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Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic 2019

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They tried their best to change it up but it's never going to be anything different with the geography in London.

The women's race would be a lot more interesting on this course, and then you might as well just have the men race the crit lol
 
Re:

Cance > TheRest said:
Bennett is a beast. Lost his team in the crash and had to fight his way up for the sprint alone and yet he was so close
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
 
Re: Re:

jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
Bennett is a beast. Lost his team in the crash and had to fight his way up for the sprint alone and yet he was so close
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
I was thinking more of the fact that the guy is always there in high quality sprints, and in this case even when his entire team crash. IMO one of the 5 best sprinters in the world but he rarely gets the attention he deserves
 
Re: Re:

Cance > TheRest said:
jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
Bennett is a beast. Lost his team in the crash and had to fight his way up for the sprint alone and yet he was so close
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
I was thinking more of the fact that the guy is always there in high quality sprints, and in this case even when his entire team crash. IMO one of the 5 best sprinters in the world but he rarely gets the attention he deserves
he is strong indeed, yeah, but I don't think it made too much of a difference for him today. A while ago I read an interview with Drucker (about his role in the team) and he mentioned that Bennett doesn't really need a lead out man, just someone who gets him into position with 1-2k to go, as he then prefers to jump from wheel to wheel anyway.
 
Re: Re:

Cance > TheRest said:
jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
Bennett is a beast. Lost his team in the crash and had to fight his way up for the sprint alone and yet he was so close
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
I was thinking more of the fact that the guy is always there in high quality sprints, and in this case even when his entire team crash. IMO one of the 5 best sprinters in the world but he rarely gets the attention he deserves
I've got him slightly lower, probably 6-8 but I mostly agree with you. He didn't really "burst onto the scene" and instead has just improved steadily almost every year which I think is why he doesn't seem to get as much attention. If he goes to DQS, I think that'll change as he'll likely pick up a ton of big wins on that team.
 
Re: Re:

jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
Bennett is a beast. Lost his team in the crash and had to fight his way up for the sprint alone and yet he was so close
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
I was thinking more of the fact that the guy is always there in high quality sprints, and in this case even when his entire team crash. IMO one of the 5 best sprinters in the world but he rarely gets the attention he deserves
I've got him slightly lower, probably 6-8 but I mostly agree with you. He didn't really "burst onto the scene" and instead has just improved steadily almost every year which I think is why he doesn't seem to get as much attention. If he goes to DQS, I think that'll change as he'll likely pick up a ton of big wins on that team.

Im curious, what 5-7 sprinters do you think are better than Sam Bennett ?

You could argue, Groenewegen and Ackermann, and after the TDF, Ewan are better, but besides that its hard to see who are better than him and I think he is in the same league as those other 3 now already, and next year on Quick Step he is going to be very hard to beat indeed. Jakobsen may also be in the top league, but for now must surely rank below Bennett as must Gaviria after a mediocre year. And after those 6 there is a gap down to Viviani as nr. 7 I would think. It will also be interesting to see how low Viviani will drop next year on the list when he loses Mörköv and Richeze.
 
Re: Re:

MADRAZO said:
jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
Bennett is a beast. Lost his team in the crash and had to fight his way up for the sprint alone and yet he was so close
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
I was thinking more of the fact that the guy is always there in high quality sprints, and in this case even when his entire team crash. IMO one of the 5 best sprinters in the world but he rarely gets the attention he deserves
I've got him slightly lower, probably 6-8 but I mostly agree with you. He didn't really "burst onto the scene" and instead has just improved steadily almost every year which I think is why he doesn't seem to get as much attention. If he goes to DQS, I think that'll change as he'll likely pick up a ton of big wins on that team.

Im curious, what 5-7 sprinters do you think are better than Sam Bennett ?

You could argue, Groenewegen and Ackermann, and after the TDF, Ewan are better, but besides that its hard to see who are better than him and I think he is in the same league as those other 3 now already, and next year on Quick Step he is going to be very hard to beat indeed. Jakobsen may also be in the top league, but for now must surely rank below Bennett as must Gaviria after a mediocre year. And after those 6 there is a gap down to Viviani as nr. 7 I would think. It will also be interesting to see how low Viviani will drop next year on the list when he loses Mörköv and Richeze.
I can't put him ahead of Gaviria at this point despite his crashes and injuries. He's got 7 GT stages (two at the Tdf), and a points jersey. And no way you can put him above Viviani in my mind though I agree the tables will likely turn next year if the team rumors for both are true. Bennett has always seemed to disappear for periods of the season but he's certainly improved his consistency as well as his overall skillset. Next year will be a huge year for him to cement his place. I don't think Jakobsen is there just yet.

