Cycling Betting & Discussion.

[Tonji]

Omloop: Cobbles, beer & frites, that’ll be Flanders this weekend.

All week I had Lars boom in my mind ahead of Jurgen Roelandts. But conditions & the quality field have reversed that. The probability of a final selection of 10 or so riders competing in the last 20km lead me to the belief that Roelandts will have the better sprint. It also it helps if you're Belgian, 53 out of 64 winners have been home boys.

I got 12.00 yesterday with Unibet, but is now 9.00. Also available at Sportingbet. Boom is the same price.

“Only the Warriors or lucky survive” I’ve also had a small punt on 2 lucky warriors Zdenek Stybar & Taylor Phinney, the two riders with strength & form. Both at 35.00.

Live on Belgian TV. Usually a stream is available. I’ll post a link tomorrow when I find it.

[Tonji]

Looking ahead to next weekend on the 2nd March we have



Strade Bianche a beautiful race held in part on the "white roads" of Tuscany around Siena.

Cancellara ftw.

Paris-Nice 3-10 March.

Tirreno-Adriatico (The Race of the Two Seas) 6-12 March. Used as a preparation for the first Monument of the year, La Primavera - Milan-Sanremo on 17th.

[Tonji]

Click to see full-size image.

Cold start in Ghent. Live on Sporza after 1pm.

[Tonji]

First hour completed at over 46km/hr, real fast! staying warm!

[Tonji]

First crash of the day & a Lotto-Belisol rider abandons 

[Tonji]

http://88.80.5.88/c4b00/20130222/vv51277bb0e2068021069847-529599.html

live in francais! Sporza streams are slow

[Tonji]

elite group forming with 40km to go, all favourites seem to be there.

[Tonji]

Chavanel attacking, chasing group with Roelandts 20' back

[Tonji]

Group of 10 riders now off the front by nearly 2 mins. Roelandts among them, along with Thomas, Van Avermaet. Winner in that 10.

[Tonji]

Vandenbergh & Paolini open a 20' gap over the other 8, they don't fancy the sprint. 20km to go

[Tonji]

Luca Paolini wins a two up sprint.

Roelandts was 8th 

[Tonji]

Sunday sees the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne & the first showdown between Cavendish & Greipel.

Unibet seem to be the only bookie offering a market:

Cav 2.85
Greipel 3.25

Weather predictions are cold with a chance of snow! Greipel & his lead-out train may have the edge this early in the season.

Live on Eurosport2 at 2.15

Cancelled.

[Tonji]

A pretty good overview of the race.



Some behind the scenes with OPQS.



Geraint Thomas had a really strong 4th place despite crashing at 70km. Looking like he may be good for the Tour of Flanders.

Roelandts 8th was good considering his cornea froze in his eyeball in the last 10km.

[Tonji]

Strade Bianche. Saturday 2nd March.

Click to see full-size image.

[Tonji]

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

The previous weeks in that area of Tuscany have been wet. The wet white roads can be particularly unpleasant & tough. However the forecast is dry & sunshine all week, with Saturday a sunny 13. The parcours condition will be a big factor.

Sagan & Cancellara are likely favourites, followed by Valverde.