Chapeau

...Gregario Forza's weekly "tip of the hat" 

Cobbles, Ik heb je gemist!! Oh, how I’ve missed you. Saturday felt like Spring, with a balmy 55 degrees in the Twin Cities and classics races playing on my laptop while I fry bacon and sip on coffee. It doesn't get much better. The racing was also fabulous with the Omloop featuring a selection of hard men battling it out for the win while all eyes were on Quickstep in the peloton, wondering “will they ever get organized?”, and KBK featuring a heroic a show of strength as one man staved off a chasing group and a peloton buzzing with fast men.

If the first weekend is a preview of things to come then we will be in for an exciting season with new faces and first time winners. It does seem as though there is a changing of the guard in the spring classics. Greg Van Avermaet, Tiesj Benoot, and Peter Sagan will feature the list of newcomers. However, the classics season is a long one, and how good can GVA be in April (Check his Palmares)? But that's for another post, another day.

Chapeau to Greg Van Avermaet for winning! The bridesmaid was wearing white at Omloop and out sprinted the World Champion, Peter Sagan, once again for victor. “Avi” showed tons of strength by going early and maintaining all the way to the line, taking away the sprint from Sagan. I was really happy for GVA to win a classic and will be cheering for him to take a monument this year.

Chapeau to Jasper Stuyven for his huge effort to win Kurne-Brussels-Kurne. I didn't think he had a chance at 10 km but he kept his lead out and even seemed to put time into the peloton in the final 3km. It was as though he was doing his best Fabian Cancellara impression. Once again a glimpse at the future of the classics and for Belgium, chapeau!

Chapeau to Peter Sagan for featuring in both races and just oozing panache, all while demonstrating the bad tactics that continue to haunt him in all places outside California. Chapeau to Alexander Kristoff, the Ice Harvester, was frozen in the peloton in both races but won the group sprint for second place at KBK.

This weekend the racing moves to white roads under the Tuscan Sun. Also, we start the race to the sun in France, Paris-Nice, in the first real, historic, World Tour stage race of the year. La Course au Soleil!

The Spokes Man

...talking points from the Commish

Classics!

We all love the Tour de France, and the Giro is the shit, but the more you get into cycling the more you realize that the Classics are where it's at.  There is something about the simplicity of a one day race that makes it so fun.  No off days, no hiding in the bunch, no just hanging on to fight another day.  First man across the line wins, no time bonus or countback or time trial the next day.  Add to that the history, scenery and tough conditions of these one day races and you get some good watching.

We'll talk about these another day

As the classics season begins to heat up, I am confronted with the question, what is the best one day race?  Sure, the Monuments stand out as the best one day races on the calendar.  Shit, Liege has been around for 125 years.  But, those don't begin for almost another month.  So, let's leave them for another discussion.

What is the best one day race?

(besides the monuments)

The Candidates:  

The Omloop:  First of the cobbled classics.  Maybe not always targeted by the top riders, but this early season race always delivers the goods.  

Kuurne:  If you miss the break at the Omloop you always have a chance to win the sprint the next day on the more forgiving cobbles of Kuurne.

Strade:  The new comer to the list has soared in popularity as the white gravel roads of Tuscany bring out the romantic in all of us.  

E3: More prestigious than some, less than others, this Belgian classic offers up the short steep cobbled climbs we love so much.

Gent-Wevelgem: Many a sprinter has won here but with the cobbles, climbs and crosswinds the winner usually comes from a reduced group.  

Scheldprijs: Coming between the Ronde and Roubaix this race has a high visibility.  One for the sprinters but it will be a hard day in the saddle.

Amstel:  Kicks off Ardennes week with all of its punchy splendor.  Can you stay away after the final climb or will there be a reduced sprint?

Fleche:  Its all about the Mur de Huy (The Wall).  At just over 1K this hyper steep finish becomes the slowest mad dash to the line you will ever see.  

Chillcoot:  Not really a one day race as its part of the North Star Grand Prix, also, its not even a UCI event, but hey Greg and I will have front row seats.  Horner?

San Sebastian:  A week after the Tour the climbers get their revenge in one of the most scenic and historic parts of the Basque country.  

Paris-Tours:  Supposedly this was awesome back in the day, now it just kind of wraps up the season.  One more for the road.  

I love 'em all but I have my favorites.  But first I would like to hear from you.  Add some comments and take the poll. 

Chapeau

...Gregario Forza's weekly "tip of the hat" 

Cobbles, Cobbles, Cobbles! It’s time for Cobbles! It’s Omloop, KBK week and if you are not familiar with these races- you are missing out. These two races open up the the Classics season as we approach the monuments of Milan-San Remo, Paris Roubaix, Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The Grand Tours are Great but the best racing of the season generally happens in the next 2 months. Cobbles! However, before we get looking ahead to last weekend, let's take a look back to last week's action. A Lot of WFL (Wiskota Fantasy League) riders were in the mix and many scored some big points, despite not being WorldTour races.

