No doubt, GvO was a weird situation. If they wanted to throw a feint, why not have him go all in at that point instead of/in addition to hitting it on the Cauberg. It seemed that not only did Kwiatkowski learn from that error last year but the rest of the peloton too.

I'm sticking with my prediction that Kwiatkowski, Matthews and Gilbert all get one of the Ardennes. Thinking Phil tomorrow and Matthews Sunday.
Gilbert, Martin, Purito
WC: Matthews, Valverde

or better yet, give GvA a better lead out afterwards. He seemed to have the best sprint but started with 350m to go. WTF? GvA himself is partially to blame as he started his sprint on the leeward (LHS for the riders) side and then veered to the upwind side whereas Kwaitkowski was on the leeward side the whole time...



I think the inclusion of the penultimate climb may shake things up a bit tomorrow

for Fleche

1st-3rd: Valverde, Martin, Kwiatkowski
WC: Arredondo and Rodriguez

Kwiatkowski showed impressive composure. Looked like he was in deep but measured the effort to now blow. If he's that together now... Peter who?

FW picks:

1: Kwiatkowski
2: Valverde
3: Gilbert

WC: Dan Martin
WC: Nibali

Anyone want to give Froomedog a chance? Looks like Sky is putting him on the start line for tomorrow.

No. I really think there's stuff swirling around Froomie. Even without that, this doesn't suit him.

Valverde
Martin
Rodriguez

WC: Majka, Mollema

With both Martin and Gilbert hobbled by crashes today, this should be the most wide-open Liege in recent memory

Also in our prediction game, we got a 2-way tie for first with third place at one point behind heading into the final classic of the spring season.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16wT4SQEW9_wB4uCMZtPsBTKAKrOHfpAWvv3RW2XLLB4/edit#gid=0

I'm an idiot, forgot to put in any picks for today...

Forgetting to pick for Amstel Gold killed me. Need some good picks for LBL!

No it didnt. McNulty and I both forgot Brinantse Pijl. I had spotty internet connection and thought it wpuld be on Thursday. Wouldnt have picked the winner for sure, but i wpuld have gotten at least 2 fpr picking Gilbert on the podium, and i possibly would have picked Matthews as a wild card. So no go for your excuse

all agreeing this has been a good spring so far? i was more than a little bummed when we lost Boonen and Cancellara but i think we are seeing the best of the new breed. and its pretty good.

Me too, dang it! I had the podium nailed.

Kind of funny selection strategy and to try to win the season, I have to pick whoever the three ahead don't and hope to get lucky. Sort of like how I actually approach bike races these days so at least it's familiar.

Valverde on top of the podium, whatever you think of him, is still the opposite of the best of the new generation, he's had twelve years of podium-ing.

i think the spring classic seasons have always been entertaining, with 2011 (3 of the monuments taken out by one-hit wonders) especially so

i think you meant Brabantse Pijl. You got the top two podium positions picked correctly for Amstel.

As for Liege, how about if we all just email a fifth person our picks and have the picks made public after the race, kinda like how in World Cup group stages the last 2 matches are played simultaneous so that the result of one match will have less influence on how the other match is played?



just be glad he hasn't converted more podiums into victories.

true, happier when anyone can beat him!

I'd be in for the sealed picks. In lieu of that, if Lyachts picks first, I will go semi dark horse, or at least try to make my picks different enough to make it interesting. Take a flyer, sort of. Iow, no drafting. Well, maybe a little. Hard not to have some similarities. Great minds think alike and fools rarely differ.
LBL is a hard man's race. Tougher than Flanders?

Check that, it's a dopers race.
Vino twice, Valverde twice, DiLuca, and, this one cracks me up, Tyler Hamilton.
Okay so Valverde has it in the bag......

not that i don't agree with you, just that from Museeuw to Classicomano Luigi, de Ronde also has some shady winners

but you are right that Liege really takes the cake. From Rolf Sorenson up to Valverde in 2008, every single winner has had a shady past. The one with the least blemish, Paolo Bettini, spoke out quite a bit against anti-doping and was accused by an Italian prosecutor for tipping off riders about doping controls. Then we have Andy Schleck, that once-upon-a-time Tour Contender and 2nd place finisher at the 2007 Giro (sandwiched between dopers Diluca and Mazzolini), a rampaging Gilbert who has failed to live up to his 2011 performances, and Iglinsky.

and yet, it remains my favorite classic...

You're right. We are talking pro cycling after all.

I'm throwing down. Sagan for Cadillac. Bubby.

I'm afraid Sagan's smoothies are lacking whatever the special ingredient is this season. Is it even possible that a Russian team (formerly) headed by no less a character than Mr. 60% would not have access to the latest and greatest? Not sure but what the heck, I'll stick with my man...full picks to come when the start list is firmed up.

Sagan's story is vexing. i watched the 2012 TdF during last week's trainer time. the first week was all Sagan, Sagan, Sagan. but watching it now, as opposed to live, I can see that he has always ridden the way he does; he's always riding 4th or 5th wheel, he's always sticking his nose in the wind, and he never has a teammate with him. its just like he rides now, except now he doesn't win. so what's missing? has his window closed?

(to show that cycling possibly isn't the only dark spot in doping) The explanation for how the Russians get around out of competition tests sounds infuriatingly plausible for their Olympic athletes.

http://www.bbc.com/...orld-europe-32405248

So what's the deal, are we doing sealed picks? Or are we going to play chicken and see who picks first? ;)

From above link:

He says this Russian swimmer explained to him how her team escaped anti-doping inspections.

"Every swimmer had a 'double' who had the same name on his or her passport. It was this double, who was based in the same hotel room…. that was tested after the event - without the officials ever noticing," he writes.