Sunday, 26 February 2017

Alright Alright Alright

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne:

It's because he is PRACTICALLY BELGIAN.

No one has names like this anymore...

I mean I was only talking about Valere Ollivier but actually that entire list is full of gems.

I hope we see Taylor out on the roadside incognito cheering.

Is the the sort of vibe we can expect today on La Houppe?

Looks like fine Belgian weather out there today.

Perhaps some fashion tips from Alex Dowsett would help?

STANNARD UP THE KWAREMONT

Styby looks like he's trying to make some kind of breakaway!!

He's got Tiesj and now Representative of the International King Dynasty Stefan Kung with him!

Hopefully Stefan stays on his bike today.

Back together again.

When did Cav stop doing this race?

And also why.

Maybe there's no point if Iljo's not there to pun on it.

I should note that there's a breakaway out there but meh. Jurgen Roetlands is in it and as well as a small tapas selection: Goujons and Kirsch.

We'll mostly be interested in this second group on the road with Styby and most of OPQS, Stannard, LE CROW, Peter, King Stefan, Tiesj, Tony the Tiger, Nikolas Maes, and some other chaps.

Also Greg.

And in the same vein, last years winner Jasper Stuyven.

Nikolas Maes at Lotto Soudal continues to throw me off.

Matti Breschel trying a move off the front of the peloton.

It would sort of be fantastic if he won so someone could say Congratulations...

You're still in the running to be America's Next Top Model.

This is excellent.

Luke riding near the front like a boss.

He's trying to indicate something to everyone. Unclear. It was almost like "ride on the cobbles', but then everyone went over on the bike path anyway.

Luke in a double OPQS sandwich is kind of a beautiful sight.

WOAH what happened there!?

Did Demare break inappropriately and SCREW TONY OVER??

He's back up now with a bleeding face but TONY.

That's hardly a way to make friends Arnaud.

Tony looks like he busted his eye socket maybe.

I mean I'm still not over the emotions of the TdF, I can't deal with this.

These tiny, windy Flemish lanes with fat Belgian men perched on the edge of a ditch is such classic imagery.

Where do you even buy those giant flag pole things?

In investigating this further, I must say: Chapeau, Tiesj fans.

Not to take away from the excellent, if rather specific, Stuy-Van.

Peter literally hopping around the group here.

If you lose to Greg again after these antics Peter I swear to god

50k and no more climbs. Boring escapees to be imminently caught with Chase Group Excellence about 2 and half minutes up on the peloton.

Renaat always sounds like he's shitting his pants. He's on the back of a motorbike right? Not just chillin' in a car?

Extra Time Koers?

Are they just promoting their show via the race boards now?

Oh my god it has never been more obvious that I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS LANGUAGE than watching this coverage right now.

The catch is coming and now everyone's going CRAY CRAY

Luke's eyeing up the group

UGHHH come on, catch these guys!! The peloton is catching YOU

It's basically gonna all come back together at once isn't it.

I'm not clear on anyone's game plan here

Who is this large Quickstepper?

Front group is now ACTUALLY the front group but the peloton are only 30 seconds behind.

Styby is having a whale of a time, it would seem.

Peter is NOT impressed.

Stuyven looks like he's doing a Stuyven.

Seriously it will be so dull if we get the exact same Nieuwsblad and KBK as last year.

I mean come on guys he is LITERALLY doing the same thing!! CATCH HIM THIS TIME

IT WOULD SEEM SO

Peter is taking this on. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY.

He's got a Quickstep with him.

Trentin. Nice one.

They've joined the Stuy-Van.

Luke leading the chase behind.

Tiesj is also having a massive go.

Tiesj has made the junction

LUKE IS IN NO MANS LAND COME ON LE CROW

MADE IT

Let's make a podium out of this but not a shit one yeah?

I mean it's a matter of seconds but that's how it starts AMIRIGHT JASPER?!

Luke is hanging off the back but...

YOU CAN DO IT LUKE

Oop they've actually put a timer on it now. 15 seconds.

20 seconds with less than 20k.

It's going up. IT'S GOING UP.

Is that the Tornado Tom Frites sign? I love this country.

BELL LAP

30 seconds the gap

I think they're saying Luke can't sprint?

I'm not sure I can handle 13 more k of this I am so tense

Luke's touching Tiesj's bum for some reason.

Maybe that's their secret signal

You and me, buddy. And also Peter.

Also the picture is breaking up NOW

NOW?!?

Phew ok I nearly threw up with rage

10k

Gap is up to 42 seconds now with 8.5k OK GUYS SHIT JUST GOT REAL

5k

HOW WILL THIS END

Luke is shedding bottles

He's looking pretty focussed.

3k

I could vom

2k

Peter checking his shoes

LUKE IS RIDING WITH LUCKY NUMBER 13 I MEAN I DON'T WANT TO JINX THIS BUT

Tiesj went tentatively to the side

Everyone is swinging around hilariously

Luke just whipped round so aggressively he thought Tiesj was up to something for sure

TRENTIN IS GOING AND LUKE GOES AND PETER GOES

More swinging and ridiculousness

THIS ANGLE IS NOT HELPFUL WHY WOULD YOU USE IT

OH MY GOD SAGAN I'M SURE THE COMMENTATORS JUST SAID

He's gonna do this no probs

WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THE FEED FROZE

God the peloton was rather close there in the end

Jesus he opened up a preposterous gap

He just shovelled a load of.. nuts or something? sweets? into his mouth like a bear. What even is he.

Podium for Luke!

IS THIS HIS FIRST PODIUM I THINK IT IS

So BMC. The BMC-est.

Luke we are all hugging you.

Meanwhile Jasper looks like an old school crim.

Over to Peter. This should be a laugh.

Big goal is stay good. What a man.

Let's not waste time here chattin' to Stuyven.

YAASSSSSS

MY MAN

I don't even mind this winter facial hair which I normally REALLY do

He could've won the sprint with one leg by the looks of it

GOOD JOB LUKE

ROUBAIX IS WHERE THE HEART LIES

I sure love him.

ROWEEEEEYYYYYYYYY on the podium!!

He's adorbs.

Is he very tall? He looks excellent.

Well. That was rather great.

Saturday, 25 February 2017

Let's Gent This Party Started

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad:

This team is GIVIN' ME LIFE, as the kids say.

This man is a legend.

Speaking of which... Luke in 't Kuipke? THIS FEELS SO RIGHT.

URGHHHH struggling up a cobbled climb!!

THE MUUUUURRRRRR!!! It's so gorgeous!

Guess De Karper was full.

I'm overexcited and there's too much racing going on. Got images of wintertime Belgium next to twitter going 'I don't think this is Jebel Hafeet...'

There is someone called VAN GOETHEM??!

Omfg this Belgian dude should be president. It just doesn't get old.

I still can't totally believe Greg won this last year.

Stijn is on AG2R now?!?

Sep somehow seems like he was always at Garmindale, on the other hand.

THESE COMMENTATORS DON'T KNOW WHAT SVGGENT IS AND I DO GIVE ME A JOB

AWWWW I WISH I COULD UNDERSTAND THIS

Peter I am no fan of this scraggly beard thing going on but seriously, HAIR GOALS.

Kristoff please don't Kristoff this.

AW HEY ILJO

What are we looking at here? An inflatable didn't go wrong again did it?

...Oh apparently there was a crash? Unclear.

I feel like this mental screamer and I would get along.

I spy echelons!!

Knowing Pippo Pozzato is a previous winner, Leigh Howard fancies his chances today.

OOOOF that poor soul!

Oh no it's Zakkari Dempster!! He looked like maybe he was blown over up onto the curb and went down so hard!

Some soothing images of Iljo leading the peloton now.

I can't lie I'm not suuuuuper in love with the new kit. I was SUCH a fan of last year's shade of blue.

OH NO

Two dudes got blown into a ditch or something. The Giant (I cannot get on board with 'Sunweb') is NOT happy.

Massive Cannondale piss time

HEY LE CROW

What up Ronse! See you soon for the RVV shuttle bus!

Looks like a lot of flats going on.

Kruisberg!

OPQS looks like Topsport Vlaanderen now. Which can be ok but you know, bring back the OPQS blue.

I hope this man is a Luke Rowe fan who struggles with spelling.

Several Frenchies stopped here. Hope one will have an epic meltdown.

Basically a modern retelling of Captain Planet going on here.

NO NO NO NO NO

Everyone is down.

Tom is down?

All of Bahrain for sure

OH NO TOM

OH NO TOM

He's still standing there, with a tear in his shorts.

Ahh Kristoff is in a bad way.

How did that even happen??

They're saying all these names and I don't know in what context!!!

OH MAN that FDJ sure thinks this guy is to blame! That seems unnecessary, probably doesn't need to be physically assaulted after a crash.

Stuyven is not messing around on the Taaienberg!

Peter when did you get here?

LOVE.

Twitter says Tom crashed AGAIN but is up. COME BACK AND WIN IT ALL TOM

Who's up here please?

Peter, what I assume is Sep, Stannard, Moscon, and a third Sky they suggest...

Greg, I suppose I should mention.

STYBY

They say he is in the front group!

Peter taking it up at the front!

I mean there's still 50k to go but still.

WOLVENBERG

Yes. It's hard to want anyone else to be World Champion.

Grivko, Goujons, and someone called BOUDAT are also part of the front group, for info.

I mean there are like 5 'groups' up there chasing each other but, you know, UP THERE.

WHAT WHAT LUKE!?

Maybe I misheard because I love him so much.

Peter's like do some work dudes!

PhilGil is chasing somewhere at the front

Save it for Roubaix guy.

So, 1) escapees from earlier no one cares about, 2) Peter's rainbow jersey group, and 3) Luke's dudes ft. PhilGil and Styby. Situation recap.

Alright now I'm just lost.

Group 3 is large and unwieldy

ROWE AND CO

That might have been another translation mishear but also should be the name of like a trendy clothing company

Are they now calling Group 3 the peloton?

Ah everyone's within a minute of each other basically now anyway.

Peter's rainbow club is for sure about to catch these escapees

Boom.

Imagine that comin' atcha.

WHAT'S UP PETER?! He's having a mechanical or something.

40k and 40 seconds between front and peloton.

Luke is I think chatting to a Direct Energie.

Peter does so much work. Surely that's not smart?

Oh finally, I thought, a contribution from Greg! But it was just a dodgy camera angle.

Sep trying to take the lead up the Molenberg

STYBY ATTACKING FROM THE BACK

A little baby group has got away here

Or I dunno there's a lot of splitting up

Sigh. He should be driven around the route anyway so his people may see him.

Peter's bunnyhopping over danger

And then there were three...

Peter Greg and Sep have 33 seconds on everyone else with 28k to go

A lot of OPQS at the front of this chase but we know that's never a good thing.

Greg's bike is shedding shit and it nearly took out Sep. NOT COOL GREG.

GREG

WHAT THE FUCK GET IT TOGETHER. He just went to grab something from the soigneur and nearly clotheslined Sep!

WOOOOAH

Luke just shouted HEY and gave someone the finger.

Think the motorbike was too close for his liking.

P.M.J. Gilbert!? What is he, a wealthy Victorian orphan?

I mean also what are his middle names, just out of curiosity?

This group is still holding at 30 seconds. About the enter the last cobbles of the day.

PMJ Esq. and Styby are at the head of the chase behind

A tailwind eh?!!

15k

Guys this break isn't gonna be caught by a Direct Energie and a Wanty.

Quite an ugly shot of Gent they chose to use there.

GENT IS A STUNNER STOP YOUR PROPAGANDA

Hier met Luke Rowe.

I understand that.

So cute Leo!

Bora got some good teammies in this year with Leo the Lion King and Burgy.

10k and if anything that gap is going UP

I mean Peter needs to win this, if it's gonna be these three.

LUKE AND SYBY IN YER FACE COME ON DIG IN GUYS

Loving that this is a thing. Surely quite cold though if he's been out there for the whole race?

God it's up to 45 seconds now.

Bleurg. It's not that I don't LIKE Greg and Sep it's just

Meh.

Alright Peter. LET'S DO THIS

5k

4

Rowe and Co (Co here being THE ENTIRETY OF OPQS) rolling in whenever here. Save it for Roubaix dudes.

1.5k

KICKIN OFF AT THE FLAMME

Sort of. It looked like it might but didn't.

Peter leading the way OF COURSE

Peter looks back

300 meters

Sep goes from the back

ALL OVER THE ROAD

GREG

NO
DON'T YOU DARE GREG

NO


UGH Peter tried.

Well whatever have this one.

A bizarre solo sprint for fourth from Felline there.

Man Sep really faded there at the end.

Watch me.