2018 Strade Bianche, 1.UWT, 03.03.18

[Kwibus]

Re:

I'm gonna give you one reminder to keep it friendly in here.

El Pistolero started!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

LOL.... Epic Interview by Benoot.
He just dropped "Because otherwise everyone is ****" live on Eurosport

And "it was a *** situation"

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

I'm gonna give you one reminder to keep it friendly in here.

El Pistolero started!

Sure, I trolled Valverde, but I didn't use personal attacks against forum members, which is something I never do.

 

[Krokro]

If anyone has some explanation about Bora/Sky disastrous strategy, pls let me know. Happy for Benoot tho. Expecting big things from him since 2016

 

[Screecher]

Re:

If anyone has some explanation about Bora/Sky disastrous strategy, pls let me know. Happy for Benoot tho. Expecting big things from him since 2016

The race was really hard to control because of the weather and their main riders were heavily marked. And it's not like their teams were super impressive. Yeah Bora had 4 riders up there but it didn't look like they were nearly strong enough to control the race.

 

[krakenKE]

Top 10 for Mühlberger is a really good result, that said I still don't understand what happened to Bora. I guess since Sagan was dropped by Stybar and Valverde he wouldn't have won anyway, but it's inexcusable to be out of contention for the win so early despite such a strong team.

It was a complete mess. Benoot looked the strongest but Sagan was strong enough to win the race IMO, especially with a strong team like Bora was today. The tactic was mindblowing. You could see pictures of the group with Sagan pulling in front several times with Oss and Burghardt in the middle of the group. You could even read several times in this thread that Sagan was working for Oss while obviously that wasn't the case. Why the hell was he so much time at the front again. It really looks like he is clueless what to do in certain situations. And so was the team today.

This. I was asking myself what the hell were they doing? They had 4 riders in the group after Bardet and Van Aert went and all they did was complete mess. They let the gap growing and were left with 3 guys in last chasing group.

Anyway, great race. You just gotta love this race. Deserved winner and what a way for Benoot to get his first win.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

If anyone has some explanation about Bora/Sky disastrous strategy, pls let me know. Happy for Benoot tho. Expecting big things from him since 2016

I think in a race like this its very difficult tactically. Because it's so hard to control. If Bora, for example, would have used up all their guys to drag Sagan back towards the front of the race, then he would have suddenly been vulnerable to all kinds of counter attacks by Sky or Movistar. It's not like there is 15km of flat somewhere where you can just set a pace and bring everything back together in a calm, controlled manner.

In hindsight their tactics look terrible because it left them with no chance - and both them and Sky don't have a great track record in these kind of things - but i think it was just a gamble that didn't pay off, rather than a glaring error.

 

[johnymax]

Wow Benoot is still only 23. Also van Aert and Muhlberger are the same age, while Power is 22. A lot of young guns in the top10. Nice to see.

Edit: Add Mohorič to the list. He is the same age and should be in the top15 somewhere if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

And although there were two pages of largely jingoistic slagging off of Italian broadcasters earlier in the thread, excellent coverage allowing viewers to keep track of several groups with largely reliable time gaps.

Some would expect them to somehow broadcast from several mobile cameras without any means of relay, but when air traffic safety requirements made it possible, they did just fine.

 

[hfer07]

Re:

If anyone has some explanation about Bora/Sky disastrous strategy, pls let me know. Happy for Benoot tho. Expecting big things from him since 2016

Watching each other, not willing to take the initiative, let the ego ride before the legs. Sagan broke away too late, Kwiato gave up once he realized he was going to be marked the entire race.

 

[Carols]

Re:

Boys look great all cleaned up

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

Benoot not learnt how to conduct winners interview yet :lol:

I was stupid enough to log off the Player - rather than simply jumping to the Special Channel - when the coverage ended on Eurosport Denmark. However, from what I understand he's doing just fine!
No harm in a few f-bombs on live television.

[imagine just above]
Boys look great all cleaned up

Wearing a mud mask does that to a person!

 

[krakenKE]

Re:

I really think Sagan could be in trouble with this many great classic riders this season..

He looked pretty good to me considering he has just returned from the training camp and this was his 1st race in Europe this year. Bora will aslo be much stronger this year. Hopefuly they can get their tactics right in next races.

