Quick-Step Floors' Domination

Quick-Step Floors is dominating the 2018 seasons but who is really happy with this?
I think that the only people happy with Quick-Step Floors' domination are Lefevere and his staff.
In particular, in Belgium, this is a huge problem to deal with.
Their most representative team is dominating but the Belgian riders in the team are not winning any significant race, with the little exception of Lampaert's Dwars Door Vlaanderen.
Is this enough for a nation in which cycling is like a religion? I don't think so.
Also Gilbert said, with a bit of regret, that when you ride for Quick-Step Floors you can never consider yourself as The captain and you have to accept it.
My question is: if you are a champion, can you accept to have, potentially forever, a secondary role?
What would do Terpstra as the only captain of a team? He would be controlled as all the others I think.
Terpstra is a solid cobbles rider and deserved his victory but would have been the same if Van Avermaet or Sagan would have attacked?
Quick-Step Floors' strategies are the best in the world and we are witnessing an incredible phenomenon in cycling, that we have never faced before.
For the first time in cycling history, the team is the hero to admire more than its riders.
We will remember Quick-Step Floors more than its riders I think.
This phenomenon is more common in other sports such as Football or Basketball but I've never seen this happening in cycling.
Enjoy Quick-Step Floors' last miracle.

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

McCarthy

Najar

Sagan

Geniez

Degenkolb

Mareczko

Wellens

Impey

Greipel

Skujiņš

 

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Start of the Season

The new season just started and nothing seems to be changed.
Sagan is bossing in and out the competitions, his meeting with the Pope has been fantastic and showed us a grown Champion.
Greipel said again he is still in the game and in pure sprints he is the one to beat.
Degenkolb after a troubled season has already won a race, but will he return to be the champion he was before the horrible accident? I really hope so.
Porte seems to have done this, he won again on Willunga Hill, 6 months after his dramatic crash at le Tour de France.
In conclusion, what can we say about Quick-Step Floors?  They have started the season reaffirming their enormous superiority in the UCI World Tour, they have already won 3 races with 3 different riders.
Do we have to prepare ourselves for another spring of Sagan vs. Quick-Step Floors?
This are the first few 2018 impressions because I don't want to say a word about so many teams that, at first sight, appear significantly below expectations.

Peloton 2018 - Rider Transfers

How will be the 2018 Peloton?
Here is a summary of the most important transfers: 

AG2R La Mondiale
In: Benoit Cosnefroy (Neo-Pro), Clément Venturini (Cofidis), Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), 
Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team), Aurélien Paret Peintre 
Out: Christophe Riblon (Retires), Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida), 
Sondre Holst Enger (Israel Cycling Academy), Hugo Houle (Astana)

Extended: Romain Bardet, Oliver Naesen, Pierre Latour, Ben Gastauer, Axel Domont, 

François Bidard, Alexis Vuillermoz, Mikaël Chérel, Gediminas Bagdonas, Nico Denz, 

Julien Duval

Astana Pro Team
In: Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Magnus Cort (Orica-Scott), Davide Villella 
(Cannondale-Drapac), Jan Hirt (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), 
Hugo Houle (AG2R La Mondiale), 
Yevgeniy Gidich (Vino-Astana Motors)
Out: Paolo Tiralongo (Retires), Michele Scarponi, Matti Breschel (Cannondale-Drapac),
 Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Arman Kamyshev
Extended: Jakob Fuglsang, Dario Cataldo, Luis Leon Sanchez, Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev, 
Dmitriy Gruzdev, Ruslan Tleubayev, Pello Bilbao, Daniil Fominykh,
 Artyom Zakharov and Andrei Grivko.

