Strade Bianche 2014, March 8th, 1.1

[Roude Leiw]

Even the rest of the top 10 with Barguil and Poels is very nice for a 1.1

 

[Arredondo]

Fantastic Kwiat. I'm curious to see how lang he can mantain this level.

 

[BigMac]

The race was quite good but I did not like the outcome. All too easy for Kwiatkowski until now. But good on him.

He can't keep this form for too long.

 

[maltiv]

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Kwiatkowski take the Ardennes-triple.

 

[Kwibus]

Not a bad top-7 for a 1.1 race isn't it?
Best edition of SB I've ever seen (Well, not really "seen", horrible stream)

The change in route has proven to be a great choice.
Before the race when I looked at the profile I wondered why the hell the hard dirt roads were so far from the finish, but sterrato nr.7 is just epic. It's 12km long starts at 60km to go and is so selective that only 23 riders were left to contend for the race.

After that it's only good that the sterrato we still get isn't very long anymore. Just enough to create gaps and differences.

Great race. Riders are allready very very happy to win this. It has everything to become a true classic.

 

[Hugo87]

What a fantastic race, the 3 first rider were expected my me, but that acceleration by Kwiat was absurd.

Sagan was ****ed.

 

[Kwibus]

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Kwiatkowski take the Ardennes-triple.

Well looking at the team doctor he has and Gilbert had in 2011.... oh wait

I don't think he will take the Ardennes triple, but he is certainly becoming a powerhouse.

 

[movingtarget]

The race was quite good but I did not like the outcome. All too easy for Kwiatkowski until now. But good on him.

He can't keep this form for too long.

I wouldn't think he'd be hitting his peak in March.

 

[Kwibus]

Suprised Sagan tried to distance Kwiatkowski at the steepest part which imo was the only part Kwiatkowski could distance Sagan.

Afterall Kwiatkowski allready did very well in Fleche Wallone.

 

[Netserk]

Would love to see him race Ronde again this year.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Both Kwiatkowski and OPQS were pretty amazing today and they have been all season.

Hopefully OPQS will race in the Ardennes like they do on the cobbles!

 

[Arredondo]

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Kwiatkowski take the Ardennes-triple.

In the big classics, guys like Purito and Valverde still wil get the better of Kwiat, i think.

But next year, Amstel or FW will be his.

 

[movingtarget]

Suprised Sagan tried to distance Kwiatkowski at the steepest part which imo was the only part Kwiatkowski could distance Sagan.

Afterall Kwiatkowski allready did very well in Fleche Wallone.

Desperate move. More hopeful than anything else.

 

[scholar]

Suprised Sagan tried to distance Kwiatkowski at the steepest part which imo was the only part Kwiatkowski could distance Sagan.

I don't think Sagan was trying to distancce Kwiatowski, but trying to defend against the attack. Unsuccessfully.

 

[Afrank]

The change in route has proven to be a great choice.
Before the race when I looked at the profile I wondered why the hell the hard dirt roads were so far from the finish, but sterrato nr.7 is just epic. It's 12km long starts at 60km to go and is so selective that only 23 riders were left to contend for the race.

After that it's only good that the sterrato we still get isn't very long anymore. Just enough to create gaps and differences.

Great race. Riders are allready very very happy to win this. It has everything to become a true classic.

Definitely, the design of the parcours did a very good job to thin it out and shred the pack early so it would be less organized when the big boys came out to play and make their moves for the win.

The parcours, the scenery, the quality of the field, the action, can't describe enough how much this race deserves to have it's category upgraded.

 

[whittashau]

Nice to see the little prince getting back into decent form again too.

 

[Peccio89]

Seems to me the only one that could have challanged was Valverde but he was just surprised by Sagan early attack.

Honestly i expected more from Ulissi but he totally disappeared in the last 15km

 

[murali]

The parcours, the scenery, the quality of the field, the action, can't describe enough how much this race deserves to have it's category upgraded.

lets hope tht they do it for the next yr.

 

[Kwibus]

Definitely, the design of the parcours did a very good job to thin it out and shred the pack early so it would be less organized when the big boys came out to play and make their moves for the win.

The parcours, the scenery, the quality of the field, the action, can't describe enough how much this race deserves to have it's category upgraded.

This. No doubt about it.

 

[VeloHuman]

This. No doubt about it.

It's funny, looking at the final leaderboard, no other 1.1 comes close to the caliber of riders making up the top 10.

 

[brilleaben]

Imagine how many races Balaverde could have won, if he had any tactical sense.

 

[Arnout]

Is it just this photo or is Sagan really bulky?

 

[Peter von]

Imagine how many races Balaverde could have won, if he had any tactical sense.

Only a few more, but some of higher quality i think, Vuelta 2012 for one.

 

[Netserk]

Is it just this photo or is Sagan really bulky?

Understandable if he'll focus more on the cobbles than the hills.

 

[Parrulo]

Is it just this photo or is Sagan really bulky?

I think he has always been pretty bulky for the type of rider he is.

Look at TA last year:

Also lol at how much he was suffering on Nibali's wheel. The guy is a beast