Re: Re:
Look, this is neither here nor there. The way PR played out yesterday was unusual, even for PR. It wasn't to be expected that the crash would have taken out the two favorites at that point, or that Boonen could have relied on such a powerful Martin (at least in this being his first PR) to make the gap practically impossible to close. But that's what happened. I'm not required to like the race we got though, or am I not allowed to have a preference?
That Cancellara was perhaps not in his best form, doesn't necessarily mean that without the crash he wouldn't have been able to do something. Perhaps not, perhaps he'd have gotten dropped anyway. But we will never know. The same for Sagan. In the end even Boonen came up short. Hats off to the winner, but it was just a shame we didn't get the big battle for which I had hoped.
Logic-is-your-friend said:rhubroma said:DFA123 said:Why does it matter if they were the strongest are not? If you want to see a battle of the strongest, just watch time trials. The beauty of cobbled classics is the combination of tactics, luck and strength. This edition had everything, and Cancellara simply wasn't strong enough to get back on.rhubroma said:Come, come now. I'll I've been saying is the race wasn't good for me, because Sagan and Cancellara were eliminated before they had a chance to have a go at it. Some might have liked to have the two big contenders eliminated a such, but not me. And if you think they weren't among the strongest in the race then there is really no point in taking any of you serious either.
Not really sure why you assume Sagan was among the strongest either. This is the fourth time he's ridden Roubaix and he has still yet to do anything really noteworthy on the pave.
Let me say it again. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, mine is that I don't like races that are so adversely effected by crashes, PR or not PR. And TTs aren't the only races in which we get to see a show of strength between the top contenders. Every race is potentially about that, but also tactics, guts, etc.
I can never appreciate, however, when a race is won or lost because of a crash or mechanical, especially when it takes out the two I was most curious about. Now I didn't like the 2014 Tour after Froome and then Contador crashed out for the same reason.
And it doesn't matter if it was their own fault or not. That doesn't make it any more or less agreeable. I'd have preferred them all, the favorites that is, to have gotten through Arenberg and then have a big battle mano a mano. But, alas, that was not to be. Though I'm perfectly legitimized to hold the opinion that I wasn't happy with the outcome. Others can reason otherwise with equal legitimacy, but I find it poor form to say I don't know what I'm talking about, just for disliking how a particular narrative unfolded for the reasons it did. To then say that Sagan and Cancellara were weaker, when they had to chase down an insurmountable gap is either a false reading of the race, lack of understanding or else intellectual dishonesty IMOP.
I'm sorry, are you implying Sagan and Cancellara were new to the concept of PR? Every year there are contenders that crash out or lose because of a crash. Greg Van Avermaet and Benoot at RVV, Sagan & Canc at PR... it even happens at the Tour, Giro, Vuelta... each year competitors crash out.
As for the situation in PR yesterday, they (Sagan & Canc) lost because they were too far in the peloton. In fact, had Cancellara been so superb, he could have taken over from Stuyven when Stuyven closed the gap to 30 seconds. The group up front was freewheeling at this time. They took their chance not being at the front all the time and they paid the price. Simple. Cancellara's crash was completely his own fault as well.
Look, this is neither here nor there. The way PR played out yesterday was unusual, even for PR. It wasn't to be expected that the crash would have taken out the two favorites at that point, or that Boonen could have relied on such a powerful Martin (at least in this being his first PR) to make the gap practically impossible to close. But that's what happened. I'm not required to like the race we got though, or am I not allowed to have a preference?
That Cancellara was perhaps not in his best form, doesn't necessarily mean that without the crash he wouldn't have been able to do something. Perhaps not, perhaps he'd have gotten dropped anyway. But we will never know. The same for Sagan. In the end even Boonen came up short. Hats off to the winner, but it was just a shame we didn't get the big battle for which I had hoped.