Teams & Riders Filippo Ganna Discussion Thread

[Tim Cahill]

He got screwed many times in Roubaix last year, was looking really good in the beginning, expect a good showing.

 

[Extinction]

In hinsight he thinks that he should have tried to follow MVDP (was afraid to blow up) and thinks that he already got too many second places this season, but overall he's happy with his performance.
Source: https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article/2023/03/18/1679156096/sanremo-2023-intervsta-filippo-ganna


Yeah, but last year he was the one drilling the Forest of Arenberg alongside Küng, that already showed potential for future performances in Paris-Roubaix.

The guy just has a monster engine, he was doing 460W for a bit 30min in TTs at the age of 20. If anything his wide shoulders are actually holding a bit back as a TTer because he isn't as aero as some other guys, but when it comes to raw wattage he's the top dog.

To the bolded, I saw the post-race interview on RAI 2, to which Garzelli said his fear of blowing, given it was his first time in that position at the end of a monument, was completely understandable. However, at that point there was really nothing to lose. Even if he blew he likely would have crested the top of the Poggio with Pogacar and Van Aert on his trail, because they certainly had no response to MvdP's acceleration. And if he didn't blow then he would have gone clear with MvdP. I don't think the outcomes would have changed significantly. In the worst case scenario I reckon he would have gotten 4th. In the best, I still think MvdP had more for the win, but at least he'd have been sprinting for first instead of second. Bravissimo, however. I think in his situation when MvdP attacked, if you think you even might have then legs then insist, because that way you at least stay in the fight for victory. By contrast, he who hesitates misses the train.

 

[JRanton]

Same. To be fair to him he has three top 3 placings in road stages so far this season plus the two second places on GC so he’s not been far off. I was hoping he’d add more classics to his schedule but it seems like it will only be MSR, GW and Roubaix. He was fastest on the Arenberg section last year. Maybe in future years when he’s doing the Tour rather than the Giro we will see him ride a more complete cobble classics campaign.

Pleased to see he has added E3 and DDW to his schedule. Flanders would be nice too but probably wants to focus on Roubaix which is understandable.

 

[OlavEH]

I was wondering about Ganna's form after that ITT stage in TA. A victory magin like that usually would mean that he did a great race. And today he confirmed that and was really convincing. He should be a real outsider for the coming classics. In PR he could be one of the main contenders to try something crazy from far out. Like attacking already on or shortly after Arenberg. Take advantage from Van der Poel and Van Aert just gazing at each other.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Ganna really is a good bicyclist.

He is fast in 4 km races and in 294 km races…

He was really good at the Poggio today. Maybe he‘ll win MSR one day?…

 

[Extinction]

Ganna really is a good bicyclist.

He is fast in 4 km races and in 294 km races…

He was really good at the Poggio today. Maybe he‘ll win MSR one day?…

It's always going to be tough, but I bet he now has the confidence to win a Monument, because he certainly has the engine for it.

 

[Tonton]

Great performance today. When you're named Ganna and you don't win, yet it can be a little disappointing I guess , but Filippo played his cards well.

Matthieu took off, the other two are favorites, it's their job to bring him back. In the end, Ganna was fresher and out-sprinted Pogacar and Van Aert. MVP was just too good...

Great job Filippo!

 

[CyclistAbi]

Great performance today.

P.S. It would be interesting to see on how sprinting for the first place would go. Something to try in the future.

 

[Extinction]

Great performance today. When you're named Ganna and you don't win, yet it can be a little disappointing I guess , but Filippo played his cards well.

Matthieu took off, the other two are favorites, it's their job to bring him back. In the end, Ganna was fresher and out-sprinted Pogacar and Van Aert. MVP was just too good...

Great job Filippo!

Friday's la Gazetta dello Sport's headline photo of it's cycling page, on the eve of MSR, was a picture of Ganna with MVP, WVA, TP and JA entitled "the Fabulous Five!" And I was like, oh geez, typical Italian playing up the home-boy hope, who has no chance of doing anything significant. They sure proved me wrong!

 

[Red Rick]

I'm a bit sceptical about taking 1 secteur as evidence he's great for Roubaix. That kinda ignores the attrition and endurance aspect and leans into Ganna's IP ability.

I don't question he has a massive engine though, and I rate him a lot higher for Roubaix than a guy like Pidcock.

