2018 Strade Bianche, 1.UWT, 03.03.18

[Max Rockatansky]

I just read Wellens will not ride this? That is incredibly disappointing after the show he caused there last year and considering his superb shape.

There should be a special airline lane between Sienna and Paris.

We won't see Wellens here or in Flanders anymore this spring season. It's a disgrace.

 

[repre]

Re:

Depending on the temperature, Sagan will club everyone here.

So, how long will we have to call this race a monument before it actually becomes one?

Easy, tiger. It's far from even Amstel level. So far, it's a neo-classic.

I get that cycling and most of the fans are conservative, but Strade Bianchi is the best race in calendar BY FAR. It has to be the monument already.

 

[Netserk]

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I am pretty sure that most of the riders would prefer to have his name on one of the section then win 5 times the AGR or FW or G-W.
Btw, that was an excellent marketing move from race organizers.
As I said, the present peloton is too strong for this routs. No selection possible before last hill.
Hopefully size of teams reduced to 6 will bring the excitement to these old classics again.
At this moment is SB much better race by miles.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't.

Yes exactly. Strade is a much better race than FW every year, AGR almost every year and GW some years. It is not however as prestigious as any of them. Flèche in particular is almost always the victim of good race / prestigious race confusion here because it’s among the most predictable races on the whole calendar. The top puncheurs want to win it desperately. Quite a few of them might even take it over Lombardy.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re:

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

Silly argument. It can work both sides. If AGR is such a prestigious race why Sagan who w,as here on podium as neopro, did not want to ride it although having very high chance of winning it, if he had changed his racing schedule.
SB does not have a history, but has the best, the most balanced rout in whole calendar. The list of possible winers here is amazing. Sagan, Kwiatko, Valverde, Nibali, Gibert (former king of Cance). I can easily imagine even Froome , Dumoulin, winning it if they really make it it their target.
Monument is just word.
The race is good for cycling
Fans and that is what matters.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

Silly argument. It can work both sides. If AGR is such a prestigious race why Sagan who w,as here on podium as neopro, did not want to ride it although having very high chance of winning it, if he had changed his racing schedule.
SB does not have a history, but has the best, the most balanced rout in whole calendar. The list of possible winers here is amazing. Sagan, Kwiatko, Valverde, Nibali, Gibert (former king of Cance). I can easily imagine even Froome , Dumoulin, winning it if they really make it it their target.
Monument is just word.
The race is good for cycling
Fans and that is what matters.

He didn't get on the podium as neo-pro. He raced it also the year after. He only stopped when he also raced Roubaix.

Quite clearly, Amstel is less prestigious than Roubaix. Wellens skips Strade because it doesn't fit very well with Paris-Nice...

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

Silly argument. It can work both sides. If AGR is such a prestigious race why Sagan who w,as here on podium as neopro, did not want to ride it although having very high chance of winning it, if he had changed his racing schedule.
SB does not have a history, but has the best, the most balanced rout in whole calendar. The list of possible winers here is amazing. Sagan, Kwiatko, Valverde, Nibali, Gibert (former king of Cance). I can easily imagine even Froome , Dumoulin, winning it if they really make it it their target.
Monument is just word.
The race is good for cycling
Fans and that is what matters.

I can't!

 

[Velolover2]

Strade is gaining prestige but it will take a long time for it to become the "6th monument". I'd also rank it below Flèche, Amstel and G-W.

In now the reduced peloton of prestigious races among E3, Omloop, Paris-Tours, San Sebastian and Milano-Torino.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

Silly argument. It can work both sides. If AGR is such a prestigious race why Sagan who w,as here on podium as neopro, did not want to ride it although having very high chance of winning it, if he had changed his racing schedule.
SB does not have a history, but has the best, the most balanced rout in whole calendar. The list of possible winers here is amazing. Sagan, Kwiatko, Valverde, Nibali, Gibert (former king of Cance). I can easily imagine even Froome , Dumoulin, winning it if they really make it it their target.
Monument is just word.
The race is good for cycling
Fans and that is what matters.

I can't!

Neither can I. Heck Froome and Dumoulin aren't even in consideration at Liege, they definitely wouldn't be at Strade Bianche.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re: Re:

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

Silly argument. It can work both sides. If AGR is such a prestigious race why Sagan who w,as here on podium as neopro, did not want to ride it although having very high chance of winning it, if he had changed his racing schedule.
SB does not have a history, but has the best, the most balanced rout in whole calendar. The list of possible winers here is amazing. Sagan, Kwiatko, Valverde, Nibali, Gibert (former king of Cance). I can easily imagine even Froome , Dumoulin, winning it if they really make it it their target.
Monument is just word.
The race is good for cycling
Fans and that is what matters.

