2018 Paris - Roubaix

[Hugo Koblet]

I think that QuickStep got too cocky today. They tried to attack with various riders from far out, but it was simply too far out and Gilbert and Stybar ended up burning themselves out. On the other hand, Sagan did just what I wrote in the "How to beat QuickStep"-thread. Kudos to him, major victory in quite a fashion.

 

[Screecher]

A rare moment when QS weren't in control of the race and it cost them dearly. Perfectly timed attack from Sagan.

 

[Jancouver]

https://streamable.com/x9o3k

One of my favorite moments was when Marcus was on the front of the "chasing" pack soft peddling while Sagan was hammering away. (about 40s in)

... just brilliant riding from Burghardt :lol:

 

[alspacka]

Re:

https://streamable.com/x9o3k

One of my favorite moments was when Marcus was on the front of the "chasing" pack soft peddling while Sagan was hammering away. (about 40s in)

... just brilliant riding from Burghardt :lol:

:lol: didn't notice that. Has a little look around and can't believe his luck.

 

[Frankschleck]

Re:

The best cyclist in history finally adds Roubaix to his palmarès. Hook it to my veins.

Laporte didn't win.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re:

https://streamable.com/x9o3k

One of my favorite moments was when Marcus was on the front of the "chasing" pack soft peddling while Sagan was hammering away. (about 40s in)

... just brilliant riding from Burghardt :lol:

Saw that during the race. He was a great lieutenant when lesser teammates would have considered their job done.

I also like that him and Juri were leaning on and cheering from the barricades during the podium presentation; both were very happy for Peter.

 

[Bardamu]

Re:

I think that QuickStep got too cocky today. They tried to attack with various riders from far out, but it was simply too far out and Gilbert and Stybar ended up burning themselves out. On the other hand, Sagan did just what I wrote in the "How to beat QuickStep"-thread. Kudos to him, major victory in quite a fashion.

Not sure if it was a matter of being too cocky. Gilbert, Lampaert and Stybar just weren't strong today and Terpstra didn't look stronger than Sagan. A third place is fine.

 

[Hellyea]

Fun fact: Sagan is the only one to deny QS cobblestones victory this spring. Twice

 

[RedheadDane]

What about OHN and KBK?
Or maybe QS just hadn't gotten started yet, didn't even have anybody on the podium in those races!

 

[Pantani_lives]

It was Sagan vs. QS the past three weeks. It's also the week of the surprising seconds, with Pedersen and Dillier. I wonder whether those two will confirm in the future.

I didn't read this thread until after the race. It was quite funny to read how "overrated" Sagan was as a pre-race favorite. Talk about answering with the pedals...

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Yeah, agree, and once Sagan goes, waiting for QS to close it is a horrible move as well as you can't just gift a rider like Sagan a minute, and both Gilbert and Stybar had already been hugely active. You're basically hoping that that the group works together or Sagan blows up.

You're basically hoping on a chance where you don't lose by default. If you go with Sagan you can actually force a positive selection there

That's what the hype will do to you...QS the juggernaut, blah, blah, blah, leading up to the race, and with all these chiefs, no indian was left to watch Sagan or willing/able to chase. Bad positioning, yes, as in poor team discipline. For the rest, waiting for QS to chase made sense. Who wants to to the work just to be repeatedly attacked by the likes of Gilbert, Stybar, Terpstra in the final 30km?

Sagan, for once, wasn't the center of attention. It was all about QS. He saw the opening, seized the opportunity. The rest is history.

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

I actually think that Sagan even didn't intend to attack at all. Van Avermaet attacked and dragged the group of 10-15 riders with no Steppers in it. Sagan looked around and realized they were not present, then he came to the front to up the pace and in that particular moment everybody stopped and by the time he turned around next time he got the gap of 20-30m. Then he just kept on pushing.
I need to rewatch, I'm not certain at all, but I remember when I watched it live, it looked to me like that.

That's how I saw it as well.

Same here, spot on.

 

[ppanther92]

Re:

https://streamable.com/x9o3k

One of my favorite moments was when Marcus was on the front of the "chasing" pack soft peddling while Sagan was hammering away. (about 40s in)

... just brilliant riding from Burghardt :lol:

Already saw this live. Great race awereness by Burghardt.

 

[ppanther92]

Re:

It was Sagan vs. QS the past three weeks. It's also the week of the surprising seconds, with Pedersen and Dillier. I wonder whether those two will confirm in the future.