 

[fauniera]

Re: Re:

If anyone has some explanation about Bora/Sky disastrous strategy, pls let me know. Happy for Benoot tho. Expecting big things from him since 2016

The race was really hard to control because of the weather and their main riders were heavily marked. And it's not like their teams were super impressive. Yeah Bora had 4 riders up there but it didn't look like they were nearly strong enough to control the race.

Disagree. Let Mühlberger, Burghardt and maybe also Oss ride tempo on the tarmac part after the long sterrato sector and you have control over the race.

The problem with Sky probably was that Moscon was co-leader and didn't work for Kwiat.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Valverde once again gets destroyed in a real classic where they don't wait for the final hill.

Considering his travel debacle yesterday/last night which according to Natalia was even worse than reported by the media, and his lack of rest and sleep, that's actually not a bad result for him at all.

 

[fauniera]

Re:

And although there were two pages of largely jingoistic slagging off of Italian broadcasters earlier in the thread, excellent coverage allowing viewers to keep track of several groups with largely reliable time gaps.

This.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Valverde once again gets destroyed in a real classic where they don't wait for the final hill.

Considering his travel debacle yesterday/last night which according to Natalia was even worse than reported by the media, and his lack of rest and sleep, that's actually not a bad result for him at all.

Yep, finishing 4th in a classic is almost never a bad result. Certainly the vast majority of riders will see it as a good day at the office. Despite what the 'only wins count' brigade on here might have you believe.

 

[Brullnux]

Is top 20 up yet or is it still only the top 10?

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

Considering his travel debacle yesterday/last night which according to Natalia was even worse than reported by the media, and his lack of rest and sleep, that's actually not a bad result for him at all.

Indeed, he did best of the favourites. Kudos to him.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Is top 20 up yet or is it still only the top 10?

Mohoric 11th. That's all for now.

 

[Screecher]

Re: Re:

If anyone has some explanation about Bora/Sky disastrous strategy, pls let me know. Happy for Benoot tho. Expecting big things from him since 2016

The race was really hard to control because of the weather and their main riders were heavily marked. And it's not like their teams were super impressive. Yeah Bora had 4 riders up there but it didn't look like they were nearly strong enough to control the race.

Disagree. Let Mühlberger, Burghardt and maybe also Oss ride tempo on the tarmac part after the long sterrato sector and you have control over the race.

The problem with Sky probably was that Moscon was co-leader and didn't work for Kwiat.

Perhaps. It seems as though even with a strong team Sagan can still be easily defeated.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Valverde once again gets destroyed in a real classic where they don't wait for the final hill.

Considering his travel debacle yesterday/last night which according to Natalia was even worse than reported by the media, and his lack of rest and sleep, that's actually not a bad result for him at all.

Yep, finishing 4th in a classic is almost never a bad result. Certainly the vast majority of riders will see it as a good day at the office. Despite what the 'only wins count' brigade on here might have you believe.

Then add in the other issues he had yesterday just trying to get to the race. It's not like he was there for a few days like everyone else was. A good day for him, however, if there is anyone to be upset with it's Movistar it's self for having made his travel plans so late that they didn't have an option B.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Valverde once again gets destroyed in a real classic where they don't wait for the final hill.

Many riders you claim to be far superior got destroyed a lot worse today. This is an admirable effort from Valverde

Losing is losing.

Those other riders have at least won real races before.

I rate Valverde about as high as Cavendish.

Cavendish isn't even in the same stratosphere, really.

Good race, but it was a little annoying that the favourite and especially Bora played it the way they did. Had they ridden differently,, this would have been amazing race. Also nice to see WVA, you can just tell he is an immense talent. RVV invite?

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Wow Benoot is still only 23. Also van Aert and Muhlberger are the same age, while Power is 22. A lot of young guns in the top10. Nice to see.

Edit: Add Mohorič to the list. He is the same age and should be in the top15 somewhere if I'm not mistaken.

Its not 260km

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Wow Benoot is still only 23. Also van Aert and Muhlberger are the same age, while Power is 22. A lot of young guns in the top10. Nice to see.

Edit: Add Mohorič to the list. He is the same age and should be in the top15 somewhere if I'm not mistaken.

Its not 260km

You think if it was another 60km that Benoot wouldn't have still been the strongest and that suddenly GVA, Gilbert and Sagan would have come from nowhere?