Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyTango
This morning I was listening to a podcast on the subject and it was mentioned in passing that one of the things that makes the WC RR unique is that it has no formula to the racing... by it's very nature of being run on a different course each year there is no "script" to follow... I think this is an interesting way to look at Sagan's success in the WC as compared to the Spring Classics:
The other classics are known quantities, and have long and storied histories that inform the tactics to use to win the day. I'd argue that this makes it easier to flex the muscles of both ultra-refined "specialists," and the teams with the best depth and cohesion. I know "racing is racing," and the results at the big one day races are in no way predetermined or predictable, but the classics are much less of a crap shoot thank the WC.
I think that the fact that the WC is so unpredictable plays into Sagan's hands and helps illuminate exactly what it is that makes him so rad. Thanks to the facts that the courses are always different, and the teams are less organized due to fuzzy alliances/ lack of cohesion, AND everyone is so desperate to go for the win (because there is no script saying "only X kind of rider can win on this course") the WC ends up being raced more on instinct... from the seat of your pants in a way that exposes individual riders to more vulnerabilities and really rewards the racer with the best legs and cagiest tactics.
I'd say that Sagan has become one of the strongest guys in the peloton in this sense. When give the chance to race a race where teams aren't actively trying to make him loose or protect a surgically precise specialist for a proven race plan he can out ride everyone.
GVA, Kwiat, PhilGil, and a few others are *arguably* more versatile and/ or more tactically savvy when they're on their best days, but the last few years Sagan has proven to be their equal PLUS he packs a decisively faster sprint... hence his 3 wins on 3 different courses. Probably the years of practice racing big races with no team support :P
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Well said, indeed. And it points to another reason why Froome and Sagan are such a fascinating odd couple. Froome achieves his success by talent, teamwork and down to the mm precision and planning. While Sagan achieves his success by talent, not much team support and an incredible seat of the pants instinct for where to be when. To me anyway, it's just cool that two such different routes can both lead to high level success.