Congrats to Gerrans on MSR.... BUT

[Hitchey]

I'm not sure if they had radios or not during MSR. My guess is that either way, Gerrans had to have known that Goss was no longer in the front group going down the Poggio. That means that Goss and Nibali sat on Fabian's wheel for essentially all of over 8 km-then Gerrans jumped for the win.

Yes he reacted to Nibali's attack, but at least Nibali had Sagan sitting in who could take the sprint, which he did for 3rd.

What would Gerran's excuse for not taking more than a 1 or 2 pulls be?

Sitting in almost the entire time not doubt left more in the tank for his sprint. It would have probably been different if he worked with Fabian.

Yes he won, and I am a fan of his. But in my eyes, one might be thinking while sitting on for over 8 km that maybe there has to be SOME honor and he might just act like he couldn't take Fabian in the sprint and concede the win to someone who has been pulling him along for so long and arguably deserved it more?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What would Gerran's excuse for not taking more than a 1 or 2 pulls be?

That he wanted to win.

 

[Caruut]

I'm not sure if they had radios or not during MSR. My guess is that either way, Gerrans had to have known that Goss was no longer in the front group going down the Poggio. That means that Goss and Nibali sat on Fabian's wheel for essentially all of over 8 km-then Gerrans jumped for the win.

Yes he reacted to Nibali's attack, but at least Nibali had Sagan sitting in who could take the sprint, which he did for 3rd.

What would Gerran's excuse for not taking more than a 1 or 2 pulls be?

Sitting in almost the entire time not doubt left more in the tank for his sprint. It would have probably been different if he worked with Fabian.

Yes he won, and I am a fan of his. But in my eyes, one might be thinking while sitting on for over 8 km that maybe there has to be SOME honor and he might just act like he couldn't take Fabian in the sprint and concede the win to someone who has been pulling him along for so long and arguably deserved it more?

Nobody forced Canc to ride that way. He rode that way for himself, and this time it didn't work.

 

[taiwan]

A) Welcome to bike racing.

B) You should edit your post so that it makes more sense.

 

[Cogombre]

Yes he won, and I am a fan of his. But in my eyes, one might be thinking while sitting on for over 8 km that maybe there has to be SOME honor and he might just act like he couldn't take Fabian in the sprint and concede the win to someone who has been pulling him along for so long and arguably deserved it more?

So you're saying he should have sat up when he was fighting for the biggest win in this whole career, something he might not even have the chance of repeat?

Sure.

 

[luckyboy]

They have radios for all WorldTour races btw. No other races though.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

What would Gerran's excuse for not taking more than a 1 or 2 pulls be?

Having Cancellara in front of you not even looking back and you just cruising behind him? Why would you take over when your biggest competitor is killing himself? The question shouldn't be why Gerrans didn't take more pulls, but why Cancellara didn't ask/force him to.

 

[SantiBotero]

I just ask myself why the hell Nibali attacked, it was non-sense; with both Oss and a super-Sagan behind, he simply launched Cancellara and Gerrans and spoiled the race for his team-mates.

 

[Afrank]

Gerrans played the race smart, like it or not staying on the stongest guys wheel then beating him in the sprint is the smart tactic, its bike racing, tactics play a big roll in it. It is sad though that Cancellara has ounce again been victim to his own power, him and RNT will have to devise some new tactics that don't result in riders just sticking on his wheel, like last year.

 

[Mambo95]

I'm not sure if they had radios or not during MSR. My guess is that either way, Gerrans had to have known that Goss was no longer in the front group going down the Poggio. That means that Goss and Nibali sat on Fabian's wheel for essentially all of over 8 km-then Gerrans jumped for the win.

Yes he reacted to Nibali's attack, but at least Nibali had Sagan sitting in who could take the sprint, which he did for 3rd.

What would Gerran's excuse for not taking more than a 1 or 2 pulls be?

He may have know that Goss wasn't there, but did Cancellara? Gerrans can bluff and say he's doing a marking job for Goss. It's up to Cancellara to call that bluff, sit up and risk losing it all to win.

Either way, Cancellara probably would have ridden exactly the same, and everyone knows he's going to keep doing that to the finish, because that's what he always does. If your opponents know what you're going to do, they will exploit it when they can.

 

[Trofinios]

I'm not sure Cancellara did anything wrong when he continued to pull. Their gap wasn't that big and Canc have a better chance of winning a sprint against Gerrans than against Sagan, Freire, etc. If he would have really tried to force Gerrans to do a turn and Gerrans did not respond they would have lost valuable seconds. As I see it, it all just played in the hands of Gerrans and he capitalized.

 

[Caruut]

He may have know that Goss wasn't there, but did Cancellara? Gerrans can bluff and say he's doing a marking job for Goss. It's up to Cancellara to call that bluff, sit up and risk losing it all to win.

Either way, Cancellara probably would have ridden exactly the same, and everyone knows he's going to keep doing that to the finish, because that's what he always does. If your opponents know what you're going to do, they will exploit it when they can.

Which makes what he does even more impressive.

 

[therhodeo]

A+ thread. Would read again.

 

[hatcher]

A+ thread. Would read again.

It will all be said again soon. Probably on Wednesday.

 

[ChrisE]

The question should be "why doesn't FC try anything different at the end of races?".

 

[therhodeo]

The question should be "why doesn't FC try anything different at the end of races?".

What other weapons does he have?

 

[Cogombre]

What other weapons does he have?

His brain? Winning a bike race isn't always as simple as attacking, then riding hard until the finish. If you have someone faster sitting at your wheel, you have to do something about it other than just just lead him out.

 

[Master50]

Cancellera asked for help from nibali and gerrans but neither could come around him. The fact that they stayed away was largely to Fabian's efforts. He got 2 instead of 10. Pretty great finish.

