Rider of the Year 2012?

[El Pistolero]

No it's also based on the manner of his stage wins in the Vuelta and the Tour of Poland as well as his win in Toscana and Tre Valli Varesine (2010) and various other podiums in those sort of races. I think, at 25, he's ready to take the next step, and will get support to do so.

Wasn't that on an actual mountain stage? That's still not Phil's territory. Yes, he has a lot of potential, that I do not disagree with. The kid has style.

But I also heard he has a pollen allergy and that's not a good thing to have if you want to threaten Phil on his territory.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

revenge is coming . 2012 .

 

[The Hitch]

revenge is coming . 2012 .

Judging by a Boonen shaped outline in the back, that looks like E3 and no revenge needed there

 

[The Hitch]

Damn, I never realised that for Alejandro Valverde, if you use Noblis's signature, you don't need 3 sentences, you only need 3 words.

"Volveré y seguiré ganando"

 

[theyoungest]

No it's also based on the manner of his stage wins in the Vuelta and the Tour of Poland as well as his win in Toscana and Tre Valli Varesine (2010) and various other podiums in those sort of races. I think, at 25, he's ready to take the next step, and will get support to do so.

I think he's been co-leading the Ardennes team for two years now, but it just never works out. April is not his time of year (at least not in Northern Europe). The Martin we usually see in the fall could certainly be a contender.

 

[taiwan]

revenge is coming . 2012 .

Saves me posting it. I suspect/hope we'll see a slight change of direction from the Swiss Bear and some surprising wins.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think he's been co-leading the Ardennes team for two years now, but it just never works out. April is not his time of year (at least not in Northern Europe). The Martin we usually see in the fall could certainly be a contender.

This year it was because of a nasty crash at Flèche Wallonne though. The one caused by his cousin

But I still don't see him as a threat:

The Schlecks, Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquim Rodriguez and the likes are all bigger threats to Phil than Dan Martin. I'd even rate Gesink higher, but we don't know his full capabilities because he missed Lombardia twice in a row now and he is usually better in the Autumn classics and hasn't impressed me a lot in the Ardennes so far.

And who knows, Vincenzo Nibali might surprise a few now he's doing the Tour instead of the Giro. He'll be better prepared for the spring classics this year. He just needs to start racing with his brain.

And if Scarponi would give the spring classics a serious try he'd also be a bigger threat to Phil than Dan Martin is. Second at Lombardia 2010, he was the only guy that could get back to Phil. He was also pretty amazing at Milan-San Remo this year. If he didn't have to waste his energy to get back to the testa della corsa who knows what might have happened... Him and Samuel Sanchez are definitely my favorite foreign classic guys. Too bad Scarponi only rides Milano-San Remo and Il Giro di Lombardia these days.

 

[Aleajactaest]

]Philippe Gilbert repeats[/B] 'nuff said.

We all remember Paris-Tours 2008, '09, The Amstel Gold Race 2010, '11 and Giro di Lombardia 2009, '10. Is there really anything stopping him from repeating 2011 too?

One might wonder if there will really be any stopping the Walloon avalanche and his new BMC superteam in 2012.

No way. He'll get the Spartacus treatment next year. They'll dog him from the start and team up to beat him.

 

[El Pistolero]

No way. He'll get the Spartacus treatment next year. They'll dog him from the start and team up to beat him.

Why didn't they do it this year then after his Brabantse Pijl, Amstel Gold Race and FW victory?

He still won a ****load of one day races after those wins(Liège-Bastogne-Liége, Belgian road race championship, Clasica San Sebastian, GP de Québec, GP de Wallonie)

You know what happens if they treat Gilbert like Cancellara next year? Gilbert out-sprints them at the finish line

Also: unlike Cancellara Gilbert has a pretty good team. So any comparisons between them is pretty pointless as their situation is totally different.

