Riis is gone...HelloDolly said:What is up with Sagan ....today he came to almost a stand still ....
Very similar to what happened in Strade Bianche.HelloDolly said:What is up with Sagan ....today he came to almost a stand still ....
I think this is it: the seemingly dramatic falling away of everyone but one of the two exceptional talents on the team (Contador (and even he is hardly at his best)) implies the team is being dragged down badly.sir fly said:Very similar to what happened in Strade Bianche.HelloDolly said:What is up with Sagan ....today he came to almost a stand still ....
I don't remember seeing it before. There might be more substance in the training regime rumours than it looks.
Look how sponsors ruined the big event of the first half of Cavendish's season.peloton said:Remember how bad season Contador had in -13? That was after Tinkov sent him all over places for sponsor stuff. He did almost the same with Contador, Majka and Sagan last year....
Asero831 said:He clearly does not have it
and don't forget Nibali too. He saved his season by finally getting his form on time at TDF.TMP402 said:Look how sponsors ruined the big event of the first half of Cavendish's season.peloton said:Remember how bad season Contador had in -13? That was after Tinkov sent him all over places for sponsor stuff. He did almost the same with Contador, Majka and Sagan last year....
I highly doubt that he is bluffing. In E3 he was there with the best and obviously exploded in the last 3 K. Today you can only fault him if you are willing to fault Kristoff, Degenkolb, ect.ray j willings said:Is Sagan really this bad at the moment or is Sagan playing the long game so he will not be heavily marked come the big classic's?
I agree with this. He's not in all that bad shape. He's cracked badly twice (Strade Bianche and E3) - on both occasions he tried to break apart the race with about 50k to go and just didn't have the legs for it - he rarely has had the shape to do that - even 2-3 years ago. The other races where he didn't look to attack (MSR and several other stage races), he's looked quite strong but just got outsprinted by faster guys.Jspear said:I highly doubt that he is bluffing. In E3 he was there with the best and obviously exploded in the last 3 K. Today you can only fault him if you are willing to fault Kristoff, Degenkolb, ect.ray j willings said:Is Sagan really this bad at the moment or is Sagan playing the long game so he will not be heavily marked come the big classic's?
Jspear said:I highly doubt that he is bluffing. In E3 he was there with the best and obviously exploded in the last 3 K. Today you can only fault him if you are willing to fault Kristoff, Degenkolb, ect.ray j willings said:Is Sagan really this bad at the moment or is Sagan playing the long game so he will not be heavily marked come the big classic's?
Yes, he is only 25, but while his results seem to stagnate, other people of the same age are getting more and more successful. E.g. Quintana, Pinot, Kwiatkowski, Bouhanni, Bardet, Colbrelli, Matthews, Aru, ... all born in 1990 and all are getting stronger and stronger each season. Sagan had an early start but the last 2 years were clearly not his best. So we can't only measure him on general success, but must also take a look on his previous level of racing and compare it to 2015. Or short: Yes, he is strong, but not as strong as before. And the main question here is why?WildspokeJoe said:My hope is the Sagan wins a monument and soon. He is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton. Really tired of people cracking on him.
He's only 25 and if he were to retire today, he'd still have one of the best careers in the peloton. We've all been spoiled.
Yes, the things should be put in a wider prospective.Akuryo said:Yes, he is only 25, but while his results seem to stagnate, other people of the same age are getting more and more successful. E.g. Quintana, Pinot, Kwiatkowski, Bouhanni, Bardet, Colbrelli, Matthews, Aru, ... all born in 1990 and all are getting stronger and stronger each season. Sagan had an early start but the last 2 years were clearly not his best. So we can't only measure him on general success, but must also take a look on his previous level of racing and compare it to 2015. Or short: Yes, he is strong, but not as strong as before. And the main question here is why?WildspokeJoe said:My hope is the Sagan wins a monument and soon. He is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton. Really tired of people cracking on him.
He's only 25 and if he were to retire today, he'd still have one of the best careers in the peloton. We've all been spoiled.
We have seen this so many times in cycling as we have also seen riders who don't do much till 29 (usually GC guysIt's strange how natural talent can fade all of a sudden.