 

[Ripper]

That is bike racing, and that is also what MSR can be like. It has been noted time and time again that this is one of the classics where it is not always the strongest who wins.

Gerrans played it cagey and gambled a bit, and it paid off huge. If someone is pulling so hard you'd kill yourself to pull through and you can out sprint them, then you have the upper hand and they need to do something. I've learned this first hand (I am not a sprinter, but I can go hard for quite a while) ... and if I cannot get rid of a sprinter, I don't pout about it

Gerrans did what he had to ... he was able to sit on FC's wheel. Not a lot of folks can even manage that.

 

[mewmewmew13]

That is bike racing, and that is also what MSR can be like. It has been noted time and time again that this is one of the classics where it is not always the strongest who wins.

Gerrans played it cagey and gambled a bit, and it paid off huge. If someone is pulling so hard you'd kill yourself to pull through and you can out sprint them, then you have the upper hand and they need to do something. I've learned this first hand (I am not a sprinter, but I can go hard for quite a while) ... and if I cannot get rid of a sprinter, I don't pout about it

Gerrans did what he had to ... he was able to sit on FC's wheel. Not a lot of folks can even manage that.

Agree. Had Gerrans taken a pull the pace would have slowed and they may have been caught. If you are riding at your top end behind a 'moto' like Cancellara can you pull around and keep the pace that high??

 

[therhodeo]

His brain? Winning a bike race isn't always as simple as attacking, then riding hard until the finish. If you have someone faster sitting at your wheel, you have to do something about it other than just just lead him out.

Like what? Sandbag until you're caught by the group and you get beat by 15 sprinters and not just 1? Nibali obviously wasn't going to take a pull for either of those guys and Gerrans wasn't going to hold off the group. Just how else could that finale have went?

 

[virandociclista]

nothing wrong by Gerrans. Cancellara, Gerrans and everybody know that Cancellara is more stronger. If Gerrans did some turns he will lose his chances of winning this race.

If it was a master race of no-pro guys.. ok.. it is normal to someone just be happy with a podium finish while sitting in a wheel of a strong guy...

Greenedge is a new team and need a big win to make their sponsors happy.

this guys don't race only to win but to keep their jobs.

 

[Hitchey]

That he wanted to win.

One cannot argue that the vast majority of casual observers will only have seen that Gerrans won and not paid enough attention nor have been astute enough to recognize the way he did it. In the world of wins and marketing, that's all that matters, one cannot argue that.

That does not however, evade the fact that he sat on the entire time. FC, Nibali, and you better believe Gerrans knows how this all came to be. There is a sense of pride, and etiquette if you will, when in a ride or race, that you contribute what you can and make a good faith effort not to be in a small break like that and jump for the win when you sat on the entire time. I would venture a guess that Gerrans would not have placed higher than 6th or so with the others in the chase in a sprint, though he sprints well-just not well enough against a Sagan or Degenkolb, Freire, etc. He also had an interest in the break staying away but made minimal if any contribution to that.

As some have mentioned, it's racing and we all make our choices in those key moments.

So you're saying he should have sat up when he was fighting for the biggest win in this whole career, something he might not even have the chance of repeat?

Sure.

No, I'm not saying that he should have thrown it away. For the team, your teammates, the sponsors-you win. That about summarizes the bottom line.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the way it went down leaves it a bit bittersweet. Things like this always come around in the end. I'm not and would not use any strong nor derogatory words to describe what Gerrans did as we really are speaking of simple tactics and nuances.

That is bike racing, and that is also what MSR can be like. It has been noted time and time again that this is one of the classics where it is not always the strongest who wins.

Gerrans played it cagey and gambled a bit, and it paid off huge. If someone is pulling so hard you'd kill yourself to pull through and you can out sprint them, then you have the upper hand and they need to do something. I've learned this first hand (I am not a sprinter, but I can go hard for quite a while) ... and if I cannot get rid of a sprinter, I don't pout about it

Gerrans did what he had to ... he was able to sit on FC's wheel. Not a lot of folks can even manage that.

You are absolutely correct, as are a few others with great points. 2nd is better than 10th. He did what he most likely needed to which was to keep it going fast enough to not be caught. I completely agree and believe that neither Gerrans nor Nibali could have gone pull for pull with FC in that situation and that would probably have resulted in a different outcome.

Regarding other's comments about FC's one trick hat, a stronger team might have certainly helped, similar to Bennati's attack in Strade Bianchi, or Nibali's teammate going earlier on the climb forcing others to chase, creating a more selective pace up the climb. But I would hardly call FC a one trick pony.

After reading the most recent Gerrans interview on CN, I suppose Gerrans calling FC a motorbike coming by and acknowledging the things FC did that led to the outcome was honest and classy. Kudos to Gerrans for that.

 

[Cogombre]

Like what? Sandbag until you're caught by the group and you get beat by 15 sprinters and not just 1? Nibali obviously wasn't going to take a pull for either of those guys and Gerrans wasn't going to hold off the group. Just how else could that finale have went?

Dunno, but maybe trying to attack Gerrans instead of just leading him out for the last 5 km could have worked. Still, if it was only today that Cancellara had ridden this way, I don't think anyone would be making any fuss from it, but after his ridiculous tactics last year in Flanders it'd seem as if he hadn't learnt any lesson...

 

[ChrisE]

Dunno, but maybe trying to attack Gerrans instead of just leading him out for the last 5 km could have worked. Still, if it was only today that Cancellara had ridden this way, I don't think anyone would be making any fuss from it, but after his ridiculous tactics last year in Flanders it'd seem as if he hadn't learnt any lesson...

Exactly. He keeps doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. There is a term for that.