Category Archives: Races

Point/Counterpoint: Gilbert v. Rodriguez

Posted on April 22, 2011 by and

Philippe Gilbert will win Liege, and Belgium may form a government. Given his charismatic win in Brabantse Pijl, his convincing defense in Amstel Gold Race, and astonishing sprint in la Fleche Wallonne, it is natural that Gilbert is the favorite for Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Despite speculation of a weaker OmegaPharma-Lotto squad, two domestiques have been stand-outs: Jelle … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Preview

Posted on April 22, 2011 by

The oldest of the monuments, La Doyenne is arguably the most tactical. The leisurely ride down from Liège to Bastogne is interrupted by only a minor climb or two, but the race back up to Liège dishes out 13 climbs. Each forces a selection, and whittles down teammates and hopefuls. Liège rewards the tactical rider with … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Fleche-Wallonne Wrap-Up

Posted on April 20, 2011 by

“I watched the finale with a Walloon friend. He shed tears.” You’ll have to forgive us if our wrap-up of the 2011 Fleche-Wallone borders on the sentimental, but wow: was Phillipe Gilbert storming up the Muur de Huy ever an obscene and beautiful display of power? When Julius listed Gilbert as a 3-hill Favorite in … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

2011 Fleche Wallonne – Preview

Posted on April 19, 2011 by

Sunday’s thrilling Amstel Gold Race showed that unlike the cobbled gladiators, the hill warriors came to win, with strong teams that didn’t shy from controlling the race and chasing breaks. Despite being heavily marked, Philippe Gilbert and his OmegaPharma-Lotto team stepped up to the challenge and rode the perfect race to deliver Gilbert’s back-to-back win. … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Monday Musette: Amstel Gold Wrap-Up

Posted on April 18, 2011 by

Welcome to today’s Monday Musette, where we wrap-up this weekend’s highlight race, the Amstel Gold, and use riders’ and teams’ performances in the race to speculate wildly about the rest of the Ardennes classics as the race season shifts from the pavé to the hills. 1. Phillipe Gilbert! What an incredible rider he is: in … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

2011 Amstel Gold Race – Preview

Posted on April 15, 2011 by

  Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race officially opens the final week of the Spring Classics with 260 kilometers and 32 smooth, but absurdly steep climbs. The perfect transition from the cobbles to the Ardennes, Amstel offers a last chance for those who missed-out in Flanders and Roubaix, and a first opportunity for those who spent the … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments