Can Sagan be destroyed be in the classics?

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Is it possible? Or is the classic season over before it even started? With Peter Sagan in the race? And possibly his shadow too?

And maybe Juraj will rise too.

Will something change in the next months?

It became so bad that when Sagan drops I always think it's on purpose that he drops. I know it's stupid but that's how good he seems to me.

 

[Miburo]

Wauw just wauw

I shouldn't have made that Gesink-joke

 

[Carols]

Another poll without my response as an option Is this the best you guys can do?

Went with #2....

 

[SafeBet]

Be destroyed be is my new mantra.

 

[Cancellator]

Right now I think Sagan and Cancellara are a level above the other guys. Tom Boonen in top shape would be up there too, but sadly this is not his best season. I'd say the Ronde is 40 % Sagan / 40 % Cance / 20 % someone else.

As far as Roubaix goes, Sagan isn't riding that, is he? Then we all know what's gonna happen .

Last year when Cancellara said that the 2 cobbled monuments were won by "foot soldiers" (in 2011) , people got offended. I agree it was a disrespectful way to put it, but it was kind of true. What other major wins did those guys have? In the classics there are a handful ( or less ) of elite riders, and the others just have to hope for lucky opportunities. And right now those elite riders are Cancellara and Sagan.

 

[burning]

Right now I think Sagan and Cancellara are a level above the other guys. Tom Boonen in top shape would be up there too, but sadly this is not his best season. I'd say the Ronde is 40 % Sagan / 40 % Cance / 20 % someone else.

As far as Roubaix goes, Sagan isn't riding that, is he? Then we all know what's gonna happen .

Last year when Cancellara said that the 2 cobbled monuments were won by "foot soldiers" (in 2011) , people got offended. I agree it was a disrespectful way to put it, but it was kind of true. What other major wins did those guys have? In the classics there are a handful ( or less ) of elite riders, and the others just have to hope for lucky opportunities. And right now those elite riders are Cancellara and Sagan.

http://cdn4.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2013/03/17/2/bettiniphoto_0136903_1_full_670.jpg
(Posting this as link, hit the image limit)

There were quite a few "lucky opportunities" in recent years, one should never underestimate his opponents

 

[Richeypen]

There were quite a few "lucky opportunities" in recent years, one should never underestimate his opponents

You forgot

 

[Tom T.]

I'm looking forward to Ronde when Cance and Sagan pull away from the rest 50km out and go mano a mano. What a spectacle that will be in the truest sense of the word.

 

[Afrank]

Is this a serious thread? Or just to make fun of Miburo?

 

[trevim]

Of course he can. His team is weak enough and his tactical sense (or self confidence) may get him to make mistakes. I'm not saying he won't win but classics are unpredictable, everything can happen. Where was Vansummeren before his win in Roubaix? Nowhere.
The only ones with a strong team are Boonen and Gilbert and there are some justified doubts about their shape. I want to see Cancellara getting another monument, don't care which one. Then, on the dreamland, Hushovd winning Roubaix.
Sagan can wait until Amstel to win another big one, he has plenty of time ahead of him, no need to upset the old men Anyway, regarding Ronde Van Vlandeeren, Cancellara looks to have the edge on the climbs like Kwaremont but if Sagans hangs on (like Boonen last year), it's almost impossible to drop him in the flat and impossible to outkick him on the sprint. Looking forward to Sagan vs Boonen vs Cancellara with some outsiders like Haussler, Chavanel, Terpstra, Boom,etc. The best chance Boonen has (just my 2 cents) is using his team on breaks (not with Vandenbergh as their sprint hope) and having the others chasing them down while he's riding on wheels.

 

[Zweistein]

Right now I think Sagan and Cancellara are a level above the other guys. Tom Boonen in top shape would be up there too, but sadly this is not his best season. I'd say the Ronde is 40 % Sagan / 40 % Cance / 20 % someone else.

.