It really comes down to how you look at things. You can make fairly valid arguments for most of the top sprinters depending on what you value.
 
Re: Re:

.[/quote]
I can't put him ahead of Gaviria at this point despite his crashes and injuries. He's got 7 GT stages (two at the Tdf), and a points jersey. And no way you can put him above Viviani in my mind though I agree the tables will likely turn next year if the team rumors for both are true. Bennett has always seemed to disappear for periods of the season but he's certainly improved his consistency as well as his overall skillset. Next year will be a huge year for him to cement his place. I don't think Jakobsen is there just yet.

It really comes down to how you look at things. You can make fairly valid arguments for most of the top sprinters depending on what you value.[/quote]

I would say Bennett and Viviani looked very even in the 2018 Giro. Since then Viviani has looked a bit slower, with a unimpressive Giro and mediocre TDF this year, and Bennett has on the other hand for sure improoved this year, so for me he is clearly better of the 2 now, but it is indeed very subjective how to judge it, and you are right that Viviani usually goes fast longer parts of the year than Bennett, and that can count for something too. And for Gaviria its even more subjective to judge, with all his injuries, but for me he has clearly looked slower than Bennett this year, but with Richeze comming next year and hopefully no injuries he could still also aim to get back as number 1. Viviani will miss Mörköv and Richeze next year, but should be okay with Consonni going to Cofidis along with Sabatini, and perhaps someone like Soupe, that used to be a great leadout guy can be so again now he gets a good rider to leadout again. I suppose Laporte wont want to be a leadoutguy again, and will get a different programe.
 
Re:

Anderis said:
Interesting to see Ethan Hayer in the top10. I don't follow u-23 that much but from those few results that caught my eye I thought he was more of a climber.

He has always been sprinting well also, besides being a solid climber and having a good time trial. Just look at his results in last years Tour Of Britain for instance.

He is very similar to someone like Robert Stannard and will likely have his future in the classics I think more than in real mountains.
 
Re: Re:

jaylew said:
MADRAZO said:
jaylew said:
Cance > TheRest said:
jaylew said:
He was good but if you can't maneuver yourself in the final 1-2k of race as a sprinter occasionally, what good are you? Plenty of sprinters wind up using other teams regularly.
I was thinking more of the fact that the guy is always there in high quality sprints, and in this case even when his entire team crash. IMO one of the 5 best sprinters in the world but he rarely gets the attention he deserves
I've got him slightly lower, probably 6-8 but I mostly agree with you. He didn't really "burst onto the scene" and instead has just improved steadily almost every year which I think is why he doesn't seem to get as much attention. If he goes to DQS, I think that'll change as he'll likely pick up a ton of big wins on that team.

Im curious, what 5-7 sprinters do you think are better than Sam Bennett ?

You could argue, Groenewegen and Ackermann, and after the TDF, Ewan are better, but besides that its hard to see who are better than him and I think he is in the same league as those other 3 now already, and next year on Quick Step he is going to be very hard to beat indeed. Jakobsen may also be in the top league, but for now must surely rank below Bennett as must Gaviria after a mediocre year. And after those 6 there is a gap down to Viviani as nr. 7 I would think. It will also be interesting to see how low Viviani will drop next year on the list when he loses Mörköv and Richeze.
I can't put him ahead of Gaviria at this point despite his crashes and injuries. He's got 7 GT stages (two at the Tdf), and a points jersey. And no way you can put him above Viviani in my mind though I agree the tables will likely turn next year if the team rumors for both are true. Bennett has always seemed to disappear for periods of the season but he's certainly improved his consistency as well as his overall skillset. Next year will be a huge year for him to cement his place. I don't think Jakobsen is there just yet.

It really comes down to how you look at things. You can make fairly valid arguments for most of the top sprinters depending on what you value.
I probably would not have Gaviria in the top 5 at this point. What he has done in the past plays no role for how he has performed in 2019. Ackermann, Groenewegen, Ewan, Viviani and Bennett are all better sprinters at the moment.
 

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