Interesting Start For Discovery

Yeah but Stijn Devolder is riding like [censored]. He was a big
disapointment this weekend (besides Peter VP ofcourse).

OTOH Hoste seems to be back at his 2004 level.

Kenny

Kenny said:

Yeah but Stijn Devolder is riding like [censored]. He was a big
disapointment this weekend (besides Peter VP ofcourse).

OTOH Hoste seems to be back at his 2004 level.

Kenny

PVP should not be classified as a dissapointment. It is clear to anyone who watched all the Belgian classics for the last two seasons that PVP is well outside the top 10 riders for Belgian classics. If he were to win a major race it would be in Mattan fashion and nothing more.

It is also clear that Lotto is one of the most mismanaged pro-tour teams...Their money is being sent on a sprinter, who can't win races important to Lotto, and on PVP. The team's failure to have one of the four potential young Belgian classics stars (Boonen, Nyuens, Devolder, Gilbert) is embarassing. Van Huffel is a bright spot I admit.

FYI: Disco thought that Devolder peaked too early last year and the goal is to have him peak for Flanders and Roubaix. He might be out of form then as well, but its too early to rip on him. I doubt, however, that Devolder will enjoy peaking to ride as a domestique for Hincapie (note that the TDC will make Het Volk and KBK a non-priotity for Disco). Due to these reasons expect Devolder to move to the aforementioned Lotto at the end of the year.

Kenny said:

Yeah but Stijn Devolder is riding like [censored]. He was a big
disapointment this weekend (besides Peter VP ofcourse).

OTOH Hoste seems to be back at his 2004 level.

Kenny

PVP should not be classified as a dissapointment. It is clear to anyone who watched all the Belgian classics for the last two seasons that PVP is well outside the top 10 riders for Belgian classics. If he were to win a major race it would be in Mattan fashion and nothing more.

It is also clear that Lotto is one of the most mismanaged pro-tour teams...Their money is being sent on a sprinter, who can't win races important to Lotto, and on PVP. The team's failure to have one of the four potential young Belgian classics stars (Boonen, Nyuens, Devolder, Gilbert) is embarassing. Van Huffel is a bright spot I admit.

FYI: Disco thought that Devolder peaked too early last year and the goal is to have him peak for Flanders and Roubaix. He might be out of form then as well, but its too early to rip on him. I doubt, however, that Devolder will enjoy peaking to ride as a domestique for Hincapie (note that the TDC will make Het Volk and KBK a non-priotity for Disco). Due to these reasons expect Devolder to move to the aforementioned Lotto at the end of the year.

lazysegall said:

FYI: Disco thought that Devolder peaked too early last year and the
goal is to have him peak for Flanders and Roubaix. He might be out of
form then as well, but its too early to rip on him. I doubt, however,
that Devolder will enjoy peaking to ride as a domestique for Hincapie
(note that the TDC will make Het Volk and KBK a non-priotity for
Disco). Due to these reasons expect Devolder to move to the
aforementioned Lotto at the end of the year.

Dumbass -

To the contrary, the Mapei/Quickstep model has shown us that in races
like Paris-Roubaix, having teamates who can win increases one's own
chances of winning. Mapei/Quickstep has been successful by getting to
the last 100k in force, with the most riders, not by protecting single
person. They've won P-R with what, 5 different guys?

If Devolder moves to Lotto, it'll be for more money, not because he has
a teamate who can win.

thanks,

K. Gringioni.

lazysegall said:

teams...Their money is being sent on a sprinter, who can't win races

wht do you mean by "races"? mcewen's has never been a guy to win
classics, even the sprinters classics, but he does win tdf and giro
stages (three each in 2005).

Quoted message said:

FYI: Disco thought that Devolder peaked too early last year and the
goal is to have him peak for Flanders and Roubaix. He might be out of
form then as well, but its too early to rip on him.

i don't think a het volk winner has ever won flanders in the same year.
apparently if you're firing on all cylinders in feb you won't be sharp
enough in the first sunday in april.

In interviews after 2005 Paris-Tours, Devolder gave a strong impression
of being unhappy with Discovery.

Quoted message said:

In interviews after 2005 Paris-Tours, Devolder gave a strong impression
of being unhappy with Discovery.

