Teams & Riders Peter Sagan discussion thread.

[Flamin]

Sagan is extremely overrated as a climber. He's a great puncheur, but he's never shown anything in the mountains. And no, I don't count getting over the top of a HC climb in a slowly paced 15 man breakaway group (including climbing prodigy Salerno) as a particularly impressive climbing feat.

He's massively impressive in hills, sprints and prologues, but when he both lacks the ability to do a decent long ITT and climb a mountain I don't see how anyone can consider him to be a likely future GT contender. Not that it matters, because he'll certainly pick up a couple of monuments, WCs and Olympic medals.

yeah, at the foot of the climb maybe he topped that climb with ten Dam, Fuglsang and Salerno, while the others (including not too shabby climbers like de Greef and Caruso) were long gone.

so no, I don't think he's overrated as a climber. he can handle a climb pretty ok if he goes for it. except that he almost never does that, since these days are more or less days off-duty for him, given his 'I race to win all year long'-approach.

 

[Bushman]

yeah, at the foot of the climb maybe he topped that climb with ten Dam, Fuglsang and Salerno, while the others (including not too shabby climbers like de Greef and Caruso) were long gone.

so no, I don't think he's overrated as a climber. he can handle a climb pretty ok if he goes for it. except that he almost never does that, since these days are more or less days off-duty for him, given his 'I race to win all year long'-approach.

I think he has improved his sprint this year, maybe he has gained a few pounds, i think thats the reason why his climbing seems to worse than last year.
though in T-A on the stage to chieti it was also some steep stuff where (except from him) it was only the GC guys who were there.

 

[Flamin]

I think he has improved his sprint this year, maybe he has gained a few pounds, i think thats the reason why his climbing seems to worse than last year.

why? he just never took a shot on a mountain this year.. and rightfully so.

 

[maltiv]

why? he just never took a shot on a mountain this year.. and rightfully so.

In Tour of Oman he said he would try to hang onto the leader's jersey on the MTF, but he was dropped very early on Green Mountain and finished way back.

 

[Flamin]

In Tour of Oman he said he would try to hang onto the leader's jersey on the MTF, but he was dropped very early on Green Mountain and finished way back.

Really? didn't know. was he serious though? because that's kinda lame

anyway, the 2nd week of le Tour will tell us more.

 

[Tom T.]

I have no doubt that Sagan will pull off the Ardennes triple someday.

 

[doperhopper]

any nickname for Saginator?

http://video.bicycling.com/video/What-Should-Peter-Sagans-Nickna

 

[Eusebio Kino]

Of course he's not peaking too soon, it was just a fantastic and very original joke. But I wonder what he will focus on perfecting first. Will he be a sprinter, cobbler or puncheur? Or just all of them.

IMO Sagan has massive core strength, guts, cunning and intelligence as a cyclist. Atta boy Sagan, plus he seems to have focus and maturity beyond his years. This type of rider comes only once every couple of decades. He also looks really, really good on the bike. I think he is really lucky also to ride for Liquigas, which has awesome management. A Merckx or Kelly, really a coin flip. Kind of an old school rider is Peter.

 

[TatryTour2013]

Bike handling

Is the bike handling that makes the difference? If so - check youg Peter few years ago.

http://vimeo.com/3210792

Maybe that could be interesting way for other young riders - versatility is the key for later successes in many sports.

 

[Eusebio Kino]

Is the bike handling that makes the difference? If so - check youg Peter few years ago.

http://vimeo.com/3210792

Maybe that could be interesting way for other young riders - versatility is the key for later successes in many sports.

The Sagan Bros. were excellent BMX racers also. My guess is that when the road sprints get hairy for the riders the Sagans' see everything in slow motion, and are able to read the sprint and then make appropriate moves to win.
It surprises me that road racers don't ride mountain bike, track races, cross more often. Look at Lars Boom, he never seems to get hurt, as a former cross racer. Also the Pros should be doing ju-jitsu, yoga, and stretching/gymnastics to keen their reflexes and make themselves supple for the inevitable crashes in road racing. Peter Sagan seems incredibly fluid in his range of motions, which will protect him and his fellow riders.

 

[BeachBum]

The Sagan Bros. were excellent BMX racers also.

Maybe that's where he learned to do this...



