Viviani

[El Pistolero]

Re:

9 wins already this year, including four Giro stages. That’s already much better than last year’s breakthrough year. I like watching this guy sprint - he is one of the very fastest sprinters, but probably slightly slower than some of his peers in the top group. So he beats the second and third tier guys with raw speed and beats top tier guys with his head. He consistently makes better decisions than his rivals. His positioning is superb, his timing is superb. You can learn a lot more about sprinting by watching him than you can by watching a rider who wins simply by being the fastest and loses if he isn’t.

It’s worth noting too that he has learned to make the right decisions. It isn’t some innate knack. He wasn’t always this good at it.

10 wins actually, plus the points jersey at the Giro. A bit disappointed he got beaten two times by someone like Benett, but this is the first GT he finished since 2015, so he was always going to be a little rusty I suppose.

I wonder if he'll ride the Vuelta.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

9 wins already this year, including four Giro stages. That’s already much better than last year’s breakthrough year. I like watching this guy sprint - he is one of the very fastest sprinters, but probably slightly slower than some of his peers in the top group. So he beats the second and third tier guys with raw speed and beats top tier guys with his head. He consistently makes better decisions than his rivals. His positioning is superb, his timing is superb. You can learn a lot more about sprinting by watching him than you can by watching a rider who wins simply by being the fastest and loses if he isn’t.

It’s worth noting too that he has learned to make the right decisions. It isn’t some innate knack. He wasn’t always this good at it.

10 wins actually, plus the points jersey at the Giro. A bit disappointed he got beaten two times by someone like Benett, but this is the first GT he finished since 2015, so he was always going to be a little rusty I suppose.

I wonder if he'll ride the Vuelta.

I forgot the Abu Dhabi GC! So yes, 10. He could easily end up with well over 15 wins. Maybe even 18 plus if he has a busy schedule. And yes, he should absolutely ride the Vuelta although that might depend on Gaviria.

His problem with Bennett is the same one he will always have with a very fast guy glued to his wheel. Viviani beats the very fast guys by managing the situation so that he doesn’t find himself in the wind with 80 meters to go with one of them on his wheel. If he does end up in that position he has probably already lost because he isn’t quite fast enough to hold them off. That’s what makes him so interesting to watch. He can’t win like Kittel, just by putting his head down and blasting away from everyone. Or well, he can if he’s just up against the likes of Van Poppel or Modolo, but against anyone really fast he has to be smarter. And most of the time he is.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

I like him. Smart rider. Not absolute top tier speed, but has options to win.

 

[Akuryo]

I know he had a relatively "easy" schedule so far with lesser opposition, but 13 wins in June is damn impressive stuff!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

He has overtaken Sagan for second place on CQ ranking. I know cqdoesnt mean much but it would be hilarious if he catches Valverde and finishes top.

In terms of more meaningful goals, 20 wins is still on the cards.

 

[Koronin]

That would be highly unlikely as Valverde will end up with good points in GC for both the Tour and Vuelta, along with San Sebastian, the Worlds and Lombardia. That is very difficult for a sprinter to overcome. Sagan and GVA were able to do it because they both are also good classics riders. However it is very possible for Viviani to finish in the top 5, and definitely in the top 10.

 

[Akuryo]

Re:

That would be highly unlikely as Valverde will end up with good points in GC for both the Tour and Vuelta, along with San Sebastian, the Worlds and Lombardia. That is very difficult for a sprinter to overcome. Sagan and GVA were able to do it because they both are also good classics riders. However it is very possible for Viviani to finish in the top 5, and definitely in the top 10.

But what if Viviani takes some races like Hamburg, Paris-Tours, etc. in the fall? And Valverde taking good GC-points in the Tour is highly dependent on Quintana/Landa while Viviani is basically the unquestioned leader in every race he enters. So Viviani wont be only taking stages but maybe some classics too later while Valverde maybe has to work for others. I'm not saying its going to happen that way but still a decent possibility.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

That would be highly unlikely as Valverde will end up with good points in GC for both the Tour and Vuelta, along with San Sebastian, the Worlds and Lombardia. That is very difficult for a sprinter to overcome. Sagan and GVA were able to do it because they both are also good classics riders. However it is very possible for Viviani to finish in the top 5, and definitely in the top 10.

But what if Viviani takes some races like Hamburg, Paris-Tours, etc. in the fall? And Valverde taking good GC-points in the Tour is highly dependent on Quintana/Landa while Viviani is basically the unquestioned leader in every race he enters. So Viviani wont be only taking stages but maybe some classics too later while Valverde maybe has to work for others. I'm not saying its going to happen that way but still a decent possibility.

Realistically though, while it’s possible that Valverde might not score big at the Tour, he will do so at the Vuelta for sure unless he gets injured

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

That would be highly unlikely as Valverde will end up with good points in GC for both the Tour and Vuelta, along with San Sebastian, the Worlds and Lombardia. That is very difficult for a sprinter to overcome. Sagan and GVA were able to do it because they both are also good classics riders. However it is very possible for Viviani to finish in the top 5, and definitely in the top 10.

