Teams & Riders Peter Sagan discussion thread.

[sQiD]

Cavendish revealed that he talked to Peter Sagan about Milan-San Remo during a quiet moment in the peloton at Tirreno-Adriatico. He tried to convince the world champion to a personal bet on who they think would win. However, Sagan was not keen to bet against himself.

"Sagan was telling me that he's not a fan of Milan-San Remo because you just never know how the race will be decided. But that's the very thing that I like about it," Cavendish revealed.

"We agreed that we couldn't choose each other but in the end, he wouldn't do it. He seemed scared.

It seems that Sagan is betting on himself winning on Saturday.

 

[huge]

Sagan talking (and laughing) about the woman with a dog crossing the road just in front of him during the ITT: "Well, I was riding on the wrong side of the road and she was crossing on a pedestrian crossing, so I guess she was right"

 

[Red Rick]

Dammit. So close

 

[Netserk]

Given how extremely close it was, I think he did the right thing today. Maybe he could do the last 500m a bit better, but no matter what he would've done, it'd be very close.

If he was all alone over the top of Poggio, would he have been strong enough to last to the line? It's not a given that the teams behind would work well together to bring him back.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Given how extremely close it was, I think he did the right thing today. Maybe he could do the last 500m a bit better, but no matter what he would've done, it'd be very close.

If he was all alone over the top of Poggio, would he have been strong enough to last to the line? It's not a given that the teams behind would work well together to bring him back.

Oh yes he would. No question at all.

 

[sQiD]

Well done Peter, what a bold move on the Poggio !... next year nobody will stay behind you.

RDV in Flanders

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

Well done Peter, what a bold move on the Poggio !... next year nobody will stay behind you.

RDV in Flanders

Don't you mean they'll all stay behind him.

 

[huge]

Re:

If he was all alone over the top of Poggio, would he have been strong enough to last to the line? It's not a given that the teams behind would work well together to bring him back.

No question about that.

He basically rode all the way in front. It's not like he had any advantage from being three riders.

And Kwiato must say thank you to Alaphilippe, without whom he would have never caught up Sagan on the Poggio.

 

[Netserk]

Aye, but Sky and QS working behind would have been a factor.

 

[huge]

Re:

Aye, but Sky and QS working behind would have been a factor.

Very true, but I don't think they would have made such a difference with what we saw today.

15 sec with 2km to go are more than enough for Sagan to win it.

 

[Billie]

1st or 2nd in every classic since last years San Remo but Roubaix. Only GVA and Kwiatkowski that can beat him. Will not change over the coming weeks.

 

[huge]

Re:

1st or 2nd in every classic since last years San Remo but Roubaix. Only GVA and Kwiatkowski that can beat him. Will not change over the coming weeks.

???
He won the Flanders, but he was not on the podium at LBL or Il Lombardia last year, so which "Classics" are you referring to?

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm going to assume we're talking classics he actually rode. After all, being on the podium he didn't ride would be asking a bit much, even for Sagan.

 

[huge]

Re:

I'm going to assume we're talking classics he actually rode. After all, being on the podium he didn't ride would be asking a bit much, even for Sagan.

Then if Kwiato decides not to ride any other classics this year we can say he won all the classics in 2017. :lol:

I don't remember which classics he rode and which he didn't, but not seeing his name on the podium of last year M-S, LBL, Rubaix and IL Lombardia, saying that from last year M-S (but Rubaix) he has only achieved 1st or 2nd seems to me a bit of an overstatement

 

[Flamin]

Just unreal, 2nd again. You'd expect him to learn from it, but he barely seems to do so. If for example Kwia was in his position, having so much strength, there's no doubt in my mind he would have won the race. But Sagan always manages to lose his cool and do something wrong.

Luckily for him, de Ronde has become a pretty untactical race so he should have it in the bag.

 

[sQiD]

Peter is not a big fan of MSR, he was prepared to lose it. It won't be the case in Flanders and Roubaix.

