Will Kristoff surpass Hushovd as the best norwegian ever?

[jaylew]

Obviously Milan-Sanremo is harder than the Geelong Worlds, so yes just yes.

Yeah, I'm sure Hushovd (or any other rider) would be thrilled to trade the rainbow jersey for a MSR trophy.

And if you're going to use that argument, I'm much more impressed by a 2nd and 3rd in P-R than a MSR win, honestly. But of course the MSR win is way more prestigious

 

[neineinei]

Poor Kristoff, he is trying to tell the Norwegian press that Greipel and Kittel are better sprinters than he is, and that in the next sprint stages they are likely to have better legs than today, but they are writing that he can win on Champs-Élysées. And in Ponferrada. And next year he can win the green jersey.

Heat stroke.

 

[Afrank]

No. Just no. Not even close.

MSR isn't as good as a worlds win? I think there pretty equal, and worlds is like the 6th monument for me.

And MSR is better then GW, Omloop, and the National RR champs (Hushovd's other one day wins.

 

[maxmartin]

if he can add a world title, and another monument

 

[jaylew]

MSR isn't as good as a worlds win? I think there pretty equal, and worlds is like the 6th monument for me.

Not even remotely close in my book. We're talking about palmares and prestige here. You get to wear the rainbow jersey for year (curse or no)! Your name will always be prefaced by "former world champion" I highly doubt you'll get a rider to say he'd rather have a MSR win on his palmares than a World title.

Obviously it doesn't prove anything as these are just arbitrary numbers selected by two groups but as an example,

CQ lists a MSR win as worth 280 and a Worlds win is 400
Procyclingstats lists a MSR win as worth 275 and a Worlds win is 350

And MSR is better then GW, Omloop, and the National RR champs (Hushovd's other one day wins.

You can't discount Hushovd's two Green jerseys (one of the most prestigious things a sprinter can have on his palmares). And don't forget that 2nd and 3rd in Roubaix.

 

[BYOP88]

I agree with jaylew. If I was a pro and someone said you can win M-SR or the Worlds I'd pick the Worlds all the time.

 

[The Barb]

I don't know much about Norwegian history but I'd think both Hushovd and Kristoff are far behind Henrik Ibsen and Roald Amudsen for the title of "best Norwegian ever".

 

[42x16ss]

Not sure if Kristoff will end with a better palmares than Hushovd and if EBH can steady the ship who knows where he'll end up. One thing that I'll give Kristoff is this - when conditions go to sh!t, he's up there with the best.

He won the bunch sprint behind the lead group at MSR last year, won it in bad conditions this year and rode well for his stage win in the rain the other day. Like Ian Stannard, he's a tough mofo for crappy conditions.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

MSR close to Worlds?

It's funny that Kristoff's perhaps greatest strenght nowadays is his stamina, whereas earlier in his career, a lack of stamina was his big issue.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I don't think Kristoff is a better sprinter than Hushovd in his prime.

snipped..

The debate probably boils down to what better means.

Both are somewhat less successful than the top flat stage bunch sprinters of their respective era (ale-jet, McEwen, Kittel, Cav and Greipel)

On harder terrain and conditions (still "flattish" (MSR and RVV)) I rate Kristoff higher.

PR: Hushovd is more proven. This race could be the decider imo. Awaiting results from Kristoff.

More hilly (and even some mountains in the middle) I rate Hushovd better.

Anyway Kristoff has some way to go before getting close to Hushovd.

Lastly I would love to wear the rainbow jersey. Even if I won on a favorable parcours and all my competitors crashed out.

 

[Echoes]

The World Championship (in line race) is the most overrated race in history.

Not only is it ambivalent, depending on the route (Geelong was just ridiculous) but it's also raced by nations, which excludes dozens of good riders because there can be a maximum of 8 riders per nations.

I have always rated Milan-Sanremo higher. Let alone Paris-Roubaix.

 

[Netserk]

MSR isn't as good as a worlds win? I think there pretty equal, and worlds is like the 6th monument for me.

And MSR is better then GW, Omloop, and the National RR champs (Hushovd's other one day wins.

Worlds is bigger than any single monument, and imo also bigger than the Vuelta.

 

[manafana]

Kristoff has to come back next year and target green he surely can compete with Sagan if he is wise about it.

 

[William H]

I don't know much about Norwegian history but I'd think both Hushovd and Kristoff are far behind Henrik Ibsen and Roald Amudsen for the title of "best Norwegian ever".

Fridtjof Nansen FTW

 

[kurtinsc]

Thor highlights:

World championship
2 Tour points jerseys
1 Vuelta point jersey
10 Tour stages
4 other GT stage wins
1 Gent-Wevelgem
1 Oploop het whatever
3 national TT championships
3 national road championships

Kristoff highlights:
1 MSR
2 tour stages
2 national road race championships

Kristoff still has a way to go. If he gets either a world title or another monument... he's equal or ahead on 1-day results. But he needs to get another 12-15 GT stage wins and a few point jerseys to be ahead overall. Not sure it's happening.

 

[Afrank]

Not even remotely close in my book. We're talking about palmares and prestige here. You get to wear the rainbow jersey for year (curse or no)! Your name will always be prefaced by "former world champion" I highly doubt you'll get a rider to say he'd rather have a MSR win on his palmares than a World title.

