Edvald Boasson Hagen Versus Peter Sagan - Who is the better rider?

[maltiv]

Definitely not, but EBH won a Giro stage in his first GT IIRC. I think it's only fair if we only compare their first GTs with each other.

That's true, but in my opinion EBH was about equally impressive in his first GT as Sagan was. Monster leadouts for Cavendish (1 of which actually split the peloton and created time gaps), won 2 reduced bunch sprints for 2nd (too bad Sivtsov and Scarponi respectively were in front), won a stage from a breakaway, was 6th on the uphill finish Gilbert won and 3rd in the final TT. Unlike Sagan he didn't get to do any sprint finishes for himself and even if he had the sprint competition was a million times tougher than in the vuelta with Petacchi, Cav and Farrar in form. But of course, cycling is about winning, but in my opinion their debuts showed about equal potential.

 

[greenedge]

No it only won him a medium mountain stage...

Against Hesjedal as well ( not a bad rider )

EBH as Maltiv points out did superb in the Giro on his debut and probably showed more all- rounder attributes than Sagan did in this years' Vuelta.

Sagan however showed his talents as an all-rounder this year at the Tour De Suisse and Poland, where he competed on hard stages, but could still win in the sprints. Those 2 races for me were much more impressive than his Vuelta wins ( if only because they were man vs man and more appealing )

 

[Boeing]

Sagan is the man

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Comparison based on this season only as other seasons Sagan was just discovering and adapting to the pro world.
Cobbles
Neither showed anything extraordinary. It’s a draw.

Prologue
It’s a draw (Sagan 3rd Switzerland, EBH 2nd Eneco and 19th Dauphiné).

Time Trial
EBH is clearly stronger.

Stage races
1st Pologne, 1st Sardinia vs 1st Eneco, 2nd Oman, again a draw.

One day races
EBH : 1st Vattenfall, 8th Worlds
Sagan : 1st NC, 1st GP Industria, 12th Worlds, a few podiums on minor ones
Can’t really separate them so again a draw.

Hills
Probably the most subjective criteria as they both use mainly their sprint to shine in these races so therefore results do not reflect their true level on short, steep climbs but rather their sprinting abilities. If I had to go with one name I’d go with Sagan though but this is not based on any concrete results.

Mountains
EBH strong Dauphiné is answered by Sagan display in Switzerland, a draw.

Sprint
EBH won a sprint at the TDF and Vattenfall but Sagan won much more and was a lot more consistent through the season picking up several points classification in the process so Sagan.

Downhill/Bike-handling
Sagan leaves a much better impression while descending (he bridged to Cunego on a descent in Switzerland) but there isn’t a real comparison possible because there never was one-on-one in a descent between Sagan and EBH.

In conclusion, they are really close but Sagan superior sprint makes me think he’ll pick up more victories (though not necessarily better ones) in his career. Also, he strikes me as a much better tactician and is much younger so for me, he’s the one for the future.

 

[Netserk]

In conclusion, they are really close but Sagan superior sprint makes me think he’ll pick up more victories (though not necessarily better ones) in his career. Also, he strikes me as a much better tactician and is much younger so for me, he’s the one for the future.

Do you really think Sagan is a better sprinter than EBH

EBH is amongst the 5 best sprinters when it's a flat finish (just look at his sprint on champs elysees). Sagan also has a good finish, but that is mostly in a more difficult sprint. At Pologne where he was in good form, he wasn't amongst the best 3 sprinters in the flat stages... Therefore I am very confused how you can think that Sagan is the better sprinter.

 

[Gloin22]

Do you really think Sagan is a better sprinter than EBH

EBH is amongst the 5 best sprinters when it's a flat finish (just look at his sprint on champs elysees). Sagan also has a good finish, but that is mostly in a more difficult sprint. At Pologne where he was in good form, he wasn't amongst the best 3 sprinters in the flat stages... Therefore I am very confused how you can think that Sagan is the better sprinter.

