2017 Flat Classics thread - will probs have spoilers

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Yup. Though he did have a 3rd place in Flanders before that.

    Martin's best results in classics are as follows:

    MSR: No start
    Flanders: 107th
    Paris Roubaix: DNF
    Amstel Gold: 72nd
    LBL: 52nd
    Lombardy: No start.

    He’s had better placings in the TdF GC.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Yup. Though he did have a 3rd place in Flanders before that.

    Martin's best results in classics are as follows:

    MSR: No start
    Flanders: 107th
    Paris Roubaix: DNF
    Amstel Gold: 72nd
    LBL: 52nd
    Lombardy: No start.

    He’s had better placings in the TdF GC.
    But Martin has never really tried, despite clearly having the tools for the job. I don't think anyone is claiming he's a favourite - but he's certainly an interesting contender.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    I'm not convinced, must be said. His best chance is if a group comes together at 20-10km to go, but a) in sceptical he has the tank beyond 200km and b) in that scenario it's a headwind which is not conducive to his style of winning - nor is he on a team like quick step who will likely have numbers at the finale.

    Anyway, we'll watch with interest.

    I'd be looking at riders who have been creeping up the results over the past few years rather than a big name who is turning to the classics.

    If you're looking at a 'big name turning to the classics', I think Gallopin is a better shout.
    _
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    I'd be looking at riders who have been creeping up the results over the past few years rather than a big name who is turning to the classics.

    If you're looking at a 'big name turning to the classics', I think Gallopin is a better shout.

    Agreed. He'll be a dark horse for Flanders, but I expect Sagan to repeat.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,532
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Yup. Though he did have a 3rd place in Flanders before that.

    Martin's best results in classics are as follows:

    MSR: No start
    Flanders: 107th
    Paris Roubaix: DNF
    Amstel Gold: 72nd
    LBL: 52nd
    Lombardy: No start.

    He’s had better placings in the TdF GC.
    But Martin has never really tried, despite clearly having the tools for the job. I don't think anyone is claiming he's a favourite - but he's certainly an interesting contender.

    I agree with this. He is unusual in having never tried to win something he may well be good at. The distance is a concern, but I still think he could ride a lot of riders off his wheel over the cobbles. I also think he has a better chance of making a gap stick than my other man Sep. (Less chance of creating the gap though.)
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,532
    Whether you believe in flat backs or not, Sagan has never really done that well at P-R.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Whether you believe in flat backs or not, Sagan has never really done that well at P-R.

    I was going to make a related point on Martin - what makes him fast on the flat isn't just his legs, but on his body shape - very narrow shoulders, ability to generate long durations of power in a very low position.

    That's all less useful on the cobbles, over the big power merchants. He's also right on the lower limit of what's old farts say is workable on cobbles - 75 kilos.

    Anyway, this is sounding all like i'm hating on Martin and I'm not. I'm pleased he's turning his head towards the races I enjoy the most - the more big names the better.

    I'm a little (only a little) sceptical.
    _
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    Rick has turned green

    Just want to highlight this
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Whaddya mean?
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Whether you believe in flat backs or not, Sagan has never really done that well at P-R.

    I was going to make a related point on Martin - what makes him fast on the flat isn't just his legs, but on his body shape - very narrow shoulders, ability to generate long durations of power in a very low position.

    That's all less useful on the cobbles, over the big power merchants. He's also right on the lower limit of what's old farts say is workable on cobbles - 75 kilos.

    Anyway, this is sounding all like i'm hating on Martin and I'm not. I'm pleased he's turning his head towards the races I enjoy the most - the more big names the better.

    I'm a little (only a little) sceptical.
    I see it a bit like when Wiggins went to Roubaix for the first time post-Tour win with the intention to win - another rider with all the right tools. Some overhyped his chances, others dismissed them completely. In the end he did well and even had a chance to win - a chance instead taken by the more experienced Terpstra
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Whether you believe in flat backs or not, Sagan has never really done that well at P-R.

    I was going to make a related point on Martin - what makes him fast on the flat isn't just his legs, but on his body shape - very narrow shoulders, ability to generate long durations of power in a very low position.

