The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
If I was Bouhanni's DS I'd book him some time with a punching bag, stat. The early mountains should take their toll on Kittel (he'll still win again, mind you), Demare's never been consistently dominant, Kristoff's been off-sync and off-form, Dege took quite the hit, and there are more chances for the fast men than there have been in quite a while. He really needs to keep it on the straight and narrow, though, given the precedent that was set today.Son of Amsterhammer said:The paradox for me is that Demare (who is likely going to win anyway) basically puts his fate in the hands of Bouhanni's reflexes, by cutting directly across him. If Bouhanni goes down, is Demare DQ'd too? He knowingly cut directly across him.
Bouhanni got screwed by the Gorilla moments before too. He got double screwed in this sprint.
I'm a Demare fan (in case you didn't know ), and I appreciate that Cofidis didn't make an reclamation. Glad that Nacer didn't fall. Demare would have been in very hot waters. Demare was the strongest, the fastest, he saw that little gap on the left, it was his only chance; Krystoff was closing the door on the right side. deserved win.carton said:If I was Bouhanni's DS I'd book him some time with a punching bag, stat. The early mountains should take their toll on Kittel (he'll still win again, mind you), Demare's never been consistently dominant, Kristoff's been off-sync and off-form, Dege took quite the hit, and there are more chances for the fast men than there have been in quite a while. He really needs to keep it on the straight and narrow, though, given the precedent that was set today.Son of Amsterhammer said:The paradox for me is that Demare (who is likely going to win anyway) basically puts his fate in the hands of Bouhanni's reflexes, by cutting directly across him. If Bouhanni goes down, is Demare DQ'd too? He knowingly cut directly across him.
Bouhanni got screwed by the Gorilla moments before too. He got double screwed in this sprint.
Respectfully, you haven't looked too hard.Tonton said:I'm a Demare fan (in case you didn't know ), and I appreciate that Cofidis didn't make an reclamation. Glad that Nacer didn't fall. Demare would have been in very hot waters. Demare was the strongest, the fastest, he saw that little gap on the left, it was his only chance; Krystoff was closing the door on the right side. deserved win.
Not easy for Nacer to see his arch enemy triumph in his hometown, take the jersey...yikes. So far, I haven't read any whining from Bouhanni. He knows that Demare is the rightful winner today.
I'm with you there. But I'd like to see him win one, regardless, I like redemption stories.Tonton said:I looked quite a bit, believe me. So, Nacer still making excuses? I'm disappointed. Demare was going 5 km/h faster, he had no chance to win. In Krystoff's wheel? One bike lengh behind. I thought that he was demonstrating some fair-play. I was wrong ...and not happy about it. I'd like to like Bouhanni, but it's not easy.
I just laughed so hard . You are awesome Netserk!Netserk said:The moral winner of this bike race!
We don't agree on everything, but that's why it's a forum. I see your point. Growing up a long time ago, watching so many crazy sprints, if no one is hurt, the officials should stay out of it. That's old school, I know. And a French sprinter going old school, I like it. It's Nono, I like it even more. But as I posted in the Sagan thread, when a poster mentioned Nacer DQed when no harm occured, all it shows is how unfairly he has been treated. And that is true. Where was the outcry then? It's hypocritical. I too hope that he wins one.carton said:I'm with you there. But I'd like to see him win one, regardless, I like redemption stories.Tonton said:I looked quite a bit, believe me. So, Nacer still making excuses? I'm disappointed. Demare was going 5 km/h faster, he had no chance to win. In Krystoff's wheel? One bike lengh behind. I thought that he was demonstrating some fair-play. I was wrong ...and not happy about it. I'd like to like Bouhanni, but it's not easy.
Also, I agree with you that Demare deserved his win, inasmuch as wins can be deserved. Again, sport is inherently unfair, insofar as humans are inherently flawed (as both subjects and and objects). Arnaud was the smartest, and probably the strongest out of those who were there, although obviously we'll never know what Cav could've done had he been given the gap.
However, that doesn't mean what he did was right, or even legal. Bouhanni, holding his line, was presented by Demare with the choice between surely crashing and surely losing. It was a more dangerous move than Sagan's, IMHO, it's just that Nacer braked and Mark split the difference and freewheeled. But that's been discussed to death already, no minds will be changed on those lines.
