2018 Strade Bianche, 1.UWT, 03.03.18

[burning]

This was a great race, well deserved by Benoot.

Also, why on earth you guys are getting trolled by el pisti, just ignore him and move on.

 

[Kwibus]

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?

The finale wouldve started later.

 

[rick james]

After reading this thread I’m looking forward to getting home from work, having a beer and chilling out to watch today’s race.....just a shame that the weather Scotland has had I have no decent food to have with it.....toast and beans for me

 

[Jagartrott]

This is how tired Van Aert was at the end:
https://twitter.com/kingstonwheeler/status/969968381028896768

Amazing. Almost looks drunk and on the verge of collapse.

 

[jaylew]

Wow, Wout actually fell over and walked his bike up. Crazy.

 

[El Pistolero]

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.

Nope, Van Aert did better than Valverde in his very first WT race. And before you say he wasn't one of the favorites, he was invited for the press conference alongside Sagan and Kwiatkowski. They didn't invite Valverde (he has no market value outside of Spain anyway).

 

[El Pistolero]

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.

Yes. Very far from level of boredom.
I know that you want AGR to be the greatest race after monuments but it has almost nothing to offer in terms of excitement unless they change the route considerably. Sure it has the history but present peloton is too strong for this type of routes.

Currently, Amstel and G-W are the highest ranking non-monument classics. Flèche is more prestigious than Strade for now as well.

Lmao, no real cyclist even thinks that. Ask them and you'll get the same responses.

Strade Bianche belongs in the same category as G-W and AGR already.

 

[Screecher]

Kwiatkowski 30. + 10:57, GVA 34. + 13:05, Gilbert 36. + 13:05, Vanmarcke 41. + 17:08

 

[Koronin]

Here's pictures of Valverde after the race. I think pictures of any of the guys after this one shows how hard this race really was.

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28576095_2103163023033394_4455815447803566996_n.jpg?oh=8dd646d2fda7803f73ff81f8cff97204&oe=5B012208

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28575798_2090298487654789_6055792931551103011_n.jpg?oh=cf049f831dba8e840db7a4193c00160d&oe=5B4CC8A3

 

[DNP-Old]

Re:

Kwiatkowski 30. + 10:57, GVA 34. + 13:05, Gilbert 36. + 13:05, Vanmarcke 41. + 17:08

Gaviria 49th.

 

[Koronin]

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.

Nope, Van Aert did better than Valverde in his very first WT race. And before you say he wasn't one of the favorites, he was invited for the press conference alongside Sagan and Kwiatkowski. They didn't invite Valverde (he has no market value outside of Spain anyway).

They couldn't have invited Valverde as he was in Spain until very late last night.

 

[Popchu]

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.

Nope, Van Aert did better than Valverde in his very first WT race. And before you say he wasn't one of the favorites, he was invited for the press conference alongside Sagan and Kwiatkowski. They didn't invite Valverde (he has no market value outside of Spain anyway).

Could you please stop with this trolling, thank you.

 

[SKSemtex]

I start to have a feeling that cold and rain is not a Sagan cap of coffee anymore.
Actually, I do not remember when he won last time the big race in this condition. G-W 2013?

 

[KGB]

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

Was look more like Sagan wanted ride for Oss and just testing his legs.Then later they found out he is actually ok and again the best from Bora but was just too late.Not sure why Oss was not more aggressive(too cold and not legs?).
Sky and Kwiatek?Hm I don't think so this is weather for Kwiatek (MSR cold and snow editions)even he shows up snapshot from SB route during a week.
Benoot was so hungry to win.

 

[KGB]

I start to have a feeling that cold and rain is not a Sagan cap of coffee anymore.
Actually, I do not remember when he won last time the big race in this condition. G-W 2013?

But he was good today.I don't think so was weather problem for him.He is in good form.I guess this classic was for Oss and for Sagan just check the legs.

 

[Jspear]

I start to have a feeling that cold and rain is not a Sagan cap of coffee anymore.
Actually, I do not remember when he won last time the big race in this condition. G-W 2013?

But he was good today.I don't think so was weather problem for him.He is in good form.I guess this classic was for Oss and for Sagan just check the legs.

Sure he was good, because he was in the top 10, but he wasn't very good. If he had been able to follow Valverde, Power, and Visconti, he would have. He didn't seem fully himself today.

 

[SKSemtex]

I start to have a feeling that cold and rain is not a Sagan cap of coffee anymore.
Actually, I do not remember when he won last time the big race in this condition. G-W 2013?

But he was good today.I don't think so was weather problem for him.He is in good form.I guess this classic was for Oss and for Sagan just check the legs.

it was comedy race for Bora. more like tragedy especially "if he was good". Nope, he was not. Unfortunately, we had no idea what was going behind the leaders. Very bad coverage. As I said. He is much better in sunny days.

