That's our boy. Sadly I think he has gone too early. Adrie has implored him to be less aggressive so early, but Mathieu can't contain himself.

Thank you. Got it on Tiz currently.

I hope he takes it, but either way it's made for an exciting race.

Here’s another spot to watch https://granfondoguide.com/...d/ProCyclingClassics

Patience is not his virtue. He seems to be measuring effort but this is going to be a tight one.

GCN+ is finally back up

They are hanging vdP out to dry. Both his break mates and the second group.

Really cagey stuff. I hope MvdP says f*** it to his deadweight break mates and just let the first two groups come together, then dust everyone in the sprint

I wouldn't put that past him to both try and to pull off.

Plenty of HP behind to catch, just if they can get their sh*t together to do it.

I don’t think they’re going to get caught.

KBK is much more exciting that Omloop yesterday. Asgreen is a tank. I like so many of the DQS riders yet hate the team.

Trek made up for shitting the bed yesterday. Great win by Mads. MvdP could have won if he played his cards differently today, but damn he is mighty strong.

I know the class of Pidcock, but I am stunned by his podium today.

Brilliant leadout by Stuyven, Mads showing what a baller he is. How about Pidcock in 3rd?

Stunning finish for Pidcock. A potential GC contender at some point getting a podium at KBK? Never would have dreamt that.

Super exciting finish. Anything could have happened in that final 15K. Mads owes Asgreen a beer, because that was an absolute monster effort by Asgreen to close down MdVP-and-co. I wonder if that was a little Danish love going on there....I think there was another DQS rider in the group, but I don't think it was sprinter.

The Drome race was pretty good too.

That was a good lead-out by Styven, too. Dropped Pedersen off at the right spot (as in, quite close to the line), with just enough room to the barriers that only Pedersen could pass.

Also, impressive freelancing sprint from Pidcock. He was eating wind most of the way. Quite the contrast between him and the second place

Zakharov et al should be ashamed that they pissed away a good chance to get a top five. Only the Bora rider was helping, and still not that much. MvdP was doing 20-30 second pulls; everyone else did 10 seconds max...

I hope MvdP learns that he can’t be too careful about his breakmates. I think this might be the first time he either didnt win or got reeled back after a long range attack. There was the spectacular at Amstel in 2019, but that was presaged by him going too hard too early, without a viable group. When he got reeled back, he was too cooked from the previous effort to follow Alaphilippe and Fuglsang. People are going to figure out how to trick him into going too early as a way to knock him out of contention.

In that regard, having WvA as a legit foil and someone who will work will help MvdP.

If MvdP could've sat of earlier and killed the break, he may well have won that anyway
Asgreen....yikes....the man needs a nickname

Asgreen shut down that race, he is an absolute monster. He's going to win something big this spring.


Pidcock was also very impressive, he placed himself well and looked extremely quick. Pidcock can also climb and TT well. I'm really excited to watch him develop.

Great lead out by Stuyven for Pedersen. Perfectly placed and Pedersen won that fairly easily.

Was a great finish. Degenkolb looked solid. With Frison right in there, thought might have enough for the end.

Asgreen was awesome. Always feel frustrated when nobody has the cojones to lay it out there when guys are in striking distance.

And, I get the sense that to a certain degree MvdP doesn’t care. He just does what he feels like doing. Hmmm, 80km, I’ll go now. Hmmm 50 km to go, who’s with me? 15 km....anyone, Bueller, Bueller....Whatever, hope I have enough.

I kind of get the feeling that Pedersen is VdP's kriptonite. He waits patiently while VdP is just killing everybody and finds a way to win at his expense.

I was thinking the same. He outlasted him hardman style at worlds, outfoxed him at Gent-Wevelgem, and today played the patience game. He was so quick that I have to wonder if he could take MvdP in a straight-up classics finale.

Similar for Asgreen. He’s proven to be a beast and might be able to match him in the turbo diesel game. MvdP will pull off some big wins with shows of brute strength but I don’t see him rolling the peloton at every race he lines up for. There’s a LOT of young talent.

Or perhaps he just wanted more racing miles in his legs? He wasn't supposed to be racing and was counting on a few more stages of racing in the UAE. Instead, he now has fewer racing days and is perhaps just doing it for training? Icing if it actually comes off, but he's accomplished his objective otherwise (which is to say, prepare for Strade Bianche)

Could be, he’s racing Le Samyn Tuesday so perhaps it was a workout in hopes of either setting up a teammate or doing something stunning. Get the feeling he races like Alaphilippe on impulse and instinct to put on a show; certainly fun to watch.

Strade could be one of the best brawls of year— MvdP, WvA, Alaphilippe (my pick), GvA, Fuglesang, Sagan, Stybar, Mohoric, Pidcock, Woods— even Pog is scheduled.

Whoever's in charge of these things should just officially make Strade a 6th Monument. Because it's effectively got that stature now.

Good to know. Now there's something else to watch on Tuesday.

That's quite the line-up for Strade. Certainly has quite the comprehensive start list. Pidcock could get a top-5 here.