

I haven't seen a start list yet but my vote goes to Simon Gerrans who said earlier in the year that Amstel was a target. Given his sensational form so far this year I am happy to give him my vote. Valverde will be his challenger. I would love for Gilbert to be good but it is not his season this year. I do expect him in the finale but not at the level of last year.

Thanks,

Buddy

[The Rake]

N.B.O.L., on 11 April 2012 - 01:39 AM, said:

I went with Valverde because he is on my WP team and I need him to do something.

Great minds, NBOL.

I was torn between Cunego and Valverde, but opted for Valverde in the end. Thought about Rodriguez, but whenever I watch him he always attacks in the wrong place at the wrong time

[crockett]

I also voted other. Gerrans is my pick.

[ETBE]

I voted for Thomas Voeckler. After Brabantse Pijl he is the new "Boonen" for the Ardennes.

[Burkni]

ETBE, on 12 April 2012 - 06:53 AM, said:

I voted for Thomas Voeckler. After Brabantse Pijl he is the new "Boonen" for the Ardennes.

[Burkni]

Has anyone looked into the new parcours changes?
Basically they reduced the false flat and descent kms (cut the loop through downtown Valkenburg) by 2km between the penultimate climb (Keutenberg) and the Cauberg in an attempt to induce attacks. If they really wanted to induce attacks they'd add the Sibbergrubbe as a climb between the two, but hey, any gesture in that direction should be well received I guess.

[Burkni]

Not much action in on the board or in the race ... 6km to go, Van Avermaet is an absolute beast working for Gilbert (who seems to fancy his chances)
Movistar and GreenEdge getting a free ride.
Much good the "more attacking parcours did

Edit: Freire with a suicide move with 5km to go ... nice to see him go out with a bang in his favourite race.

This post has been edited by Burkni: 15 April 2012 - 02:48 PM

[N.B.O.L.]

With about 1.5 K to go, looking at it through the long lens I thought Freire has a chance, but when they went around the last corner to start the climb you could tell how close the peloton actually was and I knew it was over. Still he held on and was able to come back past Gilbert for 4th.

This post has been edited by N.B.O.L.: 15 April 2012 - 04:01 PM

[N.B.O.L.]

Just looked at the revised placings that CN has up. Apparently Gilbert really faded after his effort, Tommy V got by him as well.

[N.B.O.L.]

And so much for my hopes of Valverde. He finished 22 place 22 seconds down.

[Burkni]

I must admit that I harboured slight hope for Freire.
BMC very much the Rabobank of this year's edition, doing all the work in the finale and Gilbert going waaaay too early, but such is the pressure of expectations I guess.

Nice to see Gasparotto win his first and Astana's second classic. He has been there or thereabouts in the finales of big races for quite some time.
The sprint seemed almost conducted in slo-mo after a hard tempo up the Cauberg, a lot less convincing in power than Gilbert of the past couple of years.

[Strategy]

Very weird race, all around, with such a huge group sprinting for the win at the end.

Pity Cunego took down Nordhaug there at the end. I would have liked to see what the Norwegian could have achieved (he and Cunego were on the wheel of Gasparotto at the time, and he was looking really good).

[Burkni]

With the Cauberg at the very end, AGR is doomed to little action in 5 editions out of 6 or so.

If not for Freire's attack, the race could have been covered in 3 minutes from a spectator's (figurative) viewpoint.

[buddy]

So .... I had a big race yesterday. Travelled 200km there, raced and drove home. Went out to dinner had coffee to stay awake and then loaded up the on line live streaming of Amstel Gold (thankyou internet).

Race was down to 13km to the finish. The action all about to happen ( this at 12:05am )and ........... fell aseep. Woke up at 1:05am the race well and truly over. Didn't get to see Friere light it up or Gilbert pretend to be the rider of last year. Pity Cunego fell, of all places .... 300 to go.

That Gerran's didn't win made me me not too cross at falling asleep. Then dragged my sorry butt to bed where I should have been much earlier. Lucky though Monday morning is the morning off training.

Thanks,

Buddy

[Burkni]

buddy, on 16 April 2012 - 07:10 AM, said:

Race was down to 13km to the finish. The action all about to happen ( this at 12:05am )and ........... fell aseep. Woke up at 1:05am the race well and truly over. Didn't get to see Friere light it up or Gilbert pretend to be the rider of last year. Pity Cunego fell, of all places .... 300 to go.

Off topic, but I once stayed up watching a recording of the one and only Woodstock concert containing Jimi Hendrix' chef d'oeuvre. I fell asleep long before he hit the stage but miraculously awoke once he started playing the Star Spangled Banner.

Not sure what happened to Gerro.