Klæbo is kind of like if Peter Sagan raced like Simon Gerrans and only on very rare occasions did any of the cool stuff that made people want to like Peter Sagan (just often enough to remind you that he is capable of it, but rarely enough to make it frustrating that we seldom see that side of him). And the UCI kept on neutering courses to ensure that he could compete for the win by racing that way. But the commentary still treated him like he was racing like Peter Sagan at his most exciting and venerated him like he was the reason the sport was exciting rather than the exact reverse.
Interesting; I had a similar comparison in mind. With Sagan being yesterday's news, I thought his skillset resembles most closely that of MvdP. Though where Mathieu is a volcano waiting to erupt, Klaebo is always cold and calculating. If he could just once try to attack from far out like a madman in a long-distance race; maybe I could find it in me to like him a little more. But no, it's always the same – take it as easy as possible on the climbs, accelerate over the top, use your staggering technique and descending skill to make up any ground lost or even create gaps, and take the momentum into the next section with maximum efficiency. Then, wait to unleash all your explosive strength until the last possible moment.
I have to say, his ability to "read" a course and figure out the best approach is stunning, especially in the sprint. He makes others, who are certainly not his lesser in purely athletic terms, look like doddering fools. The way he seems to make a point of looking like he is not the least bit exhausted at the end of every race: it's cool if you do it a few times, but it just becomes slightly vexing over the years.
Also, note how he always wants to be the first to take the skis off his feet and leave the finish area after the quarter and semifinals of a sprint (or at least it seems like it). Every time I watch, I'm hoping for someone to be a little bit faster, but no luck thus far.
I find it a shame that I can't be a fan of his because he has many qualities that I admire, and his technique is very easy on the eyes (though Lars Berger, to me, remains the pinnacle of aesthetics in this sport). At a different time, under different circumstances, I probably would have been. For now, I have to hope for a speedy return of the Russians, if possible, or a steep career trajectory for the likes of Ogden and Schoonmaker, and perhaps a few Swedes.
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