Peter Sagan discussion thread.

[McEwen2006]

That was a legendary performance from Sagan.

Even 25 kilometers away from the finish, I was already telling myself that it was his best performance in a while even if he didn't end up winning.

I still can't believe Peter pulled it off. Bilbao was about to comeback and then what a kick that was from the three-time world champion !

 

[Ktarie]

That was a great performance by Sagan. He also did really well on stage two, but today was his big day. I'm happy for him.

A blooming Sagan in his prime apparently needs a lot of racing kilometers before he can tease out his top form, so It's going to be a looong winter for him

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

His desire was even more impressive than his legs. He wanted that a lot.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

According to Velon, he averaged 440 watts for the 20 mins beginning with his attack.

 

[tobydawq]

According to Velon, he averaged 440 watts for the 20 mins beginning with his attack.

The final 20 minutes? He sure also powered a lot in the opening part of the stage, putting the hurt on Ganna on the hill, the descent and even the flats and then being the prime motor in keeping Groupama at bay. And then again starting with the hills, keeping the favourites off even though they were so close for such a long time. Man, you could write a book about today's stage. Truly, truly special. I am so happy to have watched that show from beginning to end.

 

[Cookster15]

Gosh, great news to wake up to. A classic Sagan win that reminds me how he won PR in 2018. Nice for him to deliver like this and remind his doubters he isn't finished.

 

[johnymax]

Gosh, great news to wake up to. A classic Sagan win that reminds me how he won PR in 2018. Nice for him to deliver like this and remind his doubters he isn't finished.

It gave me more flashbacks of his Ronde win. Riding away from Vanmarcke (Swift) on the last climb and at the same time holding back Cancellara's (Bilbao) attack from behind.

 

[Cassirer]

Today he found it all: Instincts, smarts, legs and heart. A show from start to finish. He was getting better, but I am so surprised and happy he had that in him.

The guys on german eurosport said that you could have easily missed how he was without a win for so long, because somehow he (and his team) was still always there, like in the tour, creating opportunities and havoc, just missing a tiny bit of luck or form. But that only makes this one sweeter! What a way to come back, I agree with the guys who said they would trade 5 bunch sprints for this one.

I also think it in some sense reflects his career (so far): after all it's "just" a stage, but boy was that a ride, it feels like much more! After all he might not have that many big wins as many expected him to get, but what he did all these years to me is not closely reflected in these statistics and also seems a hell of a lot more.

 

[Keram]

The final 20 minutes? He sure also powered a lot in the opening part of the stage, putting the hurt on Ganna on the hill, the descent and even the flats and then being the prime motor in keeping Groupama at bay. And then again starting with the hills, keeping the favourites off even though they were so close for such a long time. Man, you could write a book about today's stage. Truly, truly special. I am so happy to have watched that show from beginning to end.

I dont know even pick most spectacular part of his effort. If I am not mistaken I think he lost only few seconds last climb on main group. Incredible. He really used his climbing legs from 2013 today

 

[richwallone]

He rode today like it's a one day race in Belgium!!! Wow!!! Some crazy numbers!!!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1316041430800924674

View: https://twitter.com/VelonCC/status/1316041430800924674

 

[richwallone]

That was a great performance by Sagan. He also did really well on stage two, but today was his big day. I'm happy for him.

A blooming Sagan in his prime apparently needs a lot of racing kilometers before he can tease out his top form, so It's going to be a looong winter for him

That's what I've been saying back in August before the Tour: Sagan needs a lots of racing during the Spring Classics in order to have a great Tour... Hope he'll take these lessons with him into the off-season and comes back in 2021 super strong... WVA and MVdP need somebody to disrupt their plans of world domination...

 

[SafeBet]

What
A
Win

You could feel old Sagan vibes from a long way out today. He was just toying with the other riders in the breakaway. The moment I saw him pacing himself back to Cataldo/Swift after they attacked on an early wall I knew he would solo and win.

Ridiculous watts too. He's back.

 

[jmdirt]

Nice!
Congrats PS!

 

[McEwen2006]

Who do you think is the favourite for the cyclamen jersey now, Sagan or Démare ?

