What can Sagan achieve in RIO in MTB race?

[Kokoso]

Well, we will see "how fair" it was in few weeks .

You might be perfectly right but also perfectly wrong. Just let it be for now. We have perfectly received you massage.

Let Saganś legs to decide.

Why did you write fair in quotation marks? Looks like fair is something you don't really believe in... Anyway you've earlier said it is not fair, so what is this about? Jesus...learn to read and you could remember your opinion too time to time

Anyway, just for interest, what is it your speaking of that can decide whether is was or wasn't fair?

 

[Pantani_lives]

What's his starting position? I remember Sven Nys in 2008 had a bad starting position, but still managed to finish ninth after a long pursuit. On those narrow paths it's often difficult to pass the riders in front of you. If you don't start on the first or second row you have practically no chance of winning. The starting positions are determined by World Cup points, so I guess Sagan will have to start in the back of the pack.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

I dont think he can top10.. it's way different of a race. He's used(trained) to 4-6h races and this is 1h1/2 of 101% effort with no let down. even going down is a lot of effort.
AND the start position is a very good reminder. the start is a little down hill so he can make up some ground but still, very tough to go one by one and in the end of the first lap he can be 20th but will be more than 1m behind the leaders....

 

[KGB]

Is this track?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIVkBf6rppA
Actully very boring track+zika around.Sagan should just spending some$$$$ with his wife instead of that.

 

[luckyboy]

I have never seen a mtb race before (apart from some promotion video when Sagan raced earlier this year). Thought it would be more technical than that, but maybe I have downhill mtb flying through forests in my mind.
First 3 minutes look very dull

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

I have never seen a mtb race before (apart from some promotion video when Sagan raced earlier this year). Thought it would be more technical than that, but maybe I have downhill mtb flying through forests in my mind.
First 3 minutes look very dull

No, this is a very dull and simple track because it's so man made. If you see La Bresse, for example, it's a much better, more interesting and technical track.

 

[Sartorius]

Btw I was racing against Sagan in junior categories both on road and on MTB. He was better on MTB.

 

[glassmoon]

Re: Re:

If you've considered that I imply even win is possible surely wou would understood that I think Sagan can outperform other Slovakia representatives. But what is this argument good for? Are Olympic games just for money? Or just for win?

Well, it's about representing your own country. 300 000 people from Slovakia will watch MTB race. If Lami is there nobody cares about it. So I think that Slovak Cycling Federation made a good decision to delegate Sagan.

Representing one's country is not the same as number of TV viewers. You are mixing it together.

So are you saying that it's right that Sagan replaced that two guys who are responsible for one Slovak place in MTB race? Mind you, without them Sagan couldn't race it.

Without preparation, Sagan is on the level of Skarnitzl (cze)

If that only was true...but Skarnitzl beat him. It's nothing more than speculation that Sagan is better than Lami. Wishful thinking of his fans. Lami probably is worse than Skarnitzl but maybe not that much. In 2014 Lami had more points, though I don't know races in detail . But whatever.

Is it fair? We could speculate. Is it against the rules? No.

I don't know if it's against the rules, I don't know Slovak qualyfing rules.But obviously it is not. My opinion on fair/not fair is clear, no speculation

]Other significant aspect is a huge PR boost for XCO/MTB which should be in the interest of all mtb riders (Lami including).

That's IMHO BS, Slovakia is not that big country to make huge PR boost and even if there is huge PR boost, that itself doesn't translate to bigger money or whatever. Sagan will have huge PR boost (already has), not MTB. I think this argument is made up to justify the unfairness you perceive.
Why it should be big interest of 29 years old Lami who maybe will have no chance to ride other Olympics or who's carreer might end any day - you never know - is beyond my comprehension.

With the OG it's not always about who gained the points during 2y qualification - it's often about who is the best option available.

That's a good point. It is valid for guys who actualy ARE doing that sport regularly and only get better than other guys from given country. But it is not valid for guys who actualy don't race that sport - and that's Sagan's case. Mind you it is only speculation that he would actually finished worse than Sagan. Sagan once crashed and once finished more than minute behind Skarnitzl (who had comfortable margin to second place so maybe didn't go full gas) - not exactly great. Something like that Lami might have achived too.

PR boost for mtb world-wide not (only) for Slovakia. All wch riders say the same. The race would be almost invisible (besides long time WCH fans) in tv programme if not for Sagan, believe me.

