Better climber: Igor Anton vs Samuel Sánchez

[The Hitch]

I think Anton would have gone even better on MT. Baldy, as it's a long haul, favouring climbers ( in form ). Samu is like a Valverde and Scarponi but more intuitve and probably better rounded.

Huh

Zoncolan is the ultimate climbing challenge. Why would he have done better on mount baldy???

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Especially when we consider Antón likes it steep.

Though he can also win at Vallnord Sector Pal, so I don't think it really matters, just as long as it's uphill.

 

[El Pistolero]

Especially when we consider Antón likes it steep.

Though he can also win at Vallnord Sector Pal, so I don't think it really matters, just as long as it's uphill.

He climbed slower than Garzelli who was in a breakaway the whole time.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He climbed slower than Garzelli who was in a breakaway the whole time.

Yesterday, Garzelli finished 104th, 17 minutes down.
Igor Antón fought to win on what must be just about the toughest climb in the professional world.

Today, Antón finished 6'18" behind Garzelli, who had been targeting this stage.

Yes, Garzelli had been in the breakaway all day, but he'd conserved energy yesterday to be able to do it. Antón had not. Antón left everything on the mountain yesterday, so it's not surprising he didn't have too much today, considering he hasn't done anything like a 7.5 hour stage before and he wasn't originally aiming at the Giro's GC.

As pointed out above, Antón is a spectacularly good climber. Unfortunately he's also a spectacularly inconsistent one.

 

[theyoungest]

Oops, and the hype train has come to a halt. Obviously Samu Sanchez is the better climber, no doubt about it.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yesterday, Garzelli finished 104th, 17 minutes down.
Igor Antón fought to win on what must be just about the toughest climb in the professional world.

Today, Antón finished 6'18" behind Garzelli, who had been targeting this stage.

Yes, Garzelli had been in the breakaway all day, but he'd conserved energy yesterday to be able to do it. Antón had not. Antón left everything on the mountain yesterday, so it's not surprising he didn't have too much today, considering he hasn't done anything like a 7.5 hour stage before and he wasn't originally aiming at the Giro's GC.

As pointed out above, Antón is a spectacularly good climber. Unfortunately he's also a spectacularly inconsistent one.

Yeah, Garzelli is how old though? For a GT contender his performance today was beyond poor. Oh well, Vuelta usually has only one big mountain in every mtf stage, so that will still be a walk in the park for him as long as he doesn't crash.

Samu Sanchez definitely the better overall climber.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yeah, Garzelli is how old though? For a GT contender his performance today was beyond poor. Oh well, Vuelta usually has only one big mountain in every mtf stage, so that will still be a walk in the park for him as long as he doesn't crash.

Samu Sanchez definitely the better overall climber.

But Antón said he wasn't here for the GC and was focusing on stage wins?

And Antón's season is focused around the Vuelta, whereas this is the absolute highlight moment of Garzelli's season?

Given that this isn't the focus point of his season, his performance is disappointing, yes, but not "beyond poor". Di Luca has been "beyond poor". Sastre has been "beyond poor". Pozzovivo has been "beyond poor".

Garzelli has had one good day, probably one he targeted well before the event. Antón has had one bad day. I don't see how that makes him "beyond poor". He's still inside 10 minutes of Contador, and after Etna I worried that NOBODY would be that by the end of the race.

 

[El Pistolero]

But Antón said he wasn't here for the GC and was focusing on stage wins?

And Antón's season is focused around the Vuelta, whereas this is the absolute highlight moment of Garzelli's season?

Given that this isn't the focus point of his season, his performance is disappointing, yes, but not "beyond poor". Di Luca has been "beyond poor". Sastre has been "beyond poor". Pozzovivo has been "beyond poor".

Garzelli has had one good day, probably one he targeted well before the event. Antón has had one bad day. I don't see how that makes him "beyond poor". He's still inside 10 minutes of Contador, and after Etna I worried that NOBODY would be that by the end of the race.

That's like Contador saying he didn't know where his form stood before the Giro. All mind games. Anton definitely was targetting for a good GC here considering he didn't lose time on any stage except to Contador/Rujano(and 9 seconds on the Etna)

Giro/Vuelta double is perfectly doable as proven by Contador and Nibali.

 

[Arnout]

Oops, and the hype train has come to a halt. Obviously Samu Sanchez is the better climber, no doubt about it.

Why? Sanchez would never be able to pull of something like Anton did yesterday. But Anton still needs to toughen up, which surprises me a bit. Although part of me thinks this was the good old hunger knock (is that even English?) as he seemed to have lost most of his time on the second to last climb.

 

[roundabout]

Sanchez is probably still the more consistent of the two.

As for the question asked, I still have no idea.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think I was pretty much spot on.

Sorry Hitch, liked to support you on this one but I think Anton just edges it. A more natural climber and wins more mountain stages than Sammy as well.

Anton is more inconsistent, but when on form he's a better climber than Sammy, undeniable.

