On the Rivet

A preview of who's racing hard this weekend.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2/25      Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne 2/26

The first race of the Team Wiskota Fantasy Cycling season is upon us.  This cobbled semi classic Omloop is often one of the most exciting early season races.  Taking place in Ghent, Belgium, part of the Flanders region, this race encompasses much of the route of its big brother the Ronde Von Flanderen.  Cobbles, bad weather and aggressive riders, what’s not to like?  The opening classics weekend wouldn’t be complete without Kuurne on Sunday.  Similar terrain and usually similar riders.  However, after the punchy climbs are done there is still over 40 k to go.  Can a break stay away?  Will the sprinters have a chance? Can anyone argue that this isn’t an awesome opening weekend?

Well, unfortunately, one Director Sportif can.  Bill the Neo-Pro does not have any riders in the weekend races.  Sorry Bill, that’s what you get for taking Andy Schleck.  Looks like you will be waiting for the Strade Bianchi on the 3^rd.

Greg has two riders in the Omloop, or Circulation as the Google translator calls it, Gilbert and Voekler.  I’m going to get real sick of writing this, but Gilbert is one of the favorites to win this race.  He won in 2006 and 2008.  It sounds like he’s going for the win, but we don’t really know.  Who is BMC really riding for? Thor? Phinney?  Well, probably Phil-Gil.  Greg’s other rider is an interesting prospect.  Voekler the hero of le Tour is known to be a race animator.  Can he turn that into classics win?  Fortunately for us Gilbert is not racing Sunday, but Voekler is and he is wearing the team’s first bib.  Does that mean they are riding for him, well…sometimes. Can Voekler’s facial expressions propel him to victory? Can the Grimace of Gaul pull one out? Greg is betting he can.

Patrick would have had two riders at the Omloop, but BoHaug has got a cold and has been replaced by Sutton.  Pat shouldn’t be too bummed because it just so happens that the rider he does have is the favorite in both races.  Come this weekend the hills of Flanders might start to look more like mounds of blow as Tom Boonen looks to get recreational all over the cobbles.  Boonen won Kuurne in 2007 and 2009 and has finished in the top 10 at the Omloop before. No one has won both races in the same weekend, but Boonen has been looking tough so far.  As he puts it, “when everyone is tired, I’m the best in the world.”

I have some seriously high expectations for this weekend.  Flecha is my boy and I first really got into him watching him win at Omloop in 2010.  He has only been off the podium once in the last 5 years.  With BoHaug out, team Sky should be riding for the man they call The Spanish Flandrian.  Flecha will have a run at Kuurne as well, however chances are Sky will be riding for Cavendish.  Can anyone beat Cav in a sprint?  Yes, and his name is Andre Greipel.  The Vanilla Gorilla may get his first crack at it this weekend.  The other man always chasing Cav is also on my squad.  Farrar may never beat Cav straight up, but Farrar is much more likely to get into one of these breakaways and then win the sprint.  As you can see I expect a lot from my team this weekend.  Too much? Let me know.

Mike has a serious contender in each race.  If BMC rides for Thor then we might all be in trouble.  If they don’t ride for Thor then we might all be in trouble.  The Omloop is his kind of course and he won in 2009. Thor may be looking for some early wins knowing that they may be hard to come by later in the season.  Millar will probably be riding for Johan Van Summeren or more likely Haussler, but one never knows.  To win one of these you don’t have to be the best all year just the best for one day.  Kuurne is an interesting opportunity for Mike’s other big weekend hopeful, Mark Cavendish.  The world champ is still considered the fastest man on two wheels.  Can Sky deliver him to the line or will the course be too lumpy?  Is he still that fast after 6 hours in the saddle?  You know how I feel about it.

Predictions:

Omloop

Wiskota Fantasy Podium: Flecha, Boonen, Thor

Spoilers: H. Haussler, S. Langeveld, B. Leukmans, M. Breschel

Kuurne

Wiskota Fantasy Podium: Boonen, Greipel, Farrar

Spoilers: C. Sutton, A. Ballan, J. Degenkolb, Y. Hutarovich