• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Tommeke, The Greatest Cobblestone Rider of All Time?

Page 6 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Re: Re:

Brullnux said:
Flamin said:
Can't compare E3 with de Ronde, obviously. Then I can say he won Omloop twice, which has a lot of flat cobbles. His best performance was in de Ronde prior to 2016? Examples please? I give you Roubaix 2012 where he rode a strong race as a dom.

Boonen wasn't even great in de Ronde in one of his super years (2012), neither was he in 2014 yet pretty damn fine in Roubaix. Of course not at his very best in the last one, but still one of the best in the world. EBH... How was he not in top form? He never did better than this.

Sagan? On flat cobbles and roads? Based on what? Nobody was riding behind Terpstra in 2014. Sep also would have won that. Degenkolb, maybe, though he didn't have to work his *** off to get a 10" gap and cooperation behind was not optimal. Greg? Also, based on what?
Sagan based on when he outrode Cancellara on the flat, you know, just a week before. Terpstra has won or been good in many 15-20km time trials. GVA has won Paris-Tours solo, with Stannard chasing.

I know you can't compare E3 with Ronde, but it's the closest. I know Stannard is much better on flat, but you underestimate his abilities in the hills too. His performance in Ronde in 2016 was better than any he had in Paris-Roubaix. Stannard was the only other rider in the front group in top form. EBH did nothing until that race. He has had better classics seasons than 2016 (not including Paris-Roubaix, before it) with podiums and top tens in other classics in every year preceding that since 2012.

Sagan won first and foremost because he was so superior on the hills. Anyway, I guess we just differ in opinion on this one.

Let me ask you one more thing. Why didn't Gilbert win de Ronde in 2011? Even at the peak of his career, he lacked a top engine?
 
He was probably a tad too inattentive in the final, he was caught out several times, but most crucially with 33km to go. If he had stayed with Greg while Stybar was up ahead (and Sagan still had his mechanical), it would have looked really great for him. Even if Sagan didn't puncture, Trek would be forced to chase, and Greg would have to make a move as well.
 
Re:

Netserk said:
He was probably a tad too inattentive in the final, he was caught out several times, but most crucially with 33km to go. If he had stayed with Greg while Stybar was up ahead (and Sagan still had his mechanical), it would have looked really great for him. Even if Sagan didn't puncture, Trek would be forced to chase, and Greg would have to make a move as well.

No, no, why would they chase? They had Stuyven up front, remember. So they could happily sit on wheels behind...
 
Re:

Netserk said:
No, not at that point. He was with Moscon and Greg. I clearly stated "IF he had stayed with Greg [at that point, 33km to go]".

Okay, then I don't remember the situation you were referring to.

But since my comment had no purpose other than sarcastically criticising Trek once again, maybe it was deserved for me to look stupid.
 
Man I'm going to miss watching Boonen ride over the cobbles. I've been a big fan since I started following cycling in 2004, so right around the time he started winning big races. Feels pretty weird that he won't be in the peloton anymore. The thing I loved most about him was his personality. Always stayed the same guy even after winning all these big races.