Vuelta a Andalucia (Ruta del Sol) 20th -24th of February

[Ryo Hazuki]

I'd love to see him go out with another win at MSR or Worlds. Of course, there's a decent chance he won't retire if either happens. Well, Worlds at least.

he will continue till london 2012

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Old, slow Freire strikes again! He could be in the mix at M-SR again this year.

Against super fast sprinters as Samuel Sanchez...

 

[theyoungest]

Against super fast sprinters as Samuel Sanchez...

All the other sprinters were dropped... it's not Freire's fault he can climb.

 

[Jamsque]

I hope I'm as slow as Freire when I'm that old.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Van Den Broeck 7th in a sprint??

 

[Ryaguas]

I'd love to see him go out with another win at MSR or Worlds. Of course, there's a decent chance he won't retire if either happens. Well, Worlds at least.

No... I hope that Alejet can grab other MSR this year before He retire!

Van Den Broeck 7th in a sprint??

Uphill sprint

Yes... Freire again!!! so... maybe He reads this forum and soon will post an "In ya faceh" to DT

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What's the in your face then?

He still lost to Ventoso when he was fit and he will still lose to every top sprinter in a normal sprint nowadays. He is way slower than he used to be and can only win when there are no sprinters left or in an uphill sprint

I never said he couldn't win a race anymore. I was talking about mass sprints against actual sprinters. Not climbers like Sanchez

 

[Angliru]

What's the in your face then?

He still lost to Ventoso when he was fit and he will still lose to every top sprinter in a normal sprint nowadays. He is way slower than he used to be and can only win when there are no sprinters left or in an uphill sprint

I never said he couldn't win a race anymore. I was talking about mass sprints against actual sprinters. Not climbers like Sanchez

I've heard Milan San Remo often called the World Championships for Sprinters.
Freire won it last year versus whatever sprinters were there. I'm curious to hear who your list of top sprinters are that Freire would lose to in a normal sprint. There can't be more than 4 or 5 that I can' think of and with at least 2of them it's not a given that they'll beat him everytime. There is more to sprinting than having a leadout train escort you to the line to then release you into the wind with 200 meters to go. Freire is pretty resourceful and always has been, winning in alot of instances with a fraction of the help that some of the other sprinters tend have.

I would think that most sprinters would love to have the victories last year in MSR and Paris-Tours that Freire had.

 

[khardung la]

What's the in your face then?

He still lost to Ventoso when he was fit and he will still lose to every top sprinter in a normal sprint nowadays. He is way slower than he used to be and can only win when there are no sprinters left or in an uphill sprint

I never said he couldn't win a race anymore. I was talking about mass sprints against actual sprinters. Not climbers like Sanchez

So Freire is not such a good sprinter....Probably the best I have seen in the last 20 years. Try to think that the best sprinter is not necessarily the one capable of the highest speed in a flat highway. Try thinking in strategy, positioning, geniality, smartness...Freire. Today he won because the other sprinters cannot climb. Freire may not have the same flat-out speed as 2-3 other incredible sprinters, but often he does not need that. He has a niche, sad for the others who do not realize what their niche is.

 

[The Hitch]

SAMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!

 

[The Hitch]

Ladies and Gentlemen.

The olympic champion.....


































..is here

 

[Ryaguas]

What's the in your face then?

He still lost to Ventoso when he was fit and he will still lose to every top sprinter in a normal sprint nowadays. He is way slower than he used to be and can only win when there are no sprinters left or in an uphill sprint

I never said he couldn't win a race anymore. I was talking about mass sprints against actual sprinters. Not climbers like Sanchez

Jeez DT relax mate! was a joke! that's why I used this emoticon ""

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So Freire is not such a good sprinter....Probably the best I have seen in the last 20 years. Try to think that the best sprinter is not necessarily the one capable of the highest speed in a flat highway. Try thinking in strategy, positioning, geniality, smartness...Freire. Today he won because the other sprinters cannot climb. Freire may not have the same flat-out speed as 2-3 other incredible sprinters, but often he does not need that. He has a niche, sad for the others who do not realize what their niche is.

Yes, the PAST years he was a good sprinter.
Now he lost a lot of speed and can't win against good/top sprinters anymore.
Good way to make your point by talking about results of 5 to 10 year back that is irrelevant

 

[Jamsque]

Yes, the PAST years he was a good sprinter.
Now he lost a lot of speed and can't win against good/top sprinters anymore.
Good way to make your point by talking about results of 5 to 10 year back that is irrelevant

You keep saying he's a bad sprinter because he has lost speed, everyone else in the thread is trying to explain that there is more to sprinting than just speed. No-one is claiming that Freire is one of the fastest sprinters in the world, but he IS one of the best sprinters in the world. He racked up 7 wins last year despite being old and slow, including Paris-Tours and Milan-San Remo (where he beat scrubs like Tom Boonen, Thor Hushovd and Alessandro Petacchi).

Also you need to lay off the rolleyes emoticon for a while, buddy.

 

[theyoungest]

I don't even think he's lost all that much speed, he just doesn't want to fight for position anymore in the bigger bunch sprints.

But keep on underestimating Freire, he'll prove you wrong every time.

 

[jaylew]

But keep on underestimating Freire, he'll prove you wrong every time.

That's what I'm thinking. Every time you start to write him off, he pops up and wins something big.

 

[blaxland]

That's what I'm thinking. Every time you start to write him off, he pops up and wins something big.

Is he riding the worlds this year in Copenhagen?....260km+ races tend to suit Freire.

 

[will10]

Is he riding the worlds this year in Copenhagen?....260km+ races tend to suit Freire.

Injury permitting I would put my house on him being leader for the Spaniards

 

[Christian]

But keep on underestimating Freire, he'll prove you wrong every time.

I very much overestimated him for last year's TdF by putting him in my fantasy team ...