General race thread 2021 **spoilers**

dastardly00

Sam is doing well to stay near the front of the lead group.
Riders are starting to get shelled out the back of the big chase group

dastardly00

Lead group has split up on the Kemmelberg and Sam has made it

TheBlaaMan

Only 9 now left up front.......Sam amongst them having done really well up the Kemmelberg for the second time
Criminal that there is not one teammate in there with him, and TBH, they dont really appear to be making a real effort to get over to him any more. Playing there PlanB , I suspect hoping Lampaert or Sybar can pinch it if it comes back

Doc07

dastardly00 wrote: »

Lead group has split up on the Kemmelberg and Sam has made it

Great finale of he can survive the next time up that climb but it’s looking like WVA’s race to lose now

Morris Garren

This is building into one of best races of the season- some mixed bag of riders up front! Great to see pure racing. Sam might struggle next time up Kemmelberg but he has done everything right so far; Lampaert again very strong but wrong side of split, crosswind final 30km will be exciting!

dastardly00

The lead group:
Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep)
Danny van Poppel (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert)
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
Nathan Van Hooydonck (Jumbo-Visma)
Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious)
Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange)
Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka-Assos)
Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates)
Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)

dastardly00

I hope Sam has taken on plenty of gels and fluids

dahat

This course is a savage looking.

retalivity

dastardly00 wrote: »

The lead group:
Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep)
Danny van Poppel (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert)
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
Nathan Van Hooydonck (Jumbo-Visma)
Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious)
Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange)
Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka-Assos)
Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates)
Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)

You could nearly class 6 of those as sprinters as well

dastardly00

Two climbs left I think

Edit - just the Kemmelberg

Morris Garren

retalivity wrote: »

You could nearly class 6 of those as sprinters as well

Yes, isnt it great for race dynamics to see riders who are typically 'protected' up there in the breakaway, love seeing it. Actually, Eurosport commentators just said the same!
I wonder will Trentin finally get his big one-day win? Kemmelberg about to happen here....

Come on Sam.

dastardly00

Big danger (for Sam) I think is Stefan Kung. He won't want to wait for a sprint finish and he's a great time trialer

Was Sam throwing up there????

dastardly00

Oh not good for Sam

retalivity

Jesus not a good sign!

neris

Pukeing up

MangleBadger

Kemmelberg obviously took its toll on Sam. 🀮 Hopefully he can recover.

Bennett throwing up and still staying on :-)

Wow, thought I saw him throw up from the over head, that confirms it.

dahat

Back in now & hopefully he has recovered.

Morris Garren

Climbing those bergs would make me puke too!

dastardly00

Sam does not look good at all

ratracer

He looks funked! Hope he can get a bit of respite after that climb

Mefistofelino

Flat 7-Up. Be grand.

Bambaata

Why does Sam grind so much on hills!? can never understand it

Morris Garren

Sonny Colbrelli looks like a right hardy buck on the bike-- If there was a fight outside the nightclub I would take him from this group...

retalivity

Bennett struggling../

dahat

That’s a pity but still a great days racing for him.

dastardly00

Game over for Sam