Spring Classics: Omloop het Nieuwsbald *Spoilers allowed*

TheBlaaMan

At last, the spring classics season is about to kick off with the traditional opener of Omloop het Nieuwsbald in Ghent on Saturday next, 25th. Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne follows on Sunday.


Greg Van Avermaet won last years edition from a last corner, uphill sprint, just pipping Sagan and Tiesj Benoot to the line after they all contested the finale, and it marked the start of a great year for GVA with it unlocking a winning streak that saw him wear yellow for a few days in the Tour and go on to Olympic road race gold. Sagan didn't have a bad year either.....!

All these are back to lead their teams this year but Sep Vanmarcke and Tom Boonen will be sure to try to shake things up on the podium. Boonen has never won this race, Vanmarcke did so in 2012.

Back to back winner Ian Stannard is taking part for Sky, but (strangely...?) Teo Geoghegan Hart has the #1 bib for Sky. Kristoff and Gilbert are also potential winners.



The race starts at 11:35 (ie 10:35 in our timezone) local and is due to end around 16:35 (again, local time). This year it (again) goes over the famous Kapelmuur in Geraardsbergen at around 1:45pm (local, 12:45 GMT) after 80km, but this race is often marked by a selection on the Taaienberg at 139km with about 60km to go - about 15:10 (14:10 GMT) at a median pace.

It will be broadcast on a variety of stations, but Eurosport 2 are covering it from about 13:45 to 15:30 GMT - too late for the Muur unfortunately

Aquablue Sport are taking part with Conor Dunne and Matt Brammeier in the provisional start list. Adam Blythe is leading the team.

....cant wait !

sy

Woohoo... Classics season again...The usual big hitters will be in action and Boonen will be there at the finish..( will miss Cancellara). Great to see Degenkolb back to form for the big ones and watch out for Tony Martin this season..Think he might be in contention for a classic. Def has the engine and think he might be more focused this year. Quick Step have super strong team again. Hear Boonen finishing after Roubaix ??

JK.BMC

I love this time of year- my post count shoots up from now till the Sunday in Hell!

I will be intrigued to see how Aquablue contend at this level. Blythe and Brammeier are seasoned cobbled classics riders and in reality, these earlier races provide a good chance of exposure and an outside chance of a top 10.

Not sure what is going on at Sky but Stannard seems to like this race. Kristoff showed up well lately so maybe I will have a small punt and open the first Leffe of the season if he does the business.

Any word on the weather?

nialljf

Some people not into this race, but 2015 was great. Stannard coming to the finale with 3 Etixx riders and dispensing of them one by one, even having the audacity to attack them with a few kms to go. The final sprint was more like a slow bike race.

Beasty

It's a one-day race so spoilers are allowed - I'll update the thread title appropriately

Eamonnator

START LIST:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/omloop-het-nieuwsblad-elite-2017/start-list/

TheBlaaMan

Ghent weather forecast for Saturday

Cold, blustery, significant chance of rain

TheBlaaMan

Worth nothing too that the women's race is also on on Saturday. The women start at 11:30 European CET (10am GMT) and it’s due to finish between 14:46 and 15:09 CET (that’s from 1:45pm GMT) – unfortunately, the women's race is not going to be on live TV so Twitter is the best place to follow the race. The official race account is @OmloopHNB, and the hashtag for both races is #OHN

TheBlaaMan

How could we forget the first (and only...) Irish rider to win this race? Shay Elliott won it in 1959



A two minute clip of the race is here: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/retro/retro_voorjaarsklassiekers/retro_omloop_hnb/1.1229601

neris

is kelly on co-commentary on eurosport for this?

neris

https://twitter.com/OricaScott/status/835475881044951044

Somedude9

neris wrote: »

is kelly on co-commentary on eurosport for this?

Just as along as it's not that twat Kirby I'll be happy.

JK.BMC

Leigh Howard from Aquablue in the 6 man break with 70km to go; Bagdonas- a 'Man of the Ras' - was the initial attacker going across Haaghoek first time; I get the feeling that it's the cobbles rather than the climbs that will decide the selection as the final 3 sectors, especially Haaghoek the final time, are into a strong crosswind. Bubbling nicely at the moment

MPFGLB

I am veering towards a Trek win for this though would love Boonen to win

Ettix & SKY have strongest teams ...but that doesn't always mean a win

neris

big crash

neris

boonen in it aswell

neris

and kristoff

dahat

2nd group putting the hammer down to get away from those behind it seems. Massively reduced peleton.

JK.BMC

On to Haaghoek again! Sagan will be leading the race in about 2km.... this is savage racing as usual. That stretch from the Taaienberg to here is just relentless suffering.
Must say that Vanmarke is looking good

neris

https://twitter.com/SadhbhOS/status/835501779823525889

Inquitus

neris wrote: »

https://twitter.com/SadhbhOS/status/835501779823525889

His race was done with the crash, no way back from the time it took him to get moving again.

godtabh

Inquitus wrote: »

His race was done with the crash, no way back from the time it took him to get moving again.

And probably win tomorrow

TheBlaaMan

26k to go and 30 seconds..... Can the galacticos stay away? Some excellent riders in the chase. Sagan is doing a lot of work (too much?) but you'd have to hope he will have learned from last year's finals and not allow GVA to repeat 2016.

letape

Gap has remained at 30 seconds and 12km to go now. Should be a good finish between these three.

letape

Fantastic finish! Well done GvA

Miklos

I'd say those three will be sick of the sight of each other by the end of the spring!

JK.BMC

Miklos wrote: »

I'd say those three will be sick of the sight of each other by the end of the spring!

Personally, I'm delighted for GVA
Great to have a major head to head in these big classics

D9Male

Vanmarcke has been doing this for years. The strongest (or close to strongest) on cobbles but he doesn't have the finish to win unless he is against similarly weak sprinters.

I think his best chance is Roubaix, but he needs to drop the others before the Carrefour.

Lusk_Doyle

Somedude9 wrote: »

Just as along as it's not that twat Kirby I'll be happy.

He has a lot of support amongst boardsies. One user even started a thread about how much they liked him:

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057162360

Pity it's a closed account. It would be nice to chat with them about CK and his charms!

TheBlaaMan

A lot of talk about the use of bike paths and footpaths to avoid the cobbles by the leaders yesterday. There were briefings on advance of the race explicitly indicating that they were not to do so in specific sections (ie that they would enforce the existing rules on this) but the chasers were then forced to ride the cobbles in these areas when UCI commissar motos blocked the way.

Calls for all the podium to be DNQ'd

It's being called #cementdoping.......

Somedude9

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

He has a lot of support amongst boardsies. One user even started a thread about how much they liked him:

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057162360

Pity it's a closed account. It would be nice to chat with them about CK and his charms!

The mind boggles.