2009 Liege-Bastogne-Liege Video Analysis

by Cosmo on Apr 27, 2009 4:47 AM EDT

How The Race Was Won - 2009 Liege-Bastogne-Liege Video Analysis from Cosmo Catalano on Vimeo.

All SaxoBank, all the time. I really would have liked to have seen some more fight out of the other teams today, but I suppose I can take heart in the fact that there's a cyclist who can win classics and grand tours again. Hooray!

Also, Chris Anker Sørenson is a pretty cool guy. He attacks on the hill closest to 50k to go in every race and doesn't afraid of anything.

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Sweet!

If swedish TV-sport had a bikereport as good as this even once I’d be a happy man.

This time I don’t think I agree with you fully though on the Gilbert-situation. I think he was pretty well cooked by the time Andy was catching up. He’s had troubles on the LBL-climbs before which is probably why he hasn’t done better before despite this being literally his home-race.

That he managed to hang on and sprint frm the chase had more to do with the resignation that grew quickly in that group. Had they been chasing hard he would have dropped like a stone through that group too when the road tilted upward.

by Jens on Apr 27, 2009 5:35 AM EDT reply actions

I don't know...

I can see how Gilbert would just sit up because the time gap was rather small and he would rather just float back than keep driving it and get caught. Plus he probably wasn’t told that 5 Saxo’s were back their and would cause no real chase move to form. So I guess you could make an argument either way but we will never no for certain.

by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 27, 2009 7:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Either Gilbert was done or he made a grave tactical error.

It’s not like Gilbert to go on the attack then back off especially after a strong rider bridges up. He has to know how strong Andy is and that he (Gilbert) could beat him in the sprint. I think he knew there was a strong Saxo presence behind because he left the group shortly before.

The best part is that Andy just rides away from him, realizing he needs to hammer to make it work . Andy is the rider Gilbert dreams about being in a breakaway with: rides hard, strong engine, and no sprint.

by brunopitton on Apr 27, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Gilbert wanted to follow Schleck, but couldn't

He explained afterwards: “Schleck was riding two cogs heavier and he just dropped me like a junior.”

by tedvdw on Apr 27, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Gilbert was cooked

Great ride by Gilbert. His attack seemed about a 600 meter sprint to say the least. I wouldn’t expect that effort to be maintained.

by crankarm on Apr 27, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't say he was cooked, just that Schleck was so much better.

Gilbert also talked about keeping a bit in reserve and how he knew that the gap wasn’t big enough when it didn’t get to one minute or more. Indeed, his sprint at the end showed that he wasn’t exactly cooked. Not like Leenoos at least, who almost crashed into the crowds on the Redoute.

by tedvdw on Apr 27, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Good point

Do you think Gilbert had hoped someone would have joined him? Being out alone with ~30k to go is a long way.

by crankarm on Apr 27, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably...share the work...

or he could have waited a bit too attack instead of sprinting at 30(?)k to go

by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 27, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Poor Leenooos

He did look worked there.

Mos’ def’ agree that Gilbert didn’t make a tactical error, he simply couldn’t follow Andy Schleck when he came by. Dude was like freight train, an under-sized skinny climber freight train. Er, he was going fast.

I was impressed with Gilbert’s ride in this race – He should win it at some point. That was a nice sprint he had left at the end, despite his big move.

by Jen See on Apr 27, 2009 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions

A real sprinter can always sprint no matter how tired he (or she) is...

I think Cipo or Petacchi said that…or somebody…i dont know but it does embody Gilbert in a hilly race

by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 27, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions

That makes some sense

though the dude has to get there first.

Impressive ride, anyway.

by Jen See on Apr 27, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

The Finns

I promoted your site on a rather busy Dutch cycling forum. Let’s see if we can beat those Finns in your out-of-US stats.

"Non-cyclists. The emptiness of those lives shocks me." Tim Krabbé

by Lopex on Apr 27, 2009 9:53 AM EDT reply actions

Great job

as usual. I hope you keep this up as we get into the stage races. I wouldn’t expect one of these for every stage of course (though, if you want to, feel free), but for the overall race, and maybe for important individual stages, it’d be cool.

In some ways, this LBL reminds me a little bit of last year’s Alpe D’Huez stage, where one rider ended up off the front while his teammates stayed in the chasing group and, not only didn’t contribute, but may have actively slowed the chasers down. I couldn’t believe how Andy kept gaining time on the chasers until the final few km or so, so I figure Frank & friends were repeating the same tactics they employed last July.

by Le Comte on Apr 27, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions