how long before Sagan trips the tripwire

[wayahead]

When he was 21/22 years old he was at some point toying with the peloton.

But something is clearly wrong with Sagan, he's even worse than his neo-pro year

Bit overstating comments. First three years he was mainly sprinter, probably the best 2 Tier sprinter at the time. California, Suisse, Vuelta, 2012 Tour. He showed potential to deliver in some classics, considered to be new Hushovd, sprinter tough enough to survive hills otr tough races. His performances was better each season. His fourth (2013) season was sometimes like from another planet, 22 wins, "toying with the peloton" in some spring races, 2nd SB, 2nd MSR, 2RvV, green, great Canada races. Which led to expectations he is something more than new Hushovd - that he is new Boonen or Cancellara. But he lost his sprint a bit, his kick started to disappear, lost some weight as well. And meanwhile new sprinter generation arised, Degenkolb, Bouhanni, Kristoff (all of them slower than Sagan in 2012 and even 2013), of course Kittel. 2014 was rather sobering season, unexpectedly failed spring campaign and already clearly not the best Tier 2 sprinter, nor speed nor kick. This is his sixth season as a pro, gained some weight, his final kick is back again (although competition is harder) but he seems like he still thinks he is Cancellara. He seems like he is stuck between, dont know what card to play. Clinic or not, problem is mainly in his head.

He never used to have to try to break apart the race, because he always had his sprint to rely on - he could choose to attack when he felt good, but could also happily just follow wheels until the sprint. Because he's not the fastest finisher in classics now, he is having to try to go on long ambitious breaks and to open up the race before a sprint - the problem is he's too well marked so other riders will let him open up the race and form a select group, but they'll all look to drop him before the sprint.

But the fact is he never won anything big with his sprint. And he never liked to wait for sprint in classics. Its in him, he likes to attack. RvV 2012, G-W 2013, MSR 2013, RvV 2013, Montreal and even Quebec 2013, T-A stage 3 2013, SB 2014, E3 2014, P-R 2014... But in his current form he should think twice, it would pay off.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Re:

it was funnier than when de Bruijn put Tom Steels in a bodybag in Qatar or Oman.

ISIS considered recruiting de Bruijn if he would convert to sunni or wahabbi islam, but he insisted on shia islam.

I remember that crash, and thinking that I wish someone would have given Browne one of these: https://youtu.be/YGnLDr6jRSI?t=3m32s

 

[roundabout]

Hmm, and that's just Cali.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yeah. So. Yeah. Ok. Whatever. I give up. There is no hope for clean cycling

 

[SeriousSam]

Was clean at the classics though because he was beaten convincingly there and we know it's only the GC guys that dope it up.

Right?

 

[SkyTears]

Daniel Friebe ‏@friebos 1m1 minute ago
In short, Tinkov has been putting serious heat on Sagan, including financially. More from @cirogazzetta tomorrow.

so Sagan went big bags and EPO seringes like in the old good times

 

[doperhopper]

Well, dear children, miracles happen only in the sacred mountains of AMGEN Tour of Cali - can't imagine better fitting main sponsor than the proud creator of EPO. Bassons was not joking when mentioned that yet again, the fat asses began outclimbing mountain goats, like in the early 90s. So we have Eddy of California, outsprints the best sprinter (only once, but still), wins TT and comes 5th in MTF losing some 40 sec only and still can win the show on time bonuses tomorrow. Chapeau. Brave New Clean Era.

 

[classicomano]

To keep it honest, this years TOC line-up sucked donkey penis.

 

[Eagle]

Re:

To keep it honest, this years TOC line-up sucked donkey penis.

Henao was quite strong in the Basque country, cant imagine his form has dropped off too dramatically

 

[sir fly]

He's served himself on a plate in California.

 

[SeriousSam]

Re: Re:

To keep it honest, this years TOC line-up sucked donkey penis.

Henao was quite strong in the Basque country, cant imagine his form has dropped off too dramatically

He finished st with a team mate so he clearly wasn't going well today

 

[SkyTears]

Re: Re:

To keep it honest, this years TOC line-up sucked donkey penis.

Henao was quite strong in the Basque country, cant imagine his form has dropped off too dramatically

it doesn't matter

for a guy of Sagan's weight only a huge amount of dope can make him go that fast on that climb

everybody knows he is supercharged right now

the question is , are we going back to the 2000's when fat asses outclimbed the climbers ?

what Astana does in the Giro, what Sagan and Alaphilipe did in ToC, is shameless supercharging , at least past years there was a image decency, somehow.

 

[Eagle]

Re: Re:

To keep it honest, this years TOC line-up sucked donkey penis.

Henao was quite strong in the Basque country, cant imagine his form has dropped off too dramatically

it doesn't matter

for a guy of Sagan's weight only a huge amount of dope can make him go that fast on that climb

everybody knows he is supercharged right now

the question is , are we going back to the 2000's when fat asses outclimbed the climbers ?

what Astana does in the Giro, what Sagan and Alaphilipe did in ToC, is shameless supercharging , at least past years there was a image decency, somehow.

Yeah much better when a track pursuiter wins the Tourde France

 

[SeriousSam]

Yeah, it was really decent when Froome charged up a mountain as quick as the guy who annihilated the fat asses who out climbed the climbers.

 

[Pricey_sky]

So Sagan gets a telling off from Tinkoff then suddenly is almost outsprinting Cav, going full *** in a TT and then does this today? A big hmmmmmmmm here!

Tomorrow he just needs to sail past Cav in the final 100 metres after today's effort and the treatment is complete. More juice than Ribena!

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

To keep it honest, this years TOC line-up sucked donkey penis.

Henao was quite strong in the Basque country, cant imagine his form has dropped off too dramatically

it doesn't matter

for a guy of Sagan's weight only a huge amount of dope can make him go that fast on that climb

everybody knows he is supercharged right now

the question is , are we going back to the 2000's when fat asses outclimbed the climbers ?

what Astana does in the Giro, what Sagan and Alaphilipe did in ToC, is shameless supercharging , at least past years there was a image decency, somehow.

I tend to agree to some extent. However must add that the flagrant dominium started with Sky. Katusha, Astana, Tinkoff, Etixx are just stepping up their game to the same ridiculous standards.

 

[sir fly]

And maybe he's sick of everything and decided to take two years off.

 

[SeriousSam]

I'm dying for an estimate of how much watts Sagan did to drag his body up there.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

I'm dying for an estimate of how much watts Sagan did to drag his body up there.

Me too, it's surely insane numbers

 

[Eagle]

Anyone know what weight Sagan is at now?

 

[Z3lvet]

It says 77 kg on Saxo´s official website.

 

[burning]

I think it should be lower than 77kg, but I think that this has to be a slow ascent compared to other years.

 

[Netserk]

Alaphilippe was only 10 seconds slower than the record set by Horner and Levi...

 

[burning]

Re:

Alaphilippe was only 10 seconds slower than the record set by Horner and Levi...

Ok, now it's time for:

 

[Jancouver]

The power of gummy bears