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MASSIVE team GB presence at the pointy* end of the peloton
*rear 😕
(I know there's a long way to go, and all, ..)
Ffs Eurosport
Wtf just happened!
Wtf just happened!
We'll never know. 🙂
I'm going for alien abduction of Anaphilippe.
Anyone reckon Sagan took a few laps out and rejoined when the cameras were off and noone was looking?
[quote=scaredypants ]MASSIVE team GB presence at the pointy* end of the peloton
*rear
(I know there's a long way to go, and all, ..)
I don't think you can complain at all about the GB performance there.
Rochelle is quite easy on the eye isn't she..
Agreed! I did worry when I saw 4-5 of them in the last few places at 100km though (I wondered if somebody had a flat and had been paced back on but nothing in the commentary)I don't think you can complain at all about the GB performance there.
And,
Sagan: Beast, as we all know but crafty this time around as well
We also know that he's crafty, he wouldn't have won anywhere near so much if he wasn't. He clearly recognised that his best chance on this course was in a sprint from the remains of the bunch and simply made sure he was in that bunch when it got to the finish. Basic cycling tactics to let everybody else chase down the breaks, but hard enough to do when seeing breaks you could have got in going down the road.
Suit yourself. I think he's improved that vastly this year (after a mixed and probably frustrating classics season)We also know that he's crafty
Well, he did it again! He's just an epic rider.
Him or Froome for greatest rider of the era, sheesh, I dunno.
The world champs seem to be made for him, increased random-ness, national teams can't put together lead out trains like a conventional team would, and he's just the master at freelancing onto the right wheels.
Cycling needs Sagan. He's awesome 8)
7 hours on a bike, I think all of them deserve a medal..
Good to see Sags do it again, the sport needs a personality like his.
But gutted for the French and Analphilippe, that was a proper, well set up move and it nearly worked. I'd still prefer to see a harder course than today, it was all a bit like an end of season MSR and we've already have one of those.
Still Sagan what can you say, three in a row, amazing effort.
Enjoyed that, bit gutted for Alaphillipe, was really hoping he'd pop out solo on that 1k camera. Funny course really, was touted as being quite hard but didn't really turn out that way. They could have done with a few goes up that hill from the finish of the men's ITT.
First time anyone's done 3 in a row I think. Tough to do with the varied courses. Surely not 4 in a row with Innsbruck next year?
Oh and regarding Rochelle, don't know about the eyes but she's definitely not easy on the ears. Would rather put up with Brian Smith's inane commentary on Eurosport and that's saying something.
Analphilippe
Probably best not to google that 😉 Beaten by a stealth edit!
it was all a bit like an end of season MSR
yes. dull.
after 3 in a row, Sags should be given a permanent rainbow jersey to wear.
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Enjoyed that. Swifty did better than I expected, given him dropping off on the climb. Would have liked a Kristoff win, but you can't argue with Sagan's class. He's given up attacking as he's always chased down so sit in for 260 km for the final sprint. Sounds like my new race strategy 😉 (well for 40 km anyway)
Big mistake from some squads (thinking the likes of Gilbert, Dumoulin etc) I thought, not going absolutely eyeballs out to create a gap from 5 laps out. Risky maybe, but taking Sagan, Kristoff and Matthews to the line in a bunch resulted in a rather predictable finish.
Bergen looks stunning, must go visit at some point.
And lets hope at some point we get a Rochelle/Brian double act, then we can all leave them to it and switch to the other channel 🙂
Big mistake from some squads (thinking the likes of Gilbert, Dumoulin etc) I thought, not going absolutely eyeballs out to create a gap from 5 laps out. Risky maybe, but taking Sagan, Kristoff and Matthews to the line in a bunch resulted in a rather predictable finish.
SOme of the riding in World Champs at times you sit and think "well, how else did you expect it to play out guys" , time and time again they either let a break go and then get miffed when others don't work to close it down. Or indeed they do the opposite and all stay together and get stuffed by 3-4 people who can only ever win by sprinting...
I was waiting for more attacking like Alaphillipes attempt thinking that people would only ever have a chance if they attempted it, but very few did. You may as well finish 90th having had a pop and dying on your backside instead of 40th surely ?
I expect attacking from that sort of bunch is easier said than done!
anagallis_arvensis - Member
I expect attacking from that sort of bunch is easier said than done!
Well yes, of course... but a large chunk of them must have an attack in them, they do it month after month, race after race in stage racing, in the classics etc... But at the worlds, they don't seem to have a pop.
