Liège-Bastogne-Liège

I'm going to go for Paolo Bettini.
I thought that he went went at Amstel and I think QS on home territory will be gunning for the win.

(I expect Musette will plump for Tom Danielson to win stage 1 of LBL, followed by Leif Hoste winning stage 2..........wait a minute Hoste is a dirty cheating European........sorry back to the Johan Bruyneel master plan drawing board)

i'd like to see vino double, but i think the chances are a bit slim

I am going to go with Bettini. My outside shot is Karsten Kroon.

moviekindoflife said:

i'd like to see vino double, but i think the chances are a bit slim

I think Vino has said he's going to give it a go..... love to see it....

I've voted Bettini, but I wouldn't put Vino out of the picture, he definitely has the ability to win this race. The thing I'm most interested in is a british rider getting in the top 10 and scoring us a protour point.

patch70 said:

Who will win?

For musette: How many stages do you think DSC will claim this year?

Chavanel???? :eek:

Gilbert has more of a chance! [IMG]cyanide-studio.comicon banana.gifOpen ↗[/IMG]

I stick with Boogerd (but... that's because i really like him...), my dark horse is Jens Voigt (somehow i always bet on the guys without a sprint..)

So where's boogerd then in youre poll??????? But he's also my bet, that's because he has been the most consistent pro in the ardennes classics the last 8/9 years.......

But realisticly, boogerd is doomed for 2nd😠 I was suprised btw by the race of T. dekker!! He said that IF he didn't had to chase so hard for rabo he could have been with boogerd in that first group.......

T. dekker is very strong......could be a darkhorse!?

cyclingheroes said:

I stick with Boogerd (but... that's because i really like him...), my dark horse is Jens Voigt (somehow i always bet on the guys without a sprint..)

MJtje said:

So where's boogerd then in youre poll????? But he's also my bet and it's more the guy deserves it more then any other pro to win in liege............

But realisticly, boogerd is doomed for 2nd😠 I was suprised btw by the race of T. dekker!! He said that IF he didn't had to chase so hard for rabo he could have been with boogerd in that first group.......

T. dekker is very strong......could be a darkhorse!?

Thomas wins Fleche Wallonne! Here is a pic i made on the Cauberg sunday, the whole bunch is looking miserable, Thomas is smiling and waving to some friends... I believe it was on the second lap.

cyclingheroes said:

Thomas wins Fleche Wallonne! I am working on a pic i made on the Cauberg sunday, the whole bunch is looking miserable, Thomas is smiling and waving to some friends... I belive it was on the second lap.

my picks

to be amended after Fleche

Basso Weseman Bettini Schleck Kroon
I dont think Valverde or Astarloa
maybe Rebellin we'll see after Fleche
is DiLuca showing up after all?
Vino will try a few things to test his form but he'll be sooooo marked

cyclingheroes said:

Thomas wins Fleche Wallonne! Here is a pic i made on the Cauberg sunday, the whole bunch is looking miserable, Thomas is smiling and waving to some friends... I believe it was on the second lap.

Best. Picture. Ever. 😄

I go for Valverde...
Then Bettini strong as always and then others like Vino, Dekker...

Dead Star said:

Chavanel????

That was just to get a reaction out of bobkedesubaru... but it failed so far.

patch70 said:

That was just to get a reaction out of bobkedesubaru... but it failed so far.

Hmm I chose Bettini but that was before Fleche. They described Valverde on the audio feed as very strong. Those Spaniards shouldn't work in Northern Europe.

no Fleche thread and since it's kind of a warmup for LBL, I will drop comment in here. I caught the final today on cycling.tv. First, nice teamwork by Basso and impressive to be up there in that explosive stuff. Second, nice to see Mayo take a pretty good dig on the front and open it up for Sanchez. Assuming he was only going as a dom. for Sanchez to soften and not for the win himself, it was a nice dig. Perhaps he is finding a bit of form. Finally, Valverde made this one look easy. He was so patient, letting half a dozen different people burn out off the front before showing a clean pair of wheels (I love that expression, sorry) to the field and even sitting up at the line. He sure seems to be coming on form just fine. Harry, don't give up on his tour yet. That is a great finish, It's easy to forget a midweek race but this one really is a classic.

remind me, how does the finish to LBL compare to Fleche? Can't remember how nasty that one is.

This is the route profile from last year.

http://www.letour.fr/stf/liege/2005/images/profil.gif

El Loto said:

Hmm I chose Bettini but that was before Fleche. They described Valverde on the audio feed as very strong. Those Spaniards shouldn't work in Northern Europe.

I heard an interview with Kroon, he said no way i could keep up with Valverde... (today at Fleche)

barnstorm said:

remind me, how does the finish to LBL compare to Fleche? Can't remember how nasty that one is.

the final climb in L-B-L isn't as bad as Fleche... but there are a few nasty climbs in short succession.

caught the cycling.tv coverage as well and Valverde looked like how DiLuca looked last year.. he was in one race everyone was in another.. was very patient and made it look REALLY easy. Astarloa looked very strong he just went WAY!!! to early and blew up... on the earlier decisive climb Astarloa was the only one that could go with Valverde... maybe he can do something a L-B-L but this finally actually suits him much better and he blew it... he won it in 2003 so he should know the Muur de Huy really well... Bettini looked like [censored] (for Bettini anyway).. just didn't have the legs... he was straining so hard at point he almost crashed himself. Valverde said that he suffered really bad in Amstel gold because of those extra 50ks so maybe he won't have it for L-B-L since it's a long one as well.

for L-B-L man... it's wide open with so many riders coming into form... and the spanish are taking over.. Sanchez, Astarloa, Koldo Gil, Etxebarria, Mayo...

I'm going to say Sanchez takes this one or Wegmann maybe? Astarloa? Schleck? i don't know anymore... DiLuca really wants this one too. he might have been just stretching his legs in Fleche and saving his legs for L-B-L... really didn't go on the attack or anything just followed wheels but he didn't seem to be struggling or anything... wasn't Sinkewitz and Schleck straight up domestiques last year? now they are right up there in the thick of it... T-mobile has a strong team for these hilly classics..

ok Sanchez, Wegmann, Schleck and DiLuca are my favourites and Astarloa has an outside chance.