2012 Tour of California May 15 stage 3: San Jose - Livermore 185.5 km

[Gloin22]

No freaking way Sagan will get dropped here imo. Easy win number 3 if he doesn't crash somewhere.

 

[Don Johnson]

Patterson Pass is a tough climb. If Rabo, or Garmin want to blow it up, they can split the field, and have the faveorites of the race only at the finish.
Leaky, shack and Pharma are happy the way things are with the sprint finishes, and are waiting for the tt and bald.

 

[Froome19]

7km at 5ish% can Sagan be dropped? I don't think so and then there is always the possibility his team helps him out over the top and to the front on the decent. Sagan again.

New quiz. Will Sagan be in the leaders jersey after the ITT?

Or even after Mt Baldy.....
It is certainly a possibility if Nibali is still ill. I dont think Sagan has ever displayed the full extent of his climbing prowess (partially thanks to Nibali) but he will have to some time and his ITT will certainly be excellent if he is still in contention.

if memory serves these two climbs are more difficult than they sound as described by, "9km at 5%" or whatever...

Definitely not suited for Sagan. Nibali, much more so. And hopefully Horner too. If Horner can't handle, Machado?

Sagan can handle these climbs better than 94% of the peloton so...

I guess it would require attacks from the likes of Danielson, TJVG, Horner, Nibali etc. the top favorites to realistically drop sagan on this stage.

I think Sagan has just as much a chance to drop them, as they have of dropping him.
These are long hills/short mountains in the middle-end of the stage not proper hard MTFs, and for these types of climbs Sagan is fast showing himself as one of the best in the world.

 

[Froome19]

Top climbers in California:
Horner, Danielson, Leipheimer, Velits, Nibali, Gesink

Next best:
Machado, Sagan, Talansky, TJVG, Sanchez, Roche, Duarte,

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

atapuma will smoke them all on baldy. and this is no joke

 

[El Pistolero]

Sagan will smoke everyone everywhere and this is definitely not a joke. Wouldn't even surprise me anymore if he managed to hold on at Mont Baldy.

 

[Parrulo]

ok the kid is by far the most talented young rider on the peloton today but he is no freaking super man. he is bad on long itt's because he has an awful itt position so the jersey will be gone then for sure, and he can get over a hill and a couple mountains but he is far from being a climber.

 

[El Pistolero]

ok the kid is by far the most talented young rider on the peloton today but he is no freaking super man. he is bad on long itt's because he has an awful itt position so the jersey will be gone then for sure, and he can get over a hill and a couple mountains but he is far from being a climber.

Not a lot of climbers here though. An Eskimo and a 40 year American.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sagan will smoke everyone everywhere and this is definitely not a joke. Wouldn't even surprise me anymore if he managed to hold on at Mont Baldy.

100% sure he won't and he can't

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not a lot of climbers here though. An Eskimo and a 40 year American.

..who both top 10-ed in the TDF the last 2 years (danielson in 11, horner in 10)
So still much much much better climbers than Sagan.

I love Sagan and I think he can do much. But real climbing, no... hasn't shown it yet anyway. And don't come with that long escape in Suisse, that's different.

 

[Froome19]

..who both top 10-ed in the TDF the last 2 years (danielson in 11, horner in 10)
So still much much much better climbers than Sagan.

I love Sagan and I think he can do much. But real climbing, no... hasn't shown it yet anyway. And don't come with that long escape in Suisse, that's different.

He hasnt shown anything to say he cant climb well either....

 

[karlboss]

He hasnt shown anything to say he cant climb well either....

I think he'll stay in the lead at least till the TT and may still be close after it, I think Mt Baldy we may actually see what he is capable of on a MTF. I don't expect he'll be within 2 minutes of the winner. Even that close would surprise me a little.

 

[classicomano]

He hasnt shown anything to say he cant climb well either....

He didnt show it at last years Vuelta anyway.

 

[will10]

He hasnt shown anything to say he cant climb well either....

Are you sure?

How about:
Prati di Tivo at Tirreno 12
Green Mountain at Oman 12
Any proper climb at the Vuelta 11
Malbun at Suisse 11
Sierra Road at Cali 11

Need I go on? All of those he had reason to ride as was up in GC. But he was nowhere.

 

[theyoungest]

He hasnt shown anything to say he cant climb well either....

He might have the potential, but inevitably if he trains for the longer climbs he'll lose explosiveness. He's like Gilbert, both of them might be able to do well in a GT once, but they'll have to change significantly as a rider.

 

[jens_attacks]

duarte will get this stage if they go fast on the climb
otherwise sagan nr 3

 

[Spine Concept]

I must say that I am fast becoming a massive Sagan fan. Sure he comes off as arrogant, but I think it's that confidence in combination with his obvious insane talent which makes him so good. I really hope Gilbert finds his form again soon and we get a real show-down between them.

 

[Froome19]

Are you sure?

How about:
Prati di Tivo at Tirreno 12
Green Mountain at Oman 12
Any proper climb at the Vuelta 11
Malbun at Suisse 11
Sierra Road at Cali 11

Need I go on? All of those he had reason to ride as was up in GC. But he was nowhere.

The first 3 all had Nibali so they are redundant.

Sierra Road he came 16th not a bad perfomance.

Malburn he evidently rested himself, for the remaining stages (next one he won) and he was probably tired and lacked motivation as was 11 minutes down on GC.

 

[Bavarianrider]

He hasnt shown anything to say he cant climb well either....

