Strade Bianche 2013, March 2nd, 188 kms 1.1

[El Pistolero]

I honestly wouldn't mind if Cancellara broke Sagan once with an attack of him, but he doesn't seem strong enough. You can't wheelsuck Sagan either. I'm afraid he'll win Milan-San Remo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen rather easily.

This race was almost impossible to win against Cannondale by the way, Sagan and Moser together were too much for every team.

Anyway, I figured already that Valverde wasn't in too great shape despite him winning a lot. He finished 11 seconds down on Sagan and 10 on Cancellara.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Fabian is a mental one-trick-pony.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1152744&postcount=152

 

[cocteau_ireland]

I honestly wouldn't mind if Cancellara broke Sagan once with an attack of him, but he doesn't seem strong enough. You can't wheelsuck Sagan either. I'm afraid he'll win Milan-San Remo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen rather easily.

Don't be afraid

 

[maltiv]

Fabian is a mental one-trick-pony.

What do you think he should've done?

 

[tomorrow]

we'll i'd say, that now the things got pretty ****ty for the other teams. Given the circumstances that both sagan and moser are in the lead group, the winning team could be obvious. They could repeat this trick round and round. The problem is, that if the moser goes, he can very easily end up wining, and if he's not allowed to go, he will just catch every attempt to break, which will end up in sagan winning. Probably, the only tactics against this would be to let moser go, then kick sagan off the bike and then catch moser .

 

[brilleaben]

What do you think he should've done?

Waited for the sprint, like Boonen.

 

[SafeBet]

Anyway, I figured already that Valverde wasn't in too great shape despite him winning a lot. He finished 11 seconds down on Sagan and 10 on Cancellara.

He punctured just after entering the hardest sterrato sector of the race 50 kms from the finish. He had no team mates and was 45 seconds behind the peloton at one point, then managed to get back.

A huge waste of energy for sure.

 

[El Pistolero]

He punctured just after entering the hardest sterrato sector of the race 50 kms from the finish. He had no team mates and was 45 seconds behind the peloton at one point, then managed to get back.

A huge waste of energy for sure.

Wouldn't have mattered to Sagan.

But okay, fair enough. Just watched the last 10km. Good race, 2011 and 2012 I found to be a bit boring to be honest.

 

[Netserk]

Waited for the sprint, like Boonen.

Yeah Boonen always waits for the sprint and never attacks earlier

 

[Miburo]

Wouldn't have mattered to Sagan.

But okay, fair enough. Just watched the last 10km. Good race, 2011 and 2012 I found to be a bit boring to be honest.

Didn't Gilbert win in 2011?

 

[brilleaben]

Yeah Boonen always waits for the sprint and never attacks earlier

Dammit. I thought my little troll would have got you more riled up.

 

[Peccio89]

we'll i'd say, that now the things got pretty ****ty for the other teams. Given the circumstances that both sagan and moser are in the lead group, the winning team could be obvious. They could repeat this trick round and round. The problem is, that if the moser goes, he can very easily end up wining, and if he's not allowed to go, he will just catch every attempt to break, which will end up in sagan winning. Probably, the only tactics against this would be to let moser go, then kick sagan off the bike and then catch moser .

The presence of Boonen however might change everything, since he might be able to beat Sagan in a sprint, and so the slovak might be forced to change tactic.

 

[El Pistolero]

Didn't Gilbert win in 2011?

Yeah, I consider it to be one of his lowest one day wins. Just above GP de Wallonie perhaps(and all his little French one day race wins in that Coupe de France thing + the races in Mallorca)

 

[Netserk]

The presence of Boonen however might change everything, since he might be able to beat Sagan in a sprint, and so the slovak might be forced to change tactic.

Boonen already beat Sagan in a sprint when it mattered, so no need for might

(Although I do think that Sagan is a better sprinter than Boonen)

 

[Pentacycle]

Yeah, I consider it to be one of his lowest one day wins. Just above GP de Wallonie perhaps.

