is the columbia train the best in history ?

northernneil
northernneil Posts: 1,549
edited September 2009 in Pro race
surely the number of wins alone (80 this season so far!) makes it the most professionally organised and powerful lead out team of all time ?

Comments

  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    I don't know, it's certainly very good, but the number of wins has come in part from two top sprinters to finish the train off.

    In Saeco's case for example, they "only" had Cipo to finsh it off, and far as I can remember he didn't quite win 80 in a season.

    Also, some of those 80 are from breakaways, mountain climbs and Boassen Hagen, but I admit it's a fair few.

    So it's up there with the best but in terms of precision I think Saeco were better, they would never get swamped like Colombia sometimes have.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    I think the unique thing about Colombia is they can have 2 extremely good trains running in different races for different sprinters at the same time.
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  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    They are pretty amazing, I love watching them in action. The awesome they laid down in the final 50kms of the Tour, with no assistance from anyone, to drag back the breakaway and set up Cav was amazing.
    Don't know much but I know what I like.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    The difference was that Saeco were one of the first to employ a 'train' to deliver El Leoni to the finish and subsequently teams like Fassa Bortolo and others have continued to refine it. There is no doubt that Columbia are the current masters and the fact that they probably have the two fastest sprinters in the peloton reaps dividends. I also believe it's a bit disingenious of others to suggest that their success is only down to the train, but there's been little evidence that other teams have the nous and the fire-power to render it impotent - Garmin tried repeatedly at the Tour and failed, most remarkably on the Champs Elysee.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Birillo
    Birillo Posts: 417
    The difference was that Saeco were one of the first to employ a 'train'

    You mean about 10 years after TI Raleigh ?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Birillo wrote:
    The difference was that Saeco were one of the first to employ a 'train'

    You mean about 10 years after TI Raleigh ?

    Superconfex with van Poppel were the first I remember doing it. They were good. The 'great-grandfathers' of the Rabobank team. TI Raleigh was before by time (just)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • bikerZA
    bikerZA Posts: 314
    Saeco were brilliant, not only were they a great train, they used to control the race from miles out, and usually got the timing of reeling in breakaways perfectly.
    cyclecomparison.com

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