- Jul 6, 2014
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Re:
I agree but + Sagan.
I have Kittel and Groenewegen on par as the quickest in a flat drag race.
Gaviria, Viviani and Sagan as the most likely when things are a bit more sketchy.
And I suppose that leaves us to ask: what about when it's a bit uphill? Cobrelli, Matthews....
jaylew said:
I agree but + Sagan.
I have Kittel and Groenewegen on par as the quickest in a flat drag race.
Gaviria, Viviani and Sagan as the most likely when things are a bit more sketchy.
And I suppose that leaves us to ask: what about when it's a bit uphill? Cobrelli, Matthews....
- Jul 16, 2011
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The UAE Tour has been a pretty good illustration of what this thread is about. The sprint stages shared out, no single sprinter dominating. It's good.
Re:
Yes, there are five guys in that race who are all capable of frequently beating all of the others, Viviani, Bennett, Gaviria, Kittel and Ewan. Four of them won stages. Most of the time, lead out, intelligence, luck and timing in the approach are what decide the day’s winner as there just isn’t that big a speed differential.
This is the era with the greatest sprinting depth in the history of the sport. There are 10-12 guys who would each have been Cav’s main rival during his period of dominance and who would have made the big 3 of the recent past into a big four. Instead they rarely see a race without multiple serious opponents unless they slum it in the coupe de France.
armchairclimber said:
Yes, there are five guys in that race who are all capable of frequently beating all of the others, Viviani, Bennett, Gaviria, Kittel and Ewan. Four of them won stages. Most of the time, lead out, intelligence, luck and timing in the approach are what decide the day’s winner as there just isn’t that big a speed differential.
This is the era with the greatest sprinting depth in the history of the sport. There are 10-12 guys who would each have been Cav’s main rival during his period of dominance and who would have made the big 3 of the recent past into a big four. Instead they rarely see a race without multiple serious opponents unless they slum it in the coupe de France.
- Sep 7, 2011
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Re: Re:
In my view the abnormally large top tier consists of Viviani, Ewan, Gaviria, Kittel, Groenewegen, Bennett, Ackermann, Jakobsen, Sagan all more or less for certain in that there is zero element of surprise if one of them wins any sprint. Then there’s a group of other riders who nearly belong in that tier, have belonged in the past or might do in the near future like Hodeg, Kristoff, Trentin, Greipel, Cavendish, Demare.
There is no dominant sprinter in this period yet. Viviani is the closest there has been recently. Certainly he wins the most. But it’s not at all surprising when he loses to any of the above, so he can’t really be considered dominant. Groenewegen would I think be the best bet to become dominant if he was on a team built around him, but he isn’t and probably won’t be any time soon, so we will never know. Jakobsen is very young and very good already and on the right team, so it’s possible that he will eventually be the unquestioned best in but that’s far from certain.
happytramp said:
In my view the abnormally large top tier consists of Viviani, Ewan, Gaviria, Kittel, Groenewegen, Bennett, Ackermann, Jakobsen, Sagan all more or less for certain in that there is zero element of surprise if one of them wins any sprint. Then there’s a group of other riders who nearly belong in that tier, have belonged in the past or might do in the near future like Hodeg, Kristoff, Trentin, Greipel, Cavendish, Demare.
There is no dominant sprinter in this period yet. Viviani is the closest there has been recently. Certainly he wins the most. But it’s not at all surprising when he loses to any of the above, so he can’t really be considered dominant. Groenewegen would I think be the best bet to become dominant if he was on a team built around him, but he isn’t and probably won’t be any time soon, so we will never know. Jakobsen is very young and very good already and on the right team, so it’s possible that he will eventually be the unquestioned best in but that’s far from certain.
- Jul 16, 2011
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So Bennett today. Is anyone keeping score? One thing is clear, Mareczko is not up there with the big guns yet. CCC have been pretty woeful with their positioning this week at PN.
The score?
Groenewegen: 4 wins
Viviani: 4 wins
Gaviria: 3 wins
Bennett: 3 wins
Ewan, Kittel: 1 win
Greipel, Demare: 0 wins..