 

[The Hitch]

People here seem to think that because Samu has super descending and tting in his locker every time he manages to place well in hilly or mountainous courses, it must be the descending/ tting.

At the Tour last year- probably his piece de resistance other than beijing 08, he got all of his time on climbs. He lost big in Arenberg, started like most in the rain in Rotterdam and had a broken wrist in Bordeaux - wherever tt.

He owned the Madeline descent but because it was 10k from the finish and he was on his own, he could do nothing about losing all the time he gained on the flat.

But hey, he did a good descent in Vuelta 07 so he must have got all that time on some descent somehwere ergo Anton is a better climber

Samu Sanchez definitely the better overall climber.

Thank you.

Sorry Hitch, liked to support you on this one but I think Anton just edges it. A more natural climber and wins more mountain stages than Sammy as well.

Anton is more inconsistent, but when on form he's a better climber than Sammy, undeniable.

Come on Ruben. You dont think Samu could have put 1 minute into your beloved Nibali on Zoncolan?

 

[killswitch]

Although part of me thinks this was the good old hunger knock (is that even English?) as he seemed to have lost most of his time on the second to last climb.

Only Rujano can have hunger knocks.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

People here seem to think that because Samu has super descending and tting in his locker every time he manages to place well in hilly or mountainous courses, it must be the descending/ tting.

At the Tour last year- probably his piece de resistance other than beijing 08, he got all of his time on climbs. He lost big in Arenberg, started like most in the rain in Rotterdam and had a broken wrist in Bordeaux - wherever tt.

He owned the Madeline descent but because it was 10k from the finish and he was on his own, he could do nothing about losing all the time he gained on the flat.

But hey, he did a good descent in Vuelta 07 so he must have got all that time on some descent somehwere ergo Anton is a better climber



Thank you.



Come on Ruben. You dont think Samu could have put 1 minute into your beloved Nibali on Zoncolan?

I don't think Samu could have put 1 minute into Contador on the Zoncolan, no.

 

[Bumeington]

This question is difficult to answer, they both have 81 on PCM

 

[Angliru]

That's like Contador saying he didn't know where his form stood before the Giro. All mind games. Anton definitely was targetting for a good GC here considering he didn't lose time on any stage except to Contador/Rujano(and 9 seconds on the Etna)

Giro/Vuelta double is perfectly doable as proven by Contador and Nibali.

If I recall correctly Anton said prior to the Giro that his goal was a stage win and that he would see how well he's going in the 3rd week and then see where he lies in the gc. His arc of his performance pretty much supports all that he said before the start of the event.

I'm looking forward to seeing him in top form for the Vuelta to prove all the doubters wrong and potentially win or at minimum battle for the win. He's proven this Giro that he's not such an abysmal bike handler that he's likely to crash out of every grand tour he enters. Euskaltel has represented themselves and the Basque region quite well. They should be proud!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

El Pistoletje, it's a FACT that Anton started the Giro overweight. So then you can pretty much certainly say he isn't 100%

 

[The Hitch]

El Pistoletje, it's a FACT that Anton started the Giro overweight. So then you can pretty much certainly say he isn't 100%

lol How many nicknames does El Pistolero have?

Timmy calls him El Pickle.
You call him El pistoletje
Boomcie calls him El Pistolet
ACF calls him El Clenbuterelo
I call him Pisti.

Any other takers.

 

[boomcie]

lol How many nicknames does El Pistolero have?

Timmy calls him El Pickle.
You call him El pistoletje
Boomcie calls him El Pistolet
ACF calls him El Clenbuterelo
I call him Pisti.

Any other takers.

That's pretty funny. Maybe El Pistolet can provide us with an exhaustive list.

 

[theyoungest]

lol How many nicknames does El Pistolero have?

Timmy calls him El Pickle.
You call him El pistoletje
Boomcie calls him El Pistolet
ACF calls him El Clenbuterelo
I call him Pisti.

Any other takers.

El Pistrollero, of course.

 

[Duitama]

Luckily for us Euskaltel fans, whe don´t have to choose, we have them both

 

[Libertine Seguros]

personally I think Antón is the more naturally gifted climber, but Sánchez is a better and smarter rider.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Anton is much younger than Sanchez though, so it's only natural that Samuel Sanchez is 'smarter' due to experience.

Anton is from 84 I believe, so his best years are still to come.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

lol How many nicknames does El Pistolero have?

Timmy calls him El Pickle.
You call him El pistoletje
Boomcie calls him El Pistolet
ACF calls him El Clenbuterelo
I call him Pisti.

Any other takers.

I'd like to call him boterkoek from now on, because I prefer eating boterkoeken .. they're waay tastier than Pistolets...

+ Anton is a better climber, more of a pure climber + his best years are still to come

 

[boomcie]

I'd like to call him boterkoek from now on, because I prefer eating boterkoeken .. they're waay tastier than Pistolets...

That's pretty funny
Although it also makes me wonder. Why do you think El Pistolet (AKA El Boterkoek) is tasty?