5th?

[Popchu]

Demare and Degenkolb are the most complete, Bouhanni the fastest. Yes, Theo Bos is fast but his biggest win is a stage victory in the Eneco Tour (?)... That says enough I think.

 

[Gloin22]

yep, but gave a flat fast course with no obstacles and Bos beats Kristoff, Degenkolb and Bouhanni everyday

Fortunately being fast is not the only thing that makes successful sprinter..

 

[Pippo_San]

Totally going with Viviani. The kid's almost a 1st tier sprinter, almost on par with the big guys (Gorilla, Cav, Kittel...Sagan?).
Yet his terrible positioning skills make him lose the sprint 8 times out of 10.

 

[kingjr]

Totally going with Viviani. The kid's almost a 1st tier sprinter, almost on par with the big guys (Gorilla, Cav, Kittel...Sagan?).
Yet his terrible positioning skills make him lose the sprint 8 times out of 10.

And these 8 times out of 10 make him look faster than he is because he always has to come from behind using the slipstream of the riders in front of him...

 

[Tashkent Terror]

I like Degenkolb and would consider him part of a big four (excluding Sagan). Bouhanni and Demare to follow.

The poll results look about right to me as things stand, be interesting to look at this again come November and see what has developed.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Degenkolb pretty much closed the poll with this sprint today.

 

[Netserk]

Degenkolb pretty much closed the poll with this sprint today.

How??? He had a far better lead out than all of his opponents.

 

[fauniera]

Imagine Guardini with that kind of lead out.

 

[jaylew]

How??? He had a far better lead out than all of his opponents.

Exactly, perfect lead out. Giant really has taken the mantle for best sprint train in my mind.

 

[kingjr]

Goss could barely hold his wheel, it was a good leadout but a very nice sprint as well.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

How??? He had a far better lead out than all of his opponents.

The argumentation in this thread so far has been that Degenkolb is the best of those second tier sprinters when it comes to hilly, difficult, chaotic finishes. Today he has proven pretty nice that he's superior in dull, flat, well-organized sprints as well.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

In terms of top speed, Bos and Guardini probably top the list. However, Degenkolb isn't that far behind and climbs better than any other rider on the list. He is also much better in the classics and he is probably the most consistent sprinter in the world at the moment, just look at his results in sprints this year : 4, 2, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1. He is definately closer to Greipel/Kittel/Cavendish than to tier 2. I like Démare, Bouhanni, and pretty much all the riders on the list but Degenkolb is the obvious answer here.

 

[Roude Leiw]

I am surprised by the large margin Degenkolb is leading. I do not consider him a sprinter in the sense of the Big 3 and on a flat race he will probably loose to most of those in the list. He really shines in tough hilly races where the others get lost and he dominates the 50+ groups sprints.

I voted Demare who I see having more potential than Bouhanni. Was close to voting Coquard, that lad has a lot of potential, but is a bit on his own in most races, fdj definitively is more apt on building a train for the last 2 km

Our friend Degenkolb just demonstrated in spectacular fashion that I had him down wrong. I give a lot of credit to Giant for this win, on the other hand, you have to be good to get this kind of train at your disposal, so I stand corrected and would now vote Degenkolb in front of Demare

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Well, he only beat 2 out of this poll of course.

I still think Bouhanni is the most "pure" sprinter out of those, and has a lot of class and potential.

 

[karlboss]

Curious question how would Degenkolb go as a leadout man for Kittel, he seems to instinctively go from too far out anyway.

 

[kingjr]

Curious question how would Degenkolb go as a leadout man for Kittel, he seems to instinctively go from too far out anyway.

He was part of the leadout in last years TdF.

 

[karlboss]

He was part of the leadout in last years TdF.

Really? I remember Veelers, Dumoulin and de Kort leading Kittel out. What role did he fill?

Maybe I should have edited my earlier post to say I wonder how he would go as "the" leadout man for Kittel. I avoided it because year round Degenkolb is too valuable for that, but maybe at the Tour he'd be perfect.

 

[CycloAndy]

Really? I remember Veelers, Dumoulin and de Kort leading Kittel out. What role did he fill?

Maybe I should have edited my earlier post to say I wonder how he would go as "the" leadout man for Kittel. I avoided it because year round Degenkolb is too valuable for that, but maybe at the Tour he'd be perfect.

I don't remember Degenkolb leading Kittel out either. Probably would do a decent job, but Veelers, Dumoulin and de Kort do a great job without him, and it may mean he can save a bit more energy for the less flat stages.

 

[kingjr]

Maybe I should have edited my earlier post to say I wonder how he would go as "the" leadout man for Kittel. I avoided it because year round Degenkolb is too valuable for that, but maybe at the Tour he'd be perfect.

Basically what CycloAndy said, the Veelers/Kittel combination has worked great since 2011 so I dont see the team making any changes there for now.

About last year, yes he wasn't the one last in line, but he was part of the train, for example between Dumoulin and De Kort he would take a turn.

 

[gunara]

And what will be FDJ plan if they bring both Bouhanni and Demare to the tour? I don't understand the 'split duties' thing as I don't see them quite having Kittel - Degenkolb difference, they are far more similar I think and I don't know how good any of them as leadout for another.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

And what will be FDJ plan if they bring both Bouhanni and Demare to the tour? I don't understand the 'split duties' thing as I don't see them quite having Kittel - Degenkolb difference, they are far more similar I think and I don't know how good any of them as leadout for another.

well, I think Demare is much more versatile than Bouhanni. Demare could very well be a classic star in the making. At the tour Demare will try and win the cobbles stage and a few of the harder "flat" stages. Bouhanni will take care of the traditional bunch sprints.

 

[gunara]

well, I think Demare is much more versatile than Bouhanni. Demare could very well be a classic star in the making. At the tour Demare will try and win the cobbles stage and a few of the harder "flat" stages. Bouhanni will take care of the traditional bunch sprints.

I'm one of the believers of that, really, I like him a lot on cobbles. But I'm still not sure if for now he is worth 'wasting' for trying to win only difficult sprint stages of a clear Sagan/Degenkolb territory, and if he's even better shot at such stages than Bouhanni himself, which is not really a Theo Bos either. I won't be complaining too much if Demare spared for other GT or maybe find another team so he can go head on in purer sprint against Bouhanni and Coquard for this coveted 5th in near future

Oh, and for now I go with Degenkolb, ahead of Kristoff. I've seen him winning straight flat, hard, lucky etc..