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol.

“Route to the Sun”.

Chapeau to Alejandro Valverde for winning the final stage with an epic attack with 7km to go and snatching victory from TVG. Ballaverde opened up his account for 2016 and is dedicating this season to his former teammate and friend, Adrioni Malori.

Speaking of TVG, Chapeau to Tejay van Garderen for winning the Time Trial in Andalucia. He also was an animator in the final stage, in the lead group, who was chasing Valverde. Looking strong TVG! I like seeing him race things outside of California and France.

Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta

Chapeau to Geraint Thomas for winning the overall on the southern coast of Portugal ( mmmm, beaches of Algarve). He was the most consistent rider, hence, your GC winner. I am excited to see how the Penguin races this season. He will be tough to beat in a one week race.

Chapeau to Alberto Contador for winning the final stage and claiming victory on the Alto do Malhao climb. Pistolero started Algarve on the back foot but rode himself into form. I predict that we will see a lot of “hand-guns” this season. Bang.

Chapeau as well to Marcel Kittel for taking 2 stages and to Fabian Cancellara for winning the time trial stage. Both have started out the year strong. And a touch of the brim to Fabio Aru, Thibaut Pinot, and Rigo Uran for trying. All were in striking distance on the final climb.

Tour of Oman

Chapeau to Vincenzo Nibali. The The Shark of Messina was brilliant on his way to victory on Green Mountain. He is showing some good early form by beating a strong Frenchman in Romain Bardet, as well as the likes of his teammate Jakob Fuglsang, Tom Dumoulin, Rui Costa and Domenico Pozzovivo. Lo Squalo mostrando Panache!

Chapeau to Eddy Bohag and Alexander Kristoff. The 2 strong men continue to show good form as they build for the classics. I have been really impressed by both riders this season and am very surprised by BoHag, undrafted, and the start to what is quickly becoming the best season of his career.

Cobbles!

On the Rivet

Countdown to Cobbles

He should come out of retirement just for this race

Omloop het Nieuwsblad this Saturday!  Kuurne-Brussels-Kurrne on Sunday!

Chapeau

Gregario Forza's weekly "tip of the hat"...

February is flying by and the racing is starting to heat up!!! What does that mean? Time to race the route of the sun. We are only two weeks from the Omloop and KBK and 3 week to Strade Bianchi. So, we need to get together soon to dine and discuss the upcoming classics season.

There have been a number of Wiskota Fantasy League riders who have been tearing it up and gaining points for their respective DS”s. We haven’t done this in a while so we will have to go back to a faraway place, where the caravan camels roam, where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense, it's barbaric, but hey, it's Dubai.

Chapeau to J.J.Lobato for winning on the Commish’s favorite finishing climb of the season, the Hatta Dam. He gets straight giddy when the Lobatomaker gets punchy. The Spaniard beat the likes of Gilbert and Fabulous Fabian Cancellara to win the stage and announce himself as a real threat in the spring classics.

Chapeau to Kittel for winning 2 stages and the overall at the Dubai Tour. SKittels definitely looked like the fastest man on the planet. Cavendish did not seem to be in the same league as the flashy German. Taste the Rainbow!

Next on our travels, we round the Straight of Hormuz and head to the Persian Gulf and into the beautiful cycling nation of Qatar.

Chapeau to Mark Cavendish as he showed that yes, he can still win a group sprint, as he took the 1st stage and the overall in Qatar.

The real star of the Tour of Ababwa was the Iceman, Alexander Kristoff, who took 3 stages and beat the Manx Missile in all 3 of those finishes. Impressive for a strong Classics style rider (and great sprinter). A well deserved, tip of the hat, Chapeau!! Another monument seems inevitable. (I’ll be looking forward to Luke writing about the Iceman and how he compares to other great sprinters who have won monuments in the spring classics).

Chapeau to Eddy BoHag. The BoDog won the individual time trial and was set to take the overall but came up short after a double flat in the penultimate stage. Undrafted by Wiskota, EBH is poised to have the best spring in his young career.

One, final Chapeau to Philippe Gilbert for beating a surprisingly strong field containing Valverde, Zakarin, and Jon Izaguirre to win the hilltop finish at the Vuelta a Murcia. Points are points. Jill Bear!!!!!

This week we sail back, south on the Arabian Sea to Oman. The field will be very different at this race as the parcours are a tad bit more pointy. Thus bringing the likes of Porte, Nibali, and big Tommy Dumoulin to headline a field of climbers in the southern edge of the Arabian desert.

The other big race this week is the the Ruta del Sol, or Vuelta a Andalucía. A strong field which contains Wiskota fantasy riders such as Danny Martin, Gilbert, TVG, Majka, Valverde, Mollema, Wilco, as well as J.J. Lobato. A little known race that would definitely be in my top 5 to attend. Tapas anyone?

Two weeks until cobbles!!!

Forza!