2015 Strade Bianche, 7th March, 200 km, 1.HC

[DFA123]

the race he never won and will never win for that very reason. he's not good enough on very short and technical climbs

He won Fleche Wallonne last year. Mur de Huy is shorter and more techincial than the Cauberg.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

But I saw him plenty of times in Fleche Wallonne...

Btw what a great race from Chaves, we saw him once at 30km from the finish, leading the peloton. Or...maybe it wasn't him

yes it was and he was still leading with 10 k to go and finished with cancellara

 

[Arredondo]

But I saw him plenty of times in Fleche Wallonne...

Btw what a great race from Chaves, we saw him once at 30km from the finish, leading the peloton. Or...maybe it wasn't him

Apart from the two times he won there, he also 'failed' quite often

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He won Fleche Wallonne last year. Mur de Huy is shorter and more techincial than the Cauberg.

I'm literally ****ing myself from laughter after this comment. good job!

 

[Bushman]

You know what the word usually means? If Chelsea just lost against Leicester that doesn't mean that Chelsea wouldn't usually win.

Yes I know what usually means but I disagree with you. The finishing climb is too short for Valverde to have en advantage over riders like Stybar and GvA. He doesnt have the same punch when the attack is a 150-200 metres sprint.

 

[DFA123]

I'm literally ****ing myself from laughter after this comment. good job!

The Cauberg is one of the least technical climbs there is. It's a really wide road with one sweeping bend in it.

 

[Volderke]

He won Fleche Wallonne last year. Mur de Huy is shorter and more techincial than the Cauberg.

Say that again, that Mur de Huy is shorter than the Cauberg (sigh)!

Anyways, great great race and I agree everyone did their very best and we have a very worthy winner and podium!

 

[Bushman]

But I saw him plenty of times in Fleche Wallonne...

Btw what a great race from Chaves, we saw him once at 30km from the finish, leading the peloton. Or...maybe it wasn't him

But in Fleche Walloon the climb is longer and tougher making it too hard for guys like Stybar and GvA. Just take a look at AGR, he can't follow the best when the climb is so 'easy' that you can sprint all the way up.

 

[DFA123]

Say that again, that Mur de Huy is shorter than the Cauberg (sigh)!

Anyways, great great race and I agree everyone did their very best and we have a very worthy winner and podium!

Well it is shorter - it's 1.2km compared with 1.5km for the Cauberg. The Cauberg is quicker for sure, but it's not shorter.

 

[Bushman]

He won Fleche Wallonne last year. Mur de Huy is shorter and more techincial than the Cauberg.

Cauberg is like 1 k at 6% and Mur de Huy is 1,3 k at almost 10% ??

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Yes I know what usually means but I disagree with you. The finishing climb is too short for Valverde to have en advantage over riders like Stybar and GvA. He doesnt have the same punch when the attack is a 150-200 metres sprint.

Right. Well, I'll admit that it's probably closer than what I initially thought. I'd still back Valverde against Stybar on this finish anyday though.

 

[Bushman]

Well it is shorter - it's 1.2km compared with 1.5km for the Cauberg. The Cauberg is quicker for sure, but it's not shorter.

Cauberg is not 1,5 though.

Anyway, Mur de Huy is a much tougher climb and more for the climbers. Cauberg is for the pure puncheurs.

 

[DFA123]

Cauberg is not 1,5 though.

Anyway, Mur de Huy is a much tougher climb and more for the climbers. Cauberg is for the pure puncheurs.

Completely agree with this. But, back to the original point, I don't see how it can be argued that Valverde isn't very competitive on both.

 

[Bushman]

Right. Well, I'll admit that it's probably closer than what I initially thought. I'd still back Valverde against Stybar on this finish anyday though.

Well, I guess we will just have to agree to disagree then.

I think Valverde maybe worked a bit too much but I dont think he could have beaten Stybar anyhow.

 

[bala v]

But in Fleche Walloon the climb is longer and tougher making it too hard for guys like Stybar and GvA. Just take a look at AGR, he can't follow the best when the climb is so 'easy' that you can sprint all the way up.

He cracked, didn't had the legs, for Christ sake! I saw him winning similar uphill sprints at least 20-30 times!
Race was tough, the best man won, end of story.

 

[Bushman]

Completely agree with this. But, back to the original point, I don't see how it can be argued that Valverde isn't very competitive on both.

He is very competitive at the 'Cauberg type' climb too, he is just not better than eg Stybar or GvA, I believe.

 

[Pentacycle]

Cauberg is like 1 k at 6% and Mur de Huy is 1,3 k at almost 10% ??

Actually only about 600m of the Cauberg is above 5%, and only 200m above 10%. Mur de Huy is much, much more suited to climbers. Valverde can deliver a pretty good sprint on the flat and at the end of a hard climb, but when you combine those two types of finishes he rarely comes out on top. That makes it very hard for him to ever win AGR; he's good but there are riders more explosive than him.

 

[bala v]

He is very competitive at the 'Cauberg type' climb too, he is just not better than eg Stybar or GvA, I believe.

Well he has beat that same Van Avermaet at the Cauberg five times out of five, what can you say about that?

 

[Bushman]

He cracked, didn't had the legs, for Christ sake! I saw him winning similar uphill sprints at least 20-30 times!
Race was tough, the best man won, end of story.

Yes he cracked, but would he have cracked and been beaten by Stybar and GVA if they finished on Mont Ventoux?

I can't really see how it is controversial to think that the finish of Strade Bianche doesn't suit Valverde any better than Stybar.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Cauberg is an uphill road.
Mur de Huy is a technical climb.

AGR is a much harder race than F-W before the finishing hill though.

Hard to compare...

 

[DFA123]

Yes he cracked, but would he have cracked and been beaten by Stybar and GVA if they finished on Mont Ventoux?

I can't really see how it is controversial to think that the finish of Strade Bianche doesn't suit Valverde any better than Stybar.

I think you're trying to put Valverde into a box where he doesn't really belong. For me he's a hilly one day specialist that can also do very well in Grand Tours, rather than the other way round.

 

[Pentacycle]

Well he has beat that same Van Avermaet at the Cauberg five times out of five, what can you say about that?

His teammate Gilbert was faster than him on the Cauberg on all occasions since 2009. Valverde can't match that kind of power.

If Van Avermaet would peak for the Ardennes instead of Flanders he might play a big role on the Cauberg too.

 

[Eshnar]

Serious question now. How many years to go until the Strade Bianche will be recognized as a monument? 30? 50? 100?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Serious question now. How many years to go until the Strade Bianche will be recognized as a monument? 30? 50? 100?

That will never happen.

 

[Netserk]

Serious question now. How many years to go until the Strade Bianche will be recognized as a monument? 30? 50? 100?

Never, if I'm honest. If it's going to rank equal to the other five, we won't call them monuments any more is my guess.

If it wasn't for the length, it'd be the sixth best/highest ranked one-day race imo.