A big ROFL to the posters saying GVA didn't deserve it, that he had all the luck, that he didn't ride agressively enough or got it on a platter. If there is one rider that has had his share of bad luck, that always wanted to attack, in the past decade, it was GVA. But because he now is using his brain and using his experience and actually starts winning races, all of a sudden he doesn't deserve it? Ok, lol. Maybe you guys should start watching cricket. Admins telling people to stop whining, while whining themselves? Funny stuff as well.
I think it must have been frustrating to be Langeveld and Van Avermaet while Stybar was wheelsucking, but Stybar was one of the two riders who had given a lot at that point and i think he was cooked. I understand he didn't want to work. The fact that Boonen was behind was obviously only an excuse, since he was in the same group as Degenkolb and Greipel. Can't blame Stybar. The only negative rider i saw today was Degenkolb, who still refused to do jack sh** when Stuyven was dropped and was trailing 45 seconds behind Langeveld, Van Avermaet and Stybar. Hoping somebody else would bring him (Degenkolb) back in front. The only negative rider i saw today and the only one i would have felt bad about had he won it.
Sagan did have some bad luck. Just like about a hundred other riders (Naesen, Vandenbergh come to mind, as two guys who had a hell of a lot more bad luck). I think the only guy that didn't have bad luck was Boonen (can't remember him having any sort of mechanical). Sagan is a superb rider and champion, that's why people mark him, why people are reluctant to ride with him. I bet if GVA wasn't in the same group as Stybar and Langeveld, that Stybar would have worked too. And it's not like Sagan never did the same. Remember TDF 2012, wheelsucking Cancellara for the stagewin. To win a race like this, you need to have luck and have to be superb, as well as be clever. This year Sagan didn't have the luck and he wasn't superb either. He still has plenty of years ahead of him though, he"ll win plenty of these races yet. His best years are still ahead of him to win P-R and other classics like it. In two years, it's hard to see anybody else coming close in the classics. He can do a clean sweep, because he's the only one that can do the cobbled classics, as well as the Ardennes.
Agreed that the final didn't really explode due to circumstances, but i fail to see how this is GVA's fault. Deserved winner and a great champ.