Lets talk about Peter Sagan

[bikinchris]

It seems that if one doesn't practically worship Sagan and is not allowed to say anything less than glowing about him lest they are attacked on this forum.

My Take on Peter Sagan:
He is a great bike handler, decent time trialist, okay climber, and sprinting....well lets say he is better than most riders in the Tour. BUT Sagan is not a sprint specialist. Yes, he wins the green jersey. If there is a very hilly course or uphill finish, no true sprinter will be there. Sagan gets all the points. If it's a true bunch sprint Sagan will usually wind up 6th or so.

What I DO have a problem with is the ridiculous adulation the announcers have for Sagan.

I like him as a person. He's funny and seems like a nice guy. He's just not a cycling god. He's a good racer. Quit acting like he's the person Eddy Merckx wishes he could have been.

Fire resistant suit> ON.

[eBAUMANN]

"announcers" need to hype SOMETHING in order to do their job...they have to fill hours of air time with jibber jabber, stupid statistics to make viewers feel like they are watching something special/historic (EVERYTHING is "historic"), etc etc.

having someone with personality on and off the bike is a bit of an anomaly in bike racing, so anytime it does happen, it gets blown up by the media...because thats what they are paid to do, its an industry.

cycling needs personalities to survive, like any sport, and sagan is a rare case of personality and talent wrapped up in a world champion's jersey...it really doesnt get much better than that if youre a fan of the sport.

so yea...hes a 2-time consecutive world champion, he's funny, keeps it real, knows how to race/ride a bike...pretty worthy subject for adulation if you ask me...

[Duende]

I really like him because he's a great all-rounder and high-spirited.

In general, I like most riders who fit in this category, because it reminds me of the type of rider who would win the tour before team radios and bike computers ruled the course.

What he does off the bike or his fame doesn't concern me so much.

[jr59]

What's to talk about? Got DQed from this years tour and almost everyone agrees with it was a poor decision.
As for the talking heads, I could care less, what are they going to talk about ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bobswire]

I really like him because he's a great all-rounder and high-spirited.

In general, I like most riders who fit in this category, because it reminds me of the type of rider who would win the tour before team radios and bike computers ruled the course.

What he does off the bike or his fame doesn't concern me so much.

Funny, I was streaming a French site with the sound set low while reading other web sites. Anytime I hear the announcer's voice get excited I would go back to the site to see what transpired to find their was really nothing to see other than the announcer trying to bring about some kind of fake excitement. There in not a lot to talk about on these long boring sprint stages besides talking about those who actually do something like Sagan or Froome,etc. Cycling is boring for most spectators until the very end of the race or some kind of attack that brings a result. Hard for an announcer keep folks interested in 4-5 hr road race. In fact the only reason we are talking about the TdF today is your thread,"lets talk about Sagan" (that you are tired of hearing about). :)

[ANAO]

Name a more deserving puncheur.

[sales guy]

Cycling doesn't have an Eddy or Mario anymore. So Sagan is it. Froome is a wet noodle. No one to talk about, no one showboating. So Sagan is it.

Racing is super boring now. So when Sagan does the hula crossing the line, it makes headlines.

[CNY rider]

Cycling doesn't have an Eddy or Mario anymore. So Sagan is it. Froome is a wet noodle. No one to talk about, no one showboating. So Sagan is it.

Racing is super boring now. So when Sagan does the hula crossing the line, it makes headlines.

That is an insult to wet noodles everywhere.
Many of them are more interesting than Froome.

[ultraman6970]

If you notice at the NBCsn they are bringing the crash everyday because there's nothing else to talk about :)

The other day I was switching between germany vs mexico game (or was another one? and the tour, I stayed at the soccer game because was way better, came back to the race after the game and nothing happened. Yes cycling is quite boring and thats why nobody can stand it, even LA said it a couple of times already in his podcast... "yeah nothing happened in 2 hours!"... no wonder the sport have serious problems finding sponsors.

That being said commentators have to do something so people stays tuned or they will turn off the tv and go for drinks to the far corner bar. And that;s the reason sagan is their ticket to have something to talk about.

Actually what I think is going on is that the way races are being raced is what is killing up the sport, we dont see those epics "i need 3 minutes" type of attacks that Hinault and others used to have, teams were smaller also, to me teams of like 10 riders is f... stupid, you can pull the whole day for a month and nobody will be able to do anything. THe other problem is that this year's tour is pretty much flat, sagan is out... contador doesnt have it and then the exciting of the race is kind'a gone. Goot we have ARU, but the one im missing is TD this year...

