2018 Strade Bianche, 1.UWT, 03.03.18

[Gigs_98]

Wasn't the vuelta stage he won in 2015 an uphill sprint

 

[Durden93]

Re:

So, who's poor performance was the most surprising? Gilbert's, GVA's, or Kwia's? All finished 10+ minutes back.

I picked Kwia to win so I would say him.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

So, who's poor performance was the most surprising? Gilbert's, GVA's, or Kwia's? All finished 10+ minutes back.

I picked Kwia to win so I would say him.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think that Gilbert's performance is all that surprising/disappointing actually.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re: Re:

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.

Here's an even better view. Good shot of Bardet pulling away on the final climb too

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/twitter/?title=Another+angle+of+the+battle+for+2nd+-+includes+crash+footage&dashboard=strade-bianche&id=LamiraudF/status/970001357242621953&yr=2018

E p i c

 

[tobydawq]

Wasn't the vuelta stage he won in 2015 an uphill sprint

Ah, 2014 then. He paced the favorite group the whole climb for Quintana and then beat them anyway.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

[quote="

What about the Vuelta stage in 2015? Or San Sebastián 2014? Or LBL 2008?

Uphill sprint, final climb (although this is indeed his most impressive victory in a big race, in terms of how it was won) and sprint victory (Andy was by far the most aggressive cyclist there).

 

[Vroome.exe]

Valverde is pretty aggressive in the smaller races, but he's definitely a wheelsucker in the big ones. A boring rider. Even Cav can be aggressive in races he doesn't care about.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

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.

that's a given

:lol: You don't say!

I still need to work on my redaction!
But I guess you get the idea that teams and riders would approach it differently!

 

[red_flanders]

Was out skiing all weekend and just got to watching the race. Incredibly I didn't see a word about it, and got to enjoy it as if it were happening live. What a great race! Benoot was a beast, and watching him ride through that countryside covered in the grit of the Strade Bianche felt like a new version of Roubaix has arrived. Well almost.

Great, exciting race! The favorites sure got smoked by some young guns. Always fun to see.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Was out skiing all weekend and just got to watching the race. Incredibly I didn't see a word about it, and got to enjoy it as if it were happening live. What a great race! Benoot was a beast, and watching him ride through that countryside covered in the grit of the Strade Bianche felt like a new version of Roubaix has arrived. Well almost.

Great, exciting race! The favorites sure got smoked by some young guns. Always fun to see.

That's amazing you managed to not see anything about it before watching it. Good on your part. There is one favorite who actually had a great excuse for why he didn't podium (although still finished 4th) but won't use it. Valverde had a nice travel debacle and didn't get to the team hotel until late Friday. Yes it was nice to see some young riders up there.

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

Was out skiing all weekend and just got to watching the race. Incredibly I didn't see a word about it, and got to enjoy it as if it were happening live. What a great race! Benoot was a beast, and watching him ride through that countryside covered in the grit of the Strade Bianche felt like a new version of Roubaix has arrived. Well almost.

Great, exciting race! The favorites sure got smoked by some young guns. Always fun to see.

That's amazing you managed to not see anything about it before watching it. Good on your part. There is one favorite who actually had a great excuse for why he didn't podium (although still finished 4th) but won't use it. Valverde had a nice travel debacle and didn't get to the team hotel until late Friday. Yes it was nice to see some young riders up there.

Relatively easy in the US, just stay off the web for a day. Easier when there are 5-6 feet of powder in the mountains...

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Was out skiing all weekend and just got to watching the race. Incredibly I didn't see a word about it, and got to enjoy it as if it were happening live. What a great race! Benoot was a beast, and watching him ride through that countryside covered in the grit of the Strade Bianche felt like a new version of Roubaix has arrived. Well almost.

Great, exciting race! The favorites sure got smoked by some young guns. Always fun to see.

That's amazing you managed to not see anything about it before watching it. Good on your part. There is one favorite who actually had a great excuse for why he didn't podium (although still finished 4th) but won't use it. Valverde had a nice travel debacle and didn't get to the team hotel until late Friday. Yes it was nice to see some young riders up there.

Relatively easy in the US, just stay off the web for a day. Easier when there are 5-6 feet of powder in the mountains...

True, it's definitely easier over here. Big thing is stay off social media and cycling related sites.