 

[Douglas Ng-a-kien]

Gilbert

Gilbert won all the Ardennes Classics with a solid team but will be even better supported with superteam BMC. Yes he may be marked but even so he's proven he can win while being marked. He has also shown he can win 2 against 1 situations in the big races (Liege). Gilbert 2012

 

[The Hitch]

Why didn't they do it this year then after his Brabantse Pijl, Amstel Gold Race and FW victory?

He still won a ****load of one day races after those wins(Liège-Bastogne-Liége, Belgian road race championship, Clasica San Sebastian, GP de Québec, GP de Wallonie)

You know what happens if they treat Gilbert like Cancellara next year? Gilbert out-sprints them at the finish line

Also: unlike Cancellara Gilbert has a pretty good team. So any comparisons between them is pretty pointless as their situation is totally different.

Outsprints who? Valverde?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LUm-E4GPU8

 

[Panda Claws]

No way. He'll get the Spartacus treatment next year. They'll dog him from the start and team up to beat him.

The difference between Cancellara and Gilbert is explosivity and team.

1. Gilbert's team is much stronger than Cancellara's and can actually do something.

2. It is hard to mark someone if you cannot hold his wheel when he attacks.

 

[Panda Claws]

Outsprints who? Valverde?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LUm-E4GPU8

Valverde cannot keep his wheel when he attacks.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Outsprints who? Valverde?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LUm-E4GPU8

cancellara will outsprint gilbert as well

 

[theyoungest]

Valverde cannot keep his wheel when he attacks.

If Gilbert attacks, but can't hold the gap and is still outsprinted by Valverde on the finish line (LBL 2010)... who has the last laugh? It's probably Gilbert's one weakness: following up on his unfollowable attacks.

 

[Panda Claws]

If Gilbert attacks, but can't hold the gap and is still outsprinted by Valverde on the finish line (LBL 2010)... who has the last laugh? It's probably Gilbert's one weakness: following up on his unfollowable attacks.

This 'weakness' holds true for pretty much any classics rider expect Cancellara.

 

[Angliru]

Valverde cannot keep his wheel when he attacks.

Examples please.

 

[Panda Claws]

Examples please.

LBL 2010.

10 chars

 

[LaFlorecita]

Who do you pick for rider of the year 2012? And why, in five sentences or less?

Alberto Contador. He'll be more motivated than ever, willing to prove himself. He'll win about every race he'll start.

 

[El Pistolero]

Examples please.

Ardennes classics 2009-2010.

 

[El Pistolero]

cancellara will outsprint gilbert as well

Because he did it once in Milan-San Remo?

Pozzato is faster than both of them yet got outsprinted by both. Gilbert put in a huge attack(which Pozzato foolishly countered) which drained him from most of his energy when it came down to a sprint.

 

[Panda Claws]

I think Cancellara and Gilbert are pretty much equally matched in a sprint when they are both equally tired.

Both have gotten some good results in bunch sprints.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

LBL 2010.

10 chars

But while this is the best example of Valverde not being able to follow Gilbert's attacks, it's also the best example of the scenario being discussed, as Valverde and Evans along with the Schlecks, Contador and a couple of others caught back up to Gilbert and Valverde outsprinted the Belgian to the line. And the podium was on the line there, and Gilbert also outsprinted Evans, who's no slouch himself.

 

[Netserk]

I think Cancellara and Gilbert are pretty much equally matched in a sprint when they are both equally tired.

Both have gotten some good results in bunch sprints.

Canc has a far better sprint on a flat finish, no matter how tired they are, if they are equally tired.

 

[El Pistolero]

But while this is the best example of Valverde not being able to follow Gilbert's attacks, it's also the best example of the scenario being discussed, as Valverde and Evans along with the Schlecks, Contador and a couple of others caught back up to Gilbert and Valverde outsprinted the Belgian to the line. And the podium was on the line there, and Gilbert also outsprinted Evans, who's no slouch himself.

Valverde didn't chase Gilbert, Cadel Evans did. Who just happens to be Gilbert's team-mate next year