He will win many many more races if he can start winning small group sprints. That opens up races like Flanders and MSR
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Those aren't the type of sprints he'd be likely to win. It is one thing to beat some other climbers for a stage or Lombardia, but it's a whole other thing to beat the Flandrien and Sanremo type guys in a sprint.He will win many many more races if he can start winning small group sprints. That opens up races like Flanders and MSR
At the end of those races, how much energy remains counts as much as explosivity under other circumstances. But certainly the idea would be to arrive alone.Those aren't the type of sprints he'd be likely to win. It is one thing to beat some other climbers for a stage or Lombardia, but it's a whole other thing to beat the Flandrien and Sanremo type guys in a sprint.
I was surprised at how easy it was for Remco to win sprints at the end of Vuelta stages (almost always for minor places, but still). His second stage win was also an easy one. Mas was no match at all. I am no longer certain that Remco will never win in a sprint. He improved quite a lot.
Those aren't the type of sprints he'd be likely to win. It is one thing to beat some other climbers for a stage or Lombardia, but it's a whole other thing to beat the Flandrien and Sanremo type guys in a sprint.
He may only have 2-3 others he has to beat though in those races. May be a climber who can hang with him on Ciepressa who he has to outsprint. If he goes on Ciepressa, only the best of climbers are going to be with him at the end
When is that scenario ever going to happen?
Which climber would be able to hang on to him while Van Aert and Van der Poel can't?
MSR on the Ciepressa. Ciepressa is ~4km in length. WVA isn't hanging on on a climb that long. It would take a Pog or a climber to be able to hang on. The Poggio would be a different story as it is much shorter
I wouldn't bet a nickel against WVA hanging on over the Cipressa. Well within his capabilities.MSR on the Ciepressa. Ciepressa is ~4km in length. WVA isn't hanging on on a climb that long. It would take a Pog or a climber to be able to hang on. The Poggio would be a different story as it is much shorter
Wout can climb that without any problemMSR on the Ciepressa. Ciepressa is ~4km in length. WVA isn't hanging on on a climb that long. It would take a Pog or a climber to be able to hang on. The Poggio would be a different story as it is much shorter
Drafting is so big on Cipressa as well it's not really funny. For Evenepoel a shot at Sanremo would likely be a very late attack or an early sneak attack on the Poggio with a bad chase.
Contrary to other classics, the group is typically very big after the Cipressa adn a chase is still quite feasable. This year they absolutely nailed the Cipressa, with a tailwind, and then the 2nd group was only a few seconds behind at the base of the Poggio.
Not impossible but even Pogacar In fantastic form couldn’t break the field on the Poggio and his team softened them up on the Cipressa. Remco has improved his descending massively but is not a superstar in this area like Nibali was to win solo and he will be too much marked out to sneak off on the flat like Stuyven.It is not impossible and I would not be surprised if it happened one day.
MSR on the Ciepressa. Ciepressa is ~4km in length. WVA isn't hanging on on a climb that long. It would take a Pog or a climber to be able to hang on. The Poggio would be a different story as it is much shorter
Cipressa will never happen.
Remco attacked on the false flat at the end of Redoubte.and it was said Redoutte would never happen again
Could only happen if it was raced hard from the start so that a lot of doms are already tired halfway. The race is too easy otherwise, the peloton would be too big and he would never get away far enough to hold a lead over the Poggio. But i'd like to see him try. I wonder what would happen if he were to attack full out at the foot of the Poggio and just keep going. Not wait for the sprint on the steepest section, but make everybody suffer before that. I think in a TT, nobody would beat him up a "climb" like that. If he has 5 seconds after the Poggio, he's gone.and it was said Redoutte would never happen again
You're actually helping his case imho.Remco attacked on the false flat at the end of Redoubte.
Remco attacked on the false flat at the end of Redoubte.
The Cipressa is 6% for 500 meters at the start with an overall average of 4.1%. Readily available info. Not only would WVA not be dropped, I struggle to think of a rider better suited for that climb.yep. Where drafting played a significant role. Didn't matter in the end.
I'm talking about an all out attack at the base of Ciepressa, similar to his San Sabastien attack. Yes, Ciepressa is 6-7% not 11%. However, that is still enough to get a significant time gap on the doms, or force the other favorites to chase themselves, which would blow the doms out the back, resulting on Remco being chased by a small group, which little gets reduced further on Poggio
The Cipressa is 6% for 500 meters at the start with an overall average of 4.1%. Readily available info. Not only would WVA not be dropped, I struggle to think of a rider better suited for that climb.
That looks about right.first 1k is at 5.8%. The final 2 km is basically a false flat
That said, I still overstated the difficulty a bit. Its closer to a 5% average gradient over the first 4 km instead of 6-7