Bahrain-Merida
In: Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Matej Mohorič (UAE Team Emirates), 
Kristijan Koren (Cannondale-Drapac), Hermann Pernsteiner (Amplatz-BMC), 
Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale), Mark Padun (Team Colpack)
Out: Javier Moreno (Delko Marseille Provence KTM),
 Tsgabu Grmay (Trek-Segafredo), 
Ondřej Cink (PMRA Racing Team), Jon Ander Insausti (Fundación Euskadi), 
Janez Brajkovic
Extended: Sonny Colbrelli, Franco Pellizotti, Heinrich Haussler

BMC Racing Team
In: Nathan Van Hooydonck (BMC Development), Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale-Drapac), 
Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal), Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott), 
Paddy Bevin (Cannondale-Drapac)
Out: Manuel Quinziato (Retires), Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), 
Amaël Moinard (Team Fortuneo-Oscaro), Manuel Senni (Bardiani-CSF), 
Silvan Dillier (AG2R La Mondiale), 
Ben Hermans (Israel Cycling Academy), Sammy Sanchez (Fired), Martin Elmiger (Retires), Floris Gerts
Extended: Richie Porte, Michael Schär, Brent Bookwalter, Alessandro De Marchi, 
Danilo Wyss, Damiano Caruso, Jempy Drucker, Joey Rosskopf, Fran Ventoso, 
ohan Dennis, Stefan Kung, Tejay van Garderen, Tom Bohli

Bora-Hansgrohe
In: Daniel Oss (BMC Racing), Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky), Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac), Felix Großschartner (CCC Sprandi Polkowice)
Out: Shane Archbold (Aqua Blue Sports), Jan Barta (Elkov - Author), 
Silvio Herklotz and Jose Mendes (Burgos-BH)
Extended: Sam Bennett, Michael Schwarzmann, Christoph Pfingsten, Rudi Selig

Cannondale-Drapac
In: Logan Owen (Axeon Hagen Bermans), Sacha Modolo (UAE Team Emirates), 
Dan McLay (Team Fortuneo - Oscaro), Mitch Docker (Orica-Scott), Matti Breschel (Astana), 
Kim Magnusson (Tre Berg-Postnord), Daniel Felipe Martinez (Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia),
Daniel Moreno (Movistar)
Out: Alberto Bettiol (BMC Racing), Kristijan Koren (Bahrain-Merida), 
Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Villella (Astana Pro Team), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), Andrew Talansky (Retires), Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo), 
Wouter Wippert (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij), Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky), 
Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo), Paddy Bevin (BMC)
Extended: Rigoberto Uran, Michael Woods, Simon Clarke, Alex Howes, 
Lawson Craddock, Will Clarke, Tom Van Asbroeck, Nathan Brown

Dimension Data
In: Nicholas Dlamini (Dimension Data Continental), Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates), Julien Vermote (Quick-Step Floors), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Drapac), Scott Davies (Team Wiggins), Amanuel Gebreigzabhier (Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
Out: Omar Fraile (Astana), Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin), Kristian Sbaragli (Israel Cycling Academy), Daniel Teklehaimanot, Youcef Reguigui (Natura4Ever-Sovac), Adrien Niyonshuti
Extended: Steve Cummings, Jay Thomson, Jaco Venter, Johann van Zyl, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, 
Igor Anton, Mekseb Debesay

FDJ
In: Ramon Sinkeldam (Team Sunweb), Georg Preidler (Team Sunweb), 
Valentin Madouas (Neo-Pro), Romain Seigle (Neo-Pro), Bruno Armirail (Neo-Pro)
Out: Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Arnaud Courteille, Kevin Reza, 
Lorrenzo Manzin, Johan Le Bon and Marc Fournier (Vital Concept), Cedric Pineau (Retires), 
Jérémy Maison (Team Fortuneo - Oscaro), Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie)
Extended: Benoît Vaugrenard, Mickael Delage, Ignatas Konovalovas, Matthieu Ladagnous, Daniel Hoelgaard

Katusha-Alpecin
In: Nathan Haas (Dimension Data), Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Matteo Fabbro (Friuli Cycling Team), Marcel Kittel (QuickStep-Floors), Alex Dowsett (Movistar), 
Stef Crass (BMC Development), Willie Smit
Out: Angel Vicioso Arcos (Retires), Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates), 
Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Michael Morkov (QuickStep-Floors), 
Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE Team Emirates), Matvey Mamkin (Burgos-BH)
Extended: Ilnur Zakarin, Simon Spilak, Tiago Machado, José Gonçalves, Reto Hollenstein, Jhonatan Restrepo, Pavel Kochetkov, Maxim Belkov

Lotto Soudal
In: Victor Campenaerts (Team LottoNL-Jumbo), Lawrence Naesen (WB Veranclassic Aquality Protect), 
Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott), 
Bjorg Lambrecht and Harm Van Houcke (Lotto Soudal U23)
Out: Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jürgen Roelandts (BMC Racing), Kris Boeckmans (Vital Concepts), Louis Vervaeke (Team Sunweb), Sean De Bie (Veranda's Willems - Crelan), Rafael Valls (Movistar), Bart De Clercq (Wanty-Groupe Gobert)
Extended: Jelle Wallays, Jasper De Buyst, Maxime Monfort, Jelle Vanendert, Frederik Frison, Tomasz Marczynski, Sander Armee

Movistar Team
In: Eduardo Sepulveda (Fortuneo-Oscaro), Jamie Roson (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Mikel Landa (Team Sky), Jaime Castrillo (Neo-Pro). Rafael Valls (Lotto Soudal)
Out: Adriano Malori (Retires), Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Jonathan Castroviejo (Team Sky), Rory Sutherland (UAE Team Emirates), Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin), 
Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), Jose Herrada (Cofidis), Dani Moreno (Cannondale-Drapac)
Extended: Nelson Oliveira, Jorge Arcas, Antonio Pedrero, Winner Anacona, Carlos Betancur, Dayer Quintana

Orica-Scott
In: Mikel Nieve (Team Sky), Cameron Meyer, Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors), 
Jack Bauer (Quick-Step Floors), Lucas Hamilton (Mitchelton-Scott)
Out: Magnus Cort (Astana), Ruben Plaza (Israel Cycling Academy), Simon Gerrans (BMC Racing), Jens Keukeleire (Lotto Soudal), Mitch Docker (Cannondale-Drapac)
Extended: Svein Tuft, May Hayman, Chris Juul Jensen, Michael Hepburn, Sam Bewley, Jack Haig, 
Michael Albasini, Luka Mezgec

Quick-Step Floors
In: Jhonatan Narvaez (Axeon Hagen Bermans), Florian Sénéchal (Cofidis), Elia Viviani (Team Sky), 
Fabio Jakobsen (SEG Racing), Michael Morkov (Katusha-Alpecin), James Knox (Team Wiggins), Alvaro Hodeg (Coldeportes - Claro)
Out: Matteo Trentin (Orica-Scott), Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), David de la Cruz (Team Sky), 
Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Julien Vermote (Dimension Data), Jack Bauer (Orica-Scott), 
Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo), Martin Velits (Retires)
Extended: Bob Jungels, Julian Alaphilippe, Fernando Gaviria, Max Richeze, Philippe Gilbert, 
Pieter Serry, Iljo Keisse, Niki Terpstra, Fabio Sabatini, Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Enric Mas, Zdenek Stybar, Davide Martinelli, Eros Capecchi

Team LottoNL-Jumbo
In: Pascal Eenkhoorn (BMC Development Team), Neilson Powless (Axeon Hagens Berman), Sepp Kuss (Rally), Danny van Poppel (Team Sky)
Out: Jurgen Van den Broeck (Retires), Steven Lammertink (Vital Concept), Twan Castelijns, Alexey Vermeulen, Martijn Keizer, Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal), JJ Lobato (Fired)
Extended: Paul Martens, Koen Bouwman, Primoz Roglic, Tom Leezer, Bert-Jan Lindeman, 
Bram Tankink

Team Sky
In: Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar), David de la Cruz (QuickStep-Floors), 
Egan Bernal (Androni Giocattoli), Pavel Sivakov (BMC Development Team),
 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Team Joker Icopal), Chris Lawless (Axeon Hagens Berman), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), 
Leonardo Basso (Neo-Pro)
Out: Peter Kennaugh (Bora-Hansgrohe), Mikel Nieve (Orica-Scott), Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Mikel Landa (Movistar), Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors), Danny van Poppel (Team LottoNL-Jumbo)
Extended: Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Michal Kwiatkowski, Christian Knees, Ian Stannard, Michal Golas, Beñat Intxausti, Gianni Moscon, Philip Deignan, Vasil Kiryienka, David López, Sebastián Henao

