Top Sprinters of 2012

[taiwan]

I was the one who said Kittel>Cav. I think that with Cav losing Renshaw, and Kittel continuing to improve at a faster rate than Cav, Kittel could be a better Sprinter than Cav over 2012. (But then again, in retrospect, I always get this sort of thing wrong )

It seems a pretty bold statement. Even if he were able to beat Cav on occasion, I reckon he'll be too green to win Tour stages etc. He hasn't finished a GT yet. But it's just Cav's record, I can't really buy that someone else will arrive at his level so soon.

Then again he doesn't need to finish a Tour to win a stage.

 

[greenedge]

I am surprised by the lack of faith in Farrar. He is underrated on this forum and i voted in the hope his sprinting prowess will shine through. ( I sort of just want to be at odds to all of you and be right for once )

EBH is a good sprinter but he could develop into more of an all-rounded rider, especially now that he has to lead-out for Cav. He could win M-SR though. How do you guys consider Rojas to be a better sprinter than him. He's not even the best sprinter on his team ( Ventoso is ).

Is anyone considering how good a sprinter Adam Blythe could be? With Thor and GVA at BMC he could get good lead outs and will also develop into someone who is a sprinter who can't be dropped easily.

 

[greenedge]

Mostly in the tour sprints though it will come down to Cav and Goss.

The fact that Goss is so hardy makes him a good sprinter. We also saw that with his WC performance he can match Cav. Both are moving to new teams but Goss will have a more devoted train at the TDF. He also will have Davis and Howard as his sidekicks.

 

[greenedge]

That's because Sagan is not a pure sprinter, he's much more than that. Kittel wupped Sagan's *** in sprints at Pologne multiple times.

He did on the last stage finish quite close to him though.

 

[taiwan]

Renshaw: "Next year we might see a little bit more, I don't like to say it, but a little bit more chaos in the sprints. I don't enjoy them but I think there will be quite a few teams as strong as one another and that's why it will even out. "

Interesting prospect. My immediate response is that with all the rejigging, Cav will still have the strongest train on Sky. Them or Garmin.

 

[Ragerod]

I'm really looking forward to sprinting in 2012 as I think the pack behind Cavendish is evenly matched and everyone seems to have a weakness whether it be positioning, tactical nous or just a lack of speed. With that said I gave votes to Cavendish and Greipel because I have them down as the two fastest guys.

I considered Farrar the #2 sprinter behind Cav going into 2011 but he seriously underachieved this year which seems to be reflected in the poll. The opposite can be said for Kittel.

 

[Thorn Cycling]

It seems a pretty bold statement. Even if he were able to beat Cav on occasion, I reckon he'll be too green to win Tour stages etc. He hasn't finished a GT yet. But it's just Cav's record, I can't really buy that someone else will arrive at his level so soon.

Then again he doesn't need to finish a Tour to win a stage.

I guess you're right about Cav's record being hard to surpass, but if anyone can manage it, it's Kittel. I just find his improvement over 2011 outstanding and think he could contend with Cav over 2012 if he continues to improve at a steady rate. Despite this belief, I agree that he's to green to go for a points jersey, but then again think about Cipo, who is arguably the greatest sprinter of all time, but couldn't be bothered to fight all the way through the mountains of the Tour/Vuelta.

 

[cineteq]

Renshaw's comments on the CN home page are an interesting read if you haven't seen them yet:
[....]
"He's been so successful because we've always had him in the perfect position in every race," Renshaw explained."

Couldn't find a better springboard...This year, Cavendish will either be the biggest Fiasco of the last few years or surge to become the best sprinter to have ever lived.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Petacchi, Leigh Howard, & Goss are my picks.

 

[Ferminal]

Wow, seemed to fairly well in trend, was close to adding Sagan and think I forgot Greipel.

 

[greenedge]

Michael Matthews might rack up sprint wins in smaller races but most of the time he will have to help Renshaw. It's a pity but it is part of his apprenticeship. Galimzyanov might suffer from Oscar moving. I also want Haedo to go well. A rider who will now be wasted as Cavs' lead out is CJ Sutton. I thought last year proved he had a good season ( his breakout ). He is tough and has great intuition.