Big mistake from some squads
Too many willing to chase and work. And you have the sometimes uneasy alliances within unfamiliar teams to contend with too. It's a huge effort to get a gap up that climb that you'd need a good group to maintain, plenty tried but no one was going to let a good group get away. It's a very high pace on the last few laps of a world champs and everyone has 200+ km in their legs.
Don't think it was by any means a given that it was going to be a bunch sprint either, even Sagan said that up until about 2k to go he thought the break was away and was resigned to sprinting for 3rd place. He got lucky that there were enough in the bunch willing to chase them down.
Well yes, of course... but a large chunk of them must have an attack in them, they do it month after month, race after race in stage racing, in the classics etc... But at the worlds, they don't seem to have a pop.
Most of those attacks are doomed to failure and are just to get the sponsors name on the screen. This isnt required at the worlds.
Remember also that squad sizes are smaller at the worlds for many compared to their trade teams.
The missing action...
I'd still prefer to see a harder course than today, it was all a bit like an end of season MSR and we've already have one of those.
The course for next year is much harder.
It's a huge effort to get a gap up that climb that you'd need a good group to maintain, plenty tried but no one was going to let a good group get away. It's a very high pace on the last few laps of a world champs and everyone has 200+ km in their legs.
Indeed. That climb up salmon hill was only 1.5k. With the bunch tearing up there full throttle you're going to need a huge attack *and* for there to be a lull in the chase to get away.
Which is why the strong punchy riders with no sprint needed to take a huge risk and go with a full gas glory or nothing attack with 5 or 6 laps to go. On such a short climb there was never any likelihood of making something stick in the last 3 laps when the pace was really on. There were only 4-5 teams with a realistic interest in a sprint.Indeed. That climb up salmon hill was only 1.5k. With the bunch tearing up there full throttle you're going to need a huge attack *and* for there to be a lull in the chase to get away.
Take Belgium as an example. Squad packed full of strong punchy riders, but never going to win a sprint. Stuyven wiped out in a crash with 2 to go, but why was he even still in the bunch? Perfect rider to have been sent out early. Vermote, spent 200km pulling on the front? For what? They had no sprinter. If he was going to be pulling, he could have been pulling the breakaway and making the sprinters teams chase.
[quote=fifeandy ]Vermote, spent 200km pulling on the front? For what? They had no sprinter.
Trentin is a decent sprinter on the QST team...
Waste of time, you aren't going to use up your best riders going full gas with 5 laps to go the course just wasn't selective enough. IMO the main problem was the finish was too far from the top of the hill, if it had been 1 or 2 km nearer the bottom of the climb then it would have been a bit more unpredictable. Still the last lap was pretty exciting.
Personally, I would prefer a Lombardy or LBL course for the worlds every now and again, but even then Sagan would still be in with a decent shout as he is so good.
Next years Innsbruck looks brutal, possibly too much so, not sure how many riders will still be in contention after only a few laps.
Trentin is a decent sprinter on the QST team...
Trentin is Italian, Belgium were riding for Greg Van Avermaet & Philippe Gilbert.
Trentin is Italian
But you could be forgiven the confusion if you have ever heard him interviewed, he speak English with a perfect Belgian accent
[quote=dragon ]Trentin is Italian, Belgium were riding for Greg Van Avermaet & Philippe Gilbert.
Yeah, but I wasn't even that obtuse, by pointing out what team he rides for in all the races where he he could wear the rainbow jersey. The World Champs being a bit of an odd race with shifting allegiances - it might be officially national teams, but given it's the only race of the year where it is, it must be a bit odd to spend all day working for somebody you're racing against the rest of the time.
Next years Innsbruck looks brutal, possibly too much so, not sure how many riders will still be in contention after only a few laps.
Well you have 7 goes up Igls which is about as steep as Salmon Hill but about 5 times as long. And to finish off you go up Gramarboden, 2.8k at 11.5%, down the other side then a short 3k dash to the finish. Surely far too much climbing for Sagan. French to finally do it with Bardet in the rainbow jersey?
if it had been 1 or 2 km nearer the bottom of the climb
Reckon Alaphilippe would agree with that 🙂
Nice shortened vid of the final km with Sagan annotated
that's a great little vid - it's what eurosport/ITV should be doing for their wrap-ups (if they have access to all feeds)
Also shows the power he's got when he decides he needs to move up the bunch. No standing up or weaving, just pace