Paris-Roubaix U23

[jaylew]

At age 18, Taylor Phinney just won it. I kind of wondered how his track success would translate to the road but so far it seems to be going pretty well.

 

[analo69]

Very impressive.

But it was the Danes, who animated the race. The best Dane from team Capinordic came in second. Couldn't keep up with Phinney in the sprint on the velodrome.

Where are the big cycling nations in this seasons U23 classics.

Rasmus Guldhammer (another Dane who for sure will race for Saxo bank next year) won the Liege and came in second i RvV. In the training camp of Saxo Bank in january he followed the likes of C.A. Sørensen and the Schlecks in a mountain test.

 

[TRDean]

Animated or not...Phinney won as an 18 year old kid. That is one heck of an accomplishment no matter how you look at it!! I like this kid...he rides like a stud and he seems to have a very affable personality. He just looks like he is having a great time...of course with the wins he has already racked up it would be hard not to have a great time. I hope he keeps up the great riding and that we have numerous Bobridge vs. Phinney epic battles throughout their careers!!!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's nice that he won, but PR Espoirs doesn't say much.

Let's take a look of the last 10 winners, shall we?

# 2000 Germany Eric Baumann
# 2001 Ukraine Yaroslav Popovych
# 2002 Russia Michail Timoschin
# 2003 Uzbekistan Sergey Lagutin
# 2004 Netherlands Koen de Kort
# 2005 Russia Dmitry Kozontchuk
# 2006 Netherlands Tom Veelers
# 2007 France Damien Gaudin
# 2008 Netherlands Coen Vermeltfoort
# 2009 United States Taylor Phinney

I doubt it says much. Mind you, Vermeltfoort was only 1 year older than Phinney when he won it for instance. So was Koen de Kort or Kozontchouk for that matter.

 

[53x11 in DC]

It's nice that he won, but PR Espoirs doesn't say much.

I doubt it says much. Mind you, Vermeltfoort was only 1 year older than Phinney when he won it for instance. So was Koen de Kort or Kozontchouk for that matter.

Tell that to Steven Roche and Thor Hushovd.

Way to go, Taylor!!

 

[Bala Verde]

It's nice that he won, but PR Espoirs doesn't say much.

Let's take a look of the last 10 winners, shall we?

# 2000 Germany Eric Baumann
# 2001 Ukraine Yaroslav Popovych
# 2002 Russia Michail Timoschin
# 2003 Uzbekistan Sergey Lagutin
# 2004 Netherlands Koen de Kort
# 2005 Russia Dmitry Kozontchuk
# 2006 Netherlands Tom Veelers
# 2007 France Damien Gaudin
# 2008 Netherlands Coen Vermeltfoort
# 2009 United States Taylor Phinney

I doubt it says much. Mind you, Vermeltfoort was only 1 year older than Phinney when he won it for instance. So was Koen de Kort or Kozontchouk for that matter.

Ha, I just wanted to say the same thing about Vermeltfoort! He has pfeiffer now right?

 

[Stani Kléber]

Like the pro version, this race is a lottery. You need to be strong to be at the front but luck plays a huge part. So the winner is often very strong but very lucky too.

Phinney has more than luck though, he is clearly exceptionally talented (and perhaps precociously mature). So it's likely he'll go on to greater things.

 

[Anonymous]

It's nice that he won, but PR Espoirs doesn't say much.

Let's take a look of the last 10 winners, shall we?

# 2000 Germany Eric Baumann
# 2001 Ukraine Yaroslav Popovych
# 2002 Russia Michail Timoschin
# 2003 Uzbekistan Sergey Lagutin
# 2004 Netherlands Koen de Kort
# 2005 Russia Dmitry Kozontchuk
# 2006 Netherlands Tom Veelers
# 2007 France Damien Gaudin
# 2008 Netherlands Coen Vermeltfoort
# 2009 United States Taylor Phinney

I doubt it says much. Mind you, Vermeltfoort was only 1 year older than Phinney when he won it for instance. So was Koen de Kort or Kozontchouk for that matter.

By the way, how is Thomas Dekker doing these days?....Oh, 4th in the Tour of Belgium....well, that's something at least, huh?

 

[Bala Verde]

By the way, how is Thomas Dekker doing these days?....Oh, 4th in the Tour of Belgium....well, that's something at least, huh?

He is currently in the Dolomites, working on his climbs, to support Cadel in the TdF. He can't do any worse then '2001 revelation and former U23 Paris Roubaix winner' Yaroslav Popovych

 

[stefrees]

for Phinney to win the U23 is a great effort. but on the european stage it'll mean little. the main u23 races are in italy, and the british riders (along with as someone said danish, and i gather there's some good spanish talent) are doing very well. phinney is a very good young cyclist but none more than that

 

[180mmCrank]

Like the pro version, this race is a lottery. You need to be strong to be at the front but luck plays a huge part. So the winner is often very strong but very lucky too.

Phinney has more than luck though, he is clearly exceptionally talented (and perhaps precociously mature). So it's likely he'll go on to greater things.

I think it was Gary Player who first said - "People say I am lucky...it's a funny thing the more I practice the luckier i seem to get!"

 

[Master50]

I own a bike from 1 of those guys

2003 Uzbekistan Sergey Lagutin
I have a bike he raced for Navigators in 2007. I have never checked his wins before and it is cool to see his name in print. I knew it was raced at worlds but now the rider has cache too. Like an inanimate object can transfer talent

 

[ukpaul]

Thers no doubt the lad has got tallent. But unlucky for him he is being called the next great american cyclist. In Europe they never liked the last one (LA).
From what I've read on a few forums Phinney has the same attitude as Lance, It wont go down with the Europeans and to be disliked from such a young age is gonna be hard.
At least LA has got all the tour wins under his belt. He can stick two fingers up at the Europeans but Phinney will have to try and make a name for himself, Very hard when most of the countries he will be racing in won't like him.