    That's all less useful on the cobbles, over the big power merchants. He's also right on the lower limit of what's old farts say is workable on cobbles - 75 kilos.

    Anyway, this is sounding all like i'm hating on Martin and I'm not. I'm pleased he's turning his head towards the races I enjoy the most - the more big names the better.

    I'm a little (only a little) sceptical.
    I see it a bit like when Wiggins went to Roubaix for the first time post-Tour win with the intention to win - another rider with all the right tools. Some overhyped his chances, others dismissed them completely. In the end he did well and even had a chance to win - a chance instead taken by the more experienced Terpstra

    (I'm only going on because it's Friday and it's been a successful week) ja and the fact Terpstra did make the move and Wiggins didn't is the difference of experience!
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    (I'm only going on because it's Friday and it's been a successful week) ja and the fact Terpstra did make the move and Wiggins didn't is the difference of experience!
    And Tony Martin has experience of winning other races from such a position, albeit lesser ones, while Wiggins hadn't

    We'll have our answer on April 9th
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Indeed indeed.

    He'll probably go and win E3 or something now.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    Omloop boss not entirely over the moon about moving up into the WT.

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/rac ... tus-310907
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Omloop boss not entirely over the moon about moving up into the WT.

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/rac ... tus-310907
    "Quite bluntly, Flanders Classics paid €180,000 to also get Niccolò Bonifazio, Taylor Phinney and Oscar Gatto.”

    Odd that they bothered. The UCI must have a good salesman.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,160
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Whaddya mean?
    I can see what RR means, but I don't know what it means.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    I would say we should keep an eye on Degenkolb.

    He showed in 2015 how he can sandbag like a real hitter in the warm up races and turn it on for the big ones.

    If he's on form he's the rival to Sagan. He's like a faster, stronger Kristoff.
    _
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,449
    Agreed. He's got a stronger team this season too, one that has shown repeatedly that it can support a top tier rider well and with both Stuyven and Theuns maturing, they could be consistently strong.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,810
    RichN95 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Omloop boss not entirely over the moon about moving up into the WT.

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/rac ... tus-310907
    "Quite bluntly, Flanders Classics paid €180,000 to also get Niccolò Bonifazio, Taylor Phinney and Oscar Gatto.”

    Odd that they bothered. The UCI must have a good salesman.

    They only bothered because the Abu Dhabi Tour has World Tour points, so to continue attracting stars in the future they have to offer World Tour points instead of Europe Tour points
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    Degenkolb for me too,. Best part of the season full stop. I prefer it over the gts
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Omloop boss not entirely over the moon about moving up into the WT.

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/rac ... tus-310907
    "Quite bluntly, Flanders Classics paid €180,000 to also get Niccolò Bonifazio, Taylor Phinney and Oscar Gatto.”

    Odd that they bothered. The UCI must have a good salesman.

    They only bothered because the Abu Dhabi Tour has World Tour points, so to continue attracting stars in the future they have to offer World Tour points instead of Europe Tour points

    Not sure I agree with that. None of the cobbled Classics guys would go to Abu Dhabi instead of Omloop/KBK.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,810
    Sagan and Cav would, particularly if they were told to by their teams who need the points.

    Sagan is a "cobbled Classics guy" and Cav's won KBK twice.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Delete
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,716
    We are getting closer :) !!!
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • professeur
    professeur Posts: 232
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    We are getting closer :) !!!

    Start list looks great:

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2017-omloop-het-nieuwsblad-elite-start-list/
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    No vandenbergh for quick step!
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Didn't know Devolder had left trek.
    _
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,716
    Thought he had gone Wanty. So that's a surprise.

    They make the best verandas though, the Willems conglomerate.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    No vandenbergh for quick step!

    Ah didn't know he left QS too.

    AG2R
    _
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    edited February 2017
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Sagan and Cav would, particularly if they were told to by their teams who need the points.

    Sagan is a "cobbled Classics guy" and Cav's won KBK twice.

    Why would their teams tell them to? It's Abu Dhabi, not the Tour de France. You could maybe understand it if it were California or another market for the sponsors, but a paltry few sprint points for the WT ranking...surely a bit of ideal prep for the cobbles is preferable.

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