Best classic rider

[Krzysztof_O]

OMG, I don't even know how to compare the current greats to the dinosaurs.
Out of this century I would pick Van der Poel: the best in Paris-Roubaix, the 2nd best in Flandres and probably still the most MSR wins in a decade of racing.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I guess we don't know what Ganna would do if he didn't have mvdp and Pog in his era but he's only won a single one day race ever I believe.. so not in the same ballpark as canc regardless of what the power meter may say.

Boonen vs Van Aert feels like the closest comparison imo.

Yeah, Ganna is like an elephant in a glass house in one-day races. The thing about Cancellara is that he was exceptional, not just physically but also technically and tactically, characteristics that Ganna does not posses. I actually see more similarities between Cancellara and MVDP in one day races for this reason.

I agree to some extent with the Boonen and Van Aert comparison in terms of rider characteristics, but I think Boonen was faster and had more of a winner's mentality, while Van Aert is the better 'climber' of the two (Boonen was pretty hopeless in that department).

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, Ganna is like an elephant in a glass house in one-day races. The thing about Cancellara is that he was exceptional, not just physically but also technically and tactically, characteristics that Ganna does not posses. I actually see more similarities between Cancellara and MVDP in one day races for this reason.

I agree to some extent with the Boonen and Van Aert comparison in terms of rider characteristics, but I think Boonen was faster and had more of a winner's mentality, while Van Aert is the better 'climber' of the two (Boonen was pretty hopeless in that department).

Basically every big Cancellara win apart from MSR was lol brute force.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Basically every big Cancellara win apart from MSR was lol brute force.

You are incorrect. Just think about RVV 2014 and Paris-Roubaix 2013.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Which Ronde and Sanremo courses are we using?

 

[Red Rick]

You are incorrect. Just think about RVV 2014 and Paris-Roubaix 2013.

Winning a sprint is just brute force for a different amount of time at a different moment.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Winning a sprint is just brute force for a different amount of time at a different moment.

You are funny. Maybe you should rewatch those races.

 

[Netserk]

yeah i also think canc was rather cunning and mostly rode quite well tactically

he had good timing and rarely used much energy before he made his move , it was only in his spartacus period that he thought raw power was enough

 

[Red Rick]

yeah i also think canc was rather cunning and mostly rode quite well tactically

he had good timing and rarely used much energy before he made his move , it was only in his spartacus period that he thought raw power was enough

RVV 2011 and MSR 2012 are all timers

 

[Netserk]

RVV 2011 and MSR 2012 are all timers

thats the spartacus period

 

[proffate]

Winning a sprint is just brute force for a different amount of time at a different moment.

Once you are the favorite it becomes basically impossible to win by any other means than brute force for some number of seconds. Cancellara can't just pull a Terpstra or Nibali or Bettiol. But sometimes it takes a bit of nous to know when to open the throttle. Especially in races like Roubaix, where you alternate between hard sections and flat pavement, and the race situation is constantly changing; you can't just let lesser threats up the road but you also can't just drag the whole group of favorites with you. And finding the Sep Vanmarckes of the peloton who will somewhat contribute because they're happy with 2nd, requires understanding of psychological tactics. I also liked >1000w seated attacks which made it look like he was hardly trying and broke the spirit of his chasers, even though I think it contributed to the mechanical doping allegations.

That said I did think he fell back on, "well if I can't win I'll just show I am the strongest" a few too many times, which sabotaged his chances in the subsequent race as he'd continue to be the most marked.