Sastre

[InternalCableRouter]

Most over-rated pro cyclist in the peloton? Whinges and complains that he isn't treated with the respect he deserves -- does he deserve more?

 

[180mmCrank]

Over rated by who? He's won the TdF and few other things of note.

Most of the comments he has made that fit the 'whinging' tag have IMHO been taken out of context or poorly translated. I find his style of riding at the back of the bunch and animating things now and then quite refreshing. He seems like a solid pro to me. But others may have a different view.

 

[Ryaguas]

Over rated by who? He's won the TdF and few other things of note.

Most of the comments he has made that fit the 'whinging' tag have IMHO been taken out of context or poorly translated. I find his style of riding at the back of the bunch and animating things now and then quite refreshing. He seems like a solid pro to me. But others may have a different view.

You are not alone in that view... Carlos is a really good rider... As he said he has found a new motivation in his career and we already can see it! Attack attack attack! try your chances even if the odds are against you... looks like He contacted VINO looking for advice!

Carlos is not over rated... He climbs really well, his TT is not his best but he can defend himself... that "whinging" tag is just BS... He is the only rider w/o fear to say the things...!

 

[erader]

i agree with Thor Hushovd. sastre hasn't done jack in two years. he barely even raced this year.

erader

 

[ericthesportsman6]

He's overrated if you still consider him a great climber, but he's had an excellent career, and at his peak, he was a very good climber.

 

[hrotha]

i agree with Thor Hushovd. sastre hasn't done jack in two years. he barely even raced this year.

Yeah, he only won 2 stages of the Giro and was 3rd overall last year.

 

[peloton]

Yeah, he only won 2 stages of the Giro and was 3rd overall last year.

exactly, Thor should shut up.

 

[Martin318is]

the other thing to consider is translations. English definitely isn't his best language so anything he says needs to evaluated carefully and not just taken at face value.

Mind you, his Spanish is a little interesting at times too. I think he just has a really quirky way of communicating. He is great to listen to!

remember his quote about the SRM in "Overcoming"? - Something along the lines of "the computer is smarter than me" followed by "Bjarne, I no need to understand computer, computer need to understand me."

 

[ingsve]

I think both the team and Hushovd has focused too much on Sastres riding in the Tour when assessing him. In my opinion he should not have ridden the Tour the past two years. He had nothing to gain from it.

Last year he focused on the giro and was very good there and history in the past 10 years tells us that you won't do well in the Tour if you peaked for the Giro.

This year he got injured in the Giro and still finished 8th and as soon as his injury was better he was practically forced into the Tour again.

I think it's not quite accurate to say that he isn't a top climber anymore. He hasn't ridden a GT in top form since last years Giro and there he was certainly one of the very best. I would wait until he gets another chance to ride a GT in top form before counting him out as a climber.

 

[Comobosques]

I would agree that he most likely is past the point where he can realistically compete with the likes of Contador and Shleck, yet one cannot deny his consistency. Over the last few years his name has been in the top 25 consistently, a feat that is extremely impressing. Its a shame that this sport focuses so much on the 1 and 2 guys when there are 50 right behind them (lets not forget the domestiques) that are putting in some phenomenal rides. I accept that he may never again win a grand tour, but I will definitely be watching him next year to see what happens with his new team.

 

[boardhanger]

The man done what he could achieve with his limited abilities. He's won LeTour. Took his chance and can die happy. I think Sastre never really embraces modern training techniques etc. That's the guy he is doesn't want to be a nerd adhering to figures on a computer. Cervelo let him ride his way. They've departed on good terms. I hope he has a good Vuelta.

 

[Fowsto Cope-E]

I think Sastre was a great climber a couple of years ago but has just had a bad streak the last two years. I was impressed by his third at San Sebastian. Maybe he can be there for the Vuelta, at least in the top 5.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

I think Sastre was a great climber a couple of years ago but has just had a bad streak the last two years. I was impressed by his third at San Sebastian. Maybe he can be there for the Vuelta, at least in the top 5.

After two grand tours, one at 100% effort? Doubtful.

 

[Anonymous]

Good rider, but overrated. Won the tour that nobody else enterered. And i think his day is done now. Cant see him winning another. Shame cos he seems like a nice kid.