I'm a bit sad we missed the action on how Ganna rode away tbh. I get the feeling he may have a low key underrated sprint, especially when it's not an acceleration sprint.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Great performance by Ganna. He reminds me of Cancellara, who made the transition from time trials to classics.

However I wouldn't make too much of that sprint yesterday. If that had been a sprint for the first place it would have been totally different.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I'm a bit sceptical about taking 1 secteur as evidence he's great for Roubaix. That kinda ignores the attrition and endurance aspect and leans into Ganna's IP ability.

I don't question he has a massive engine though, and I rate him a lot higher for Roubaix than a guy like Pidcock.

I'm a bit sad we missed the action on how Ganna rode away tbh. I get the feeling he may have a low key underrated sprint, especially when it's not an acceleration sprint.

Yeah, if it's a really long sprint and more of a drag race his chances go up. He isn't Jonathan Milan when it comes to sprinting (that's a guy that I really want to see in the Belgian classics), but it looks like he has a chance from a very reduced group if he makes it a drag race and starts his sprint early. His sprint is actually better than I expected it to be until recently.

 

[jmdirt]

I enjoy PG's display of watts, be it 4K or 300K. He seems to be rounding into an even more 'multi threat rider'. Good luck moving forward young man!

 

[Nick2413]

I’m putting my money on him to win PR this weekend. Under the radar and in great form, and some of the other guys might be a bit cooked from RVV.

 

[frisenfruitig]

He hasn't really shown that he can win a really tough one day race so I'm a bit skeptical. He has the engine for a strong TT but I don't know if he has the resilience to win something like RVV or PR. Looking at the guy you'd think he could do it, but it remains to be seen.

 

[Red Rick]

He hasn't really shown that he can win a really tough one day race so I'm a bit skeptical. He has the engine for a strong TT but I don't know if he has the resilience to win something like RVV or PR. Looking at the guy you'd think he could do it, but it remains to be seen.

RVV, probably not. He seems not explosive enough by a long shot.

Roubaix I'd still really like to see.

 

[frisenfruitig]

RVV, probably not. He seems not explosive enough by a long shot.

Roubaix I'd still really like to see.

He seemed pretty explosive in MSR and less explosive guys than him have won RVV so I don't know. So far it seems like he can't handle challenging one day races.

 

[Extinction]

Big improvement, better than I expected, missed that little extra against a champion who said he had "perhaps the best legs of my career", and we're talking about MVDP. Bravo Pippo, 8 out of 10 today.

 

[Red Rick]

He has the engine, but I'm not sure about the technical skills. He spent all his energy closing gaps and that *** him.

 

[Mayomaniac]

He has the engine, but I'm not sure about the technical skills. He spent all his energy closing gaps and that *** him.

Yeah, the difference in technical skills is big. Maybe he should try the RVV. The shorter, steep climbs are worse for him, but the OK should really suit him.

 

[Extinction]

He has the engine, but I'm not sure about the technical skills. He spent all his energy closing gaps and that *** him.

Agreed, but those bit more tech skills against the top of the top will be hard to get. Plus MVDP just had incredibile legs today and, when he has those legs, he can also fly through curves in a way practically nobody can handle.

 

[SafeBet]

This is a step in the right direction but as others have noted he really struggles with cornering on the cobbles. He looked really stiff on the bike at times.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Don't see all the enthusiasm about him. He was struggling big time already in Arenberg when he was dropped by Pedersen. He just stayed in the main group because they weren't attacking one single time until Carrefour. For me it looked like a Louis Meintjes performance. When he is hanging on for dear life but we all know when the bog favourites move, he will be dropped.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Agreed, but those bit more tech skills against the top of the top will be hard to get. Plus MVDP just had incredibile legs today and, when he has those legs, he can also fly through curves in a way practically nobody can handle.

Apart from mvdp having a huge engine and explosivness and technical abilities which are all against Ganna. I sometimes think people forget how well VDP can also ride on his own. Especially on a road bike compared to TT bike

 

[SafeBet]

Don't see all the enthusiasm about him. He was struggling big time already in Arenberg when he was dropped by Pedersen. He just stayed in the main group because they weren't attacking one single time until Carrefour. For me it looked like a Louis Meintjes performance. When he is hanging on for dear life but we all know when the bog favourites move, he will be dropped.

Ok so he's on the same level as Küng.
It's a whole different world compared to where he was before this race.