Which riders have had the best spring?

[Velolover2]

The pre-Giro season is almost over, so I think it would be a good idea with some evaluation. From 1 to 10, how many points would you give the top riders from what you have seen so far? For me I would me something like:

Kristoff: 10/10
Valverde: 10/10
Porte: 10/10
Degenkolb: 10/10
Cavendish: 8/10
Griepel: 8/10
Stybar: 8/10
Pozzovivo: 8/10
Matthews: 7/10
Purito: 7/10
Pinot: 7/10
GVA: 7/10
Kwaitkowski: 7/10
Tony Martin: 6/10
Henao (Sergio): 6/10
Terpstra: 6/10
Contador: 5/10
Froome: 5/10
Uran: 5/10
Costa: 5/10
Tejay: 5/10
Peraud: 5/10
Quintana: 4/10
Majka: 4/10
Talansky: 4/10
Aru: 3/10
Sagan: 3/10
Gilbert: 3/10
Nibali: 2/10
Kittel: 0/0

Feel free to make your own list with the riders of your choice.

 

[Jancouver]

So Sagan 3/10 and Talansky 4/10?

What am I missing? Can you collaborate and provide some meaningful explanation to how Talansky scored 4/10 and had better spring than Sagan?

 

[Velolover2]

No, you are right. Sagan has been somewhat stabile, but very underwhelming in his performances compared to how he normally is. And Talansky has been almost invisible.

I just wanted to start a debate about it.

 

[Jspear]

I agree with your first 4. Most definitely they had the best spring campaign of anyone. Also I agree with you on Kittel. I'm hoping he carries his current level of form into the Tour.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

I agree with your first 4. Most definitely they had the best spring campaign of anyone. Also I agree with you on Kittel. I'm hoping he carries his current level of form into the Tour.

That would at least make the sprints more open. But Cav has had a very good year. Winning both stage races and somewhat hillier races. He seems to have developed as a rider.

 

[Jspear]

So getting more specific; Which one rider had the best spring campaign? Here's the results of the 4 that I think most people would agree are in contention.

Porte
Catalunya GC
Paris Nice GC
Trentino GC
6 other stage wins

Degenkolb
PR
Milan Sanremo
1 stage Dubai

Kristoff
Flanders
Scheldeprijs
Driedaagse GC, 3 stage wins
5 other stage wins

Valverde
LBL
FW
Tramuntana
3 other stage wins

It's really hard for me to make a choice. If I were to go strictly on wins without considering how many top 10's they've also achieved, perhaps I'd go with Degenkolb because he has won 2 monuments. I could see how others would make a different case for another rider though.

 

[Mr.White]

Agree on first 4, but question is, who had the best spring among them? Is that Degenkolb with two Monuments, Kristoff with Ronde, plus 10 more wins in De Panne, Qatar, Paris-Nice, also 2nd at MSR, Porte who almost won every stage race he entered, or won a queen stage, or Valverde who nearly won Ardennes triple and showed superb riding in Catalunya, with traditional load of high placings in earlier races.

 

[BigMac]

Should Contador be on that list? At 5/10? He's only raced once in the spring, that was Catalunya, where he finished 4th overall.

I'm not attacking Contador or anything, mind that.

The same sort of applies to Tejay, raced Catalunya and even won a stage, but was 11th at Pais Vasco and nowhere to be seen in the Ardennes. If you will rate him that high, then Costa must be placed even higher. Pinot's only real good performance was today's stage win, he can't be placed on par with Kwiatkowski and above Henao. Not sure what Tony Martin is doing there, he basically didn't perform - if your criteria were attacks or something of the sort then I don't understand why Nibali is so far bellow. Sagan, as pointed out, doesn't deserve such a low rating. Not when you have guys above him who went completely unnoticed during the period in case. Talansky, Peraud, Majka, Uran, Aru...

I'm also very skeptical about Pozzovivo's 8/10. However, the most scandalous has to be Greipel, whose best and only noticeable results were a second in De Panne and a stage win in Turkey. Cavendish so-so. Seriously inflated.

That said,
Degenkolb 11/10
Valverde 10/10
Kristoff 9.5/10
Porte 8/10
...

