Panache

The Harvester takes the sprint vs. Tommeke and Flecha

Pt. 1

Omloop Het Volk/ Het Niuewsblad Edition

Cobbles, hellingens and muirs, oh my! It’s Classics Season and some would argue it’s the best part of the whole year. From Flanders to Wallone, France to the Netherlands, these are the races for hard men, for men who know tomorrow does not bring another chance, for those who know how to finish. Gone away are the glorified training camps of Down Under, Qatar, and Oman (you know, the races I’ve been raving about for weeks). Now the real season begins.

The Wiskota Fantasy League is well represented in the Belgian season opener.  Gent-Gent, Het Volk or Het Niuewsblad is a terrific race with great history. Although shorter than the Ronde and Roubaix, this race has all the goods; cobbles, climbs and cobbled climbs. Let’s take a look at some of the favorites for this year’s edition of Het Volk.

Four Star Favorites

Tom Boonen- Tommeke had the unbelievable Classics season of 2012. He has also had the elbow infection that delayed his start. I don’t expect Tommeke to be at his best but he may not need to be. If Boonen showed up with a tricycle he would be a favorite for this race.

Thor Hushovd- the God of Thunder has already stormed into 2013 with a win and his usual brash demeanor. Thor has felt good this year and he may be ready to embark on a wicked classics campaign. With a loaded team at his disposal, he will be able to mark his rivals, and attack at his convenience. Fear Thunderous Thor in 2013!

Juan Antonio Flecha- the Spanish Flanderen isn’t getting any younger but the cobbles don’t care. Closers win classics and Flecha knows how to finish. This year he comes rolling in to the North Country with Vacansolei. This team races hard and is looking to make their mark on the 2013 season. I like Flecha to be on the top step of the podium at the Omloop. Forza!

Fillippo Pozzatto- the Shadow got a win last week and seems to be harnessing some good form. I could see him sucking wheels until the finish and making a brilliant move to win the sprint. The Shadow looks like watermelon bubble yum but he is strong and aggressive.

Three Star Favorites

Edvald Boassen Hagen- EBH is a hard rider to predict. On one hand I feel like he is perfect for the cobbled classics. Then, it seems, that he is not. He can sprint, he is punchy at times, and he seems strong. Shit, he spent the entire TdF on the front of the race. However, outside winning Gent-Wevelgem, he lacks the results to show that he is a man for the cobbles.  My worst nightmare is Eddy Boss leading out the Penguin for a win and precious WFL points.

Greg Van Avermaet- Avi is Belgian, he likes cobbled classics, and he has finished as high as 4^th here at Het Volk. GVA has the benefit of having probably the most loaded team in Het Volk history at his disposal (preposterous? Probably, I have no idea actually). He will be given a free ride and if he has cojones made of cobbles, he will attack.

Sylvain Chavanel- La Machine is such a classy rider. He has won at Brabantse Pijl and Dwars door Vlaanderen; however, Het Volk would look awfully nice on his palmares. Mimosa has ridden on the Belgian Quickstep squad since 2009 and he has always had a special place for the Northern classics. Although I hate when a Wiskota Dynamic rider wins a race, I will always cheer for Chavanel. Chapeau! I guess…….

Jurgen Roelandts- Jurgen fancies himself as the Hulk, and since Sagan is not lining up in Gent, we’ll let him have it. The man from Asse has already bagged a win this year at the Tour of Med and I feel like this will be a breakout year. He has had some high placing’s but a win at the Omloop would be the biggest in his career, outside the Belgium National Championships (sort of a big deal).  

Taylor Phinney- I hate to jinx the Mako but I am really excited to see what he can do on the pave. As part of BMC, he may be given free rein to TT to victory. Or, he is certainly strong enough to win a sprint out of a select group. America finally has a cobbled specialist and I can’t wait to get all patriotic this spring. After the last 6 months or so, we need it!

