Previewing the hardest (and best) race of the year & breaking down how Visma's terrible showing on Wednesday at Dwars could affect Wout van Aert's chances on Sunday
Was it really a terrible showing from VLAB? I mean, yeah, they screwed up tactically during the last 10k. But to be able to get position (which is hugely important at RVV) and then put three riders at the front for the last 90 minutes of the race was no small feat. Their positioning has been an issue this spring, so I’d argue this was an encouraging showing before Sunday.
And keep up the good work. Love be Substack and podcast.
I agree. With the amount of hate and cynicism online nowadays, the courage and insight shown by Vollering and Pogacar was refreshing in face of the the recent VLAB. And as outonthefull points out, it was brilliant racing in spite of not getting the win.
The reality is second is the first loser, so from that perspective, being in a dominant position at the front of the race and not winning is a terrible showing. It’s not often that history remembers who was second. However, I agree that it was a hugely improved showing by VLB as a collective to dictate the race and construct and hold the winning break, but still concerning WVA didn’t have the legs to finish it off.
This race was a major screw up by Visma and Wout. But I’d say he has more bad luck in the spring rather than saying he’s a bad spring racer. In ‘21 the guy was flying and was on amazing form in the early classics. Then he got Covid and couldn’t race RVV or Roubaix. He went on to destroy the TdF that year. The past six editions of RVV he’s only started 3 times I believe due to sickness or injuries. In ‘23 he attacked and got a good gap on MVDP at Roubaix but got a puncture and MVDP won instead. I was convinced he would have won otherwise. Dude just has bad luck in the spring.
Pogacar's dominant performance once again proves his standing among the greatest ever in the sport of cycling. It's crazy to separate oneself from Van der Poel, Van Aert and others, gaining a minute in perhaps 20 kilometers. No sprint this year! Once again, the race is for whoever comes in 2nd.
Chris Horner will once again say that Van der Poel, Pedersen and Van Aert shouldn't have worked with Pogacar at all. What Chris won't admit is that it wouldn't have mattered. No one had the legs to keep up with Pogacar today.
Great point about EF chasing the Visma-Powless group. That forced the 3 Visma riders to keep riding hard together to stay out front and take WVA to the finish. Of course, they could have called EF's bluff and started attacking Powless. Visma showed their strength but were too stuck needing WVA to win to play their numerical advantage.
I'd like to see Visma put a rider in the break at Flanders. Without WVA being able to go head to head with MVDP and Pogacar their strength is in numbers. They need to disrupt the logic of "strongest rider wins" by getting ahead of the inevitable attacks from the two favorites in the last 50km or so.
Was it really a terrible showing from VLAB? I mean, yeah, they screwed up tactically during the last 10k. But to be able to get position (which is hugely important at RVV) and then put three riders at the front for the last 90 minutes of the race was no small feat. Their positioning has been an issue this spring, so I’d argue this was an encouraging showing before Sunday.
And keep up the good work. Love be Substack and podcast.
I agree. With the amount of hate and cynicism online nowadays, the courage and insight shown by Vollering and Pogacar was refreshing in face of the the recent VLAB. And as outonthefull points out, it was brilliant racing in spite of not getting the win.
The reality is second is the first loser, so from that perspective, being in a dominant position at the front of the race and not winning is a terrible showing. It’s not often that history remembers who was second. However, I agree that it was a hugely improved showing by VLB as a collective to dictate the race and construct and hold the winning break, but still concerning WVA didn’t have the legs to finish it off.
Hope to see Ganna giving a good showing again. Hard not to assume Tadej and Mathieu go away together though.
This race was a major screw up by Visma and Wout. But I’d say he has more bad luck in the spring rather than saying he’s a bad spring racer. In ‘21 the guy was flying and was on amazing form in the early classics. Then he got Covid and couldn’t race RVV or Roubaix. He went on to destroy the TdF that year. The past six editions of RVV he’s only started 3 times I believe due to sickness or injuries. In ‘23 he attacked and got a good gap on MVDP at Roubaix but got a puncture and MVDP won instead. I was convinced he would have won otherwise. Dude just has bad luck in the spring.
Pogacar's dominant performance once again proves his standing among the greatest ever in the sport of cycling. It's crazy to separate oneself from Van der Poel, Van Aert and others, gaining a minute in perhaps 20 kilometers. No sprint this year! Once again, the race is for whoever comes in 2nd.
Chris Horner will once again say that Van der Poel, Pedersen and Van Aert shouldn't have worked with Pogacar at all. What Chris won't admit is that it wouldn't have mattered. No one had the legs to keep up with Pogacar today.
Great point about EF chasing the Visma-Powless group. That forced the 3 Visma riders to keep riding hard together to stay out front and take WVA to the finish. Of course, they could have called EF's bluff and started attacking Powless. Visma showed their strength but were too stuck needing WVA to win to play their numerical advantage.
I'd like to see Visma put a rider in the break at Flanders. Without WVA being able to go head to head with MVDP and Pogacar their strength is in numbers. They need to disrupt the logic of "strongest rider wins" by getting ahead of the inevitable attacks from the two favorites in the last 50km or so.