Transfer Period #1

Transfer period is open as of 8 A.M. Monday. To make a transfer simply leave a comment. Transfer period closes at Midnight Friday night.

From the Commish

Heads up! Transfer period #1 begins on Monday.

Transfers begin at 8 A.M. Monday morning and go until Friday at Midnight.  The Giro starts Saturday morning.  Despite Greg's complaints the  transfer rules are clearly laid out in the blog here.  Take some time to supe up your team for the Giro, unless your Bill, then this would be the time you would want to drop Wiggo and Froome.  If you have any questions just leave a comment or text me.  

Danny Boy Martin Wins in Liege!

Steven the Neo-Pro Scores Big

So many potatoes!

Team Fujarky capped off a huge week with a win in the oldest of classics, Liege -Bastogne - Liege.  With a string of high finishes in the Ardennes Steven continues to move up the leader board.  There were some highlights (Kreuziger), some lowlights (Gilbert) and some nolights (Volpe), but all in all the Ardeness was not as decisive in the WFL as it could have been.  However, it was a fun week of racing and worthy of more discussion. I for one am looking forward to Gregario's annual wrap up.  Let's get the discussion going.

La Doyenne

Liege-Bastogne-Liege

What do you see?

If you answered a young woman then your mind is in the wrong place cause this weekend it's all about "La Doyenne".  The "old lady" is back again to test the climbing legs of the WFL classics riders.  It seems like everyone is here and they are all on form.  But why wouldn't they be?  Liege can make a career.  The oldest of all Monuments, Liege has an unparalleled history.  This year's race has a slightly altered course, but one thing we are coming to learn is that courses change, people bitch, time moves on and another course will take it's place.  So, will it be a whole different race without Falcon Rock?  Probably not, but a "less selective" course can lead to a more wide open race.  But another thing we are learning is that every course is selective if they go fast enough and that the riders not the course make the race.  As I said we have lots of riders here, every team is well represented.  It's hard to say whose team is the strongest. Do you go with quantity?  Team Fujarky has 6 riders here and all of them are contenders.  Do you go with past results?  Forza, Volpe and Taco all have past winners.  Or do you go with recent form?  Kreuziger, Nibali, Valverde, Dan Martin, Gerrans and JRod have all had recent victories or high finishes.  So how will it go down?

How it could go down:
Its a climby course and most of the peloton suffer early. Most that is except for the Colombians.  Henao and Uran hook up with a streaking Betancur and quickly put two minutes into the peloton.  In a pre race agreement Uran rides for Henao who sits on until the gap is cut to one minute.  He takes off and just stays away as the rest of the breakaway are swallowed up on the final climb.  Sky takes their first Monument.

How it might go down:
Its a climby course and most of the peloton suffer early.  The new course proves to be even less selective then many had suspected.  A fairly large group make it to the bottom of the last climb.  A few attacks are reeled back in and as they approach the finish it becomes clear that it's going to be a group sprint.  Gilbert goes way early and Valverde, Gerrans and Danny Martin have to open their sprint earlier than they would have wanted too.  Gerrans shows strong mnn roots pipping Gilbert right on the line.  The Aussies take their first Ardennes Monument.

How it will go down:
Its a climby course and most of the peloton suffer early.  With so many favorites in the race several teams take up the work and it's a fast race.  Early breakaways never really pose any threat.  The favorites are all protected as expected and most make it to the penultimate climb ready to rumble.  Who needs Falcon Rock?  The Sky train ramps it up to mach one and the peloton is blown apart.  Only a hand full of riders make it to the final climb.  Nibali goes and Gilbert leads the chase.  Henao, Martin, JRod and Valverde are the riders left to claw their way back into it.  Who has saved enough for the final turn?  The man with the most experience has sat on just enough.  Valverde takes yet another Monument.      

From the Commish

It has come to the attention of the Commish that the April 10th post entitled "De Branbanste Pijl" has recently come under scrutiny.
It should be noted that despite what Patrick thinks the Commish does not support grabbing podium girl's asses.  Also, he does not really think that grabbing ass somehow launched Sagan to victory and thus "sometimes it pays" to do it.  Rather, the Commish is just an amateur writer and his attempts at satire don't always pay off, at least not as well as grabbing ass does. 

Amstel Gold

Kreuziger solos to victory

Guillaume moves into second place overall

Astana's loyalty and support finally pays off

Valverde wins the sprint for second

A plethora of WFL riders fight for points at the line

Not pictured: Gilbert fading in the sprint to finish 5th

The first of the Ardeness classics is in the books.  A few surprises resulted in a reshuffling of the WFL leader board.  The top of the rankings is starting to look pretty familiar as Bill scoots past Volpe and continues to pressure Wiskota Dynamic.  Along with the win by Kreuziger, Bill's 4th round pick Simon Gerrans picked up a tidy 50 points with a 3rd place finish.  Fujarky managed to snag a few points from Henao and the Gas man, enough at least to maintain his position on the leader board.  Gilbert was not able to hold off the rest of the field and his 5th place finish was ultimately a disappointment.  The Green Bullet won the sprint for second earning Taco 60 important points.  Valverde's sprint and the benefit of countback has moved Taco out of the basement and into 5th place overall, meaning we have a new lanterne rouge.   However, Project Forza looks to do well later this week as the Giro del Trentino invites mostly pro conti teams.   

To the Ardennes!

Amstel Gold: Sunday

Fleche Walloon: Wednesday

Liege: Next Sunday

De Brabantse Pijl

Gilbert takes the sprint in...

...oh wait, never mind

Sometimes it pays to grab ass

 Yup that's the same podium girl.  I guess she finally understood that it was a joke.  Sagan takes his 8th win of the season pipping PhilGil on the line and denying him his first win in the rainbow jersey yet again.  Let's face it this was a minor race of the classics season, but is it a harbinger of things to come in the Ardennes?  Stay tuned for Gregario Forza's much anticipated annual Ardennes Classics preview.    

Cancellera takes the double, winning Paris-Roubaix in the most hallowed arena of cycling, the Roubaix velodrome.

Are you not entertained?!

The Hell of the North

It's not so bad.

After crashing out a year earlier, Cancellera gets his revenge in Flanders.