Rider of 2015

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    He's a bit small for roubaix and I disagree on his top speed - aren't many faster except pure sprinters.

    I think roubaix is too attritional for Sagan. He's not shown he's good there but he can win GW and E3.
    _
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    http://cyclingquotes.com/news/12_young_ ... h_in_2015/
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He's a bit small for roubaix and I disagree on his top speed - aren't many faster except pure sprinters.

    I think roubaix is too attritional for Sagan. He's not shown he's good there but he can win GW and E3.

    He came 6'th in P-R last year without being in the best form, or really going for it.

    I think he could absolutely be a winner of it.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    iainf72 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He's a bit small for roubaix and I disagree on his top speed - aren't many faster except pure sprinters.

    I think roubaix is too attritional for Sagan. He's not shown he's good there but he can win GW and E3.

    He came 6'th in P-R last year without being in the best form, or really going for it.

    I think he could absolutely be a winner of it.

    Roubaix is also a race that tends to have older winners. Sagan, who's not yet 25, has plenty of time yet. There's nothing to suggest he can't win it, he's got superb handling skills, has the horsepower and the finish. He just needs the luck.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Look it's a foolish man to say Sagan won't win any of the flat classics.

    I just think the likelihood of him winning a monument goes MSR, Flanders, Roubaix in that order.
    _
  • 6wheels
    6wheels Posts: 411
    Anyone mention Majka? He had some good results last year and he's still young enough to improve.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I don't really see Sagan powering off an winning one Fabs style, it'll be more of a small group sprint win. I think more people are capable of riding away on the flat in Roubaix, and there is fewer who could do it in Flanders, so I'd say he's more likely to win that.
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Sagan's major quality has always been his ability dig in on the hills and then take the sprint from a smaller group or power away in the final 1 or 2 kilometres.

    That's exactly what Flanders and MSR are all about. A Sagan victory in either is an inevitability over the course of his career, provided he stays fit.

    That said, although last year will not exactly go down as a Sagan vintage, it's the year he finally got the measure of Roubaix. He's developing.

    Overall, I'd tend to agree with Rick on this.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Prime example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV6I9UWgvtQ#t=108
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    frenchfighter wrote:
    http://cyclingquotes.com/news/12_young_riders_to_watch_in_2015/

    Thanks for posting this! Need to add this site to my regular reads.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    EKIMIKE wrote:
    Sagan's major quality has always been his ability dig in on the hills and then take the sprint from a smaller group or power away in the final 1 or 2 kilometres.

    That's exactly what Flanders and MSR are all about. A Sagan victory in either is an inevitability over the course of his career, provided he stays fit.

    That said, although last year will not exactly go down as a Sagan vintage, it's the year he finally got the measure of Roubaix. He's developing.

    Overall, I'd tend to agree with Rick on this.

    He's a bit more multi-faceted than this though, as his Gent-Wevelgem victory showed (he'd probably have won the sprint but surprised everyone by powering clear with 4 kms to go).
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Let's be honest, powering away with 4 km to go in a classic is the equivalent of powering away in the last 1 or 2 km of a stage in a stage race. Just like a 30 second gap on the peloton in the finale a classic is like having a 2 minute gap in the finale of a stage.

    Everything is exaggerated in one-day racing, compared to stage racing.

    Also that edition of G-W (2013) was the super-chipper length of 184km versus the 230+ km it was in 2012 and 2014.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    EKIMIKE wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    http://cyclingquotes.com/news/12_young_riders_to_watch_in_2015/

    Thanks for posting this! Need to add this site to my regular reads.

    I like the site a lot.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Search not working so putting this piece on Tao here:
    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... ckx-156148
    Contador is the Greatest
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Search not working so putting this piece on Tao here:
    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... ckx-156148

    Thanks for posting.

    Some sage advice there.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Betancur is right up there so far on impressive performances for 2015.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Good piece on some new riders:
    http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/race_news ... NqB8_msXT8
    Contador is the Greatest

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