I think MvdP was cooked on top of Cipressa and only worked because there were no other Alpecin riders in the chasing group. If Philipsen was there he would for sure not pull at all
- Feb 20, 2012
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There's no reason not to back yourself if it all comes together and you get to recover for a short while
MVDP winning a sprint of a reduced bunch with sprinters in it would be very slim.
The most logical is to go with the move you are in, when you are ahead. You still have a chance to win if continuing rather than letting oneself be caught.
Otherwise, it is a mistake to follow the move in the first place.
I think he knew he stands no chance against the peloton in a sprint because he was cooked at the top of Cipressa. So either you drop immediately and don't even try to follow and let the group catch it back while you suck wheels or you do what he did
- Feb 20, 2012
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If you don't pull at all after the Cipressa, you're gonna be recovered by the time it's time to attack on the Poggio.
There is a common tactic which is called "neutralizing an attack" as I remember
Usually you are doing it for a teammate in that case. It doesnt make much sense to expand the energy or effort otherwise in this race.
If he doesn't pull after Cipressa they're getting caught
- Feb 20, 2012
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After which you take a breather, and then just drop all the chumps on the Poggio as per usual.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Not every negative opinion is doping related, and therefor not every negative comment belongs in the Clinic. It's not difficult.
Where does that makes sense?
After you have already given a lot just to follow an attack and high pace on Cipressa. You are 25-30 seconds ahead of a small and disorganized remnants of a bunch. It is not given such an attack would be successful later or that you have the energy left for that, after burning matches.
It is like being 2-0 up in the 80th minute. Only to lose concentration and let two goals in to make it 2-2 by the 87th. Hoping you still score the winner in the 89th. Having made all your subs, before time runs out.
- Feb 24, 2015
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Many were writing up MVDP for MSR but his wins at TIrreno looked nothing like Tadej’s win at Strade. It’s going to be hard to win P-R but not impossible. Vlandern is near impossible so this is not looking good. Not for MVDP but equally not for anyone else either apart from Pog.
Not after cooking yourself on Cipressa, he isn't dropping anyone important
The most tactically sound plan you've ever given, I finally see why you've entitled yourself to mock and ridicule literally every action every rider and team does for eternity.
- Jul 7, 2013
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MVP is #1 favourite for Roubaix. Flat cobbles is a totally different racing. Those Tirreno hills weren't easy at all: likely near the border of his striking zone but he did well.
I think he'll be flying at Roubaix. So will van Aert and Pederson from the looks of things - it could be very, very exciting!
Disagree re Roubaix - he is clearly still the outstanding favourite for Roubaix.
Agree. Not to mention no one else was able to go with them…Pidcock seems to have hit another level with Q36.5 and was a poorly executed sprint away from taking this one; regardless of race circumstances to be in the final alone with Pog is obviously top class. Yes, Pog did go down, but this is also the second coming of Merckx we are talking about here. At no time did I note Pidcock having much, if any, difficulty following Tadej’s attacks, and that says a lot, to me at least.
No other possibility remains?! What? Mathieu is 31 years old now; you think it’s impossible that a 31 year old cyclist whose principle weapon is/was explosive power (one of the first things to decline with age) could possibly have lost 1% at 31? And that if that happens against the best rider the world has ever seen (who seems even better this year) it’s going to be a problem? Certainly the crash makes it very difficult to judge the performances “apples to apples” but to say no other possibility remains just seems incorrect to me.
At the moment, I don’t care what anyone else does, barring illness or disaster Flanders seems a done deal; I think Pog delivers a crushing blow there. I’m crossing my fingers that Mads, Wout, MVDP, and Pog all get to the start of PR healthy and ready to engage in the cycling equivalent of a bareknuckle cage match. My money is on Tadej at PR tbh; he feels like an unstoppable force at the moment.
Yes, and that year Cipressa wasn't comparable to last 2 years
If yesterday was Mathieu's peak level he has no chance in any race with Pogi present.
I don't believe that to be the case.
If it is, and Pogacar has also taken another leap, as you noted in your following paragraph, cycling is over as a competition as Pogacar simply can't lose.
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