Picks for Ghent-Wevelgem

helmutRoole2 said:

I'm going with Little Tommy Danielson.

But, if he can't get it done, CSC's JJ Haedo

Pozzato.

Flecha

Looking for the start list I found this on Cycling4All.com: I couldn't figure out why Discovery wasn't listed.

The 20 Pro Tour Teams 2007
Omega Pharma - Lotto (Bel)
Quick Step (Bel)
Unibet (Bel)
AG2R Prévoyance (Fra)
Bouygues Telecom (Fra)
Credit Agricole (Fra)
Cofidis (Fra)
Française des Jeux (Fra)
Gerolsteiner (Ger)
T-Mobile (Ger) CSC (Den)
Lampre (Ita)
Liquigas (Ita)
Milram (Ita)
Rabobank (Ned)
Euskaltel - Euskadi (Spa)
Caisse d'Epargne (Spa)
Saunier Duval (Spa)
Astana (Swi)
Team Bruyneel (Usa)

"Wild cards"
Choc.Jacques
Landbouwkrediet
DFL-Cyclingnews Skil-Shimano
Wiesenhof

DiabloScott said:

Looking for the start list I found this on Cycling4All.com: I couldn't figure out why Discovery wasn't listed.

Since the official start list includes Discovery, maybe it's a personal preference of the webmaster at that site not to mention the name "Discovery"? Maybe a personal protest against the presence of Basso on the team? Maybe a misunderstanding as to when Discovery sponsorship ends?
gent-wevelgem.beindex.phpOpen ↗

OK, kiss of death. I will also go for Pozzato. Although I thought about Di Luca for a bit... 😕

I'm waiting for someone to throw out Patachi.

Tommy D., who else?

JRMDC said:

Since the official start list includes Discovery, maybe it's a personal preference of the webmaster at that site not to mention the name "Discovery"? Maybe a personal protest against the presence of Basso on the team? Maybe a misunderstanding as to when Discovery sponsorship ends?
gent-wevelgem.beindex.phpOpen ↗

It does appear to be a webmaster grudge. He puts astrisks next to Basso's name and makes some other comments about similar things - but this seems to be kind of a weird way to make a statement.

fast guys

Discovery - Vaitkus, Gusev, Bileka
Omega Pharma - Lotto (Bel) Steels, Mcewen, Rodriguez, Sentjens
Quick Step (Bel) Boonen, Steegmans, Weylandt
Unibet (Bel) Cooke, Casper, Hunt, Gardeyn
AG2R Prévoyance (Fra) Elmiger, Usov
Bouygues Telecom (Fra) Martias, Putsep, Geslin
Credit Agricole (Fra) Hushovd, Hinault, Dean, Bonnet
Cofidis (Fra) Farrar, Nuyens
Française des Jeux (Fra) Seba Chavanel, Gilbert
Gerolsteiner (Ger) Haussler, Wrolich, Kopp, Gatto
T-Mobile (Ger) Baumann, Klier, Hammond, Henderson, Eisel, Burghardt
CSC (Den) Haedo, Breschel, O'Grady, Cancellara, Ljungqvist,
Lampre (Ita) Baldato, Mori, Corioni, Bennati
Liquigas (Ita) Pozzato, Paolini
Milram (Ita) Petacchi, Lancaster, Sieberg, Sacchi
Rabobank (Ned) Brown, Freire, Hayman
Euskaltel - Euskadi (Spa) Fernandez
Caisse d'Epargne (Spa) Reynes, Rojas Gil
Saunier Duval (Spa) Ventoso, Pagliarini
Astana (Swi) - Kemps, Haselbacher,
Choc.Jacques - Eeckhout, Caethoven
Landbouwkrediet - don't know em well enough
DFL-Cyclingnews - Mattan
Skil-Shimano - Van Hummel
Wiesenhof - Pollack

me? Steegmans, Haedo and Ventoso. any order. for the podium. but that order looks good in chronology, Gert to win, JJ second, and Ventoso 3rd.

Else could be O'Grady.

Andrija said:

Else could be O'Grady.

Sanchez in a break......

My money is on Philippe Gilbert.

thunder said:

me? Steegmans, Haedo and Ventoso. any order. for the podium. but that order looks good in chronology, Gert to win, JJ second, and Ventoso 3rd.

I'm worried about my Haedo pick. I'm not sure he's seasoned enough in these Belgium races. If the weather is good, he's got a shot. Farrar, I believe, will be in the top 10 if it's a buncher.

Hey helmet! You haven't consulted me first.

Bennati for me.

El Loto said:

Hey helmet! You haven't consulted me first.

Bennati for me.

I'm switching to Bennati. It's official. Everyone is allowed to switch once. That's the rule book. I should know since I started the thread.

helmutRoole2 said:

I'm switching to Bennati. It's official. Everyone is allowed to switch once. That's the rule book. I should know since I started the thread.

And, one change back is also allowed.

"No start for Bennati
Pre-race favorite Daniele Bennati didn't start Wednesday's Ghent-Wevelgem because of a bout of dysentery, according to officials from Lampre-Fondital. Bennati fell ill overnight and decided to skip the sprinter-friendly Ghent in favor of saving his reserves for Sunday's Paris-Roubaix.."

1Km to go - Roger Hammond poised.

Just finished T-Mobile first and second at the finish.
Freire 3rd.

Good race - terrible crash on the cobblestones with 50kms to go : Tyler Farrar and Jimmy Casper look to be seriously injured.

Marcus Burghardt TMO and Roger Hammond first and second.
Freire third.

Great race.

Spolied for choice - we now have Pais Vasco on Eurosportas well!

I wish I could have seen this (from cyclingnews.com):

As the group approached the one kilometre to go banner, Ventoso tried to ride Burghardt off the back of the break. But the powerful young German bided his time, and as Ventoso reconsidered his tactic and closed the gap, Burghardt launched his winning move.

Wow, that's got to make Ventoso feel like a tool.