Omloop het Nieuwsblad Tour Abu Dhabi and Sagan and Ewen

[AUbicycles]

There is some pretty awesome riding out there - really enjoying watching Sagan and managed to capture the last part of Omloop het Nieuwsblad in Belgium on the weekend and the cheeky victory of Van Avermaet over Sagan at the end... but also the 3rd stage of the Tour of Abu Dhabi with the hilltop finish.

Love the Caleb Ewen victory on Stage 4 and making up for the missed stage two victory. I think he missed it because he slowed and prepared to celebrate and if he had of kept pushing, he would have sealed the victory.

Enjoying have Sagan the entertainer really keeping the racing challenging and exciting - it really helps cycling. All in all, it feels exciting and I am hoping that we can enter the Grand Tours this year and mix it up with young talent by also more interesting and dynamic team competition... and keeping Team Sky at bay.

That's me, sharing my excitement for the 2017 pro-racing season

[Derny Driver]

Love the Caleb Ewen victory on Stage 4 and making up for the missed stage two victory. I think he missed it because he slowed and prepared to celebrate and if he had of kept pushing, he would have sealed the victory.

I read somewhere that he said exactly that after Stage 4. He said he kept pushing right to the line as he didn't want to repeat the mistake of Stage 2.
Such a crop of exciting riders to watch right now

[RonK]

Yes, Caleb's premature celebration was something of an embarrassment. But how often have we seen other do the same.

Perhaps more remarkable was Kittel coming from a seemingly impossible position to sneak through under his armpit.

Good to see him finish ahead Cavendish in any stage though.

Watching the hot ommlette and KBK, the variety of Belgian rural landscapes and towns was certainly a refreshing change after the dreary kilometres of dead straight, dead flat roads through the sand dunes. Sad that there was little coverage of the Tour of Oman, which I've always thought the best of the middle-eastern races.

[Sharkey]

I have to agree that last week's racing was very good.

And it's only going to get better. I'm looking forward to Strade Bianche this weekend. I spent 10 days in Tuscany last year and while there are no real mountains the region is just hilly everywhere you go. I really liked Siena too - the town square is an amazing place to finish a bike race.

[RonK]

I'm looking forward to Strade Bianche this weekend.

Yes, me too.

Also, Grand Prix Samyn (Eurosport) tomorrow
Tobago International Cycling Classic ??? (ESPN) Saturday
Paris-Nice (Eurosport) starts Monday
Tirreno-Adriatico (Eurosport) starts Thursday

[AUbicycles]

Too busy with work to even follow results... but cycling in that part of Italy is stunning. I like Montepulciano (and the wine!)