GOODTALK

quote='amit'lazysegall said:

teams...Their money is being sent on a sprinter, who can't win races

wht do you mean by "races"? mcewen's has never been a guy to win
classics, even the sprinters classics, but he does win tdf and giro
stages (three each in 2005).

What I mean here is that I am not sure where Lotto's priorities lie. I am not Belgian, but it seems that their top priorities would lie in winning Belgian races. I am not saying that Lotto is wasting money on mcewen, but I don't find his victories very compelling and I don't see why Belgian fans would either. To be fair though I don't have anything to back this up and Mcewin does basically guarentee stage victories.

Quoted message said:

FYI: Disco thought that Devolder peaked too early last year and the
goal is to have him peak for Flanders and Roubaix. He might be out of
form then as well, but its too early to rip on him.

i don't think a het volk winner has ever won flanders in the same year.
apparently if you're firing on all cylinders in feb you won't be sharp
enough in the first sunday in april.[/QUOTE]

That might be true, but Hincapie won KBK (Day after Het volk) and had the form to win Flanders last year. I think this year you will see that Tom Boonen was the strongest looking rider in Het Volk and will be strong in Flanders. In 2000 Museeuw won Het Volk and then Roubaix (one week after Flanders). So yes you can compete in both, and I think that Devolder would like to, but regardless, Disco didn't want him peaking early and that is why he shouldn't be crticized.

Kenny said:

Yeah but Stijn Devolder is riding like [censored]. He was a big
disapointment this weekend (besides Peter VP ofcourse).

OTOH Hoste seems to be back at his 2004 level.

I think Stijn is just cruising until his contract expires and has a
very low level of motivation this year

He will probably switch to a mainstream euro-based squad next season

--
Le Vent à Dos, Davey Crockett
Libérez Ingrid Betancourt, Clara Rojas et les autres
http://www.ingridbetancourt-idf.com/base/
Free Ernst Zundel http://www.zundelsite.org/gallery/donations/index.html

lazysegall said:

That might be true, but Hincapie won KBK (Day after Het volk) and had
the form to win Flanders last year. I think this year you will see
that Tom Boonen was the strongest looking rider in Het Volk and will be
strong in Flanders. In 2000 Museeuw won Het Volk and then Roubaix (one
week after Flanders). So yes you can compete in both, and I think that
Devolder would like to, but regardless, Disco didn't want him peaking
early and that is why he shouldn't be crticized.

Right.

Judging by the amount of work Tom did, he certainly deserved the win.

--
Le Vent à Dos, Davey Crockett
Libérez Ingrid Betancourt, Clara Rojas et les autres
http://www.ingridbetancourt-idf.com/base/
Free Ernst Zundel http://www.zundelsite.org/gallery/donations/index.html

I kinda have the same opinion. When you head and shoulder above the
rest in Het Volk, you might miss that sharpness in Flander and Roubaix.
Even when Museeuw won Het Volk in 2000 he was rather lucky winning
Roubaix. Ofcourse there are exceptions. Boonen was 2nd last year and
pulled it off quite well at Flanders and Roubaix :-) And there's also
VDB: winning Het Volk and Liege-Bastogne-Liege which is even stranger.
Devolder being a disappointment maybe isn't the right expression. I
completely understand TDC wants him to peak later this year. The guy
needs a little guidence and TDC is a master in preparing their riders
to peak at the right time. But it was a pitty not to see him
dynamiting the race like last year. This year they took it quite calm
in the zone of the hills.

Kenny

Kenny said:

I kinda have the same opinion. When you head and shoulder above the
rest in Het Volk, you might miss that sharpness in Flander and Roubaix.
Even when Museeuw won Het Volk in 2000 he was rather lucky winning
Roubaix. Ofcourse there are exceptions. Boonen was 2nd last year and
pulled it off quite well at Flanders and Roubaix :-) And there's also
VDB: winning Het Volk and Liege-Bastogne-Liege which is even stranger.
Devolder being a disappointment maybe isn't the right expression. I
completely understand TDC wants him to peak later this year. The guy
needs a little guidence and TDC is a master in preparing their riders
to peak at the right time. But it was a pitty not to see him
dynamiting the race like last year. This year they took it quite calm
in the zone of the hills.

Kenny

I agree, but Boonen probably doesn't care about Het Volk or KBK. His priorities are Flanders, Roubaix, maybe MSR, Green Jersey WC. I don't think that winning much else is possible/important to him at this point in his career. I mean yes he was in a position to win and gladly would have, but he isn't going to not give guys like Pozzatto (Pozzatto shat a brick) and Nyguens chances. In part he needs to make these guys credible winners as well so that teams need to worry about more than Boonen, but he also needs them to work for him in the races that he cares about. Even a guy like Gilbert helped Boonen in the WC so not buring bridges and keeping a strong team together is definately going to help Boonen in the long run.

As a fan though its kinda frustrating when the strongest guy in the race doesn't win, but Gilbert looked fantastic and was a very deserving winner of Het Volk...Why I didn't bet on him like my brother recomended is another question entirely.

lazysegall said:

[Boonen's] priorities are Flanders, Roubaix, maybe MSR, [...]

Definitely Milano-Sanremo! He told the reporters that he was at home in
Monaco last week and tried his speed in the Poggio several times. "It went
fast."

--
E. Dronkert

quote='Ewoud Dronkert'lazysegall said:

[Boonen's] priorities are Flanders, Roubaix, maybe MSR, [...]

Definitely Milano-Sanremo! He told the reporters that he was at home in
Monaco last week and tried his speed in the Poggio several times. "It went
fast."

--
E. Dronkert[/QUOTE]

Will Bettini and Boonen ride together?
Team drama if boonen attacks first?

Boonen certainly does care about Het Volk or KBK. Every Belgian
cyclist cares about that. I think he was omnipresent in both races and
that proves it. But sure after last year it's easier for him to give
up his chances in this type of races for the benefit of a teammate.
Kinda like Museeuw did several times in Gent-Wevelgem or GP E3.

Gilbert was definitely one of the strongest and he made his move at the
right moment. He was the one who rode the fastest last 20km and did
most of his work alone.

Kenny

Boonen won't attack. The chances of making it to the finish in a small
group are very small. Bettini will be the attacker; Boonen the backup
to beat Petacchi in the sprint. Quick Step has the luxury to be able
to gamble on both riders. If Bettini attacks it's up to Milram
(Peta), Rabo (Freire), Lampre (Bennati) and Credit Agricole (Hushovd)
to close the gap. I hope Boonen can benefit from that. OTOH besides
Bettini's victory in 2003 and despite having the best classics riders
Patrick Lefevere's teams have never been lucky in Milano-Sanremo.

Kenny

Kenny said:

Boonen won't attack. The chances of making it to the finish in a small
group are very small. Bettini will be the attacker; Boonen the backup
to beat Petacchi in the sprint. Quick Step has the luxury to be able
to gamble on both riders. If Bettini attacks it's up to Milram
(Peta), Rabo (Freire), Lampre (Bennati) and Credit Agricole (Hushovd)
to close the gap.

I believe Milram will try to use Celestino to cover all attacks at the
Poggio and have him sucking wheels to spoil attackers' winning chances.
This is what Fassa did last year sending Kirchen up the road.

I also expect Liberty and CSC to set a crazy pace at Cipressa (with
Jaksche, Julich and other similar climbers) if they want their Aussie
sprinters to have any option at San Remo. Not that they will win, but
that could eliminate a number of Milram domestiques and help Bettini in
the finale.

Jenko

Yes Boonen cares about those races, but for him they are harder to win than
the Ronde or Roubaix: not enough selection, and whoever gets up front with
him will not ride. What they did in Kuurne was just logical.
As Nuyens said "It's easy for me to get opportunities, as everybody's so
scared of Tom. He's the queen on our chessboard."

Yes Sanremo is a main target for Boonen. Hard racing on the Cipressa and
after could give him the edge over the normal favorite. He just has to sit
and wait.
Bettini will be in splendid form, he will be eager in the attacks for sure.

lazysegall said:

Will Bettini and Boonen ride together?
Team drama if boonen attacks first?

Dumbass -

You don't seem to understand the idea that strong teamates give
everyone on that team a better chance to win. They can force everyone
else to work harder (when Bettini attacks). Harder race. Better chance
of dropping Pettachi on the Poggio.

Conversely, Bettini's chances could be improved because of other teams'
reluctance to tow Boonen to the line.

You gotta beat everyone else before you start worrying about beating
your own teamates.