I gave a hard thought about Laporte. Then didn’t pick him.

Fascinating mix of riders on the front now with 23 left. Asgreen has done a good job trying to hold it up for Jacobson but he may have to go soon.

Narvaez is looking like quite the handy classics rider and wingman for Pidcock.

And Dutch Taco showing some grinta.

MoFo of a ride by Taco.

He looks awesome.

Go Taco!!!!

JV playing some nice defense behind.

Heart break!

Narvaez was insanely strong on that break with MvdP. What race was that?

Ooof, what a tough loss. Great race and helluva sprint from Jakobsen.

Jakobsen is a beast. He doesn't always need to be in perfect position. He can just motor.

Pretty solid picks there!

No doubt. Not only is it amazing that he has made a comeback, but even looks stronger to boot.

Super TT today for the Ukrainian sensation. EF punches above their weight in TTs.

Peto at 117th. Ouch.

I think LaPorte is going to land a big race. Seems alive at JV.

Laporte and Benoot both. JV has an impressively deep classics bench.

If Peto was looking to start the season inauspiciously, mission accomplished.

sagan - i'm a huge fan. i may have to rethink my idolatry. perhaps sagan retired with about 13k to go in 2019 worlds? i think if he would have stuck his nose in the wind/rain a bit earlier he might have nabbed that 4th title. since then not much. financially his retirement is pretty successful. palmares wise - not so much. purely a guess - but at his level i'm guessing one has to have a maniacal will to win. if that fades any decrease in training will leave one in the dust against wva, mvdp, pidcock, and current crop of top guys.

on the actual racing side - i'm always impressed and a bit bewildered by how the big grand tour guys can create all the separations in one day races right now. mcnulty holding off all the talent behind yesterday and vinge...(spelling?) gard keeping alaphillipe guillame and cosnefroy at bay and riding uae youngster off his wheel. this kind of damage NEVER seems to happen in the grand tours. maybe in grand tours for all but a few teams 5-6-7 teammates only job is to keep things strung together? its definitely fun to watch. c'mon strade!

that was a hell of a sprint from jakobsen - i can't even recall anyone leading caleb out and holding him off.

fredericknorton wrote:

but at his level i'm guessing one has to have a maniacal will to win. if that fades any decrease in training will leave one in the dust against wva, mvdp, pidcock, and current crop of top guys.

The thing is, he's not being left in the dust by those guys. He's not even in position when those guys make their moves.

I don't know what's wrong with him, but something is very wrong.

Quote:

that was a hell of a sprint from jakobsen - i can't even recall anyone leading caleb out and holding him off.

It really was. All his teammates burned off, and a super chaotic last few km. Wolfpack showing they can still be effective even when they are underpowered compared to years past (so far). Hat's off to Crockatelli selling the farm in support of Bauhaus instead of trying to race for 4th or 5th for himself.

Really fantastic racing this weekend, all around. Aggressive.

Nothing is wrong with Sagan..."Why so serious". He's having fun with his millions.

This is sobering.

An unexpected phone call can sometimes rock your world. Johan Museeuw enjoyed the opening weekend of the Flemish cycling year, but was overwhelmed by a phone call from former colleague and former competitor Andrei Tchmil, who lives near the war zone in Ukraine.
It was a beautiful opening weekend of the Flemish cycling year, but for many people the beauty of sport is currently overshadowed by the ugliness of the war in Ukraine. It's a feeling shared by Johan Museeuw after a phone call from an old acquaintance.
Museeuw received a phone call from Andrei Tchmil (59) on Sunday afternoon. In a video on Facebook, Museeuw recalls what Tchmil had to say. "We used to fight many wars on the bike, but now I'm in the middle of one, Andre told me. "I live in the border area 100 kilometres from where there is fighting. And they are moving closer."
He (Tchmil) said he sent his wife and their 1-year-old son away to Romania to protect them, but that he himself is going to stay there. "I am going to fight. I'm going to defend it."
Whether Tchmil means to defend his home and possessions or to actively join the fight, Museeuw does not say, but in any case Tchmil is expecting the worst.
"Johan, I wanted to hear you again. I don't know if I will be there tomorrow or the day after. I hope so, but I'll give you a big kiss."
Museeuw is overwhelmed. "As someone of my age, that makes you stop for a moment. I've been in contact with Andrei for the last few years and now he calls you and says Johan, I'll give you three kisses because I don't know if I'll still be here tomorrow. That makes the hair on your arms stand up."
"I hope that nonsense stops there. Andrei, thanks for the phone call. And I really hope from the bottom of my heart that we can keep calling each other."
Andrei Tchmil was born in the Soviet Union. He previously held Russian, Moldovan and Ukrainian citizenship. At the end of the 1990s, he had himself naturalised as a Belgian.

It is. Thank you for sharing here.

also thanks - puts a perspective on my "issues"

No good words. That's shocking perspective.

Are we making calls on Le Samyn?

Not according to Dear Leader WannaB. Next up are Strade and MSR.

Edit: Though I'm totally down making off-the-record picks.