 

[la.margna]

everybody who followed last year's Giro, this year's Tour and Giro has seen how active Sastre rides and that he is one of the few to attack to risk everything. Also great performance in clasica San Sebastian.

Sad that some whiners who never made it to pro level judge this way about a great and fair rider.

Yes, he won the tour because of Cadel's tactical error and showing his time-trial of his life. Yes, he will never win the Tour again. But overrated?!

 

[Jamsque]

He's not overrated at all. He is a grinder and a grafter and he loves the sport with all he has. Never complains, never makes excuses, always rides to the fullest of his ability. One of my stand out favourite riders in the peloton, and has been since I started following the sport.

I don't buy this 'he won the tour that no-one entered' bull****, he worked damn hard for that win and he beat some excellent world-class riders to do it. You can't decry every stage race victory as meaningless just because Contador wasn't there, that would be like saying Farrar's win at the cyclassics the other day doesn't count because Cav was in Italy instead.

 

[the3verB]

Carlos Sastre is not overated at all. Among all the Vuelta's contender, he is the one who has the best palmares ahead of menchov and Pereiro Sio. I think he has a good chance to win the Vuelta, he started his season very late and is in a improving form.

Go Carlos!

 

[L'arriviste]

For me personally, Sastre's another one for whom the autumn leaves are starting to fall. He's a great guy but, even without his injuries this year, I'm not sure how much more he could have done than top 10. We'll never know - but I do hope he proves me wrong in 2011.

 

[Jamsque]

Oh I don't think that anyone would question that he is in the twilight of his career, but I think he has a few wins left in his legs.

 

[happychappy]

"Bjarne, I no need to understand computer, computer need to understand me."

Somebody should explain to simple sastre that computers don't work like that.

 

[Nick C.]

I'm not sure what the point of the thread is. Who rates Sastre as anything more than an agressive rider who won the Tour in '08, blew up the Tour in the Alps in '06 and won 2 stages at the Giro last year in the few years when he was given his chance. He could just be happy to ride for 2nd and thump his chest when wheelsuckign to a win but he chooses a different path.

 

[The Hitch]

Most over-rated pro cyclist in the peloton? Whinges and complains that he isn't treated with the respect he deserves -- does he deserve more?

Here is Sastres record in Gts

He has won the Granddady of them all.
He has come 2nd in the Vuelta a Espana twice.
He has podiumed in all 3 gts.
He has been on the podium of a Gt 6 times - 3 in Vuelta 1 in Giro and 2 in tour.

Outside podiums he has got another 3 top 5 finishes and then another 5 top 10 finishes.

Or to make it easier to understand. Sastre in gts.
Top 10 –14 times
Top 5- 9
Top 3- 6
Top 2- 3
Top 1- 1

 

[therealtimshady]

if he is overated what does that make leipheimer, kloden, evans,sanchez, wiggins,nibali etc who have never won a grand tour

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There were people on this forum who stated before the Tour that Sánchez (and Menchov) had no chance of a top 10 and would be 12th at best. They claimed Basso, Evans and Vino would all be in the top 10 though, and have been very quiet since the Tour.

I don't think Samuel Sánchez is overrated at all, people take him less seriously than they should if anything. Klöden is mighty overrated these days, as it's been some time since he was genuinely in contention for anything. Wiggins has been criticised and told that he will disappoint so often now that he clearly isn't particularly rated except by fanboys. Leipheimer is hard to fathom because he isn't a realistic contender and nobody seems to like him, but he's also regularly written off while he's still at least up there in contention. I can't stand watching him cycle though, he is the definition of tedious.

 

[movingtarget]

Until the end of the 2009 Giro he was not overrated. The results have been scarce, since. No one expects him to repeat 2008 but if he is not sighted on the results sheets in 2011 within the top 5 or 10 in grand tours you would have to say he is only riding for stage wins. He has also had injury problems and team changes. He no longer has an unstoppable former CSC team standing behind him. He does not deserve to be written off just yet. How many chances did Christophe Moreau get ? At least he tried things in the Giro and the Tour and also spoke out about the ridiculous neutralised stage. He does not pack it in and go home when the results are not being produced. I hope he can regain some of his previous form.