Team Sunweb
In: Martijn Tusveld (Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij), Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), 
Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal), Jai Hindley (Mitchelton Scott), Michael Storer (Mitchelton Scott)
Out: Ramon Sinkeldam (FDJ), Georg Preidler (FDJ), Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Oscaro), 
Bert de Backer (Vital Concept), Zico Waeytens (Veranda's Willems - Crelan), Sindre Lunke (Fortuneo-Oscaro)
Extended: Tom Dumoulin, Laurens ten Dam,Søren Kragh Andersen, Sam Oomen, 
Nikias Arndt, Max Walscheid, Johannes Fröhlinger, Chad Haga, Roy Curvers

Trek-Segafredo
In: Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac), Alex Frame (JLT Condor), Gianluca Brambilla (QuickStep-Floors), Niklas Eg (Team Veloconcept), 
Tsgabu Grmay (Bahrain-Merida), Nicola Conci (Neo-Pro)
Out: Haimar Zubeldia (Retires), Alberto Contador (Retires),
 Jesús Hernández (Retires), Edward Theuns (Team Sunweb), Marco Coledan (Trek-Segafredo)
Extended: Fabio Felline, Julien Bernard, Kiel Reijnen, Michael Gogl

UAE Team Emirates
In: Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin), Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors), Rory Sutherland (Movistar), 
Sven Erik Bystrøm (Katusha-Alpecin), Alexandr Riabushenko (Neo-Pro), 
Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team)
Out: Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Merida), Louis Meintjes (Dimension Data), Andrea Guardini (Bardiani CSF), Marko Kump (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Federico Zurlo
Extended: Matteo Bono, Kristijan Durasek, Roberto Ferrari, Simone Petilli, 
Simone Consonni, Valerio Conti, Marco Marcato (all through end of 2019), Przemyslaw Niemiec

La Vuelta 2017 Pt. 1

My impression after the first week of Vuelta is that we are seeing an incredible Grand Tour, that is growing year by year.
La Vuelta, in the future, could become the best Grand Tour, if the organizers of the Giro and the Tour will not put aside their arrogance and their presumption.
This is happening in a huge way at the Tour de France, while the Giro is still safe, due to the incredible Italian geography that offers everyday nice ideas for clever riders.
In this scenario, la Vuelta, presenting the best riders and a nice route, is able to give the fans back the emotions they did not prove watching le Tour de France.
Talking about what's happening on the road, nothing seems changed: Quick- Step Floors and Froome are bossing the race, but they have to struggle to maintain their leadership and this makes everything more interesting.
Vamos!

Rider of the Month : June

Congratulations Jakub, you did it!
Fuglsang is the first Danish rider that triumphs in this special classification.
He dominated the Critérium du Dauphiné and is ready to lead Astana in the upcoming Tour de France.
He is a solid and complete rider and can find in Aru something more than a helper.
The strategy of the multi-captain is one of the best but, so far, there is just one team able to do it tadily and it is Team Quick-Step Floors during the classics campaign.
Nevertheless, it is two years in a row that the rider who won the Criterium du Dauphiné, in late July, won the Tour de France too, will the tradition continue?

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

Aru

Naesen

Spilak

Sagan

Fuglsang

Bennett

Dennis

Majka

Demare

Dillier

 

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Giro 100 Big Finale

In the end Dumoulin won and I can't remember a Giro so uncertain and so deserved.
The level of the Giro 100 has been extremely high and Dumoulin won because he was the most complete rider of the Peloton.
He proved also to be the smartest in several situation, winning his first Giro with strong legs but with a stronger mind.
His opponents never really tried to do something risky in the final week, they were all scared, despite their statements, to lose their position in the General Classification.
We discovered yesterday that Quintana has been sick during the last two weeks but I still think that some riders can have more than a regret.
What Team Katusha Alpecin made in the last stage would have shaken the GC many times if done by stronger teams in  previous stages.
The sad truth we have learned is that it doesn't matter just to win.
 In modern cycling you prefer not to loose a third or a sixth position than trying to win a Giro, considering that in the worst case you can loose badly.
Talking about the teams without a proper GC contender, I just want to underline a key point: why if such a great team as Quick-Step Floors is always attacking, even in the last stage, the teams invited, with the exception of Team Gazprom-Rusvelo, never really battled hard in order to try to win a stage?
Here you can find my grades to the teams,  from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good), you, dear Impressionists, will choose the rider of the Giro in the upcoming survey.

Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team - 6

AG2R La Mondiale - 5

 Astana Pro Team - Impossible to rate

Bardiani - CSF - 4.5

BMC Racing Team - 7.5

Bora - Hansgrohe - 8

Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team - 7

CCC Sprandi Polkowice - 4.5

FDJ - 7

Gazprom-RusVelo - 6.5

Lotto Soudal - 5.5

Movistar Team - 7.5

ORICA-Scott - 6

Quick-Step Floors - 9.5

Dimension Data - 7

Team Katusha - Alpecin - 6

Team LottoNL-Jumbo - 5

Team Sky - 8

Team Sunweb - 8

Trek - Segafredo - 5

UAE Team Emirates - 5.5

Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia - 3.5

Giro 100 Pt. 3

I want to  divide this brief Impression in three parts, because we've just finished an intense week.

SPRINTS & SPRINTERS

Last week has been the week of Gaviria, he claimed and obtained a place in the sprinters' elite.
He dominated the sprint, winning each  time in a different way, showing the world his multiples skills.
Ewan could be the only one faster than him, but he is too small and struggle too much while fighting for position.
Sam Bennet is supported by an incredible team, but unfortunately found a sprinter stronger than him.
I'am a bit disappointed by Greipel, he could not be satisfied with just one stage win, even if it gave him the pink jersey.
If you are one of the best sprinters in the world, you have to do something more to remain in the elite, considering that, as we said, you have a new impressive opponent.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND PINK JERSEY CANDIDATES

I've never seen Tom Dumoulin so confident and self-aware.
He demolished his opponents on his field, the TT, but what he did on the Mount Oropa climb is even better.
He won on the Pantani's climb wearing the pink jersey, what else do you need to be considered a champion?
He has learned a lot from his Vuelta's defeat and will fight 'til the end of the Giro, with a great TT waiting for him in Milan.
Quintana is the strongest climber of this Giro 100 and it seems to be the only one capable of attacking Dumoulin.
We will see, we have great week ahead.

TEAMS

What can I say about Quick-step Floors?
The Wolfpack is honoring the race and demolishing its opponents on the roads of Giro 100, winning and exciting the crowd on any terrain. What a team!!
The last consideration is about the so many teams that haven't already gotten anything from this Giro 100 and that are doing nothing in order to justify their participation.
You will understand of which teams I'm talking about once the Giro is over, reading the upcoming article in which I'll rate the teams.

Giro 100 Pt. 2

It has not been a memorable Giro, except for the Blockhaus stage, so far, but the best is yet to come.
Smaller teams are not interested in fighting for a stage win and the Peloton seems asleep, providing the same show almost everyday.
Bora - Hansgrohe and Quick-Step Floor are still the only two teams honoring the race and taking great victories and podiums.
I want to underline also the strength of Gazprom Rusvelo, the only team that everyday has a man in the breakaway.
Dillier saved the Giro of Team BMC considering that team's GC ambitions sank in the Blockhaus stage.
Talking about the Blockhaus stage, the first consideration must be on Italian police, shame on them. They eliminated 3 GC contenders with one of the silliest move you can do in a cycling race.
Talking about the "survivors", Quintana proved to be the best, supported by a great team with licence to kill, see Gorka Izagirre.
Pinot is not a surprise for me, he is riding incredibly well since the beginning of the Giro.
He has prepared this edition of the Giro very well. He is stronger than Quintana against the clock and can be considered the first rival of the new pink jersey.
Dumoulin surprised me, he made a solid performance on such a hard climb.
Considering that he is the stronger GC contender in TT stages, he can take away the pink jersey from Quintana tomorrow and try to defend it as long as possible.
Just a few words about Nibali, he is riding alone, his team is inconsistent.
My question to the Bahrain - Merida director is: if you know you have a weak team compared to your opponents, why do you spend in a breakaway, the day before a mountain stage, one of your strongest climber? I really hope Bahrain - Merida is fighting for something more than a stage win.

