Who's 2015 season was better?
rick_chasey
Posts: 75,660
Comments
-
Tricksy one
I think the only one who could say he achieved his goal - because it was his sole goal - is Froome0 -
Valverde, Kristof, Degenkolb or Froome?
No Sagan?! His performance at Tour of California alone was the marker in the sand of someone turning from arse-grabbing-clown-contender-doing-wheelies into a proper heavyweight…
To answer your question: either Valverde for continuing to maximise on his talents, or Degenkolb for entering the big league in style (and that uphill sprint in Oman, was it?)0 -
tricksy indeed...
But Valverde for just being awesome all the way through... two classics plus a tdf podium and vuelta stage win0 -
hehe… fine spread of opinion already..0
-
Technically Valverde but he's a power tool so Degenkolb
This.
Valverde did what he's done every season since about 1974.
Degenkolb's season was so good his team chucked Kittel under the bus."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
I dont think I can really say one had a betterone than the other. Bar Froome I would remove him from that list.
Degenkolb and Kristoff realised some potential and Valverde was just unbelievable.It's not so much about winning, I just hate losing.0 -
ooh good one. Degenkolb I think, he got off to a great start and even though it flat lined a bit those early trophies were excellent.
Valverde rode well again as he did last season but you have to scratch your head a bit to remember his podium positions0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19757808#p19757808]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:Technically Valverde but he's a power tool so Degenkolb
This.
Valverde did what he's done every season since about 1974.
Degenkolb's season was so good his team chucked Kittel under the bus.
Wast his most successful season ever no?0 -
I'd even vouch that Valverde is the best all round rider of his generation (and probably two) by quite some way.0
-
Good question. They all had brilliant seasons obviously.
Froome and Valverde did what they've done before, while Degenkolb and Kristoff had break through seasons. I'm gonna go with Degenkolb; two monuments when one would have been above expectation takes some beating.
Agree Valverde is the most complete rider if his generation. Evans could have been a competitor had he discovered his one-day abilities earlier0 -
Valverde.
He was the only one who achieved all his objectives. Kristoff and Degenkolb were poor in the GTs, Froome was injured a lot.0 -
While we are at it, we should remember how good Richie Porte was prior to his Giro crash
He won Paris-Nice, Tour of Catalunya & Giro del Trentino (winning stages in each), 2nd in Tour Down Under (+stage), 4th in Tour of Algarve (+stage while helping Thomas win). Also became the only rider other than Froome to do all of Sky's Tour wins.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Delgenkolb's breakthrough moment for me was that brutal uphill finish in the Tour of the Desert where he may as well have torn the bike to bits with his legs. Phenomenal effort and the showing of what was to be a fantastic season winning the 2 monuments.
Don't like the moustache though0 -
Degenkolb is almost entirely responsible for me buying a bottle of Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo, but is 100 % responsible for me saying "No, it'sh good after training, leave it on for two minutesh" every bath...
Even my 75 year old Dad mentioned about those ads being absolutely dreadful.0 -
this. I'm no fan, but was really impressed with him in the spring classics (2 from 2) TDF first podium, and the vuelta. I think he spreads himself too thinly though and his age will get the better of him soon. his sprint after a hilly rise is fading, but he remains tactically adept. The way he won Liege is to absolutely be commended by the way. took it up on the last climb and demanded the others work to stay with him and then outdid them on the finish as well. he can do the lot, descend, climb, sprint and time trial, all very well. just not quite as well as the specialists in each field.I'd even vouch that Valverde is the best all round rider of his generation (and probably two) by quite some way.0 -
Delgenkolb's breakthrough moment for me was that brutal uphill finish in the Tour of the Desert where he may as well have torn the bike to bits with his legs. Phenomenal effort and the showing of what was to be a fantastic season winning the 2 monuments.
Don't like the moustache though
Yeah there were some pretty major downsides to his season - namely that moustache and the Alpecin advert as mentioned above. John "I like to leave it in my hair for two minutes after training" Degenkolb (actually not a good advert for the stuff since he doesn't have much hair).0 -
on one of the better youtube videos of the 2015 season, he's referred to as Degenstache...0
-
this. I'm no fan, but was really impressed with him in the spring classics (2 from 2) TDF first podium, and the vuelta. I think he spreads himself too thinly though and his age will get the better of him soon. his sprint after a hilly rise is fading, but he remains tactically adept. The way he won Liege is to absolutely be commended by the way. took it up on the last climb and demanded the others work to stay with him and then outdid them on the finish as well. he can do the lot, descend, climb, sprint and time trial, all very well. just not quite as well as the specialists in each field.I'd even vouch that Valverde is the best all round rider of his generation (and probably two) by quite some way.
Another in agreement. He's a proper racer.It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0 -
I think if you asked all four of those riders whose season they would swap for given the chance they would all want Froomes, I would like to say Degankolb or Kristoff as i prefer Flanders and P-R to Grand Tours but there is no escaping that the Tour is the biggest race in the world and you can live off winning it for far longer than winning any other race0
-
Froome won the biggest stage race but JD won 2 monuments so I'd say him.0
-
Yeah, he needs to hit the podium in some bigger races IMO 8)ooh good one. Degenkolb I think, he got off to a great start and even though it flat lined a bit those early trophies were excellent.
Valverde rode well again as he did last season but you have to scratch your head a bit to remember his podium positionsSupporter of Sky, transparency and clean cycling. Opponent of pseudoscience.
The greatest clean cycling performance ever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eiN2vfGKhk0 -
Saw a lot of people have Kristoff as they're pick for all the monuments, tour stage races and world champs as well. The fact that he only won Flanders... did he have a bad season?
Don't get me wrong, I know Flanders is no cakewalk. Too much pressure and hype perhaps??0 -
Saw a lot of people have Kristoff as they're pick for all the monuments, tour stage races and world champs as well. The fact that he only won Flanders... did he have a bad season?
Don't get me wrong, I know Flanders is no cakewalk. Too much pressure and hype perhaps??
He didn't only win Flanders. That's the highlight but if you look at his season, TdF excluded (and I do think he under-performed there), he was winning or just pipped in most races he took part in...
His results from http://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/Alexander_Kristoff
Qatar - Points jersey, three stage wins, 3rd overall
Oman - One stage win
KBK - Podium (2nd)
PN - One stage win, second on the points jersey
MSR - Podium (2nd)
De Panne - Three stage wins plus the overall
Flanders - Win
Scheldeprijis - Win
Norway - Two stage wins, points jersey
D'Argovie - Win
Suisse - One stage
Arctic - One stage plus the points jersey
Vattenfall - Podium (2nd)
Plouay - Win
Quebec - Podium (3rd)
Worlds - 4th...
Still think Valverde did better, and apart from his two monuments Degenkolb didn't do much (oh to only win two monuments...)0 -
Yeah. Degenkolb did do that cool thing that real champs do: noticed he was going chuffing well so kept his head down until the big race so as to slip further away from rival's radar.0
-
Disagree on Degenkolb's overall season performance being better than Kristoff's...
Dubai - one stage win,
MSR - win
PR - win
Bayern Rundfarht - two stage wins and the points jersey
TdF - Third on the points jersey
Vuelta - One stage win
Also didn't know that Degenkolb was two year younger than Kirstoff (26 vs 28)...0 -
