Is Quinn Simmons racing today? I'm curious how he will be used this season and if he will get his own chances at all.

He did race! I was looking through results and was surprised to see his name--10th for the race and top Trek rider...

I think you might be look at some other results? I don't see him on the startlist or the results.

ditto. Kristoff is the man.

also, enjoying some crow here, I did not foresee Phil Gil getting a Top 5. hilarious


2021 Results
1 BALLERINI, Davide (DQT)
2 STEWART, Jake (GFC)
3 VANMARCKE, Sep (ISN)
4 HAUSSLER, Heinrich (TBV)
5 GILBERT, Philippe (LTS)

Good race from Sep and he seems happier than he has been in a long time. Wasn't originally scheduled to race Kuurne tomorrow but will now be racing it also.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm a bit disappointed by the way the racing shook out. Maybe the lack of wind factored into it, but I'd have expected bigger separation on the Muur. Instead, the pack just largely stayed together.

On the older OHN course (the one last used in 2017, holy shit that's a while ago), the finishing 60 kms was nowhere near as hard: last hill topped out with 40 km to go, and last cobbled section ended with 25 km to go; however, it made for a more engaging watch.

On this course, we are treated to a bunch of supposed obstacles, yet they are nothing more than a series of devil-takes-the-hindmost events rather than springboards that encourages attacking. Sorta like the old arrangement of the Amstel hills. Maybe this course really needs to be over 250 km long before the hills have its intended effect. And certainly, the 2018 edition almost ended in a group gallop as well. I hate to say this, but I'm actually somewhat glad I didn't catch this live.

At least at Kuurne, one has no expectation that the break would stick, but yet quite a few of the last few editions ended being won from a break (Stuyven in 2016, Sagan in 2017, Jungels in 2019, and Asgreen last year).

In any case, tomorrow will probably end up in a bunch gallop again (low winds).

M vdP, Demare, Degenkolb
Hodeg and M Pedersen

Seems like we all agree that the Omloop was a mild disappointment.

I have to say, though - DQS really bossed the leadout. Asgreen really strung it out, and then blocked effectively when he pulled off. Nothing dirty, just slowed everybody up a bit in the corner. Then Senechal took over and drove it until Ballerini finished it off. There was no coming around that train in those corners; it's clear they had it planned that way and they executed perfectly.

And remember, this is not their A team for leadouts. But damn, it's a helluva B team.

I guess whatever is good for Dudes-in-Knicks is bad for the enjoyment of cycling fans

Watching Stannard rolling a trio of DQS riders (or even riders from other teams beating DQS riders, like how Vanmarcke, Stuyven, and Paolini won) is so much more fun, if nothing more than watching Don Lefevre go full apoplectic.

Yes, I'm essentially hate-watching, and this attitude is not very becoming, but until WvA and M vdP show up, DQS is the 800-pound gorilla

A friend in the States told me he had to use his VPN to watch our Eurosport feed because all GCN+ videos are down, live streams and replays.

thank you, i thought GCN was the real fix but, first chink in the armour