 

[Velolover2]

I like your rating, BigMac. Would love to see your top 10 with the last 6 rated as well.

I think Pozzovivo has raced better than ever. Top 10 in Down Under and Tirreno-Adriatico. 3rd overall in Catalunya and stage win where he attacked on the flat section. Stage win in Trentino on a punchy climb. His most consistent season yet. Definitely better than the average.

You forgot that Contador was also in Tirreno where he did good but just not good enough. In Catalunya, Contador seemed to be about as strong as Porte with his brutal attacks. But Porte rode a lot smarter, had a stronger team behind him and ultimately won.

Griepel was mostly his ability to survive harder hills than ever and his aggressive style in the cobblestone classics. I think he could be a factor next year.

I agree with you that Majka, Uran, Aru and Talansky have been bad. Peraud has a least a nice win in CI.

 

[sir fly]

Degenkolb's having 11/10 spring.

 

[DBotero]

The pre-Giro season is almost over, so I think it would be a good idea with some evaluation. From 1 to 10, how many points would you give the top riders from what you have seen so far? For me I would me something like:

Kristoff: 10/10
Valverde: 10/10
Porte: 10/10
Degenkolb: 10/10
Cavendish: 8/10
Griepel: 8/10
Stybar: 8/10
Pozzovivo: 8/10
Matthews: 7/10
Purito: 7/10
Pinot: 7/10
GVA: 7/10
Kwaitkowski: 7/10
Tony Martin: 6/10
Henao (Sergio): 6/10
Terpstra: 6/10
Contador: 5/10
Froome: 5/10
Uran: 5/10
Costa: 5/10
Tejay: 5/10
Peraud: 5/10
Quintana: 4/10
Majka: 4/10
Talansky: 4/10
Aru: 3/10
Sagan: 3/10
Gilbert: 3/10
Nibali: 2/10
Kittel: 0/0

Feel free to make your own list with the riders of your choice.

I agree with the first 4,hard to choose between them really.

 

[Velolover2]

The pre-Giro season is almost over, so I think it would be a good idea with some evaluation. From 1 to 10, how many points would you give the top riders from what you have seen so far? For me I would me something like:

Kristoff: 10/10
Valverde: 10/10
Porte: 10/10
Degenkolb: 10/10
Cavendish: 8/10
Griepel: 8/10
Stybar: 8/10
Pozzovivo: 8/10
Matthews: 7/10
Purito: 7/10
Pinot: 7/10
GVA: 7/10
Kwaitkowski: 7/10
Tony Martin: 6/10
Henao (Sergio): 6/10
Terpstra: 6/10
Contador: 5/10
Froome: 5/10
Uran: 5/10
Costa: 5/10
Tejay: 5/10
Peraud: 5/10
Quintana: 4/10
Majka: 4/10
Talansky: 4/10
Aru: 3/10
Sagan: 3/10
Gilbert: 3/10
Nibali: 2/10
Kittel: 0/0

Feel free to make your own list with the riders of your choice.

I agree with the first 4,hard to choose between them really.

Yeah. And even harder to choose who is number 5 on the list.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

I like your rating, BigMac. Would love to see your top 10 with the last 6 rated as well.

I think Pozzovivo has raced better than ever. Top 10 in Down Under and Tirreno-Adriatico. 3rd overall in Catalunya and stage win where he attacked on the flat section. Stage win in Trentino on a punchy climb. His most consistent season yet. Definitely better than the average.

You forgot that Contador was also in Tirreno where he did good but just not good enough. In Catalunya, Contador seemed to be about as strong as Porte with his brutal attacks. But Porte rode a lot smarter, had a stronger team behind him and ultimately won.

Griepel was mostly his ability to survive harder hills than ever and his aggressive style in the cobblestone classics. I think he could be a factor next year.

I agree with you that Majka, Uran, Aru and Talansky have been bad. Peraud has a least a nice win in CI.

Sorry, my bad then, I thought it was an evaluation of the Spring only.

