Teams & Riders Peter Sagan discussion thread.

[wyzowl]

Team Cannondale.

Well said! Your team did it's job well, getting you to the last 200 meters. Your sprint capped a brilliant day of teamwork and winning strategy.

I was surprised to see that the first interview after the victory was in Slovak. I think it was pretty interesting, a loose translation:

"It's amazing. My team had been criticized a lot after the first couple of stages, but like I've already said in some of my interviews, our team is not here to lead out sprints for me, like the teams of Greipel and Cavendish. Our team is compiled for stages like these and today we showed that. I just want to say that the fans should cheer, not criticize, that's what our sport directors are for. I'd like to say this publicly, because there has been a lot of criticism on the Internet, but today it was proven that without my team I could have never raced a stage like this in such a tempo. Eventually, I managed to get a pretty good lead in the points classification too. So, first of all, I have to thank my team, like I said. After the first crash I didn't feel too good, with my injuries and everything. But I see that everything is slowly getting better and the first victory finally happened. The boys in my team did an unbelievable job and I don't know what else to add..."

 

[wyzowl]

Victory.

Good sprinting. I stand corrected; you are one of them.

It was simply good tactics by his team, that's all. Greipel or Cav would do the same thing were they in Sagan's position. Nothing hollow about it.

Oh, and can't race with the big boys? Really? I guess you missed this.

I read peter Sagan's comments about his team's efforts and purpose on the stage. I wish to retract the derogatory remarks I made about the victory. I now see him as an honorable and gentlemanly athlete who was playing his supporting role in this masterful endeavor. He was to outsprint the remaining rivals to clinch the victory for the team and he did. Tour rules only reward the individual but he was manly enough to recognize and comment upon the team goals and accomplishment. I beg the forgiveness of the team and of Peter Sagan. To those of this forum who attacked me personally for my remarks I only wish to say that comments should be on the subject and not the person. You were rightly outraged by my original post and I apologize for being so wrong. I ask your forgiveness as well.

 

[Pulpstar]

Without any leadouts? Sagan

I meant instead of a 190 man stage race, the exact same race with just the 4 men

(Same result tho )

 

[saganftw]

2:58 PM

What a hollow victory. Sagan can't race with the big boys so he has his TEAM to eliminate them.

HiCadence,,is that you?

 

[TheBean]

HiCadence,,is that you?

I doubt it. From what I can tell, the Owl is a guy who raced back in the '50's in Ohio and hasn't kept up with the sport much since then.

You can read his remarks in the multiple threads he's started regarding climbers, sprinters, etc. as well as his "hollow victory" thread.

Maybe he's a guy who just got cable and is alarmed at how the sport has evolved not that he can watch it on TV.

In any case, I kind of like reading his input. And, he's man enough to apologize when he's shown to be incorrect (as he did earlier in this thread).

Let's face it...any man who shaves his legs and spends a lot of time in tight pants and a styrofoam hat riding alone through the countryside is a bit of an oddity. The Owl seems like an OK guy, just a bit behind the times.

 

[hoolaparara]

Sagan did a good time trial for him, I don't recall him doing this well in one this long before. Was Sneaky Pete trying to steal an extra point or two in the green?

 

[SafeBet]

Sagan did a good time trial for him, I don't recall him doing this well in one this long before. Was Sneaky Pete trying to steal an extra point or two in the green?

Yes he was. I recall him doing a very good TT not long ago but I'm not sure what race it was.

Anyway the tricky finale today is tailor made for him.

 

[Netserk]

I think he ended 17th in the ITT, so only two(+) spots away from (a) point(s).

 

[Gloin22]

It's over. He now can do anything. Stunning TT by him.

 

[Afrank]

Well...he may have been wheelsucking a car in the TT or at least part of it. I remember seeing a photo somewhere (can't find the photo now though).

 

[Duke_S]

Kittel nicely helping Sagan secure green.

 

[Netserk]

Well...he may have been wheelsucking a car in the TT or at least part of it. I remember seeing a photo somewhere (can't find the photo now though).