Groenewegen: 4 wins
Viviani: 4 wins
Gaviria: 3 wins
Bennett: 3 wins
Ewan, Kittel: 1 win
Greipel, Demare: 0 wins..
- May 5, 2010
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- May 9, 2014
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Cav still wiped the floor with Greipel, who was in his prime at the time.
There's an argument to be made that if Viviani Kittel and co were around in 2009, Cav would have half his palmares.
But there is also an argument to be made if Hushovd Pettachi Goss etc were around now, they'd be on a similar level to Viviani Groenewegen etc
Bet a lot of posters here didnt even watch Cav in his prime
There's an argument to be made that if Viviani Kittel and co were around in 2009, Cav would have half his palmares.
But there is also an argument to be made if Hushovd Pettachi Goss etc were around now, they'd be on a similar level to Viviani Groenewegen etc
Bet a lot of posters here didnt even watch Cav in his prime
Re:
I think Petacchi was already slightly past his prime when facing Cavendish. Goss was never that good and spent a good chunk of his prime years riding in one team with the Manxman.
Did he also really wipe the floor with Greipel? I thought that Greipel got a decent number of TdF stage wins as soon as he got out of the same team and a decent portion of them were sprints which Cavendish participated in.
I doubt Hushovd would be on Viviani/Groenewegen level. He was that type of sprinter who was too good of a climber to be that quick. Just look at Sagan. He can occasionally beat top sprinters in a flat sprint finish but he has never been considered the quickest guy out there, has he?PremierAndrew said:
I think Petacchi was already slightly past his prime when facing Cavendish. Goss was never that good and spent a good chunk of his prime years riding in one team with the Manxman.
Did he also really wipe the floor with Greipel? I thought that Greipel got a decent number of TdF stage wins as soon as he got out of the same team and a decent portion of them were sprints which Cavendish participated in.
- Apr 25, 2016
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Re: Re:
Clearly this. Well said Blanco!
I don't see Kittel having a great season like some people tend to think here. He has been nowhere to be seen since his QS departure except for an early win this season though..
He's very disappointing or is it me? That guy was a Monster at QS. Might we credit Sabatini for that?
Dekker_Tifosi said:
Clearly this. Well said Blanco!
I don't see Kittel having a great season like some people tend to think here. He has been nowhere to be seen since his QS departure except for an early win this season though..
He's very disappointing or is it me? That guy was a Monster at QS. Might we credit Sabatini for that?
Re: Re:
Viviani: 5
Bennett: 4
Groenewegen: 4
Gaviria: 3
Jakobsen: 1
Sagan: 1
Hodeg: 1
Ackermann: 1
Kittel: 1
Ewan: 1
Greipel: 1
It looks like there’s a class of four separating themselves a little from the big pack of fast men, at least in the early season.
Zinoviev Letter said:
Viviani: 5
Bennett: 4
Groenewegen: 4
Gaviria: 3
Jakobsen: 1
Sagan: 1
Hodeg: 1
Ackermann: 1
Kittel: 1
Ewan: 1
Greipel: 1
It looks like there’s a class of four separating themselves a little from the big pack of fast men, at least in the early season.
Re:
I just added today’s win to Cinemaniak’s tally. On checking, you are right. Viviani is alongside Groenewegen and Bennett on 4. Incidentally, last year’s sprinter duel at the Giro is currently looking higher quality than it did then.
Akuryo said:
I just added today’s win to Cinemaniak’s tally. On checking, you are right. Viviani is alongside Groenewegen and Bennett on 4. Incidentally, last year’s sprinter duel at the Giro is currently looking higher quality than it did then.
- Feb 20, 2012
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw1MHv4uDGY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFcPvRjMxZE
Guy won 20 Tour stages in 4 years. None of the guys mentioned here gets close to these kinds of sprints.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFcPvRjMxZE
Guy won 20 Tour stages in 4 years. None of the guys mentioned here gets close to these kinds of sprints.
- May 5, 2010
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- Jul 16, 2011
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