Two Star Favorites

Sebastien Turgot- Turbo for Turgot finished 2^nd last year at Paris-Roubaix. He has also been on the podium at Paris-Tours. At 28, he is hardly an up and comer but he may be a late bloomer. Europcar brings a fairly strong squad to the cobbles. Does Turgot have enough of a Turbo to go for his first big win?

Nick Nuyens- The former Het Volk and Ronde winner had an atrocious 2012 which was lost to injury and has switched teams to the Argyle nation. Now, “Nick Nuy the Science Guy” will answer to Jonathon, “were racing for 3^rd, Vaughters. Nuyens is a classics specialist and has had some huge results in his career. Hard to predict when he’ll strike but I’m sure he is hungry.

Sebastian Langveld- Langer has taken 1^st at Kurne-Brussels-Kurne, 5^th at the Ronde, and won Het Volk in 2011. He seemed to be on a gradual climb to classics specialist until joining the Orica ranks in 2012. It will be interesting to see what type of form the “Flying Dutchman” can bring to the 2013 season.

Lars Boom- “goes the dynamite” is not just a cyclo-cross champion.  He was 6^th at Roubaix last year and has won a stage at the Vuelta. However, I’ve been hearing about Lars Anthonius Johannes Boom for some time now. He has some serious value at the FSA DS league over at Podium Café. Is this the year he takes some cobbled classics to add to his already rich cyclo-cross palmares?

Sep Vanmarcke- the young Belgian took his biggest win of his career last year at the Omloop. Not only was he strong, he made the two decisive moves, and beat Tommeke in a sprint. I don’t expect him to win it this year; however, I like the “Harvester” to be in the mix at Roubaix and the Ronde this year.

One Star Favorites

Nikki Terpstra- I could justify the Terpinator being a four star favorite for the Omloop but this field is just so deep and although he has been given team leadership on OPQS, he still is on a team with Chavanel and Boonen.  The Terrapin finished 3^rd, 5^th, and 6^th at Paris-Tours, Paris-Roubaix, and the Ronde just last year. Definitely poised for a big season, Maillot Jaune Guillaume should be licking his chops!

Heinrich Haussler- Beans is always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Now Barbie is looking hot in his Team IAM kit and may try to be a bit sneaky during the 2013 cobbled campaign. Heinie is yet to bag a big win in the classics and although IAM isn’t a super-strong team, they will be aggressive. Look out if Beans can get to the Red Kite with the favorites, he’s sprinty.

Geraint Thomas- the Penguin is set to concentrate on the road this season and has started his assault Down Under by finishing on the podium. G was once the junior Roubaix champion and a gold medal pursuitist.  He now looks to return to his cobbled roots. Team Sky has a wicked, good classics squad with Bo Hag, Stannard, Swift, Eisel and G. I think they will work for Eddy Boss. But what do I know? Beware of the penguin. Doo bee doobie doo!

Honorable Mention

Gerald Ciolek- Ciolek joined the African MTN-Quebeka for the 2013 campaign. He has rode well to start the season and seems to be on some good form. MTN will certainly like to animate any race that they enter. So, look for Gerry to try to do something at Het Volk.

Jonathon Hivert- This guy beat Farrar twice at Andalucia and won the overall in the Etoille de Besseges. He probably won’t win the Omloop but he is certainly worth mentioning due to his recent results.

Zdenek Stybar- Tommeke has tipped the former cyclo-cross world champion as a possible winner. Damn, OPQS is stacked!

Thomas Lofkvist- Team IAM has a second card to play in the Gotlander. Lofkvist just took the overall at the Tour of the Med and has had somed good results in the semi-classics of past.

Oscar Gatto- Meow!

How will it Go Down

Look for the decisive moves to come on the Molenberg climb and the Paddestraat section of the cobbles. I like Flecha, Bo Hag, Thor, Pozzatto, Terpstra and Phinney to be in the group. Look for an even more select group on the final set of cobbles and for Flecha to draw his arrow en route to victory.

Podium- Flecha, Phinney, Pozzatto

Forza!