I can't!

Neither can I. Heck Froome and Dumoulin aren't even in consideration at Liege, they definitely wouldn't be at Strade Bianche.

Tom Dumoulin finished 5th last year.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

If it already at this moment was so prestigious, why is a rider like Wellens, who have only ever attended once and finished on the podium, not going to participate again? Could you imagine that with Amstel? With Flèche?

No doubt that it is on the rise, and that it has already done extremely well for its young age, but never mind its distance, it's calender spot is quite inhibiting for its status. Which is fine for now, a premium spot has to be earned. I would be surprised if it were still to be under 200km and so early in the year in 15 years.

Silly argument. It can work both sides. If AGR is such a prestigious race why Sagan who w,as here on podium as neopro, did not want to ride it although having very high chance of winning it, if he had changed his racing schedule.
SB does not have a history, but has the best, the most balanced rout in whole calendar. The list of possible winers here is amazing. Sagan, Kwiatko, Valverde, Nibali, Gibert (former king of Cance). I can easily imagine even Froome , Dumoulin, winning it if they really make it it their target.
Monument is just word.
The race is good for cycling
Fans and that is what matters.

I can't!

Neither can I. Heck Froome and Dumoulin aren't even in consideration at Liege, they definitely wouldn't be at Strade Bianche.

Tom Dumoulin finished 5th last year.

He's still not considered a favorite. Poels won it two years ago and isn't considered one of the favorites either. And as long as Valverde, Alaphilippe and Martin are there and in the mix at the end Dumoulin has a 0% chance of winning as he can't out sprint any of those three riders. He'd need something like the way Poels won in 2015 which included a very cold and snowy race.

 

[Rollthedice]

Dumoulin finished 5th last year in Strade not LBL.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Dumoulin finished 5th last year in Strade not LBL.

Still unlikely he'd win because he doesn't have a sprint. To win these races you need a sprint.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Would hope either Greg or Valverde win.

 

[PunchingRouleur]

So far there was not bad year in terms of racing, but the fact that uphill finish in Sienna suits exactly the same guys who usually make a race could be a problem. Why bother with long huge efforts and then fight it out within small group of strongest when they could sit in peloton, have relatively easy day with one short effort and end results would not be much different. (fresh sagan would probably destroy everybody

 

[yaco]

My favorite is Stybar - He's form is good and of course enjoys the parcours.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Dumoulin finished 5th last year in Strade not LBL.

Still unlikely he'd win because he doesn't have a sprint. To win these races you need a sprint.

Not true, Kwiat and Canc have finished solo. And anyway, Tom is a decent sprinter (with some very surprising results)) who'd have enough pace to hold on should he come round the last corner first (it's impossible to overtake in the last 200m).

 

[Netserk]

How can you not mention Moser? And now that he is back!

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

How can you not mention Moser? And now that he is back!

Or Gianni Moscon?

 

[KGB]

Re:

How can you not mention Moser? And now that he is back!

And when Vino uses super motivation tool(salary =prize money)Moser must perform.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

Dumoulin finished 5th last year in Strade not LBL.

Still unlikely he'd win because he doesn't have a sprint. To win these races you need a sprint.

I would not exactly call climbing 16% gradient a sprint.

I always thought this race was just perfect for Sagan (even more then RVV) but so far the last climb was always 100 meters too long for him.

I do think that if they are only Froome, Dumoulin , Sagan there in last 20 km and first two go TT mode he might have a real problem beating those two on the final climb.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Stunt dismount by someone who was about to go head first into a ditch

(Edited: this nonsense was supposed to be on the KBK thread)

 

[Krokro]

Stybar is in stellar form. Expecting fireworks from him and Kwiatek!

 

[DFA123]

Re:

How can you not mention Moser? And now that he is back!

You have to fancy at least one Astana rider to be in the mix the way they have started the season, and that they are possibly riding for their futures.

It looks a much stronger field this year though than when Moser won it.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

How can you not mention Moser? And now that he is back!

You have to fancy at least one Astana rider to be in the mix the way they have started the season, and that they are possibly riding for their futures.

It looks a much stronger field this year though than when Moser won it.

I remember that race very well. They were a perfect duo with Sagan. Everybody was watching Sagan and Moser was allowed to ride away.

That was probably last time I remember somebody from Sagan team being in the final selection of some of one-day races.


I think Bodnar was one time - but I do not remember the race. MSR?