Sagan is very strong but he is not by a long shot the strongest rider in the peloton...if he were he would have won a monument by now. Kristoff , Degenkolb , Kittle , Matthews, Nairo, Aru are all better in my book...maybe Sagan will turn it around but it won't be easyIHe is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton
None of them had better career than Sagan so far.., except maybe QuintanaHelloDolly said:We have seen this so many times in cycling as we have also seen riders who don't do much till 29 (usually GC guysIt's strange how natural talent can fade all of a sudden.
Sagan is very strong but he is not by a long shot the strongest rider in the peloton...if he were he would have won a monument by now. Kristoff , Degenkolb , Kittle , Matthews, Nairo, Aru are all better in my book...maybe Sagan will turn it around but it won't be easyIHe is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton
Sagan caught so much unwarranted heat last year. He was so dominate at the tour. The only thing he didn't do was win a stage but he KILLED everyone in the green jersey competition. It wasn't even close. He excelled even though everyone was riding against him.sir fly said:Yes, the things should be put in a wider prospective.Akuryo said:Yes, he is only 25, but while his results seem to stagnate, other people of the same age are getting more and more successful. E.g. Quintana, Pinot, Kwiatkowski, Bouhanni, Bardet, Colbrelli, Matthews, Aru, ... all born in 1990 and all are getting stronger and stronger each season. Sagan had an early start but the last 2 years were clearly not his best. So we can't only measure him on general success, but must also take a look on his previous level of racing and compare it to 2015. Or short: Yes, he is strong, but not as strong as before. And the main question here is why?WildspokeJoe said:My hope is the Sagan wins a monument and soon. He is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton. Really tired of people cracking on him.
He's only 25 and if he were to retire today, he'd still have one of the best careers in the peloton. We've all been spoiled.
It's strange how natural talent can fade all of a sudden.
But he'll always be able to pinch bottoms while winners are getting kisses.
I'm not so sure Degenkolb isn't better than Sagan.Mr.White said:None of them had better career than Sagan so far.., except maybe QuintanaHelloDolly said:We have seen this so many times in cycling as we have also seen riders who don't do much till 29 (usually GC guysIt's strange how natural talent can fade all of a sudden.
Sagan is very strong but he is not by a long shot the strongest rider in the peloton...if he were he would have won a monument by now. Kristoff , Degenkolb , Kittle , Matthews, Nairo, Aru are all better in my book...maybe Sagan will turn it around but it won't be easyIHe is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton
You forgot Montreal for Sagan.TMP402 said:I'm not so sure Degenkolb isn't better than Sagan.Mr.White said:None of them had better career than Sagan so far.., except maybe QuintanaHelloDolly said:We have seen this so many times in cycling as we have also seen riders who don't do much till 29 (usually GC guysIt's strange how natural talent can fade all of a sudden.
Sagan is very strong but he is not by a long shot the strongest rider in the peloton...if he were he would have won a monument by now. Kristoff , Degenkolb , Kittle , Matthews, Nairo, Aru are all better in my book...maybe Sagan will turn it around but it won't be easyIHe is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton
Degenkolb:
monuments: 1
other classics: 3 (vattenfall, gent-wevelgem and paris-tours)
GT stages: 10
GT points jerseys: 1
Sagan:
monuments: 0
other classics: 3 (gent-wevelgem, brabantse pijl and e3 harelbek)
GT stages: 7
GT points jerseys: 3
Well I'm pretty sureTMP402 said:I'm not so sure Degenkolb isn't better than Sagan.Mr.White said:None of them had better career than Sagan so far.., except maybe QuintanaHelloDolly said:We have seen this so many times in cycling as we have also seen riders who don't do much till 29 (usually GC guysIt's strange how natural talent can fade all of a sudden.
Sagan is very strong but he is not by a long shot the strongest rider in the peloton...if he were he would have won a monument by now. Kristoff , Degenkolb , Kittle , Matthews, Nairo, Aru are all better in my book...maybe Sagan will turn it around but it won't be easyIHe is far and away one of the best riders in the peloton
Degenkolb:
monuments: 1
other classics: 3 (vattenfall, gent-wevelgem and paris-tours)
GT stages: 10
GT points jerseys: 1
Sagan:
monuments: 0
other classics: 3 (gent-wevelgem, brabantse pijl and e3 harelbek)
GT stages: 7
GT points jerseys: 3