Obviously it doesn't prove anything as these are just arbitrary numbers selected by two groups but as an example,

CQ lists a MSR win as worth 280 and a Worlds win is 400
Procyclingstats lists a MSR win as worth 275 and a Worlds win is 350

Good points. I would agree a worlds win definitely comes with more perks then a MSR win.

I'd say looking back on a riders palmares after some time has passed the two would be fairly equal on prestige (maybe worlds just a tad better). And in the shorter run worlds would be the better of the two.

You can't discount Hushovd's two Green jerseys (one of the most prestigious things a sprinter can have on his palmares). And don't forget that 2nd and 3rd in Roubaix.

Hushovd's green is one of the main things that give Hushovd the edge right now. Which is why I really want to see Kristoff target it in the Tour. He could do very well IMO.

 

[Jspear]

Good points. I would agree a worlds win definitely comes with more perks then a MSR win.

I'd say looking back on a riders palmares after some time has passed the two would be fairly equal on prestige (maybe worlds just a tad better). And in the shorter run worlds would be the better of the two.



Hushovd's green is one of the main things that give Hushovd the edge right now. Which is why I really want to see Kristoff target it in the Tour. He could do very well IMO.

Doing really well won't get him the green jersey though. Sagan would still need to crash out or something for Kristoff or any other current rider to even come close to winning the jersey. What he should continue to do is target the cobbles. He showed potential there.

 

[Afrank]

Doing really well won't get him the green jersey though. Sagan would still need to crash out or something for Kristoff or any other current rider to even come close to winning the jersey. What he should continue to do is target the cobbles. He showed potential there.

I think he could do both.

By "very well" I mean he could challenge Sagan for it. I don't know if Sagan is that dominating to the point it's impossible for him not win it as long as he doesn't crash out.

 

[Echoes]

A point classification has prestige now. World is crazy.

 

[neineinei]

Thor highlights:

World championship
2 Tour points jerseys
1 Vuelta point jersey
10 Tour stages
4 other GT stage wins
1 Gent-Wevelgem
1 Oploop het whatever
3 national TT championships
3 national road championships

Kristoff highlights:
1 MSR
2 tour stages
2 national road race championships

Kristoff still has a way to go. If he gets either a world title or another monument... he's equal or ahead on 1-day results. But he needs to get another 12-15 GT stage wins and a few point jerseys to be ahead overall. Not sure it's happening.

Kristoffs main strength is his sprint in the long and hard flattish stages, and there will probably never be enough of them in GT's for him to beat Hushovd there. He is not likely to be outsprinting the likes of Kittel, Greipel and Cavendish in flat high speed sprints with sprint trains going, even if he had his own sprint train. On the other hand his racing in the Monuments the two last years has been a revelation. There he seems to be sharper than Hushovd, and can win where Hushovd came second or third.

However, in my book Hushovd gets quite a few minus points for his unapealing way of combining whining about doping and enormous Lance crush (also know as Omertà). So to me Kristoff "only" needs to win one more Monument and maybe a few more GT stages to pass Hushovd.

 

[deValtos]

Kristoff just seems like a younger model of T.Hushovd, almost identical characteristics ...

Fast sprint (but not at the very top)
Good stamina
Can get over hills in a competitve position
Solid on cobbles

Infact come to think of it EBH is (or was) similar aswell, is this just how the Norwegian build is ?

 

[vcampbell]

I don't think. I was never a fan of Hushovd, but the first two things what comes in my mind when I think about him are his breaks in those mountain stages, when he dropped every other break rider downhill to win a mountain, and also at the last climb he helped Sastre a bit. If I remember correctly the other one was with Boasson Hagen and Hesjedal. I was amazed.

 

[jaylew]

Thor highlights:

World championship
2 Tour points jerseys
1 Vuelta point jersey
10 Tour stages
4 other GT stage wins
1 Gent-Wevelgem
1 Oploop het whatever
3 national TT championships
3 national road championships

Kristoff highlights:
1 MSR
2 tour stages
2 national road race championships

Kristoff still has a way to go. If he gets either a world title or another monument... he's equal or ahead on 1-day results. But he needs to get another 12-15 GT stage wins and a few point jerseys to be ahead overall. Not sure it's happening.

Thanks for compiling that, Kurt. Even though they weren't wins, I'd add his 2nd and 3rd at Roubaix to that as I'd certainly consider those performances to be better and more important than some of the above. I'm sure even Echoes would agree with me there.

 

[Netserk]

Says a lot about Hushovd if people think it's important to add his losses to his palmarès

A win is always better than a loss, though obviously some wins are much better than others.

 

[jaylew]

Says a lot about Hushovd if people think it's important to add his losses to his palmarès

A win is always better than a loss, though obviously some wins are much better than others.

That's total BS and you know it, Netserk. Ask any rider if they'd rather have a win in a stage of the Tour of Norway or a 2nd in Roubaix on their palmarès and you know the answer you'd get. In fact, in all honesty which would you prefer? Would you also pick winning some no name race in Slovenia over a silver medal in the olympics?

High placings definitely have their place on a rider's palmarès if the race is big enough.

Those two podiums in Roubaix are better than almost any result in Kristoff's current résumé.