+1 Sagan won few ''sh*t small sprints'' throughout, nothing comapred to Tour stages or even Vattenfall EBH is clearly much better sprinter. It's beyond me how you came to this conclusion

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

I never said that Sagan was a better sprinter just that he was more consistent which he is, and that therefore he'll win more races finishing with a sprint because of his consistency (I was very clear to say that it would probably not be more prestigious races).

But if you really want me to give you the detail of their season, so be it. EBH won a stage at Eneco against the likes of Boom and Staff, one at Bayern against Schulze and Janorshcke, one at the TDF which was not a straight forward sprint (Vichot and Jeannesson cracked a top10 and the sprinters present are those that can climb reasonably well like Hushovd, Rojas and Goss but are not necessarily the fastest) and dominated an exceptionally poor field at Hamburg.
That’s 4 sprint victories for him, 3 World Tour.

Sagan won a sprint at Sardinia (featuring Petacchi, Swift, Ferrari and Belletti for example), a flat stage in California, a sprint in Switzerland which featured much of the sprinters EBH beat at the TDF (Goss, Hishovd, Rojas), he dominated the likes of Feillu and Degenkolb on stage 5 of the Tour of Poland and won two bunch sprints at the Vuelta (Kittel, Degenkolb, Bennati, Petacchi…).
That’s 6 sprint victories for him, 4 World Tour.

By the way if you look only at sprint stages Sagan is ranked 5th in the world, EBH 17th according to CQ (if you add flat one day races Sagan is 7th and EBH is 21st). While I admit this classification is far from perfect, the difference is telling enough.

Sure you can argue that if both were on a good day EBH would beat Sagan in a sprint (that might not even be true) but you can hardly argue that EBH is more consistent. Ergo, Sagan is a better sprinter (Chicchi probably has one of the best kick in the world but that doesn’t mean he is a better or more successful rider than Feillu for example).

 

[maltiv]

I never said that Sagan was a better sprinter just that he was more consistent which he is, and that therefore he'll win more races finishing with a sprint because of his consistency (I was very clear to say that it would probably not be more prestigious races).

But if you really want me to give you the detail of their season, so be it. EBH won a stage at Eneco against the likes of Boom and Staff, one at Bayern against Schulze and Janorshcke, one at the TDF which was not a straight forward sprint (Vichot and Jeannesson cracked a top10 and the sprinters present are those that can climb reasonably well like Hushovd, Rojas and Goss but are not necessarily the fastest) and dominated an exceptionally poor field at Hamburg.
That’s 4 sprint victories for him, 3 World Tour.

Sagan won a sprint at Sardinia (featuring Petacchi, Swift, Ferrari and Belletti for example), a flat stage in California, a sprint in Switzerland which featured much of the sprinters EBH beat at the TDF (Goss, Hishovd, Rojas), he dominated the likes of Feillu and Degenkolb on stage 5 of the Tour of Poland and won two bunch sprints at the Vuelta (Kittel, Degenkolb, Bennati, Petacchi…).
That’s 6 sprint victories for him, 4 World Tour.

By the way if you look only at sprint stages Sagan is ranked 5th in the world, EBH 17th according to CQ (if you add flat one day races Sagan is 7th and EBH is 21st). While I admit this classification is far from perfect, the difference is telling enough.

Sure you can argue that if both were on a good day EBH would beat Sagan in a sprint (that might not even be true) but you can hardly argue that EBH is more consistent. Ergo, Sagan is a better sprinter (Chicchi probably has one of the best kick in the world but that doesn’t mean he is a better or more successful rider than Feillu for example).

That's not a very reliable way to compare two sprinters. EBH competed against much better sprinters and is the only guy for the last couple of years who has not only been able to follow Cavendish on Champs Elysees, but come up beside him for a brief moment. Sagan has won a lot of sprints yes, but versus very low competition. EBH won ****loads of sprints in 2009 too but vs similar competition as Sagan, for example 4 ToB stages in a row. That doesn't meant EBH was a better sprinter in 2009.

In my opinion EBH has a higher top speed but Sagan has a little better acceleration. Would be much easier to answer this if they actually went to the same races once in a while.

