Liege Bastogne Liege 2015

Astana forces the pace

Nibali wants a tough race

Valverde the outright fave

Kwaitkowskis' fans cheer their brave

Under 75 KM left

Haut de la Haute-Levee offers no rest 

Old warriors and new champs

Ignite their various camps

BMC looks hearty

Gilbert ready to party

But the climbs are taking a toll

Even young bloods now feeling old

But Astana keeps pushing the peloton

The original break seems broken down

Astana keeps pounding on the Col du Rosier

Nibali is hot to win today

Katusha  is pace making in the pack

Movistar is not too far from their back

Excepting Katush the teams are wary

The new course is rough and kind of scary

Movistar moves up

They won't be eclipsed

And Tinkoff-Saxo licks their lips

La Doyenne des Ardennes

Is 101

An iconic age-er she's still one for fun

If torturing riders is what you do well

A climbing dominatrix is LBL

Four more climbs still on the map

Many men struggling out the back

Or are they playing a waiting game?

Another hour of hilly pain

Astana have put their cards on the table

Have they 'nuff work horses in their stable? 

A bad crash in back

Men on the ground

Arashiro and Roche won't be around

Simon Gerrens hits the deck

His season so far a "montage of heck"

Chavez and Scarponi now at the tete

But this race is far from over yet

Roche-aux-Faucons looms ahead

Katusha prominent at the head

Fugslang leaps as does Sanchez, S

Kreuziger is there with Alaphilipe

Moreno and Costa compete

Gilbert accelerates as does Tommy V

Nibali takes flight

Caruso still fights

Alaphilipe makes his presence known

Valverde works alone 

And brings it home!

A well-deserved win

I feel great for him

Victory to the veteran 

36 yesterday

A speedy Spanish old dog had his day!!!

Alaphilippe and Rodriguez make it to the pod

Everyone left it all on the road

Amstel Gold 2015

Today's race is the 50th edition

Crowds line up to witness this tradition

My guy Phil, that's Philippe G

Won last year for BMC

He and teammate Sammy Sanchez 

Are both in form and like their chances!

At 3 hours in things look fast but controlled--

Valverde and Schleck are both feeling bold

Dan and Tony Martin both present 

Kwaitkowski makes his argument 

So many strong riders

Too numerous to mention

But be sure that Phil 

has my full attention 

A pinch point arises at 40 KM

The hills bitter pills for tired men

Tony Martin breaks out

Nibali beside 

He's so calm and collected

He'll hit the Keitenberg in stride

Tony and Nibali still intact

MoviStar lunges but doesn't commit

I think 'controlled chaos'would cover it

Cauberg 3 Tony Martin relaxed

BMC lowers the ax

Simon Clarke hangs in with Nibali 

But there's Philippe with BMC

Cauberg 4 with 4 K remaining

At this point those legs should be paining

Philippe explodes but Kwaitkowski takes first

A nice Etixx champ!  It could have been worse!!!

Paris-Roubaix 2015

Pre-Race both Wiggo and Sagan

Sought to avoid the press

Sagan was caught by the pack

Bradly showed more finesse

Kristoff, by contrast,

Had a lot to say

About his recent victories 

And hopes for Paris-Roubaix

Degenkolb also has high hopes

He showed his strength at Milan-San Remo 

The pace of the race is high

Thanks to Etixx and Sky

A nine man break goes towards Le Foret--

Tailwinds also come into play

Peloton rides at 27 miles per

Out of the race is Stijn Devolder 

Section 19 Haveluy

Four stars it fills no one with glee

A battle ensues to lead into the trees

Peter Sagan is by no means at ease

Geraint Thomas struggles to the fore

The Forest opens its' dreaded door

The break intact enters first

The forest built by Napoleon the First

Peter S has worked his way up

Determined to drink from the winners’ cup

BMC mans up for Greg Van A

55 more miles to race today

A train stops the pack

The break makes it through 

Another odd moment in Paris-Rou

Geraint T crashes but regains his bike

Fighting for Wiggins with all his might

50 KM to go

Andre Griepel raises the stakes

Geraint pays in pain for his mistakes 

The race becomes a war of attrition 

With everyone scurrying for position

Etixx Quick Step is on the front

Pete Sagan continues to hump

John Degenkolb responds to speed

Wiggins and Kristoff energy bleed

Terpstra, Stybar, Vandenberg

Have not been mentioned 

But they've been heard

Ditto Boom

Fighting for room

But Etixx continues control

Riders choose the grass

Risking their ass

As this is how they roll

Mons-en-Pavele a five star nightmare 

Cross/head winds  cause some to take care

Now tactics start to be dispersed

Vandenbergh takes off--his move well rehearsed 

25 miles to go the canny Belge

Hopes he can ring winning bells 

But Wiggins puts pedal to the floor

A champion move--who could ask for more?

It does not work

The break refuses to crumble

It's enough to make you humble

Felled finally by an elite group

Their party took forever to poop

Winds so strong the flags fly straight

Lots of things to contemplate

The fast men bother one another

Ten miles to go, no one's your brother 

Wiggs and Pete Sagan hold back

In the chase for Van Avermaet 

John Degenkolb makes a move

It's his race right now to lose

Terpstra lurks for Etixx Quick

Sagan flats--he must feel sick!

Stybar and Boom take off

The rest of the group is feeling loss

Brad this time will not be Boss

It's all together at Velodome

But Degenkolb wins--a great achievement 

He had every reason for press corps appeasement!

Stybar two Van Avermaet third

But Degenkolb is true to his word

Ronde van Vlaanderen

Ronde van Vlaanderen 2015

A seven man break

Plays well together

Peloton follows

In glorious weather

Without Fab or Tom

Anything could g'wan

Involving both pain and pleasure

Brad drops his fancy K8S

He's back on his old bike and ready to fight

Or maybe not?

He's on the new bike

In the front his team is not in sight

Pave is ahead

Punishing rough

Wiggs hopes his K8S is enough 

70 KM remain

It's still anybodies game

A blue car--a danger hue

Has taken out riders

Sargent broken and blue

The climbing begins

The quick men are hungry

They crowd to the fore

Could this get ugly?

First time the Patenberg!

Sagan, Thomas, Oss, Greipel, A

Takes the position to win today

Hoping to support Roelandts, J

Paolini endures, Kristoff ditto

Greipel is caught, but he's a hero

Devolder leads, there with Rowe

40 KM to go

Lutsenko in front

Van Avermaet humps

Thomas stays in the frame

Sagan hangs in

He needs a win

To justify his fame 

Terpstra and Kristoff still a pair

Giant and BMC make a move

Convincingly.

Terpstra and Kristoff

Van Ave and Sagan

They must work together 

If they can

Kristoff wins with poise and grace

A very satisfactory race!!!