Skarnitzl's win - Sagan was in contact with him for whole time but then he got flat tire and in mtb race that means more than minute time lose cause you have to go to tech zone in the race direction. So the 4th place and time lose was not because of Sagan's poor performance, quite the opposite. Also when he crashed out in Austria, he was top5 comfortably. And all that without any kind of preparation.
Lami bros were set to race him in Czech Rep (where Skarnitzl won) but they swapped it for Slovenia race (no logic behind it except fear maybe) at the very last moment. Sagan would beat them easily imho.
I don't even get into Specialized and money interests... also Lami is racing on Specialized for years (team is sponsored by shop that sales Spec.) so there eventually could have been some "compensation" behind the curtains - speculation yes, but plausible.

Lami had more pints in 2014 - well he could've had a lot more races so the sum was bigger.

If I am a Sagan fan? Well of course - cause his performances and racing style every fan of true cycling has to be Sagan's fan - cycling/racing wise.

 

[PeterB]

Re: Re:

Lami had more pints in 2014

No doubt it was good year for him!

 

[robin440]

gold

 

[May0maniac]

The course is easier than I thought, he could finish inside the top 10.
I don't see him beating Schurter, Absalon or Kulhavy, but the course isn't that technical, so he should do well.

 

[scurrrr]

no doping talk please

 

[Isaak-Gabriel]

Sorry Julien Absalon, I'm French but I will support Peter Sagan tomorrow !

 

[elfed68]

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

Because he's a bad-azz MOFO who wanted to give someone else a chance to win the road race while taking some scalps in the MTB race.

And by "background in MTB racing" let's be clear. He was the junior world champion.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

He probably had more of a chance in MTB than in the road race. I know GVA won after a huge amount of luck (making up for his luck earlier this season), but GVA is still a fair bit better as a climber than Sagan

 

[scurrrr]

Re: Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

He probably had more of a chance in MTB than in the road race. I know GVA won after a huge amount of luck (making up for his luck earlier this season), but GVA is still a fair bit better as a climber than Sagan

what do ya mean mate? the fact that nibali and that other guy went down? hitter

 

[This Charming Man]

Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

I think you will see Peter make a serious run at the Worlds Road race. Different objective for Peter, the all arounder. A DoubleRainbow for Peter, will look nice!

 

[SKSemtex]

So finaly it is the day D in olympic games for me.
Good luck Peter. Enjoy the ride !!!

 

[MacBAir]

Re: Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

He probably had more of a chance in MTB than in the road race. I know GVA won after a huge amount of luck (making up for his luck earlier this season), but GVA is still a fair bit better as a climber than Sagan

Based on what? Not results. Not performances.

 

[sheisdisaster]

Can't wait.gl Sagan

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

He probably had more of a chance in MTB than in the road race. I know GVA won after a huge amount of luck (making up for his luck earlier this season), but GVA is still a fair bit better as a climber than Sagan

Based on what? Not results. Not performances.

GVA is significantly better at climbing based on both results and performances. In the last month or so alone he's won a very hilly TdF stage, held the yelllow jersey comfortably on Col d'Aspin, finished 5th at San Sebastian and won arguably the most prestigious hilly one day race of the year. That's more than Sagan has done in hills in his whole career.

 

[Flamin]

Even as a big Greg fan, I must say that is a ridiculous statement.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: Re:

I understand he's got background in MTB racing but why did he choose to compete in this race when he might have competed for a win in the Road Race?

He probably had more of a chance in MTB than in the road race. I know GVA won after a huge amount of luck (making up for his luck earlier this season), but GVA is still a fair bit better as a climber than Sagan

Based on what? Not results. Not performances.

GVA is significantly better at climbing based on both results and performances. In the last month or so alone he's won a very hilly TdF stage, held the yelllow jersey comfortably on Col d'Aspin, finished 5th at San Sebastian and won arguably the most prestigious hilly one day race of the year. That's more than Sagan has done in hills in his whole career.

Sagan most likely couldn't win San Sebastian. Last year, GVA almost did. GVA is most certainly a better climber.

 

[jens_attacks]

Sagan's wattages on mt baldy and hasliberg (suisse) say otherwise. But yeah this year, greg was probably better climber than sagan though.

If sagan tops 10 this, it would be great.