3.06.2011: 3. Etappe
Brig-Glis - Grindelwald, 107,0 km

1. Peter Sagan (SVK, Liquigas) 3:09:47
2. Damiano Cunego (ITA, Lampre) +0:00
3. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN, Leopard Trek) +0:21
4. Laurens Ten Dam (NED, Rabobank Cycling Team) +0:21
5. Giampaolo Caruso (ITA, Katusha Team) +0:48
6. Tejay Van Garderen (USA, HTC) +1:04
7. Frank Schleck (LUX, Leopard Trek) +1:04
8. Bauke Mollema (NED, Rabobank Cycling Team) +1:04
9. Juan Mauricio Soler (COL, Movistar Team) +1:04
10. Francis De Greef (BEL, Omega Pharma) +1:04
11. Steven Kruijswijk (NED, Rabobank Cycling Team) +1:04
12. Danilo Di Luca (ITA, Katusha Team) +1:24
13. Tom Danielson (USA, Team Garmin) +1:26
14. Linus Gerdemann (GER, Leopard Trek) +1:28
15. Jan Bakelants (BEL, Omega Pharma) +1:42
16. Levi Leipheimer (USA, Team RadioShack) +1:42
17. Mathias Frank (SWI, BMC Racing Team) +2:02
18. Maxime Monfort (BEL, Leopard Trek) +2:02
19. Johann Tschopp (SWI, BMC Racing Team) +2:02
20. Branislau Samoilau (BUL, Movistar Team) +2:49
21. Andy Schleck (LUX, Leopard Trek) +3:41
22. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN, Team Garmin) +3:45
23. Gustav Larsson (SWE, Saxo Bank Sungard) +3:45
24. Michael Albasini (SWI, HTC) +3:45
25. Kevin De Weert (BEL, Quickstep Cycling Team) +4:27
26. Mikael Chérel (FRA, AG2R La Mondiale) +4:42
27. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (ESP, Movistar Team) +4:57
28. Gorka Izagirre Insausti (ESP, Euskaltel) +4:57
29. Zdenek Stybar (CZE, Quickstep Cycling Team) +4:57
30. Matteo Montaguti (ITA, AG2R La Mondiale) +5:03
31. Tanel Kangert (EST, Pro Team Astana) +5:29
32. Brent Bookwalter (USA, BMC Racing Team) +6:34
33. Mads Christensen (DEN, Saxo Bank Sungard) +6:54
34. Christian Vandevelde (USA, Team Garmin) +7:40
35. Andreas Klöden (GER, Team RadioShack) +7:40
36. Wouter Poels (NED, Vacansoleil) +7:40
37. Simon Clarke (AUS, Pro Team Astana) +7:40
38. Ruslan Pidgornyy (UKR, Vacansoleil) +8:13
39. Alexander Efimkin (RUS, Team Type) +8:55
40. Jorge Azanta Soto (ESP, Euskaltel) +8:55
41. Nelson Oliveira (POR, Team RadioShack) +8:55
42. Daniel Sesma (ESP, Euskaltel) +8:55
43. Daryl Impey (RSA, Team Netapp) +9:20
44. Dario-David Cioni (ITA, Sky Procycling) +10:03
45. Chris Froome (GBR, Sky Procycling) +10:03
46. Pablo Lastras Garcia (ESP, Movistar Team) +12:54
47. Dries Devenyns (BEL, Quickstep Cycling Team) +13:33
48. Alessandro Ballan (ITA, BMC Racing Team) +13:54
49. Simone Ponzi (ITA, Liquigas) +13:54
50. Alan Perez Lezaun (ESP, Euskaltel) +13:54

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Evidently BavarianTroll missed this sentence again

..who both top 10-ed in the TDF the last 2 years (danielson in 11, horner in 10)
So still much much much better climbers than Sagan.

I love Sagan and I think he can do much. But real climbing, no... hasn't shown it yet anyway. And don't come with that long escape in Suisse, that's different.

 

[will10]

3.06.2011: 3. Etappe
Brig-Glis - Grindelwald, 107,0 km

1. Peter Sagan (SVK, Liquigas) 3:09:47
2. Damiano Cunego (ITA, Lampre) +0:00

Sagan won from the long breakaway....

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I support liquigas and Sagan bandwagon is all good and i am all for it but folks come on,lets not be ridiculous... he aint a good climber or he hasn't shown it yet even if he is.

 

[Froome19]

3.06.2011: 3. Etappe
Brig-Glis - Grindelwald, 107,0 km

1. Peter Sagan (SVK, Liquigas) 3:09:47

Aaah.... you quoted the wrong post and this stage has been mentioned numerous times and DT refuses to listen.

In reality though I believe that this stage shows a lot about Sagan's climbing because it has been the only true stage where Sagan has really has an incentive to go for the win and of course he achieved it.
So we havent seen anything to suggest he cant climb and when he has needed to climb he has risen up to the occasion, so imo he really has the ability to climb.

 

[will10]

The first 3 all had Nibali so they are redundant.

Sierra Road he came 16th not a bad perfomance.

Malburn he evidently rested himself, for the remaining stages (next one he won) and he was probably tired and lacked motivation as was 11 minutes down on GC.

He started right up on GC at Sierra Road and was outclimbed by superclimber Brent Bookwalter.

 

[Froome19]

He started right up on GC at Sierra Road and was outclimbed by superclimber Brent Bookwalter.

And ony losing 43 seconds to eventual 4th place Van Garderen, who is now expected to attack and drop him on this stage.