Who's bright idea was it to have TT's on twon stages races on the same day!!After stage 3.... looks like the sprinters are not yet on form. Stage 4 is airing at 2am... again. Oh, it's a day off ...I mean Time Trial.
Generic Pro Road Cycling Thread
- Thread starter Norm
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Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Holy crap! It took 8 stages but I finally got an exciting stage out of Paris-Nice!
The final stage was friggen Awsome! Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be pulling for finger-bang-boy to win....well, anything. But damn if he didn't give it everything he had....and then some. He missed it by ' ' that much....again. F'n Sky doe....meh.
The final stage was friggen Awsome! Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be pulling for finger-bang-boy to win....well, anything. But damn if he didn't give it everything he had....and then some. He missed it by ' ' that much....again. F'n Sky doe....meh.
Yes, he almost had it. The last few years contador has grown on me as the dudeman doesn't lay down, similar thing last year at the. Vuelta. I was rooting to see sky go down but the other chasers dragged Heno to the line.
And Sagan at Tirreno, holy shit Van Marke and GVA must be quaking in their boots, especially after Sagan gifted GVA the first clsssic of the season.
It was crazy to see how easily Sagan rode up through that group.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Thanks for embedding. My favorite part was watching the ever deflated TJVG dragging his sorry a$$ across the line.....all alone. I just can't warm up to that guy.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Sagan to the field.
It's gonna be a fun spring.
It's gonna be a fun spring.
choop
Well-Known Member
Sagan has big Slovakian balls. I am so glad the finish didn't come down to the standard fare (boring) leadout train, sprint finish. Sprints are fun in stage races, I just don't think they are fun in the one day classics.
I wish Sagan could have pulled it off. Kwiato played a good game and props to him. But I dunno. At least pretend to pull once in a while.
I wish Sagan could have pulled it off. Kwiato played a good game and props to him. But I dunno. At least pretend to pull once in a while.
Kwiato did play so they could stayaway once sky realized that Viviani wasnt in contention, but it was a pull here or there.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Reminds me of the first couple of seasons of "survivor". It's not necessarily the strongest competitor that wins, it's the one who "played the game" the best. Still, it just reaffirmed it for me, team communication should be banned! Only race officials should be allowed to talk to the riders, and then, only to alert to dangerous conditions. 2c.
#KeepRacingReal. #NoSplits! #Who'sInTheBreak?
#KeepRacingReal. #NoSplits! #Who'sInTheBreak?
Alright, so the best racing of the year starts today with the cobbled classics / belgian races followed by the Ardennes:
Cobbled
Dwars d Vlaanderen Mar 22
E3 - Harelbeke Mar 24
Gent-Wevelgem Mar 26
Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (2.HC)Mar 28 (3 days of Panne)
Tour of Flanders Apr 2
Scheldeprijs Apr 5
Paris-Roubaix Apr 9
Ardennes
De Brabantse Pijl Apr 12
Amstel Gold Apr 16
Flèche Wallonne Apr 19
Liège-Bastogne-L Apr 23
I included a link to the Dwars d Vlaanderen. Can Quick Step keep their shit together this year? They are already close to 20 wins on the year and they seem to have the depth to actually play a tactical game correctly this year. Gilbert and Dan Martin seem to be on form for a good showing at the Ardennes and obviously Kwiato is as well. And I am sure @seanrunnette is excited that Valverde is still around and on form.
Cobbled
Dwars d Vlaanderen Mar 22
E3 - Harelbeke Mar 24
Gent-Wevelgem Mar 26
Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (2.HC)Mar 28 (3 days of Panne)
Tour of Flanders Apr 2
Scheldeprijs Apr 5
Paris-Roubaix Apr 9
Ardennes
De Brabantse Pijl Apr 12
Amstel Gold Apr 16
Flèche Wallonne Apr 19
Liège-Bastogne-L Apr 23
I included a link to the Dwars d Vlaanderen. Can Quick Step keep their shit together this year? They are already close to 20 wins on the year and they seem to have the depth to actually play a tactical game correctly this year. Gilbert and Dan Martin seem to be on form for a good showing at the Ardennes and obviously Kwiato is as well. And I am sure @seanrunnette is excited that Valverde is still around and on form.