 

[TRDean]

What are you talking about?

Do you have some inside information or something? I didn't know that being the next great American rider was such a curse? The same attitude as Lance? What attitude is that...wanting to win? Actually winning? He is 18 and already has made a name for himself. Your post leaves me baffled. I really would like to know what attitude you speak of...because all I have seen is that he is a pretty happy go lucky kid who has a ton of talent and knows how to use it. Please explain....

 

[Aapjes]

The same attitude as Lance? What attitude is that...wanting to win? Actually winning?

No, being an ***. There are plenty of winners that have a little bit of modesty, like Michael Phelps.

 

[ukpaul]

Do you have some inside information or something? I didn't know that being the next great American rider was such a curse? The same attitude as Lance? What attitude is that...wanting to win? Actually winning? He is 18 and already has made a name for himself. Your post leaves me baffled. I really would like to know what attitude you speak of...because all I have seen is that he is a pretty happy go lucky kid who has a ton of talent and knows how to use it. Please explain....

See his Twitter for *****ing about the doping control.

 

[BigBoat]

Phinney is doing really really really well! Its great to see our USAC federation development athletes are so competitive against the Euro-peans. This is just great, what a happy go lucky kid!

 

[franciep10]

Phinney is doing really really really well! Its great to see our USAC federation development athletes are so competitive against the Euro-peans. This is just great, what a happy go lucky kid!

Yes It finally happened I never thought it would but it did, the first non doping post you've made. You know what I'm going to save this. I agree with you he keeps on the right track he will be a good cyclist

 

[Max Cadence]

Ridiculous!

Dekker_Tifosi – “It's nice that he won, but PR Espoirs doesn't say much.”

That is huge my little friend. Marc Madiot won Paris Roubaix as an espoir before going on to win it twice in the pro class. I suppose you haven’t heard of him though if you suggest Yaroslav Popovych and Sergey Lagutin are unremarkable.

ukpaul -- “Phinney will have to try and make a name for himself.”

You might want to look at three UCI World Championships, four U.S. National titles, and an Olympic appearance. A name for himself – really? Maybe Twitter-stalking isn’t giving you the complete picture.

Aapjes – If you’re suggesting Mr. Phinney is an *** with an attitude then you need to have your medication levels reevaluated.

franciep10 – “I agree with you he keeps on the right track he will be a good cyclist”

“Will be,” reads as if that is a future event. The future is now and his name is Taylor Phinney.

 

[stefrees]

why did he leave the slipstream team-with their ethical stance-to go to a team owned by someone with links to ferrari? something fishy there. he does have an objectionable personality too.

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

I'm tired of this idea that Europeans instinctively hate Americans. They seem to have gotten along just fine with Lemond, Hampsten, Leipheimer, and the others. Yes, there are cross-Atlantic stereotypes and suspicions, but as far as I can tell Armstrong was disliked for the same reason that Hinault was -- because he had this "I'm this boss here, you better get in line with my program" attitude. Some athletes are just like that, and they will always be polarizing figures.

 

[Ovidius]

At age 18, Taylor Phinney just won it. I kind of wondered how his track success would translate to the road but so far it seems to be going pretty well.

Track Riding and the Roubaix are actually quite well intertwined. If you read about the big contenders for the roubaix - Power Output and maintaining it is one of the most significant factors in beign successful within the race. This is also how the big Individual pursuiters perform as well. Bradley Wiggins is all about maintaining specific powers to get the times he is looking for (hence why he is particiularly confident in winning). In the Roubaix, the Cobbles, the ability to respond to attacks or to attack, built and maintain a lead is also about being able use raw power nad maintain it.


Taylor Phinneys extraordinary body shape quite probably translates into one of the largest power to weight ratios around. A comparable example would be Marcus Backstedt. It would not suprise me if Taylor Phinney is not capable of winning the real Paris Roubaix in a few years - probably earlier rather than later too.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Weight is a big factor on the pavé, and anything less than 70kg is a really....really hard day in the saddle. Taylor is about 80kg, which is a bit heavier than Boonen, I think. I totally agree that he will win a full Roubaix in the near future. There is also the track power that comes more from the posterior. Too bad Andrea Tafi only got curious about the track later in his career, he would have been very successful.

 

[Ovidius]

for Phinney to win the U23 is a great effort. but on the european stage it'll mean little. the main u23 races are in italy, and the british riders (along with as someone said danish, and i gather there's some good spanish talent) are doing very well. phinney is a very good young cyclist but none more than that

I think, to be honest, that you are ignoring quite how talented Phinney is. He won his individual Pursuit in a time of 4.17 at 18! Quite honestly, that is a little more than a "very good young cyclist". Thats a 56km/h average - if he translates this into more road success, Phinney could very easily be on the best Riders in the World.

 

[Ovidius]

Weight is a big factor on the pavé, and anything less than 70kg is a really....really hard day in the saddle. Taylor is about 80kg, which is a bit heavier than Boonen, I think. I totally agree that he will win a full Roubaix in the near future. There is also the track power that comes more from the posterior. Too bad Andrea Tafi only got curious about the track later in his career, he would have been very successful.

They are about the same - I believe Boonen's target weights are around 80-85kgs.

Its a pity I struggle with weight, If I dropped 10Kg's to 85, I'd be a machine. However, due to my ridiculous diet, this is highly unlikely!