Anything to tease you a bitTonton said:I just laughed so hard . You are awesome Netserk!Netserk said:The moral winner of this bike race!
bouhanni is one of those guys who I really dislike so I don't care about his failures last year. he regressed a little bit in sprints and I think he should focus on being a domestique for a worldclass sprinter. his team presentation in the 2015 (?) tour was one of the most disgusting moments I ever witnessed in this sportstaubsauger said:Bouhanni had a very bad 2017 season of course, but I don't get why he's dismissed that much by Cofidis at the moment. He still won a fair share of races for them in 2015 & 2016. Probably would've good chances to win the sprinters jersey at the Giro d'Italia once again if he was about to start the Italian race for the first time since 2014. His paycheck is way too big for what Bouhanni has offered during the last year, of course. But eventually that's not exclusively his fault. Like I said, apart from last year with Gaviria he would've been right there in the Giro sprints. The Tour de France looks a bit too high against the likes of Kittel music. Nevertheless until 2017 I clearly would have called him superior to Demare. That has absolutely changed now. Bouhanni probably should switch teams and focus on an Italian calendar in 2019. And this time around I'm not saying that, because I always want everyone to race my beloved Giro. These races simply favor his skill set a bit better I think. AG2R needs a new leader for the Italian races, since Pozzovivo left them. If Bouhanni is fine with playing second fiddle to Bardet and racing more abroad he should get a good paycheck and decent support from Lavenu.
Regarding Soupe. Wasn't he supposed to be back with FDJ? Apparently that deal never materialized. I already wondered why Cofidis never rode for him at the TdF sprints once Bouhanni was out or why Soupe hasn't been fielded at the Vuelta either. Based on the 2012 Giro he's a decent sprinter after all. At least more decent than guys like Meersman or Cimolai which got their leadership in races with a weak sprinters field.
portugal11 said:bouhanni is one of those guys who I really dislike so I don't care about his failures last year. he regressed a little bit in sprints and I think he should focus on being a domestique for a worldclass sprinter. his team presentation in the 2015 (?) tour was one of the most disgusting moments I ever witnessed in this sportstaubsauger said:Bouhanni had a very bad 2017 season of course, but I don't get why he's dismissed that much by Cofidis at the moment. He still won a fair share of races for them in 2015 & 2016. Probably would've good chances to win the sprinters jersey at the Giro d'Italia once again if he was about to start the Italian race for the first time since 2014. His paycheck is way too big for what Bouhanni has offered during the last year, of course. But eventually that's not exclusively his fault. Like I said, apart from last year with Gaviria he would've been right there in the Giro sprints. The Tour de France looks a bit too high against the likes of Kittel music. Nevertheless until 2017 I clearly would have called him superior to Demare. That has absolutely changed now. Bouhanni probably should switch teams and focus on an Italian calendar in 2019. And this time around I'm not saying that, because I always want everyone to race my beloved Giro. These races simply favor his skill set a bit better I think. AG2R needs a new leader for the Italian races, since Pozzovivo left them. If Bouhanni is fine with playing second fiddle to Bardet and racing more abroad he should get a good paycheck and decent support from Lavenu.
Regarding Soupe. Wasn't he supposed to be back with FDJ? Apparently that deal never materialized. I already wondered why Cofidis never rode for him at the TdF sprints once Bouhanni was out or why Soupe hasn't been fielded at the Vuelta either. Based on the 2012 Giro he's a decent sprinter after all. At least more decent than guys like Meersman or Cimolai which got their leadership in races with a weak sprinters field.
If I were Bouhanni, I will go to AG2R.yaco said:Bouhanni is suffering from that well known curse of being an over-paid French rider in a French team - I suspect he will be at another team in 2018, contract or not - And if he is fair dinkum about success he goes to a Non-French team.
yaco said:Question is which team will Bouhanni ride at in 2018 - He's a tricky recruit for a team.
Not for Sky...they have Moscon after all...tobydawq said:yaco said:Question is which team will Bouhanni ride at in 2018 - He's a tricky recruit for a team.
Exactly. Especially now that he doesn't do much results-wise, he must be a very unattractive rider for most teams. Very self-centered, very angry, a very sore loser, even violent as well. I wouldn't touch him.