Paris-Roubaix 2014 "spoiler"

Pross

I've never warmed to Sagan for some reason but I agree with Frenchie. You can't argue with his record for such a young rider. Classics take a bit of experience to win and I think this was only his second attempt at Paris-Roubaix. He possibly showed his lack of experience in his tactics and he really could do with a different team if the Classics are what he wants to win. Not just because he lacks support riders but also because he lacks a DS who can give him advice on the road. His biggest problem is there aren't many riders who will work with him as they know he is likely to outsprint them.

Turfle

He's definitely taken a step back this year.

He's obviously still one of the best riders in the world, but he's barely registering in bunch sprints, Kwiatkowski embarrassed him in Strade-Bianchi, he's getting left behind when they hit cobbles, and he's losing small bunch sprints. Compare it to this time last year when he was beating Cav and Greipel in sprints, and when he was the only one who could follow Cancellara in Flanders.

He's probably just lacking a bit of top end form.

Pross

Maybe he realises that all year form is difficult to maintain and is putting his efforts towards that Tour green jersey. I hope not though.

mroli

Questioning Sagan is like questioning Cav. It seems to happen all the time, but if you just take a step back and look at the results they speak for themselves. Criticising him for winning all year round, when some riders might not be "peaking" is not fair - it shows he too wins when he's not "peaking". His consistency, even when not winning is excellent - no-one criticises Cancellara for his 12 podiums in last 12 completed classics even though he did not win them all. Sagan is basically the rider that everyone thought EBH would/could be.

frenchfighter

Re EBH leaving Sky:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boasson ... t-team-sky
Looks like Alonso is serious about the classics also - Paolini and Kristoff mentioned in the press although apparently they are contracted for 2015.

Pross

An English speaking team appears to limited his options a bit and I would have thought would rule out the Alonso squad. That said, I was surprised to hear the team radio at Flanders suggesting English is the language of choice at OPQS so maybe there are more options than at first glance.

RichN95.

Pross wrote:

An English speaking team appears to limited his options a bit and I would have thought would rule out the Alonso squad. That said, I was surprised to hear the team radio at Flanders suggesting English is the language of choice at OPQS so maybe there are more options than at first glance.

I noticed that sometimes OPQS spoke English and sometimes Dutch and I came up with an idea that when there are live TV cameras in the team car the DS could do a version of 'Simon Says'. Instructions in Dutch are real and to be followed, English was are fake and to be ignored.

Paul 8v

Just thought I would throw this out there, how would Sagan be at the classics if he was at OPQS?

RichN95.

Paul 8v wrote:

Just thought I would throw this out there, how would Sagan be at the classics if he was at OPQS?

They had the chance and turned him down. He almost quit road cycling after that in favour MTB until Liquigas came knocking

frenchfighter

Yeah that was interesting. Wouldnt want Sagan to go there although he would look awesome in their kit.

Is EBH from a privileged background?

Richmond Racer

frenchfighter wrote:

Yeah that was interesting. Wouldnt want Sagan to go there although he would look awesome in their kit.

Is EBH from a privileged background?

Define 'privileged'

Was his father down a coal mine from 6 in the morning till 8pm at night, whilst his mother was taking in washing?
No.

Was his father prime minister of Norway?
No.

RichN95.

frenchfighter wrote:

Is EBH from a privileged background?

His parents are farmers, so who knows. I don't know why it's relevant to anything though.

Paul 8v

RichN95 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Is EBH from a privileged background?

His parents are farmers, so who knows. I don't know why it's relevant to anything though.

A lot of farmers have money, they just don't like spending it!

I didn't realise Quickstep had turned Sagan down, he would have been good value for money there. He's one of the only riders at Cannondale that is actually worth having

Macaloon

Birger Hungerholdt told Verdens Gang that Boasson Hagen is happy at Team Sky but listed the criteria any new team has to offer his client. These included peace of mind, good teammates, an English speaking team, a good programme and the chance to ride for himself in some races.

8)

As well as everything else this could be, isn't it exactly what agents do to sex-up the next contract?

frenchfighter

RichN95 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Is EBH from a privileged background?

His parents are farmers, so who knows. I don't know why it's relevant to anything though.

Eh, it is relevant to me. As you know Kreuziger is from a privileged background and Froome went to private school.