 

[Netserk]

In my opinion EBH has a higher top speed but Sagan has a little better acceleration. Would be much easier to answer this if they actually went to the same races once in a while.

+1 Exactly. Sagan is nowhere as good a sprinter as EBH on a total flat and easy stage, where top speed is the most important ability.

 

[The Hitch]

Comparison based on this season only as other seasons Sagan was just discovering and adapting to the pro world.
Cobbles
Neither showed anything extraordinary. It’s a draw.

Sagan has come 2nd at junior PR.

 

[William H]

Sagan has come 2nd at junior PR.

Not sure how significant that is. Popovych won U23 Roubaix

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

+1 Sagan won few ''sh*t small sprints'' throughout, nothing comapred to Tour stages or even Vattenfall EBH is clearly much better sprinter. It's beyond me how you came to this conclusion

Have you even seen the Vuelta?

Sagan beat nearly every top sprinter there is last year. Even in flat sprints.To me, Sagan is clearly faster. But Hagen is slightly better at positioning.

 

[William H]

EBH is pretty bad at positioning.

 

[The Hitch]

Not sure how significant that is. Popovych won U23 Roubaix

Popo also podiumed Giro and won white at the Tour, which one would assume are good qualifications for a top gt rider.

2nd in Junior PR don't necessarily transcend to future cobbled success, but it does suggest that he can do reasonably well on them.

 

[El Pistolero]

Have you even seen the Vuelta?

Sagan beat nearly every top sprinter there is last year. Even in flat sprints.To me, Sagan is clearly faster. But Hagen is slightly better at positioning.

Sagan is extremely good at positioning

Hagen sucks at positioning and that's the reason why Sagan is or will become a much better sprinter.

 

[Parrulo]

EBH is pretty bad at positioning.

he also seems to love to sprint from wayyyy to far out

 

[sublimit]

Not sure how significant that is. Popovych won U23 Roubaix

Not the worst rider around, kind of known as a minion/servant for as long as I can remember but not a dud.

EBH is more adaptable, Sagan more raw power but will end up getting burned off by Cav,Goss Kittel, Grieple in fast sprints.

Maybe in a couple years he will #1 sprinter.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Have you even seen the Vuelta?

Sagan beat nearly every top sprinter there is last year. Even in flat sprints.To me, Sagan is clearly faster. But Hagen is slightly better at positioning.

i thnk you wrote the opposite of the truth

 

[El Pistolero]

Not the worst rider around, kind of known as a minion/servant for as long as I can remember but not a dud.

EBH is more adaptable, Sagan more raw power but will end up getting burned off by Cav,Goss Kittel, Grieple in fast sprints.

Maybe in a couple years he will #1 sprinter.

Kittel will be #1 sprinter in 2013

Sagan will never become a pure sprinter, I think he'll become an improved version of Erik Zabel. Fast sprint, a lot of power in hills and excellent on the cobbles(the kid has great bike handling skills and he's crazy).

 

[Parrulo]

Kittel will be #1 sprinter in 2013

Sagan will never become a pure sprinter, I think he'll become an improved version of Erik Zabel. Fast sprint, a lot of power in hills and excellent on the cobbles(the kid has great bike handling skills and he's crazy).

calling sagan's bike handling skills "great" is one big euphemism

 

[sublimit]

Kittel will be #1 sprinter in 2013

Sagan will never become a pure sprinter, I think he'll become an improved version of Erik Zabel. Fast sprint, a lot of power in hills and excellent on the cobbles(the kid has great bike handling skills and he's crazy).

Zabel was one hell of a sprinter though even if he didn't have the top end horsepower of some others, if Sagan turns out to be better than him then he's doing well.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

If Eddy fails again over the next couple of weekends, what next?

 

[iZnoGouD]

It depends obviously
In a TT or a medium to long climb Sagan has no chance

 

[wwabbit]

Boasson Hagen didn't look too good in that climb in Milan San Remo, it does look like he has regressed quite a bit.

 

[iZnoGouD]

it's early to take conclusions like that, he is not race ready