Giro 100 Pt. 1

 The Giro 100 has started three days ago, but it seems to be started just for two teams.
Bora Hansgrohe and Quickstep Floors attacked and deserved they victories, honoring such an important edition of this wonderful race.
Bora Hansgrohe, maybe due to the fact that Sagan wasn't in the race, started attacking with all his riders and were rewarded.
Quickstep Floors choose the windy day to teach cycling to the peloton, doing the one that, so far, could be called the best feat of the Giro 100.
I can understand that the teams with the GC contenders prefer to ride safely in the bunch, but in such a hard race I ask myself when weaker teams think they will have a good occasion to win a stage.
In conclusion, after these three stages is confirmed something that I always love to repeat: in cycling if you attack you may loose, but if you don't attack you can't win.

Amstel Gold Race 2017 - School Of Cycling, School Of Life

The final kilometre of the Amstel Gold Race 2017 has been something amazing, something more than just cycling.
The two characters of this amazing show have been Kwiatkowski and Gilbert, the riders that showed the best shape in 2017 classics campaign.
They arrived in the Ardennes with prestigious and spectacular victories conquered this year in the previous classics. Today, they found themselves in this emotional final kilometre where just one of them, in the end, would have won.
The final has been absolutely unpredictable: Kwiatkowski, apparently stronger than Gilbert in a sprint, showed Gilbert respect, refusing to take the lead in the final kilometre.
This has been a mistake, the last kilometre became a psychological and tactical battle, but more that a matter of strategy, the final duel turned out to be a mental toughness question.
Kwiatkowski used the same strategy that in March had given him his great Milano - Sanremo victory but, this time, he wasn't fighting with Sagan and Alaphilippe, two young and bumptious riders.
His opponent, today, was a clever "old" champion, Philippe Gilbert, one of the most experienced riders in the Peloton.
Kwiatkowski has been beaten by an opponent better than him at his own game.
The attack of Kwiatkowski was provoked by the patient and the courage of Gilbert, waiting 'til the end, confident that his young antagonist would not have resisted longer without attacking.
The last kilometre of the Amstel Gold Race 2017 should be projected in any kind of school, because it is a life lesson.
Has Kwiatkowski learned the lesson? We will discover it soon.

Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2017

I want to start the article on such an epic race with two quotes:

The first is of the World Champion, Peter Sagan, that,  when asked if the trio would have caught Gilbert, replied: "I think so. Given how I was riding and I had strong companions, so yes, I think I could have got back up to him, but destiny didn't want it".


The second is of the Winner of the race, Philippe Gilbert: “It all started on the Muur. I was riding on Tom Boonen’s wheel and it went on from there,” Gilbert said. “We had three riders in the group and we decided to push on.”

These two quotes explain better than 100 words how epic has been the 101° ronde.
The genius of Tom Boonen invented an incredible race and the class of Gilbert drew it.
In the final, when a super strong trio made by Sagan, Van Avermaet and Naesen could have ruined such a wonderful masterpiece, destiny decided that it was time to pay back the Belgian champion for the amazing start of the season and for his bravery.
This has been the 101° Ronde Van Vlaanderen and we will talk about and remember this race for a long long time.

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

Arndt

Porte

Ewan

Vichot

Boonen

Gaviria

Richeze

Mollema

Wellens

Costa

 

pollcode.com free polls

Welcome to the 2017 Pro Cycling Season

The season has just started and we have already seen that Quick-Step Floors boys are ready to be leading actors in the 2017 Pro Cycling season too.
What they did, or better, what Davide Bramati did in Argentina was something amazing. They won five stages out of seven, with three different riders helping each other.
This is the dream of any directeur sportif and Davide Bramati made it come true.
Less than two weeks of cycling and we are just wondering who will be the rider of the month, the battle is more than open and, as always, it is your choice...