You are tremendously underrating Boonen. He has done a flanders - paris roubaix twice, and one of those times was just last year. As strong as Canc is, he has to be strong enough to shake Boonen. Boonen doesn't have to shake Canc with the sprint he has.

 

[cineteq]

You are tremendously underrating Boonen. He has done a flanders - paris roubaix twice, and one of those times was just last year. As strong as Canc is, he has to be strong enough to shake Boonen. Boonen doesn't have to shake Canc with the sprint he has.

How's he doing after his fall in GW, anybody heard?

 

[Jancouver]

How's he doing after his fall in GW, anybody heard?

I heard he will be just fine and riding three days of Panne for some additional training.

 

[woodenswan]

amazing thread!
looking forward to a long line of "be destroyed be" polls

 

[ElChingon]

amazing thread!
looking forward to a long line of "be destroyed be" polls

This may be the first poll where the answer is obvious but the question is not

 

[Zweistein]

How's he doing after his fall in GW, anybody heard?

He stretched things out at E3 but did hang around for the final. Part of me wonders if he was just stretching his legs and using this as training. Another part of me wonders if he didn't care to be in the finish this race because Canc doesn't use tactics at all when he thinks he is the strongest. Probably, the easiest way to beat an overconfident Canc is sit on his wheel and let him take stupid hard and long pulls and wear himself out.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Of course he can. His team is weak enough and his tactical sense (or self confidence) may get him to make mistakes.

snipped..

Sagans team may look weak on paper, but they sure as hell feature very deep in the cobbles races.

Bodnar yesterday was instrumental in Sagan win.

5 team mates closed the gap to the front group deep in E3 race the other day.

Plenty of support for young Sagan it seems.

 

[HiCadence]

Is it possible? Or is the classic season over before it even started? With Peter Sagan in the race? And possibly his shadow too?

And maybe Juraj will rise too.

Will something change in the next months?

It became so bad that when Sagan drops I always think it's on purpose that he drops. I know it's stupid but that's how good he seems to me.

Juraj so much more classier than Peter.

 

[Netserk]

No Boonen option ?!?

 

[SafeBet]

Sagans team may look weak on paper, but they sure as hell feature very deep in the cobbles races.

Bodnar yesterday was instrumental in Sagan win.

5 team mates closed the gap to the front group deep in E3 race the other day.

Plenty of support for young Sagan it seems.

Absolutely true.
They were amazing in Harelbeke, almost dropping the entire peloton behind them.

 

[GP Blanco]

Of course he can lose eventhough he and Cancellara are the strongest at this moment with a slight Oude Kwaremont advantage for the latter. Even Sagan can't react on every move and especially in the cobbled classics there is something called 'luck'. You just need one puncture and you are gone.

 

[Cimber]

Dont really understand this poll. Sagan has won GW. He didnt win MSR or E3. Spartacus' performance in E3 was more impressive imho, and a poll about him would have made more sense.

That said Sagan does have a shot on winning RVV and PR, but its not like he is a far bigger favorite than Spartacus, not at all.

 

[maltiv]

Dont really understand this poll. Sagan has won GW. He didnt win MSR or E3. Spartacus' performance in E3 was more impressive imho, and a poll about him would have made more sense.

That said Sagan does have a shot on winning RVV and PR, but its not like he is a far bigger favorite than Spartacus, not at all.

I don't think Sagan is riding P-R anyway.

 

[Pentacycle]

I don't think Sagan is riding P-R anyway.

It doesn't suit him as much as hills, by far. You really need high aerobic power for cobbles, as sitting in the wheels doesn't save as much energy. I'm not saying he can't possibly win it though.

 

[gruppeto993]

I am afraid canc and sagan will cancel eachother out. They will escape together, will share the work at first then argue who will pull for the last 10km while some escapees sneak up from behind.

Sagan's team are underrated. Cancellara's team seems pretty crap. Popovych was visible in GW but i didnt see anyone else. Not sure about devolder.