I think that was when he overtook Hernandez.

...

Green seems locked for the Hulk!

 

[Pulpstar]

One thing that is going to help Sagan alot is his extraordinary bike handling abilities to avoid crashes. He won't avoid every one but many other riders could have been smashed up following the Veelers/Cav incident yesterday.

 

[Netserk]

One thing that is going to help Sagan alot is his extraordinary bike handling abilities to avoid crashes. He won't avoid every one but many other riders could have been smashed up following the Veelers/Cav incident yesterday.

He is simply the best bike handler in the peloton atm.

Amazing skills _O_

 

[tomorrow]

He is simply the best bike handler in the peloton atm.

Amazing skills _O_

well, certainly he is, I remember when he won one stage at last years ToC after pedalling while turning 90 degrees corner to the left(supposedly impossible) and then, the next stage when being pushed to the mantinels by someone from Haussler's team member. When writing this, I start to think, what would happen if it was Sagan instead of Veelers in stage 10. Would Sagan avoid the hit? Would it end the same? Would cav end on the pavement instead?

 

[Boardslide]

well, certainly he is, I remember when he won one stage at last years ToC after pedalling while turning 90 degrees corner to the left(supposedly impossible) and then, the next stage when being pushed to the mantinels by someone from Haussler's team member. When writing this, I start to think, what would happen if it was Sagan instead of Veelers in stage 10. Would Sagan avoid the hit? Would it end the same? Would cav end on the pavement instead?

Surely just before the crash you saw Sagan & Goss going shoulder to shoulder much more than the Cav-Veelers incident. I think if it had been Sagan-Veelers the result would have been the same as he seemed to go down very easily but if it had been Cav-Sagan they both would have stayed up.

 

[search]

I don't think you can compare those incidents, Veelers was going backwards and not aware of being involved in a possible collusion while Goss and Sagan were both fully focused

 

[Afrank]

I think that was when he overtook Hernandez.

...

Green seems locked for the Hulk!

Glad to hear that, would suck if he did it by getting a draft off cars.

 

[silverrocket]

I don't think you can compare those incidents, Veelers was going backwards and not aware of being involved in a possible collusion while Goss and Sagan were both fully focused

That's my opinion of that incident: Veelers was not alert enough, and had mentally "shut-off". We saw the result of that lack of attention.

 

[bissib]

Sagan wheeling Mont Ventoux

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f3o2GFEWGk

 

[Opalius]

So for the first time, really... Sagan going for the GC

Grand tour winner in a couple of years?

 

[Gloin22]

Closest thing we'll ever see to Merckx

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So for the first time, really... Sagan going for the GC

Grand tour winner in a couple of years?

GC, not quite the first time.
First one with "serious" mountains however.

 

[The GCW]

Holy Smokes Sagan

Re: the USA CYCLING PRO CHALLENGE / THE TOUR OF COLORADO - stage 2

I was on the Moonstone climb in Breckenridge, about 200' - 300' before the top, at Boreas Pass Road (and a few kilometers before the descent finish) and I was surprised to see Peter Sagan 3rd up that nasty 15% grade.

That may be the biggest surprise of the day.

 

[tomorrow]

Re: the USA CYCLING PRO CHALLENGE / THE TOUR OF COLORADO - stage 2

I was on the Moonstone climb in Breckenridge, about 200' - 300' before the top, at Boreas Pass Road (and a few kilometers before the descent finish) and I was surprised to see Peter Sagan 3rd up that nasty 15% grade.

That may be the biggest surprise of the day.

I guess, his team director knew what he was talking about, when he mentioned that after TdF, Peter will concentrate on the WC and that it is doable for him. Back then, I welcomed the idea, because last year, Peter himself were telling that this year's WC is to difficult to him and he won't probably take part, but now, it seems there will be some action from the Slovak in the WC afterall.
Now I am curious, how his recovery will be, if he finally gives it everything on stage 4 and how he will do.
Also, if the worlds go well, he might even try Lombardy, and one monument might actually be for him there this year.