Anyway, I was a big EBH fan as can be seen here:
viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12650439
That was before he showed his true character at Sky. Corporate.

Richmond Racer

Macaloon wrote:

Birger Hungerholdt told Verdens Gang that Boasson Hagen is happy at Team Sky but listed the criteria any new team has to offer his client. These included peace of mind, good teammates, an English speaking team, a good programme and the chance to ride for himself in some races.

8)

As well as everything else this could be, isn't it exactly what agents do to sex-up the next contract?

EBH looks like he's permanently in a state of peace of mind

RichN95.

Macaloon wrote:

Birger Hungerholdt told Verdens Gang that Boasson Hagen is happy at Team Sky but listed the criteria any new team has to offer his client. These included peace of mind, good teammates, an English speaking team, a good programme and the chance to ride for himself in some races.

I would have thought his criteria would be things that are good and nice (and not things that are bad and sad).

Macaloon

^ That the teaser for your Giro avatar?

Edit: You were just getting changed :oops:

frenchfighter

Macaloon wrote:

^ That the teaser for your Giro avatar?

I really wish BR had a function where each time you refreshed the page it would show a different avatar. I have hundreds!

ddraver

RichN95 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Is EBH from a privileged background?

His parents are farmers, so who knows. I don't know why it's relevant to anything though.

Not sure it would be unfair to say that Norweigen "unpriviledged" is not the same as many other countries "unpriviledged"

frenchfighter

ddraver wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Is EBH from a privileged background?

His parents are farmers, so who knows. I don't know why it's relevant to anything though.

Not sure it would be unfair to say that Norweigen "unpriviledged" is not the same as many other countries "unpriviledged"

This is true. The state pension is 40k GBP.

Macaloon

frenchfighter wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Not sure it would be unfair to say that Norweigen "unpriviledged" is not the same as many other countries "unpriviledged"

This is true. The state pension is 40k GBP.

Their sovereign oil-wealth fund is so huge I'm surprised any of them get out of bed, never mind ride bikes. Pity Thatcher squandered ours on bonuses for the boys on the board while laying waste to the industrial north.

ContrelaMontre

Macaloon wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Not sure it would be unfair to say that Norweigen "unpriviledged" is not the same as many other countries "unpriviledged"

This is true. The state pension is 40k GBP.

Their sovereign oil-wealth fund is so huge I'm surprised any of them get out of bed, never mind ride bikes. Pity Thatcher squandered ours on bonuses for the boys on the board while laying waste to the industrial north.

Pity indeed, but Norway has a population of about 1/12th of the UK which has to be a factor in their favourable GDP per capita.

Macaloon

ContrelaMontre wrote:

Pity indeed, but Norway has a population of about 1/12th of the UK which has to be a factor in their favourable GDP per capita.

Yes. To be frank, I just couldn't resist indulging in the kind of naive, distorted, ignorant mud-slinging I so despise in others.

ContrelaMontre

Macaloon wrote:

ContrelaMontre wrote:

Pity indeed, but Norway has a population of about 1/12th of the UK which has to be a factor in their favourable GDP per capita.

Yes. To be frank, I just couldn't resist indulging in the kind of naive, distorted, ignorant mud-slinging I so despise in others.

It's what the internet was intended for!!

Macaloon

ContrelaMontre wrote:

It's what the internet was intended for!!

Highways: the more you build, the faster they clog with morons.

Anonymous

Has anyone thought, EBH actually enjoys his role at Sky? He doesn't seem to unhappy, he does a great job climbing, gets supported whe he's the leader and probably has a stable income.


Another reason he might not want to leave Sky is the security, how many key sponsors have dropped out of cycling in the past few years? 5 or 6? Sky don't seem likely to do that.

tailwindhome

EBH is the Carlo Cudicini of cycling.

mroli

TailWindHome wrote:

EBH is the Carlo Cudicini of cycling.

Bit harsh - he's in the first team for the Classics and le Tour, so he's not a bench player. Just hasn't been the star that everyone thought he would be.

The more and more I look at that Roulston caused crash, I shake my head. What WAS he doing. He didn't get anywhere near to hopping up on the kerb. He shouldn't have been going anywhere near it in the first place!

RideOnTime

cobblers....