I didn't read this thread until after the race. It was quite funny to read how "overrated" Sagan was as a pre-race favorite. Talk about answering with the pedals...

Pedersen for sure has the potential. Dillier is now a strong and very good rider for years, i see not podium another monument however.

 

[huge]

Goolaerts has died in hospital. RIP

 

[T-Nielsen]

Goolaerts has died in hospital. RIP

:sad:

 

[70kmph]

Very sorry about Goolaerts

 

[DenisMenchov]

So sorry to hear the news, RIP young fellow

 

[Tonton]

Re:

I think that QuickStep got too cocky today. They tried to attack with various riders from far out, but it was simply too far out and Gilbert and Stybar ended up burning themselves out. On the other hand, Sagan did just what I wrote in the "How to beat QuickStep"-thread. Kudos to him, major victory in quite a fashion.

This. Nothing further Your Honor.

 

[Durden93]

Re:

I think that QuickStep got too cocky today. They tried to attack with various riders from far out, but it was simply too far out and Gilbert and Stybar ended up burning themselves out. On the other hand, Sagan did just what I wrote in the "How to beat QuickStep"-thread. Kudos to him, major victory in quite a fashion.

I disagree. They just didn’t seem to have the legs. Gilbert won’t win roubaix with a short attack over cobbles, he needs to go long.

 

[yaco]

Trentin suffers a stable fractured spine - Many months off the bike - Could be year done for Trentin.

 

[Robert5091]

Chapeau Sagan! Great ride by Dillier too - he could n't have done more. QS finally run out of steam?

 

[LaFlorecita]

A thought:
At some point in the race, I believe Sagan had (according to GPS) ~55 seconds on G1 and ~1:15 on G2. G2 contained 3 Quick Step riders (Stybar, Gilbert, Lampaert) but as far as I recall they were doing no work, I think it was Vandenbergh who was working in this group. Shouldn't Quick Step have started working at this point? I understand that they wouldn't want to bring that many riders back to the Terpstra group, but with the Terpstra group failing to make up time on Sagan, you'd think it would have been the better choice. With 4 riders in a ~30 rider group and Terpstra probably the strongest besides Sagan, they would have had a great chance to win, as long as they would have caught Sagan.

 

[tobydawq]

A thought:
At some point in the race, I believe Sagan had (according to GPS) ~55 seconds on G1 and ~1:15 on G2. G2 contained 3 Quick Step riders (Stybar, Gilbert, Lampaert) but as far as I recall they were doing no work, I think it was Vandenbergh who was working in this group. Shouldn't Quick Step have started working at this point? I understand that they wouldn't want to bring that many riders back to the Terpstra group, but with the Terpstra group failing to make up time on Sagan, you'd think it would have been the better choice. With 4 riders in a ~30 rider group and Terpstra probably the strongest besides Sagan, they would have had a great chance to win, as long as they would have caught Sagan.

Yes they should. But that is very easy to see in the comfort of one's couch. Such decisions will almost never be made in the midst of the chaos - especially not in Roubaix.

 

[Red Rick]

A thought:
At some point in the race, I believe Sagan had (according to GPS) ~55 seconds on G1 and ~1:15 on G2. G2 contained 3 Quick Step riders (Stybar, Gilbert, Lampaert) but as far as I recall they were doing no work, I think it was Vandenbergh who was working in this group. Shouldn't Quick Step have started working at this point? I understand that they wouldn't want to bring that many riders back to the Terpstra group, but with the Terpstra group failing to make up time on Sagan, you'd think it would have been the better choice. With 4 riders in a ~30 rider group and Terpstra probably the strongest besides Sagan, they would have had a great chance to win, as long as they would have caught Sagan.

Yes, I agree. I think the problem is that at this point Gilbert and Stybar were already wasted, and Lampaert wasn't strong enough to be much use at that point. They had their best rider in front at that point.

They made the mistake of getting caught out by GvA's attack. That shouldn't have happened. That's why they couldn't react to Sagan. If one of them joins that move, I think they don't get away, and if they do, Sagan still wins vs Lampaert, Stybar or Gilbert.

But it was a very good tactics from Sagan.

The cobbles are overestimated in tactical importance in Roubaix. The strong are separated from the weak there, but the winning move is made more often on the normal roads. It's happened a lot of times now that a chasing group waits for Carrefour to go all in on the chase and fails.