 

[hayneplane]

That was magical. 3 teams with 2 riders in the break trying to work him over, break pushed to the max by Groupama FDJ to reach the intermediate sprint, long chase by NTT then the Bilbao attack getting as close as 5 seconds away but still that iron will to prevail today ensured nobody could come back.

probably ranks alongside the Paris-Roubaix winning ride as his finest performance so far in a glittering career.

A performance that reminds us how much more fun hilly wall climbing Sagan is than the one bulking up to compete in the mass field sprints.

 

[Screecher]

It was a great performance but we should calm down and realize that it's "just" a Giro stage and the competition here (with some exceptions) is rather weak. Not saying i'm not happy, i'm just being realistic.

 

[Rollthedice]

The greatest show on earth is back.

 

[McEwen2006]

It was a great performance but we should calm down and realize that it's "just" a Giro stage and the competition here (with some exceptions) is rather weak. Not saying i'm not happy, i'm just being realistic.

I'd agree if it was a typical win in a sprint for example. The way he won was impressive though, that will go down as one of Sagan's greatest victories. Have you seen the whole stage ?

 

[Eclipse]

It was a great performance but we should calm down and realize that it's "just" a Giro stage and the competition here (with some exceptions) is rather weak. Not saying i'm not happy, i'm just being realistic.

The field is not strong but today was ridden very very hard and he fended off considerable pressure from a coordinated FDJ team effort, his own breakaway companions, a strong GC attacker and then held on to stay clear of the rest of the competition who were charging to drive home their own advantages.

 

[Screecher]

I'd agree if it was a typical win in a sprint for example. The way he won was impressive though, that will go down as one of Sagan's greatest victories. Have you seen the whole stage ?

Unfortunately i couldn't watch it live but i did gather enough intel about what happened when i got home. He was very strong today, i just wish he could do this in a big one-day race.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Who do you think is the favourite for the cyclamen jersey now, Sagan or Démare ?

Demare is still in the driver’s seat. He has a lead and should - should - extend it tomorrow to a substantial one.

If Bora are willing to ride like they and DQS did for the points jersey in the Tour and bury themselves to drop Demare over and over again, there are plenty of chances for Sagan. Even though Demare in top form is a much trickier proposition to get rid of without killing Sagan than most sprinters. But I don’t think the calculation is quite the same for them in the Giro. Cyclamino isn’t as big a prize and they have serious GC ambitions.

so the question is less if there are places for Sagan to outscore Demare and more how are Bora going to achieve that when the good climbers in the team have bigger fish to fry.

 

[tobydawq]

Unfortunately i couldn't watch it live but i did gather enough intel about what happened when i got home.

Sorry, but apparently you didn't if you can come to the conclusion that we should shrug at his performance.

It was insane. Period.

 

[tobydawq]

Demare is still in the driver’s seat. He has a lead and should - should - extend it tomorrow to a substantial one.

If Bora are willing to ride like they and DQS did for the points jersey in the Tour and bury themselves to drop Demare over and over again, there are plenty of chances for Sagan. Even though Demare in top form is a much trickier proposition to get rid of without killing Sagan than most sprinters. But I don’t think the calculation is quite the same for them in the Giro. Cyclamino isn’t as big a prize and they have serious GC ambitions.

so the question is less if there are places for Sagan to outscore Demare and more how are Bora going to achieve that when the good climbers in the team have bigger fish to fry.

Friday has 50 points on the line.

Also, Sagan was a centimetre shy of beating Démare in Villafranca Tirrena, so it's not as if it's impossible that Sagan could beat him in a sprint (especially considering the fact that Démare usually deteriorates quite dramatically during a Grand Tour).

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

Sorry, but apparently you didn't if you can come to the conclusion that we should shrug at his performance.

It was insane. Period.

Seconded. Forget that his main Classics competitors are not riding here, the numbers (and the panache he showed) speak for themselves.

Question for y'all. Can he beat Démare fair and square on a flat day with these legs and the renewed confidence?

 

[SKSemtex]

View: https://youtu.be/W60FTqBZhZA

This guy is really Peter Sagan fanboy.