 

[red_flanders]

Re:

Just unreal, 2nd again. You'd expect him to learn from it, but he barely seems to do so.

I think to assume he hasn't learned these lessons is to mistake his motivations for racing. It seems clear to me that he is willing to risk losing for the reward of winning audaciously.

He wins enough. He's interested in winning with panache.

 

[Flamin]

Oh I agree with that and I can only applaud his attack on the Poggio. What I'm talking about is how he played that final kilometer. He just doesn't seem to have that cool-headedness. Would bluffing a bit more at the end and finishing things off be considered as a win without panache after what he'd done on the Poggio? Of course not.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Just unreal, 2nd again. You'd expect him to learn from it, but he barely seems to do so.

I think to assume he hasn't learned these lessons is to mistake his motivations for racing. It seems clear to me that he is willing to risk losing for the reward of winning audaciously.

He wins enough. He's interested in winning with panache.

Did you see how strong he was? He's never tried by going on the Poggio before, if he waits for the sprint it's always a gamble and he's never the big favourite. In this case he was but he brainfarted it all away.

 

[deValtos]

To be honest a lot of Sagans mistakes in the past have been that he tries to semicommit/mark out the attacks then is weakened for the sprint. I like that he just chose one option this year and went full out.

I think he also did have enough left to win but probably started the sprint a bit too early but that's always hard to call in a race.

But really not much to complain about, and boy was he insanely strong. I hope he can win Roubaix this year.

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

Just unreal, 2nd again. You'd expect him to learn from it, but he barely seems to do so.

I think to assume he hasn't learned these lessons is to mistake his motivations for racing. It seems clear to me that he is willing to risk losing for the reward of winning audaciously.

He wins enough. He's interested in winning with panache.

Did you see how strong he was? He's never tried by going on the Poggio before, if he waits for the sprint it's always a gamble and he's never the big favourite. In this case he was but he brainfarted it all away.

Yes, I watched. My take is the same, he's willing to take risks others aren't. Being World Champion 2 times in a row and as strong as he is makes it easier to take risks. And it appears to be his personality and world view. He's not calculating. He races to win.

That's why he has so many fans.

 

[red_flanders]

Re:

Oh I agree with that and I can only applaud his attack on the Poggio. What I'm talking about is how he played that final kilometer. He just doesn't seem to have that cool-headedness. Would bluffing a bit more at the end and finishing things off be considered as a win without panache after what he'd done on the Poggio? Of course not.

I think if he'd have fooled about they would have run a substantial risk of getting caught. He simply wasn't willing to take that risk and thought he had a fair chance of winning anyway. I just don't think he calculates risk the same way many others do or the way some viewers think he should.

One man's cool-headedness is another's calculation and caution. He knows what he's doing.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Oh I agree with that and I can only applaud his attack on the Poggio. What I'm talking about is how he played that final kilometer. He just doesn't seem to have that cool-headedness. Would bluffing a bit more at the end and finishing things off be considered as a win without panache after what he'd done on the Poggio? Of course not.

I think if he'd have fooled about they would have run a substantial risk of getting caught. He simply wasn't willing to take that risk and thought he had a fair chance of winning anyway. I just don't think he calculates risk the same way many others do or the way some viewers think he should.

One man's cool-headedness is another's calculation and caution. He knows what he's doing.

The gap was a pretty safe one which those 3 in front also could see when they looked back. I'm not calling for trackstands but for example slowing down significantly in those last 400-500m. Make them nervous, wait for them to launch. He's incredibly explosive and powerful, so he doesn't have to make it a long sprint at all.

Imo it's not about calculation but about racing instincts and experience (the latter he should have plenty by now).

 

[Jspear]

How easy is it to judge distance when you crank your head backwards to look at the peleton? I've no clue...besides 500 meters can be closed down very fast.

 

[IndianCyclist]

He needs a last man. Somebody like Jurgen Roelandts. Otherwise to do everything by himself with a weak team is going to be very difficult