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No classics rider has "bigger goals" than San Remo. But I can see how only a small number of riders would make it a focal point of a season.cellardoor said:I get the impression that most riders are not in absolute top form for MSR as they have bigger goals in the cobbled classics and Ardennes. Alaphillipe this year seemed to tailor his training to be in top form at MSR and it showed compared to the others. So I do think Gilbert has a chance if he is willing to peak for MSR at the expense of other races. I don't necessarily think there will be an internal team rivalry with Alaphillipe as I expect he'll have other goals next year and will not be on quite the same level as he was in this year's race.
How does it work actually, having a biggest goal that's not your focal point?Leinster said:No classics rider has "bigger goals" than San Remo. But I can see how only a small number of riders would make it a focal point of a season.
Red Rick said:Sanremo is a bit of a strange case cause it's effectively by far the easiest of the major races on the calendar, and therefor it's not really punishing to those who aren't in top condition. Like Valverde and Nibali made the final selection without being near top shape.
It's also not that much of a puncheur race either. The Poggio, however flat, is still a 6 minute climb which in it's own way is longer than most of the Ardennes climbs, although it's not nearly as punishing for heavier riders and the last km is the hardest.
Hence me saying it's far more forgiving then any other major race. You just have to have your short efforts on point, the 'being great at high intensity for ages' can wait till later in season.Leinster said:Red Rick said:Sanremo is a bit of a strange case cause it's effectively by far the easiest of the major races on the calendar, and therefor it's not really punishing to those who aren't in top condition. Like Valverde and Nibali made the final selection without being near top shape.
It's also not that much of a puncheur race either. The Poggio, however flat, is still a 6 minute climb which in it's own way is longer than most of the Ardennes climbs, although it's not nearly as punishing for heavier riders and the last km is the hardest.
There’s a big difference between the Poggio coming at the end of 6.5 hours of sitting in a bunch at 45kmh, versus a Roche aux Faucons or St Nicholas in the suburbs of Liege after 6 hours of up/down action on similar hills or bigger.
Sagan is the obvious one, given his record in San Remo. He could go more if the revised Liege finish works out for him. And if Lombardia has a favourable Route for him one of these years...gunara said:The next to win 3 different monuments will be...Dan Martin! I think not, but after Gilbert some may lean even more towards Ala and Jungels rather than Sagan and the likes. With Sanremo being the wild catch among the 2 & 2.
Sagan may quickly silence that thought with some sacrifice though.
Bardamu said:Hehe, well every sport needs it's villain doesn't it? Felt a bit sad though for Cancellara when I saw him on Belgian tv recently. The guy obviously is not in a good place atm.VDB44 said:And there's one other factor I take in consideration:
Boonen is and was a funny and likable guy, loved in the peloton.
Gilbert, Valverde and Bettini also well liked and respected in the peloton.
And then you have Cancellara; a two faced tw*t.
So, no way I put Cancellara above Boonen and Gilbert. :razz:
Frankschleck said:Bardamu said:Hehe, well every sport needs it's villain doesn't it? Felt a bit sad though for Cancellara when I saw him on Belgian tv recently. The guy obviously is not in a good place atm.VDB44 said:And there's one other factor I take in consideration:
Boonen is and was a funny and likable guy, loved in the peloton.
Gilbert, Valverde and Bettini also well liked and respected in the peloton.
And then you have Cancellara; a two faced tw*t.
So, no way I put Cancellara above Boonen and Gilbert. :razz:
Yeah Cancellera might be a *, but i hold him higher than Boonen for the one simple reason he showed him self as a stronger rider. Mano vs Mano Cancellera was a stronger rider than Boonen in almost every race, with boonen only being faster in a sprint, and probably not by much. I know there palamaras is close, but when I think back i can't help myself from remebering Cancellera as the stronger rider.
True, Cancellara was the strongest rider by far for a while. I never had that feeling with Boonen, not even in Paris Roubaix 2012. But being able to finish races due to a sprint is worth of praise as well.Frankschleck said:Bardamu said:Hehe, well every sport needs it's villain doesn't it? Felt a bit sad though for Cancellara when I saw him on Belgian tv recently. The guy obviously is not in a good place atm.VDB44 said:And there's one other factor I take in consideration:
Boonen is and was a funny and likable guy, loved in the peloton.
Gilbert, Valverde and Bettini also well liked and respected in the peloton.
And then you have Cancellara; a two faced tw*t.
So, no way I put Cancellara above Boonen and Gilbert. :razz:
Yeah Cancellera might be a *, but i hold him higher than Boonen for the one simple reason he showed him self as a stronger rider. Mano vs Mano Cancellera was a stronger rider than Boonen in almost every race, with boonen only being faster in a sprint, and probably not by much. I know there palamaras is close, but when I think back i can't help myself from remebering Cancellera as the stronger rider.
Valanga said:According to Merckx, Gilbert is the best Belgian cyclist since Roger De Vlaeminck. So that puts him at least above Boonen in the ranking.
And you can't argue with Merckx, obviously.
Red Rick said:Generally really hate the idea that achievement = validity of opinion, especially in sports.
Valanga said:According to Merckx, Gilbert is the best Belgian cyclist since Roger De Vlaeminck. So that puts him at least above Boonen in the ranking.
And you can't argue with Merckx, obviously.
Looking at the results, I don't think he is wrong either tbh, altho Boonen certainly was a bigger name more or less throughout his career. But strictly on palmarés its Gilbert IMO, but there goes something more than just palmarés into deciding who the biggest/best cyclist is.Salvarani said:Valanga said:According to Merckx, Gilbert is the best Belgian cyclist since Roger De Vlaeminck. So that puts him at least above Boonen in the ranking.
And you can't argue with Merckx, obviously.
I dont think he is wrong.
Valv.Piti said:Looking at the results, I don't think he is wrong either tbh, altho Boonen certainly was a bigger name more or less throughout his career. But strictly on palmarés its Gilbert IMO, but there goes something more than just palmarés into deciding who the biggest/best cyclist is.Salvarani said:Valanga said:According to Merckx, Gilbert is the best Belgian cyclist since Roger De Vlaeminck. So that puts him at least above Boonen in the ranking.
And you can't argue with Merckx, obviously.
I dont think he is wrong.
Despite Amstel not being a monument, if you dominate that race you're automatically one of the strongest riders in the peloton. It has the best field, better than the cobbled races.Red Rick said:Don't think there's much between them at all.
And as for the icon thing, that's solely because Gilbert has filled out his palmares super late in his career. He was the Belgian hilly classics #1 to be sure, but only had 1 really great season and only one race he really dominated, and it wasn't one of the biggest ones.