He was just building his condition there just like Sagan now, and apart from his Tirreno stage win he wasn't really good on the other hilly stages as well. It was MSR that really got him started two years ago.

 

[El Pistolero]

we'll i'd say, that now the things got pretty ****ty for the other teams. Given the circumstances that both sagan and moser are in the lead group, the winning team could be obvious. They could repeat this trick round and round. The problem is, that if the moser goes, he can very easily end up wining, and if he's not allowed to go, he will just catch every attempt to break, which will end up in sagan winning. Probably, the only tactics against this would be to let moser go, then kick sagan off the bike and then catch moser .

We still don't know if Moser will ever ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen or Roubaix.

 

[Pippo_San]

Boonen already beat Sagan in a sprint when it mattered, so no need for might

(Although I do think that Sagan is a better sprinter than Boonen)

I'm sure Sagan would beat Boonen at least 8 times out of 10 in a sprint. At least.

 

[Netserk]

I'm sure Sagan would beat Boonen at least 8 times out of 10 in a sprint. At least.

See the second line

 

[El Pistolero]

He was just building his condition there just like Sagan now, and apart from his Tirreno stage win he wasn't really good on the other hilly stages as well. It was MSR that really got him started two years ago.

I don't think Sagan is building much form anymore, he's at a really high level already and I think he can hold it till the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Since 2009 Gilbert has always taken a rather quiet start of the season. He's 3kg overweight at the moment.

 

[Pentacycle]

I don't think Sagan is building much form anymore, he's at a really high level already and I think he can hold it till the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Since 2009 Gilbert has always taken a rather quiet start of the season. He's 3kg overweight at the moment.

Sagan's been ill before his Camaiore win. No way he's in top shape now, and imo he didn't look very good today until the sprint. I think he was glad he had a teammate in front so he only had to keep everything together. He didn't have too much confidence, Moser seems in better shape despite this being his second race of the year.

About Gilbert I have no idea when he'll be in contention, I hope he shows something tomorrow in Paris-Nice.

 

[El Pistolero]

Sagan's been ill before his Camaiore win. No way he's in top shape now, and imo he didn't look very good today until the sprint. I think he was glad he had a teammate in front so he only had to keep everything together. He didn't have too much confidence, Moser seems in better shape despite this being his second race of the year.

About Gilbert I have no idea when he'll be in contention, I hope he shows something tomorrow in Paris-Nice.

I doubt it was a serious illness if he already won in his first race he started in since Oman... He's in top form. He doesn't really have much peaks, he's consistent throughout much of the season. After the Tour last year he was on the decline though.

 

[Netserk]

I doubt it was a serious illness if he already won in his first race he started in since Oman... He's in top form. He doesn't really have much peaks, he's consistent throughout much of the season. After the Tour last year he was on the decline though.

I think Sagan is the same place form-wise as Boonen was last year in Omloop. Very good but still room for improvement.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think Sagan is the same place form-wise as Boonen was last year in Omloop. Very good but still room for improvement.

Boonen lost in the Omloop to Vanmarcke.

That's like Sagan losing to Cancellara.

 

[Netserk]

Boonen lost in the Omloop to Vanmarcke.

That's like Sagan losing to Cancellara.

That's an insult to Vanmarcke
I just think Sagan has another level.

 

[Beech Mtn]

what do you mean do some strategising?? his team was completely invisible. what is he supposed to do about that? sagan was glued onto his wheel so if he did attack then he would be dragging sagan for the win. he could have caught moser in the finale but he was the lone chaser in the final kms and did too much work. He desperately needs to find a new team. Saxobank.

Knowing his team is weak, he desperately needs to make friends/do deals with other teams. The fact that this doesn't really seem to happen makes me wonder if Fabs is possibly not terribly popular among his peers, or just doesn't offer up enough money.

This guy never should've left Riis the way he did. But he made his bed when he disappeared during the Vuelta mid-stage. By now he ought to have figured out some sort of contingency plan until he can get out of Shack (or to have pressured Shack to hire him enough help)