Discuss – Will Sagan Wins Worlds?

Fotoreporter Sirotti

 

Will Peter Sagan win next Sunday’s World Championship Road Race in Copenhagen?

Discuss.

About Whit

My experiences might easily fit many cycling fans' definitions of “living the dream.” Since getting hooked on the sport watching Lance Armstrong win the 1993 U.S. Pro Championship, I've raced as an amateur on Belgian cobbles, traveled Europe to help build a European pro team, and piloted that team from Malaysia to Mont Ventoux. As a former assistant director sportif with Mercury-Viatel, I've also seen the less dreamy side of the sport – the side rife with broken contracts, infighting, and positive dope tests. These days, I live with my lovely wife in Pennsylvania and share my experiences and views on the sport at Bicycling Magazine, the Embrocation Cycling Journal, and at my own site, Pavé.
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7 Responses to Discuss – Will Sagan Wins Worlds?

  1. mattio says:

    He's looking like the strongest sprinter right now… but can he be the strongest sprinter in a 260+km race that lots of people are targeting? With all the best riders in the world? I'm not sure.

  2. Adam says:

    I wouldn't be surprised at all. In the uphill sprint in the Tour de Swiss he was the only one up there with Thor, and I know he's relieved that sprint a hundred times to figure out what he could have done differently.

  3. Jeff B says:

    I'm going to tip Marcel Kittel. I'm a believer and he'll have a strong team.

  4. sam says:

    whereas cav can be the fastest in a bunch sprint when his train is kept intact, sagan has turned into one of the most dynamic puncheurs in recent memory…he's like romain feillu with talent…jumping from wheel to wheel with speed.

    as for next week, its him or cav or gilbert if he can find a way to break up the peloton.

  5. Brian says:

    Off-topic: Good to see Sagan and Kittel getting love on this thread. They're quickly developing into two of my favorite riders in the world (so you can imagine how much I enjoyed watching them dominate the Tour de Pologne).

    On-topic: Considering that the finish is uphill, Sagan's a good bet. But Gilbert's a beast and he's got to be the favorite. He's always a marked man but finds a way to get the job done.

  6. cthulhu says:

    It was said that the course is a sprinter's course before that video was made. And after seeing it, I still think it is a sprinter's course. But the uphill finish may change a bit.

    Cav has proven to be fast uphill and even without a train. IIRC one of his TdF stage wins this was uphill without the usual lead out. But he looked tired at the Vuelta and I'm not so sure if he recovered enough for the 250+ km distance.
    While Sagan had an incredible Vuelta but there the question is if that race hasn't taken too much of a toll on him since he's been going for quite some time by now. Also the missing team support will be a real handicap for him.
    For Kittel I fear the distance is too long. I'd really like to see the first German Road Race World Champion since Rudi Altig because I hope that would help cycling regain some popularity in Germany, but I think that finish suits Degenkolb far better, but he seems understandably a bit tired after a long season. And Greipel I fear is too powerful == too heavy for the finish, but as said I wouldn't mind him proving me wrong.

    It is definitely a finish that suits Sagan and I think his chances are really good but in my opinion his main competition comes from Australia and Italy and they have much stronger teams, that is why I rate their chances a bit higher. Especially the Italians can shred the field to pieces in the final approach and either launch a "pure sprinter" like Viviani or a puncheur like Viskonti. They seem to be the only team with this double thread (On paper it would look like the German squad has it too, but I already stated my reservations).

    As for Gilbert, he is missing "the sprinter" in his team to take some pressure off him, and as impressive his finishes in Montreal and Namur were,, the climb misses the length and/or the steepness of those finishes. I fear the distance alone is not enough for him to play out his strengths.

    But a word of caution, don't forget Edvald.

  7. Ben says:

    If he does it will be so so so so very Rock and Roll.

    How many other world champs would wheelie over the Angliru or bust out a skidmark at the Vuelta?

    It would be *epic*.

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