Ok probably he was not so bad, but this should be his race including the last climb. Even the length is perfect. As somebody said here it looked like Sagan and Strade did not like each other. For him, this should be easier to win then MSR. Definitely, that one week of racing is missed. Let's hope his top form will culminate in PR.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Boys look great all cleaned up

Lol, my grandma, she's 90 years old, said the same, she called Benoot a good looking boy.

 

[huge]

Re:

Wow, Wout actually fell over and walked his bike up. Crazy.

He cramped up. That's why he got to a standstill and fell sideways.
He was still cramping up when trying to remount the bike.

 

[KGB]

I start to have a feeling that cold and rain is not a Sagan cap of coffee anymore.
Actually, I do not remember when he won last time the big race in this condition. G-W 2013?

But he was good today.I don't think so was weather problem for him.He is in good form.I guess this classic was for Oss and for Sagan just check the legs.

it was comedy race for Bora. more like tragedy especially "if he was good". Nope, he was not. Unfortunately, we had no idea what was going behind the leaders. Very bad coverage. As I said. He is much better in sunny days.

Ok probably he was not so bad, but this should be his race including the last climb. Even the length is perfect. As somebody said here it looked like Sagan and Strade did not like each other. For him, this should be easier to win then MSR. Definitely, that one week of racing is missed. Let's hope his top form will culminate in PR.

I think the same SB is not his race.This race will be for him very hard to win one day and that's why he raced today for Oss.

 

[jfazendeiro]

it was comedy race for Bora. more like tragedy especially "if he was good". Nope, he was not. Unfortunately, we had no idea what was going behind the leaders.[/quote]

When Eurosport started the transmission, imeadiatly before the Monte Sante Marie sector, I didn't saw Sagan in the first group that contained Valverde and Kwiatkowski. There were others contenders with him but he knew the group was too good to be caught by helpers. Oss was indeed in there too and so wouldn't help. So it wasn't understandable for him, if had the energy, to not follow.

He ended catching them as Stybar, slightly after, and I think I saw Oss conducting the pursuit before a larger group was formed with more helpers. This is the reason why I believe Sagan was the team leader for this race.

In the end he was 8th. He didn't accompained Valverde, which would be difficult even in the best condition, nor Stybar in Piazza del Campo but by that time is possible he was desinterested of the race. Nevertheless the question is why he didn't attacked when Benoot attacked in the 2nd group? Benoot closed a 40s gap in the 3km sector. The group of Sagan was 30 or 40s behind.

Indeed he isn't very close to be in top shape just 2 weeks from MSR. I doubt he would be able to make differences on the Poggio, which he needs to win.

 

[Escarabajo]

Sagan is fine IMHO.
Had this been a different race it would have been different. The day that this one becomes a classic the dynamic of the race would change.
I understand this race is great and I love it, but it is not the same as when teams bring their best teammates and leaders in peak conditions.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

it was comedy race for Bora. more like tragedy especially "if he was good". Nope, he was not. Unfortunately, we had no idea what was going behind the leaders.

When Eurosport started the transmission, imeadiatly before the Monte Sante Marie sector, I didn't saw Sagan in the first group that contained Valverde and Kwiatkowski. There were others contenders with him but he knew the group was too good to be caught by helpers. Oss was indeed in there too and so wouldn't help. So it wasn't understandable for him, if had the energy, to not follow.

He ended catching them as Stybar, slightly after, and I think I saw Oss conducting the pursuit before a larger group was formed with more helpers. This is the reason why I believe Sagan was the team leader for this race.

In the end he was 8th. He didn't accompained Valverde, which would be difficult even in the best condition, nor Stybar in Piazza del Campo but by that time is possible he was desinterested of the race. Nevertheless the question is why he didn't attacked when Benoot attacked in the 2nd group? Benoot closed a 40s gap in the 3km sector. The group of Sagan was 30 or 40s behind.

Indeed he isn't very close to be in top shape just 2 weeks from MSR. I doubt he would be able to make differences on the Poggio, which he needs to win.[/quote]

I can't see why he has to be the one making a difference on Poggio. It's not like there's a bunch of guys faster than him in a sprint. A reduced sprint, where he doesn't need to do any suicidal things on Poggio (like dragging others with him as last year) will likely be the best scenario for him, in my opinion.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Fine race in epic conditions. However, not many riders willing to make the race. Kudos to those six who actually did and of course congratulations to Benoot on a phenomenal victory.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

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

What a ludicrous statement. If he had won I'm fairly certain there would've been some ridiculous way to find fault.