But what if Viviani takes some races like Hamburg, Paris-Tours, etc. in the fall? And Valverde taking good GC-points in the Tour is highly dependent on Quintana/Landa while Viviani is basically the unquestioned leader in every race he enters. So Viviani wont be only taking stages but maybe some classics too later while Valverde maybe has to work for others. I'm not saying its going to happen that way but still a decent possibility.

The only race he won't be riding for himself is the Tour and even then a top 10 in GC is still likely because he won't go into the red for anyone. The Vuelta he'll be riding for himself and he really wants another podium there to tie a record. Of course San Sebastian, Lombardia and the Worlds he'll be riding for himself. The only way he doesn't get good points at that 4 races is if he gets hurt.

 

[yaco]

I wonder if Viviani will ride the Vuelta as we all know QS love sprint stages at GT's.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

I wonder if Viviani will ride the Vuelta as we all know QS love sprint stages at GT's.

My guess is that they will want to give that opportunity to one or perhaps two of their younger sprinters, much as Bora will likely have Ackermann there rather than Sagan or Bennett.

 

[Koronin]

The la Vuelta isn't exactly sprinter friendly. It's less sprinter friendly than the Giro is. It's possible Viviani will go, but he won't have to many opportunities.

 

[deneb]

Re:

I wonder if Viviani will ride the Vuelta as we all know QS love sprint stages at GT's.

His schedule can change but in a TV interview during the Giro he said that for the second part of the season he will ride the European track Championship, the European road Championship and the Vuelta.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

I wonder if Viviani will ride the Vuelta as we all know QS love sprint stages at GT's.

My guess is that they will want to give that opportunity to one or perhaps two of their younger sprinters, much as Bora will likely have Ackermann there rather than Sagan or Bennett.

It depends on whether QS want to take a first year pro to the Vuelta - LIke to see Ackermann at the Vuelta, though you expect him to see him at a different team in 2019.

 

[Akuryo]

Now he does not only win sprints, he also attacks and even finishes it off. A truly spectacular season so far by Elia! Cant wait to see the jersey. If it is as good as the ones from Lampaert or Narvaez, we're in for a treat.

 

[Robert5091]

So he can even do the Mûr at the TdF? My "QS to win the first 9 stages prediction/snide remark" might well come true yet!

 

[tobydawq]

It will be difficult to win on the Mur.

Even though he is in excellent shape I think that's too hard for him.

It suits the participating riders better.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

De Panne a good win for him! When he moved to Q-S, I figured that he wouldn't get many chances, but he has carved his spot in the team.

Really? When I saw his program I pretty much declared him victory champion of 2018. Knowing how weak the field is in both the Giro and Vuelta, he could literally win a free stage or 10. Barring crashes and such of course. He has the ideal setup and team.

Looking good this one. Knowing how incredibly weak the field of sprinters is in La Vuelta, he could very well end the season with a victory or ~23 under his belt. He's on 14 now.

 

[del1962]

Apparently he was doing Maratona dles Dolomites’ today

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

De Panne a good win for him! When he moved to Q-S, I figured that he wouldn't get many chances, but he has carved his spot in the team.

Really? When I saw his program I pretty much declared him victory champion of 2018. Knowing how weak the field is in both the Giro and Vuelta, he could literally win a free stage or 10. Barring crashes and such of course. He has the ideal setup and team.

Looking good this one. Knowing how incredibly weak the field of sprinters is in La Vuelta, he could very well end the season with a victory or ~23 under his belt. He's on 14 now.

I think he's at 15 now. He definitely could be over 20 by the end of the year. Valverde has 11, does anyone else in the peloton have 11 or more? I think there are another maybe 2 sprinters with 10 wins.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Reguigui has 10 in small races

 

[Breh]

So after winning in Ghent, Viviani talked about his 2019 season.

Milano-Sanremo and Gent Wevelgem are his goals in spring.
He'd like to do the Giro in his Italian jersey, but he also want to go for Le Tour someday.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

So after winning in Ghent, Viviani talked about his 2019 season.

Milano-Sanremo and Gent Wevelgem are his goals in spring.
He'd like to do the Giro in his Italian jersey, but he also want to go for Le Tour someday.

Not someday ...more like any day. Viviani even mentioned that Gaviria was gone as the team's designated TDF sprinter...

 

[del1962]

Giro and Tour is what I would expect

Cavendish completed both in 2012 and 2013

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Giro and Tour is what I would expect

Cavendish completed both in 2012 and 2013

I'd like to see him take the Cipollini approach - destroy all comers at the Giro, get a couple of stage wins before the mountains at the Tour, then throw up some photos on Instagram lying on the beach at Monaco