Happy for the much maligned TF. Hope he hangs in. And while I didn't pick him, cool to see Sagan there but in stealth mode. And not bouncing around on the front.

exactly. Actually, Thomas looks a lot like Sagan usually does - in the wind a lot, staying 4th or 5th wheel back the whole time only to crack and lose it within 5K to go

I think it's Rob Hatch.

enjoying this in the morning seems so wrong ;)

Well it appears sporza have decided this is the move. The moto assistance is ridiculous.

Anyone think Terpstra and Kristoff will make it?

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http://www.thedeludedcyclist.wordpress.com

30 seconds may be too much. I think they are right.

Yep, this is the move. That hesitation by the chase at the top of the kwaremont sealed the deal I think.

Boom might be an outsider for PR now, also considering his cobble with last year in the TDF.

well he has won it twice before! hes no fabian though :(

Kristoff = beast, best man in the race and he deserved the win! I think Terpstra gambled and didnt' really stand any chance against Kristoff, I think he should have not gone in a break with him, But, it is what it is.

Disappointing race for Sep... no idea what happened but after G-W I was worried about Flanders. Hoping to learn more about what happened today.

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So he was simply not good enough, group split on the Taaienberg and he was having a rough moment. Recovered a bit and tried to get back but didn't make it. Very disappointed, as much as I think he deserves a great win I don't see him being a contender in Roubaix next week. Damn.

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And I guess I was right.
Kristoff is the best right now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l4Q7uJ_Npk

Agree with you there, Etixx once again plays their cards wrong. Terpstra would have been better off to sit up and reshuffle with Stybar behind. Once Kristoff was on him the race was for second.

BMC... How many podiums will it take for them to change tactics? Pretty shocking when it goes on for years.

Sagan really needs a teammate there with him at end. He probably made the smart tactical move--saving bullets instead of going off with a better sprinter--and came up short again. Heck, if I were in his shoes I'd be womdering why Terpstra is riding with Krostoff, and figuring he sits up. Teams are doing a good job of isolating him.

What a classics campaign for Katusha: monument, classic, second at another monument, all the while putting it on seemingly stronger teams (on paper, at least). Pretty damn impressive.

Last K with English commentators
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTNF2_cAf-Y

Last 10K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXZArdJiyNs

Do you get decent throughput connecting to a UK server? I wasn't able to get Tunnelbear working so I signed up for PIA but could only get about 500kbps connecting to anything in the UK. My work-around is to connect to a UK server, open up Eurosport Live and then disconnect the VPN. The connection to Eurosport stays open and the speed goes up so I get decent video quality.

His own team is pretty good at isolating him as well, he might as well ride unattached.

Exactly, and the thing here is also that this is exactly what Boonen said they shouldn't do (or what nobody was expected to do) just because the outcome would be exactly what happened today.

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Don't forget to attack!

Anyone else think that Sagan really needs to drop like 10lbs? He looks like a bear riding a tricycle at the circus

I'm not sure I agree with you about Terpstra sitting up... Once Sagan and Van Avermaet make contact now he has two more guys to beat who are also pretty fast finishers. It would have been one thing to sit on Kristoff's wheel when Stybar and Van Avermaet were trying to come across. But that move didn't work since Stybar didn't work.

2nd is still better then 4th.

Not to Cobble in particular - forum quirk...

Didn't see much of Wiggins. He's been very vocal in his support of Thomas this week in the press, talking up his supporting role for Thomas. I think there is obviously some jockeying for leadership for PR. It would have made as much sense for Thomas to go easier this week and contest PR next week, but That would have left a conflict. I expected to see Wiggins working a lot more visibly to foster loyalty next week in his swan song race.

Sagan needs to specialise; decide on a strength and move in that direction. He's a talented puncher: a jack of all trades, master of none. Not as fast a finisher as the pure sprinters; not an out and out climber although he's over the hills better than half the peloton. His success seemed to have been in his ability to slip away unmarked, which he never is now. He looks heavy this season; still working hard to get away, but it leaves he exhausted when his traditional rivals put in the final attack. I can't see Sagan doing much this season - nor commanding as high a pay check as this again.

What a classics campaign for Katusha: monument, classic, second at another monument, all the while putting it on seemingly stronger teams (on paper, at least). Pretty damn impressive.

Indeed!

Kristoff & Paolini have been a two man wrecking crew, while the bigger teams with bigger horsepower, Etixx-QS in particular seem to keep fumbling the ball.

So much for SKY and Thomas today. Looked impressive for 3/4 of the race, but when, the game was really on, could not close the deal.

I've been a Shimano-man for my whole life, nothing against the product and the gear, but when two riders are taken out of the race by Shimano Neutral Support drivers, it's not a good day for the brand!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I think Terpstra and Stybar had a better chance sticking together. Had Terpstra sat up as soon as it flattened out then it should regroup. Or maybe their plan was for Stybar to come across with someone else so they could pick apart a small group like Roubaix last year.

Regardless, I have a hard time believing they entered race going for 2nd, which is better than 4th for most any team other than Etixx. When he contributed with Kristoff, that's the best they were going to get.

Monday Morning Quarterbacking is great fun.

Well . . Kristoff said before the race, that he was just going to follow wheels and wait! Looks like he picked his last wheel well! :)

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

We (or at least I) wasn't talking about the end, but immediately when Terpstra and Kristoff attacked. Terpstra should have set up right away because why would you want to go into a break with a guy that's guaranteed to beat you in the sprint? When they went it was still pretty far - it was around the Hotond and from there they still had the Oude Kwaremont and Patersberg and GVA + Sagan were still in the following group. What happened is exactly what Boonen said nobody was gonna let happen because otherwise it's pretty dumb. But his team mate did it anyway.

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Lookin at Kristoffs incredible strength today, it seems he might have pulled it off solo just as well without Terpstra. The last 10-15 Km all Terpstra did was half-assed 5 sec pulls, and you could see the time diff to the chase group increased/decreased according to who was in front.