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Agreed
Flanders on Sunday, one of the best races of the year.
Sagan is pissed no one will help him.
GVA is on form
Gilbert is on form and adds to Quick Steps depth
Kristoiff is there but doubt he will be there when it matters
Degenkold, is there but is a better bet for Roubaix
Where the F is Sep VanMarcke? Cannondale gets riders and then doesn't absolutely nothing with them.
Can GVA hold it together? Can Sagan overcome EVERYONE teaming up to beat him. If these two are cocking it out, will it allow a dark horse to ride their wheels, be dragged to the line and then beat them in the sprint? Gunna be goooood.
Sagan is pissed no one will help him.
GVA is on form
Gilbert is on form and adds to Quick Steps depth
Kristoiff is there but doubt he will be there when it matters
Degenkold, is there but is a better bet for Roubaix
Where the F is Sep VanMarcke? Cannondale gets riders and then doesn't absolutely nothing with them.
Can GVA hold it together? Can Sagan overcome EVERYONE teaming up to beat him. If these two are cocking it out, will it allow a dark horse to ride their wheels, be dragged to the line and then beat them in the sprint? Gunna be goooood.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Great pre race bump!
Don't get mad....but half way through I started reading it in the narrators voice from the TV show Soap.
It totally works!!!!!
If this gets f'd up by a major crash I'm gonna need a new screen.....just saying.
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
So sad.
Slipstream is the organization that got me interested in pro road cycling in 2009-2010 due to the American connection and their underdog fighting style. I vividly remember my first time following the tour in 2010 and the great racing (other than that doper that "won"). The white with blue argyle kits were the best they've ever done. Almost bought a Garmin kit and Cervelo bike because of it. This picture stands out the most of that tour for me.
In recent years the Slipstream team has been so tough to watch. It seems like the place talent goes to die and they didn't resign Phil. Outside of cheering for their current American contingent, I've lost all hope and am now rooting for Trek, even though they signed the beef guy.
So I don't expect any Slipstream rider to do anything in the cobbles or otherwise, ever. Shit, they even led Phil off the course last year. Taylor Phinney was the next great American hope for cobbles a few years back but nothing materialized (he's on the startlist for Sunday at least).
I'm excited for the racing and I'll be watching at Jalapeno Cycling's viewing party in Bloomfield. It's hard to pick against Sagan but doesn't use his teammates ever (topic for another time). So I'd pick him for the podium but not the win. Phil Gilbert is my pick, he looks like he has something to prove on a new team this year. Outside pick is Stybar, always want to see a 'cross guy do well.
THOR!
Sagan's teammates are done their work before the live feeds are even available in the US. Sagan has never had a strong team but still has almost 100 pro wins, insane. Gilbert's attack on the kemmelburg in Panne this week looked good, but no other big guns were really around to see how it would have affected them.
Sagan's teammates are done their work before the live feeds are even available in the US. Sagan has never had a strong team but still has almost 100 pro wins, insane. Gilbert's attack on the kemmelburg in Panne this week looked good, but no other big guns were really around to see how it would have affected them.
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
I don't buy this. From Liquigas to Tinkoff to Bora, he's always alone. He had strong workers at Tinkoff and brought his core group of guys to Bora with him. If they're using up 7 guys before the TV comes on, every DS he's had should be shit canned. Quick Step has more pressure than any team in the classics and them, BMC, Cannondale, even FDJ will chase back early breaks.
Sagan rides like he wants to ride alone, which he is the best in the world at. His competitors have the ability to make it to the decisive point without doing much work while Sagan does tons of work up to that point. It was the difference between first and second at San Remo, undoubtedly.