Re: Re:
True but he basically waited for those three to join him after the downhill section. Anyway, I was thinking more of a bigger group chasing the breakaway rider(s) in last 12 kms after Paterberg. 2012 - Ballan, Pippo, Boonen went on Kwaremont, 2013 - Fabian drops Sagan and soloes to the finish line, 2015 - Kristoff and Terpstra on Kruijsberg. So I guess the answer is yes.
Alexandre B. said:
True but he basically waited for those three to join him after the downhill section. Anyway, I was thinking more of a bigger group chasing the breakaway rider(s) in last 12 kms after Paterberg. 2012 - Ballan, Pippo, Boonen went on Kwaremont, 2013 - Fabian drops Sagan and soloes to the finish line, 2015 - Kristoff and Terpstra on Kruijsberg. So I guess the answer is yes.
liamito said:Cannibal72 said:
Kwiat number one favourite?Kwaremont is really hard for him and Paterberg will sunday also be a climb where you have to ride the cobbles.
I partially wrote that out of contrarianism, partially because I really like him, but I think he has more potential on cobbles than most people allow.
- May 9, 2014
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For all the talk about Sagan choking before GW, he's been mightily strong on the cobbled climbs - he's looked no weaker than Canc. The difference between Sagan and Canc comes on the flatter sections, where Canc's skills as a rouleur are far superior. But it's going to be difficult for Canc, because although I think he'll be able to do it, I'm not sure he can drop Sagan on a climb right now.
GVA has to be a top favourite for sure as well, he looked mightily strong before his illness, and even when ill on Sunday, he almost bridged to the leaders' group.
In terms of team strength, Sky are looking just as strong as Etixx in terms of numbers, with Stannard, Rowe, Thomas and Kwiat all confirmed to start. Can Thomas or Kwiat match Canc Sagan and GVA on the cobbled climbs though? Thomas has not peaked for RVV, whilst Kwiat, although impressive in E3, attacked on a tarmac climb, and was never really seriously attacked on the cobbles (good luck staying in Canc's wheel up the kwaremont)
***** Cancellara, Sagan
**** GVA
***Kwiat, Stybar, Terpstra, Vanmarcke, Thomas
**Kristoff, Roelandts, Benoot, Stannard, Boonen
*Stuyven, Boom, Trentin, Rowe, EBH, Oss
GVA has to be a top favourite for sure as well, he looked mightily strong before his illness, and even when ill on Sunday, he almost bridged to the leaders' group.
In terms of team strength, Sky are looking just as strong as Etixx in terms of numbers, with Stannard, Rowe, Thomas and Kwiat all confirmed to start. Can Thomas or Kwiat match Canc Sagan and GVA on the cobbled climbs though? Thomas has not peaked for RVV, whilst Kwiat, although impressive in E3, attacked on a tarmac climb, and was never really seriously attacked on the cobbles (good luck staying in Canc's wheel up the kwaremont)
***** Cancellara, Sagan
**** GVA
***Kwiat, Stybar, Terpstra, Vanmarcke, Thomas
**Kristoff, Roelandts, Benoot, Stannard, Boonen
*Stuyven, Boom, Trentin, Rowe, EBH, Oss
Guys, no one can accuse me of being a fanboy, here. RVV and PR are my 2 favorite races and Fabian and Peter are my 2 favorite riders. Having said that...
Sagan was never as strong as he is now. You can say what you want, but I think that I wasn't blind every time I saw Peter a) Matching Fabian in each climb, sometimes the only one doing it; b) Creating the winning move in every race, sometimes leaving Fabian behind; c) Putting the hurt in Cancellara in the last cobbled climb at GW, before matching him on the flat and annihilating him in the final.
Strade was the last race where Sagan was an weaker rider than Cancellara, in my humble opinion. Every misstep in those finals after that were about problems in his head.
Sagan was never as strong as he is now. You can say what you want, but I think that I wasn't blind every time I saw Peter a) Matching Fabian in each climb, sometimes the only one doing it; b) Creating the winning move in every race, sometimes leaving Fabian behind; c) Putting the hurt in Cancellara in the last cobbled climb at GW, before matching him on the flat and annihilating him in the final.
Strade was the last race where Sagan was an weaker rider than Cancellara, in my humble opinion. Every misstep in those finals after that were about problems in his head.
- Jul 2, 2011
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Kwiatowski said somewhere that will try RVV but since it's longer and the hills are tougher than in E3 he still prefer the Ardens..
Thomas : he rode especially some small stage races like PN, Catalunya, did he ride this year already on cobbles?
As long as the riders make it a great race I don't mind ho wins.
What about the weather? it seems it will be nice temperature, around 16 degrees C but maybe rainy?
Thomas : he rode especially some small stage races like PN, Catalunya, did he ride this year already on cobbles?
As long as the riders make it a great race I don't mind ho wins.
What about the weather? it seems it will be nice temperature, around 16 degrees C but maybe rainy?
I think it will be a similar race to the 2013 edition, with the final fight between Cancellara and Sagan on the Paterberg. Ettix should try the same thing as last year with Terpstra to have a chance for the win, they have no rider to match Fabian's acceleration in the end of the Paterberg. There are two overwhelming favorites for this race, lets just hope they wont rule themselves out by watching each other.
My biggest concern is that Cancellara and Sagan will cancel each other out and let a weaker rider slip away with the victory. I really would love to see Cancellara one last time blowing the race apart and riding away from everyone. On the other hand I feel Sagan is stronger than ever and his time has come. If one of those two win I'm happy, though I would prefer Cancellara.
Cant really see anyone but GVA and Vanmarcke realistically following them on Kwaremont and Paterberg and I wouldnt be surprised to see Cancellara and Sagan a level above everyone else.
I dont think Cancellara has the explosivity anymore to get rid of Sagan on Paterberg, so he has to ride hard on Kwaremont and then attack again at Paterberg and over the top and hope that the continuous tough efforts will crack Sagan in the end.
Will be a great race.
Cant really see anyone but GVA and Vanmarcke realistically following them on Kwaremont and Paterberg and I wouldnt be surprised to see Cancellara and Sagan a level above everyone else.
I dont think Cancellara has the explosivity anymore to get rid of Sagan on Paterberg, so he has to ride hard on Kwaremont and then attack again at Paterberg and over the top and hope that the continuous tough efforts will crack Sagan in the end.
Will be a great race.
- Feb 18, 2015
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Re:
Edit: And on the Kwaremont/Paterberg itself, they will give everything anyway because otherwise you can't distance the majority of the favorites.
I don't really expect this to happen. If they two are in front after the Paterberg they surely wont look at each other, because they know they both have an almost equal chance.Bushman said:
Edit: And on the Kwaremont/Paterberg itself, they will give everything anyway because otherwise you can't distance the majority of the favorites.
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- Apr 12, 2015
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