Sprinters 2019

[armchairclimber]

It already looks as though this is going to be a particularly open and competitive season, with no single sprinter likely to dominate. Riders like Kristoff, Kittel, Degenkolb, Viviani, Ewan etc are now being challenged by the yoofs ... Gaviria, Ackerman, Jakobsen, Hodeg, Philipsen etc.
Anyone seeing a stand out talent who is going to win most of the sprints they compete in?

 

[DNP-Old]

Yes, and their names are Gaviria and Groenewegen.

 

[RedheadDane]

That begs the question; are Gaviria and Groenewegen young talents, or established stars?

 

[armchairclimber]

Re:

That begs the question; are Gaviria and Groenewegen young talents, or established stars?

Well, it's not really two camps I suppose, more of a continuum. Actually I do think Groenewegen looks one of the very fastest. The point is, there are a lot of names in the hat this year ... and there's Sagan of course.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Just to be annoying Ackermann is older than Ewan.
Apart from this I think Viviani will dominate this season as well.

 

[Emotional Cobble Guy]

Interesting discussion. All hard to tell thouhg but even more so exciting. I'd say Groenewegen is going to be the sprinter of the season.

 

[Anderis]

I remember several seasons ago, when all top sprinters were present and in good shape, there was hardly anyone who, in normal circumstances, could beat the top2-3 sprinters at the time (mostly Cavendish or Greipel and then Kittel) in a flat sprint without complications.

Now there are at least 6-7 names who I can imagine winning a flat sprint stage where all other big names are present. Between Groenewegen, Gaviria, Sagan, Ewan, Viviani, Kittel and maybe guys like Sam Bennett or Demare on a good day I can see all of them beating one another and we have Ackermann (not that young but only started getting top results recently), Hodeg and Jakobsen developing rapidly. Who knows, maybe we will see just one or two of those names clearly above the rest when the TdF sprints are there this July, but for now it looks interesting.

 

[SHAD0W93]

The king will return and make his presence known at the Tour.

 

[MartinGT]

Cavendish is looking in good nick. I dont think he can be totally dismissed at the moment.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Cavendish is looking in good nick. I dont think he can be totally dismissed at the moment.

I think he can.

 

[Velolover2]

I think the Steppers have the two best sprinters of the season. Jakobsen and Viviani.

But let's see how things go.

 

[42x16ss]

Viviani vs Kittel vs Groenewegen in bunch sprints, Sagan vs Gaviria vs Ewan in slightly tougher sprints.

Ackerman, Hodeg, Jakobsen and Halvorsen to keep developing.

Kristoff looks very good ATM, I think he's going to mix it up with both.

 

[Blanco]

I think it's going to be between Viviani, Groenewegen and Gaviria.
Viviani is probably most consistent of them, Groenewegen fastest and Gaviria most versatile.

 

[Flamin]

Good to see a new and exciting generation taking over from the old guard (Kittel, Cav, Greipel,...). Long-overdue imo.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Good to see a new and exciting generation taking over from the old guard (Kittel, Cav, Greipel,...). Long-overdue imo.

Agree, but it has been in the cards for a few years, it has come pretty gradually. I don't really care much for those stages anyways but its good with some change of pace and Gaviria is my man altho he is kinda a weird rider who needs to fix his problems in order to become great.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

I think it's going to be between Viviani, Groenewegen and Gaviria.
Viviani is probably most consistent of them, Groenewegen fastest and Gaviria most versatile.

This

 

[armchairclimber]

Cav needs to prove nothing for his legacy, but if he starts beating the current crop regularly then he goes interstellar. Unlikely I think.
So yeah, Bennett, Van Poppel, Trentin in the mix too. I can't remember such depth at the head of affairs for sprinting.

Personally, I think Gaviria is the quickest, but he does find ways to lose races ... like falling off his bike.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Cav needs to prove nothing for his legacy, but if he starts beating the current crop regularly then he goes interstellar. Unlikely I think.
So yeah, Bennett, Van Poppel, Trentin in the mix too. I can't remember such depth at the head of affairs for sprinting.

Personally, I think Gaviria is the quickest, but he does find ways to lose races ... like falling off his bike.

I think Groenewegen proved in the Tour last year that he is quite a bit quicker than Gaviria if he gets a clear run for the line.

 

[del1962]

A younger Cav would wipe the floor with the current crop of sprinters

 

[kingjr]

Re:

A younger Cav would wipe the floor with the current crop of sprinters

I think a younger Cav would not have half the Palmares he has today if the current crop of sprinters had been around when he was younger.

 

[SHAD0W93]

The other teams would not be prepared for HTC'S leadout as it wouldn't have existed yet, plus with better opposition K don't think he would slack as much.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

A younger Cav would wipe the floor with the current crop of sprinters

I think a younger Cav would not have half the Palmares he has today if the current crop of sprinters had been around when he was younger.

Agreed. 08-12 Cav was a great sprinter, but the competition was thin. McEwen, Petacchi and Hushovd were past their best as sprinters, Boonen was focused entirely on classics, Greipel was on the same team until 2011, Goss until 2012. Cav's best opposition for a decent part of his career was Farrar.

Viviani, Gaviria, Groenewegen and Ewan at their current best would push 08-12 Cav harder than the opposition he had then, with the possible exception of Pettachi in 2010.

Cipo would have just thrown him into the barriers while laughing his ar$e off the whole time.

 

[Nirvana]

IMHO the fact that when he was in his prime an old and already declined Petacchi was a serious treat for him and was even able to beat him tells a lot about Cavendish level, especially considering that Petacchi had to wait until 29 to start winning big races because the competition was too much for him before.
Probably he would have been a good sprinter able to win some big races here and there also in another era but the timing of his career helped a lot and granted him a champion legacy.

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

IMHO the fact that when he was in his prime an old and already declined Petacchi was a serious treat for him and was even able to beat him tells a lot about Cavendish level, especially considering that Petacchi had to wait until 29 to start winning big races because the competition was too much for him before.
Probably he would have been a good sprinter able to win some big races here and there also in another era but the timing of his career helped a lot and granted him a champion legacy.

Kittel wiped the floor with Cav in his first TDF as a main sprinter

 

[SHAD0W93]

Re: Re:

IMHO the fact that when he was in his prime an old and already declined Petacchi was a serious treat for him and was even able to beat him tells a lot about Cavendish level, especially considering that Petacchi had to wait until 29 to start winning big races because the competition was too much for him before.
Probably he would have been a good sprinter able to win some big races here and there also in another era but the timing of his career helped a lot and granted him a champion legacy.

Kittel wiped the floor with Cav in his first TDF as a main sprinter

The same year Cav raced the whole Giro and Quickstep was trying to be HTC when they couldn't and would get swarmed by Argo at the end because they did no work.