he know he f'ed up not marking the top dogs...

he said Etixx and Sky were also there but nobody help to close the gap (other than Katusha for a few secs)

He tried to play master chief and it kinda backfired on him.

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The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

Yep. Had nuttin' at Jeff Cup.

I think it's maybe the opposite, that FC decided he didn't have the punch to stay with him so he thought he would, with help, bring back the move. And it was not a bad bet. They weren't far off. It just didn't happen. Sagan is beastly right now and he Spartacused Spartacus himself. "If you draw your sword and drop it, you die." Sagan didn't drop it.

I remember FC doing that to him. Changing of the guard.

I don't understand his logic there....Etixx has shown they are lacking that extra something this whole season and Sky wasn't gonna chase 'cuz they had Kwiatkowski up the road with Sagan.

And it still doesn't explain why he didn't go with Sep when he countered.

FC totally misplays that finale....he gave it a good go at the end, but he left it too late. I just think he had bad legs at the moment that Sagan and Kwiatkowski went.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

It's odd and ironic that in bike racing where you race hours and hours, over long distances, that a momentary lapse in judgement of a second or two, when you are at the limit, as they obviously were at that point, can decide the race.

Indeed, Cancellara should have gone with that move. He has enough experience racing and racing that particular course, that moves made in the final 30km often become critical, to the outcome.

I thought when I was watching live, that when VanMarcke and Cancellara hooked up on the Paterburg, and they got back on the flat, that they could, ride Sagan down - 2 against 1 with a 15 sec. gap and 12km of riding, odds are it's doable, but, that's why we run the races!

So again, looking back, that slight hesitation, or in ability to go (however it was) for Cancellara when Sagan, and Kiwitowski went, becomes the crux of the whole race!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

re: bad legs at the decisive moment.

The Eurosport guys noted that he looked a bit off earlier in the race while still in the bunch. I thought he looked a bit pale. In the post race interview in the Sporza studio he said that he fell asleep way late (past midnight? 1:30 or something?) and woke up early not feeling the greatest. The cumulative effect of all those small things would land a lesser rider in the broom wagon - he ended up *just* second. Probably not much else to it.

2 against 1... but those two were Sagan and Sep; everytime Sep took a pull the gap increased.

at the end Sagan was the strongest one.

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The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

 
Indeed. It was clear that VanMarke was not contributing as much, and then when on the front, not able to hold the speed. Again, easy for us to Monday morning quater-back this - when you are at the limit you do what you can!

Still don't know if he did that on purpose or not, but if it was, it was classy of VanMarcke to let Cancellara cross in second place.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

That might be true, as the best way describe yesterday was that Sep and Spartacus both got Spartacused by Sagan. Sagan was outstanding, he was the best by far, and nobody deserved the win more than him. Cancellara made a split second decision that cost him the race when Sep went with Sagan. Sep simply is not a Sagan or Cancellara, he's a strong rider with tons of character who will ride for what he's worth and if he gets dropped or can't do much work it won't be because he's playing games or saving himself - it's just because it's about all he's got left.

The top 3 were the 3 best, and the order was also right - Sagan, FC, Sep.

I have no doubt whatsoever that it was on purpose. Even if he had tried he may not have had enough to challenge Fab for second but he didn't try knowing full well that Fabian rode himself to that second place deservedly. Maybe @Benv can confirm or deny this.

haha. i haven't but apparently Apple auto-correct might have been as every time I spell it correctly I get the auto-correct currently.

Sep knows his pulls really didn't help bring Sagan back, and FC deserved his 2nd. Sep has class. I can think of a few riders who would have probably gone around the exhausted Cancellara.

I haven't heard from Sep directly but both have tons of mutual respect for each other and obviously Sep knew that this was an important moment for FC, who has always loved Flanders and the Flemish races, and this was his last Tour of Flanders. I would expect nothing less than that he let FC have his goodbye moment (because if he wanted to have 2nd place he absolutely would have tried to take it, which he really did not do and he left a gap with FC).