I want to see Petit at a WT team if only so he can garner support. I expect him to dominate at all the smaller French races with his sprint. Demare will be too usb being introduced to his apprenticeship.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well Cav is the obvious. But I voted for Kittel. I just think he has the best or most likely chance to usurp him in the future, and appears to be on the rise.

 

[blaxland]

Petacchi, Leigh Howard, & Goss are my picks.

I also like Howard,even if Goss is their main act...

 

[Maxiton]

Cavendish for obvious reasons. Kittel has been impressive, and will surely pick up steam in 2012. And, Goss: it's gonna be exciting to see him and Cav going head to head.

 

[spalco]

that guy is a force of the nature,a true eastern german freak of the 70's you'll see...it's like greipel on steroids,a beast

Maybe you should rephrase that.

 

[sublimit]

Kittel bounced back well from being owned at the Tour de Lankawi by Guardini to be fair last season, I still havn't bought into the hype though because of his great leadout and patchy standard of opponents. The Vuelta win was good though and he would of won that even factoring in the big crash at the end.

Griepel impressed me last year with his sheer speed coming from a too far back on most occasions. The TDF win I was happy for him despite supporting Cav, thats what sprint stages are about for me.

 

[spalco]

Renshaw's comments on the CN home page are an interesting read if you haven't seen them yet:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/mark-renshaws-year-of-living-dangerously

Of particular interest to this thread is his view on why the sprints may even out a bit next year. The 'He' in the quote is Cavendish:

"He's been so successful because we've always had him in the perfect position in every race," Renshaw explained. "Next year we might see a little bit more, I don't like to say it, but a little bit more chaos in the sprints. I don't enjoy them but I think there will be quite a few teams as strong as one another and that's why it will even out. "

I predict Mr. Renshaw will find out next season that he had a much smaller part in Cavendish's success in the past than he thought he did, and you can hold me to that prediction.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I predict Mr. Renshaw will find out next season that he had a much smaller part in Cavendish's success in the past than he thought he did, and you can hold me to that prediction.

I agree with you but still, avatar bet if Cav miserably fails?

 

[theyoungest]

Kittel bounced back well from being owned at the Tour de Lankawi by Guardini to be fair last season, I still havn't bought into the hype though because of his great leadout and patchy standard of opponents. The Vuelta win was good though and he would of won that even factoring in the big crash at the end.

You're forgetting one minor detail... Kittel was leading out Van Hummel in Langkawi (until they found out that Kittel was a much better sprinter in his own right).

Michael Matthews might rack up sprint wins in smaller races but most of the time he will have to help Renshaw. It's a pity but it is part of his apprenticeship.

I hope not, Matthews is a huge sprint talent who won a stage in his first WT race and could have won another if he weren't outfoxed by Ventoso. Renshaw should first show he's of the same calibre, before Matthews should think about leading him out.

 

[El Pistolero]

Lol at people putting so much emphasis on Lankawi(+ what Youngest said is also true). Tour de Pologne might be sh*t, but at least it's World Tour. And then there's the Vuelta of course where he also dominated in the one sprint stage he participated in.

 

[ElChingon]

The OP or mods should add the title to Who Will because you know there will be one come Sept. or Oct. of the same title.

 

[taiwan]

Hi OP here

The OP or mods should add the title to Who Will because you know there will be one come Sept. or Oct. of the same title.

Mods only, sry.

 

[jens_attacks]

Maybe you should rephrase that.

no, i won't.genetically,the germans are the most gifted athletes in the world.now put them on a terrible hard training programme and you got them owning everybody.

but yeah i'm also subjective because i've started following sports with oliver bierhoff '96,klinsmann,effenberg,ullrich & zabel,steffi graf,hannawald & schmitt,muhlegg,angerer,henkel and many more.i always liked german athletes.

 

[ferryman]

I predict Mr. Renshaw will find out next season that he had a much smaller part in Cavendish's success in the past than he thought he did, and you can hold me to that prediction.

I doubt there will be anything to hold against you. Easiest prediction for next year IMO. As much as I dislike the guy he is still pretty much unbeatable at the moment.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

no, i won't.genetically,the germans are the most gifted athletes in the world.now put them on a terrible hard training programme and you got them owning everybody.

Dangerous territory.