Pezcyclingnews: Pez Roadside: Het Nieuwsblad €15

Two races in Belgium at the week-end, so we put Ed Hood roadside in Flanders, and he was in his element. Cobbles, riders, fans, bikes and beer; all you need for two full days of Flemish fun. Although it was a sober Ed who walked stunned out of a bar after Saturday’s Het Nieuwsblad debacle!There aren’t many fairy tales in cycling; but when one rider is out numbered three to one by riders from the strongest team in professional cycling and then wins – it does have the ring of Hans Christian Andersen to it. Ian Stannard (Sky & GB) rode a terrific race to win but it has to said that the Quick-Step trio of Stijn Vandenbergh, Niki Terpstra and Tom Boonen displayed stupefying tactical ineptitude.The questions Etixx – Quick-Step head honcho Patrick Lefevre would ask on Saturday night were:* Why did they give Stannard a free ride for so long – shouldn’t some of Vandenbergh’s bestial strength been used to attack Stannard and force him to work rather than just dragging the other three across Flanders?* Why didn’t Terpstra attack Stannard before Boonen did, again to make the Englishman work, then have Boonen go?* Why did Terpstra lead the sprint out? It’s not often I walk out of a bar stunned but without having touched alcohol – I did on this day. What should have be Boonen’s re-confirmation turned into a disaster. I wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of Patrick Lefevre’s tongue, that night.But let’s...

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