Sep has always been a class act and a simple guy coming from a family of simple, ordinary people who don't have much and have to work hard for everything they have. He's not a guy of games and strong language and looking cool and tough. He's more quiet in public, and more relaxed with friends and family, and just a hard worker doing the best that he can, with tons of respect for his competitors.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/...-podium-video-219529

Vanmarcke says his bike broke mid-way through, and the replacement bike had the wrong saddle position.
I wonder, if the 2nd bike had had the correct saddle position, would he and FC been able to chase Sagan down?

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res, non verba

I'm very tempted to go w FC for the win. I'd love to see Phinney in the final front group. He'll now be given a free hand if he didn't have one already.
Sep of course, and that massive steam engine of a man, Damien Gaudin in the break, mauling his bike like a gorilla with a suitcase. To provide mid race entertainment.
Would like Big Stijn to figure prominently and Boonen will absolutely be there if he stays up with no bad mechanicals. Terpstra is ready too.
Hard to not go with Peto though. He should just pretend he's on Ettix and then bust a late, late move.
Already getting fired up.

Even though I really like the sentimental pick, I'm going Sagan, Kristoff, FC. Boonen and Stybar for WC.

sep's actions made me a fan.

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http://www.PatGriskusTri.com USAT Certified Race Director
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Boonen as wildcard is more sentimental than FC as the winner. we shall see

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After seven rounds, we have the following leaderboard

Kollac: 22.5
yours truly: 20
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McNulty and AWC3 both tied at 18.5

Carl Spackler is the only person to have correctly picked winners of two races

I haven't heard from Sep directly but both have tons of mutual respect for each other and obviously Sep knew that this was an important moment for FC, who has always loved Flanders and the Flemish races, and this was his last Tour of Flanders. I would expect nothing less than that he let FC have his goodbye moment (because if he wanted to have 2nd place he absolutely would have tried to take it, which he really did not do and he left a gap with FC).

It's the coolest thing about cycling but it's the thing that many in the non-bike-racing world or who are unfamiliar with bike racing etiquette don't seem to understand.

My wife was racing at the UCI Master's World Championships in Denmark last year - it was mostly European women. Many former Pros and National team members. There was a break-away group of six riders, and in the chase group trying to track down the break my wife was doing most of the work. When they came up to the line for 7th, there was no sprint and they let my wife roll across in 7th!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Paris-Roubaix is a crazy race with even more variables than normal. However, on form, I have to go with Sagan.

His weakness may be having team-support in the final third of the race. There are cobbled sectors, that the team cars are not allowed down. The front of the race at this point is often splintered in to 4 - 5 different chase groups. So even neutral wheel/mechanical support may not be right there for you. This is when a team-mate with a wheel or even a bike, can become critical. Obviously that is the worst case scenario, but even having the other team mate there for the favored rider can help with the bridging across of these inevitable gaps if you are stick back in chase group 3 or 4

All the other key teams with favourites, Etixx, Trek, BMC, Lotto, Sky etc . . all seem to have at least two riders reaching the finale of these big races, whereas, Sagan has been for the most part on his own.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

HEY!!! ETIXX actually won one...although it was damn close. Cav almost nipped Kittel at the line....

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Exciting to see Kittel-Cav-Greipel go at it!
Always tense waiting for those last few kilometers on a day for the fastmen. Cav was in great position, just needed a few more meters. But it's great to see Kittel back in shape after last year; I wonder if Greipel was feeling the effects of his Flanders effort?

Greipel is not in top form yet after being out with that injury for a while. But it won't be long before he gets another win soon.

Great sprint man to man Cav vs Kittel! Perfectly done by Kittel.

Looks like we could be in for a wet Roubaix. Rain is forecasted for the remainder of the week, including Sunday AM (according to Weather.com).

Been awhile since there has been a wet Roubaix....last really wet one I can think of was 2002, I think....Hincapie fell off into a ditch and Boonen went on in search of Musseuw.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

I like Cav and his candid assessments. He said Kittel had that little extra that he didn't have anymore. I'd like to see him still steal a few with guile and timing.

I'm going with the big boys this time, the hard men of the north.