 

[SeriousSam]

Degenkolb, Valverde
Kristoff
Porte

 

[Velolover2]

It seems that most people agree that the big four of the early season is Kristoff, Porte, Valverde and Degenkolb. But who is next in line?

Štybar was 2nd in E3 Harelbeke and Roubaix + winner of Strade Bianche.
Terpstra was 2nd in Gent-Wevelgem and Flanders + winner of the TT and overall in Qatar.

That's some good results, I think both of them deserve to be in top 10.

 

[DBotero]

Re:

It seems that most people agree that the big four of the early season is Kristoff, Porte, Valverde and Degenkolb. But who is next in line?

Štybar was 2nd in E3 Harelbeke and Roubaix + winner of Strade Bianche.
Terpstra was 2nd in Gent-Wevelgem and Flanders + winner of the TT and overall in Qatar.

That's some good results, I think both of them deserve to be in top 10.

What about G.? 1st E3 Harelbeke and 3rd in Gent-Wevelgem +winner of Volta ao Algarve,5th in Paris-Nice.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

It seems that most people agree that the big four of the early season is Kristoff, Porte, Valverde and Degenkolb. But who is next in line?

Štybar was 2nd in E3 Harelbeke and Roubaix + winner of Strade Bianche.
Terpstra was 2nd in Gent-Wevelgem and Flanders + winner of the TT and overall in Qatar.

That's some good results, I think both of them deserve to be in top 10.

What about G.? 1st E3 Harelbeke and 3rd in Gent-Wevelgem +winner of Volta ao Algarve,5th in Paris-Nice.

Yep, another top 10 candidate. Also Kwaitkowski: Amstel Gold Race + Paris Nice stage + 2nd overall in the same race and Algarve. But none of them is nowhere near "the big four".

 

[Velolover2]

Other who have done very good without being beasts:

GVA: Stage in Tirreno-Adriatico, 3rd in Roubaix and Flanders. 5th in Amstel Gold Race.
Purito: Two stages (and almost winning the brutal TT) + overall in Pais Vasco, 4th and 3rd in FW and Liege respectively.

 

[CyclingEnthusiast]

Pozzovivo 8/10 but Quintana only 4/10?

 

[Eagle]

My top riders would be:

Degenkolb
Kristoff
Valverde
Porte

Purito
Quintana

Thomas
Stybar
Paolini
Kwaitkowski

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Pozzovivo 8/10 but Quintana only 4/10?

Ok, Quintana won T-A and deserves way more than 4/10. But based on the expectations I had, Quintana has not been that goat I expected him to be. He was a little below his normal level in San Luis and Pais Vasco. I hope he will have a strong TDF. As a audience, a Quintana in top shape is always great to watch.

Pozzovivo, on the other hand, has suprised me a lot. One of the most stabile riders this season.

 

[greenedge]

I'd go:
Degenkolb
Porte
Kristoff
Valverde

The next best is in my view the rider who has stepped up the most. Michael Matthews. He's only got two wins, but his podium at M-SR was impressive as it was his first attempt as leader. Then at AGR he followed Gilbert, an almost impossible act.
GVA next
Stybar after, if only because he didn't place higher at RVV and didn't attack at P-R

Thomas
Alaphillipe
Henao (JROD was better ofc) but considering Henao's injury, he was better.

Other riders who have had great seasons, Paolini, Theuns, Zakarin, Simon Yates and Gallopin.

 

[Velolover2]

Good list. I think Matthews deserves a mention too. His two wins were in the one week races I regard as the best, Nice and Vasco. His showing in Amstel was even more impressive than his role as a captain in Milano, I think.

 

[Arredondo]

Based on big wins, you have to put Degenkolb above anyone else. But he hasn't won outside of those 2 monuments. I rather give it to someone who showed himself the whole year. So i think i would rank it like this:

Kristoff
Degenkolb
Valverde
Porte

After that, it's quite easy. Pick the riders who actually won a big race (random sequence)

Purito
Quintana
Thomas
Stybar
Kwiatkowski

After that, the riders who showed good things at a regular basis

GvA
Terpstra
Matthews
Henao
Alaphilippe
Pozzovivo

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Degenkolb wins this "competition" also.