...right after the finish at ToC stage 3 in Livermore

 

[Bushman]

He has really got everything. A strong physique, race intelligence, great bike handling skills and last, But not least, he seems to have mental strenght. He is a winner, But he is still humble and he has managed to keep both Of his legs on the ground (well, not When on the bike Of course ).

 

[Afrank]

any nickname for Saginator?

http://video.bicycling.com/video/What-Should-Peter-Sagans-Nickna

I've always liked "The Terminator" for a nickname, that or "sagain" because he wins so much.

The Sagan Bros. were excellent BMX racers also. My guess is that when the road sprints get hairy for the riders the Sagans' see everything in slow motion, and are able to read the sprint and then make appropriate moves to win.
Peter Sagan seems incredibly fluid in his range of motions, which will protect him and his fellow riders.

I've heard other pros say that he is crazy in the sprints, as in with his positioning, which he is great at. Being such a good technical rider has made him an even greater force to be reckoned with, especially with sprinting or on the descents.

 

[doperhopper]

and do not forget the master angry lou trick

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=15205

 

[El Pistolero]

He has really got everything. A strong physique, race intelligence, great bike handling skills and last, But not least, he seems to have mental strenght. He is a winner, But he is still humble and he has managed to keep both Of his legs on the ground (well, not When on the bike Of course ).

Haven't seen a lot of that I must say.

 

[Froome19]

Haven't seen a lot of that I must say.

You havent been looking....


His positioning and conduct in the sprint belies a much older rider.


Of course his racing on the cobbles lacked intelligence but that will come with experience and he certainly has the basic ingredients.

 

[Dedelou]

You havent been looking....


His positioning and conduct in the sprint belies a much older rider.


Of course his racing on the cobbles lacked intelligence but that will come with experience and he certainly has the basic ingredients.

one gets the feeling watching him race that he wants to test his capacities and explore possibilities beyond sprinting for stage wins. It will be interesting to see him evolve.

 

[El Pistolero]

You havent been looking....


His positioning and conduct in the sprint belies a much older rider.


Of course his racing on the cobbles lacked intelligence but that will come with experience and he certainly has the basic ingredients.

That's not what I call racing smarts. That's what I call fearless. To each his own I guess.

 

[Froome19]

That's not what I call racing smarts. That's what I call fearless. To each his own I guess.

Did you see today's stage?
Dropping back onto Burghardt's wheel and then taking it from the front that was a piece of genius certainly.

 

[gustienordic]

Did you see today's stage?
Dropping back onto Burghardt's wheel and then taking it from the front that was a piece of genius certainly.

That was quite impressive... he hardly even looked like he was sprinting! He does not get all over the bike like Cav does, but it seemed he just powered away from the other sprinters!!

 

[maltiv]

That was quite impressive... he hardly even looked like he was sprinting! He does not get all over the bike like Cav does, but it seemed he just powered away from the other sprinters!!

There were hardly any sprinters there, I mean Albasini was 3rd, Gusev 6th and Montaguti 7th. So yeah, not exactly tough competition for a sprinter of Sagan's calibre.

 

[gustienordic]

There were hardly any sprinters there, I mean Albasini was 3rd, Gusev 6th and Montaguti 7th. So yeah, not exactly tough competition for a sprinter of Sagan's calibre.

Rojas isn't too bad of a sprinter, but yeah that is true!

 

[Afrank]

Rojas isn't too bad of a sprinter, but yeah that is true!

+ Haussler and Freire

 

[TatryTour2013]

Sagan's mentality

There are few interesting stories about Peter - just to better understand the way he race -

When younger on some race in Czech rep. he was in a breakaway with 4 riders from one other team. They offered him 2nd place in the stage if he will cooperate with them. He refused obviously - and ended up 5th as they destroyed him with individual moves he needed to chase alone. At the end he lost - but he tried to win - he was no satisfied with easy 2nd place.

Another story is that on some cross country race he somehow missed his bike - by mistake. So he just took supermarket bike of his sister - and obviously won the race ...

 

[Pippo_San]

Another story is that on some cross country race he somehow missed his bike - by mistake. So he just took supermarket bike of his sister - and obviously won the race ...

My cousin told me that before a race, Sagan ate so much that he couldn't pedal. Yet he won the race.
How?
He farted all along.


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