So yeah, sagan is a 1 in a million rider... that can do it all and that pull up stuff out of the blue sometimes, now that he is off the tour would not surprise me if he gets the wc jersey again this year. The other exciting part of him is that he is racing pretty much alone, his teams sucked and will continue sucking because all the budget is on him and he doesnt need a team... and that's what makes him exiting for the fans. Put froome with a team that sucks and see what happens... he can't race alone and when he had to take initiative and tell his team what to do it f...ed up big time, remember the marathon he did? Even I said... hey why he is not carriying the bike??? they did not want to kick him out... but sagan was kicked out being the world champion because cav tried to make room for himself... :)

MOuntain stages to come, will get exiting the last 3 or 10 km?? races became that, the last 10 km... sad picture eh?

The last long way haul from a GCC I remember was like 5 years ago at the vuelta... before half of the stage the peloton was split into pieces, even I believe the riders were complaining that the group was going way too fast... purito lost the vuelta right there alone, valverde alone, everybody alone, you dont see stuff like that no more, and thats why we have sagan :D

[oldpotatoe]

Cycling doesn't have an Eddy or Mario anymore. So Sagan is it. Froome is a wet noodle. No one to talk about, no one showboating. So Sagan is it.

Racing is super boring now. So when Sagan does the hula crossing the line, it makes headlines.

No kidding. Listen to all of the 'contenders' and it takes all the moisture out of your mouth(dry, dry). So Sagan and Cav(when he was pissed off), was entertaining, so is Taylor...so was Horner... this is 'supposed' to be entertainment, after all.

[chiasticon]

It seems that if one doesn't practically worship Sagan and is not allowed to say anything less than glowing about him lest they are attacked on this forum.yes, he is the Campagnolo of bike racers for this forum.

[johnmdesigner]

Sagan is the Boonen of his generation.
As before, high hopes are placed on him and he frequently falls short.
An "all rounder" but as we know when you expect someone or something to do too many things well they never live up to their full potential (think print, scan, copy, fax, web printers).
He looks a little confused himself on occasion. But that's what makes him a compelling character.

[sales guy]

That is an insult to wet noodles everywhere.
Many of them are more interesting than Froome.

LOL!!!!! Sorry to offend the rest of the wet noodles out there. My bad that I had to lump them in with Froome.

[sales guy]

No kidding. Listen to all of the 'contenders' and it takes all the moisture out of your mouth(dry, dry). So Sagan and Cav(when he was pissed off), was entertaining, so is Taylor...so was Horner... this is 'supposed' to be entertainment, after all.


Agreed! And it's sad. It makes watching boring as all get out. I can't watch anymore. And now that Froome is in yellow, I almost refuse to. Cause nothing will happen. No one will go. Race radios have ruined any chance of surprise. Too many rules broken and nothing done about it. Bike switching midway thru a stage. It's all massive BS! I would love to see what these guys could do on a traditional frame(steel) with downtube shifters and no radios. No switches. And if they actually had to work.

Bring back great racing!!!!

[eBAUMANN]

Bring back EPO!!!! ;)

[johnmdesigner]

Want to see a sprint crash? Here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt4x3nuzfQ

I was there in 1991. I has never seen so many Campy parts forcibly removed from one bike in an instant.
The seat post sheared off at the top of the frame with the seat still attached. I believe it was an Eddy Merckx frame and naturally it and the owner survived.
Go Abdu!

[eBAUMANN]

Want to see a sprint crash? Here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt4x3nuzfQ

I was there in 1991. I has never seen so many Campy parts forcibly removed from one bike in an instant.
The seat post sheared off at the top of the frame with the seat still attached. I believe it was an Eddy Merckx frame and naturally it and the owner survived.
Go Abdu!

how can you see ANYTHING with that video quality? haha

i cant imagine crashing like that without a helmet on...:eek:

[El Chaba]

yes, he is the Campagnolo of bike racers for this forum.

I guess that would make Bouhanni the SRAM version....rarely performs up to expectations, makes plenty of noise, and is known to cause crashes through erratic performance......

[sales guy]

;)

Thanks for correcting that for me. But I'm pretty sure EPO never left. They're just better at hiding it now.

[johnmdesigner]

how can you see ANYTHING with that video quality? haha

i cant imagine crashing like that without a helmet on...:eek:

And he kept the green jersey.
Just didn't podium.:D

[torquer]

I like him as a person. He's funny and seems like a nice guy. He's just not a cycling god.

He's an entertainer. A very good one. And most of the world sees bike racing as entertainment, so he's a perfect fit. Don't blame the commentators for speaking up for their meal ticket.

[bart998]

I disagree. He is a sprinter. At least he was five years ago. He has worked very hard to become an all-rounder and is now a much more impressive rider over all. Though it may have cost him an edge in the sprints. As he matures he may even become a contender. I also like his antics to liven things up. As Ol' P said... this is entertainment folks.

[johnmdesigner]

One more old man's story then back to the original topic.

In 1991 I was working in Rotterdam. We wanted to see the Tour finish on the Champs so we drove down on Saturday. My company had an apartment for visitors not far from the finish so we stayed there. Unfortunately it was over a fish monger and was pretty ripe in July.
We proceeded to get **** faced that Saturday night and with the fish smell had a hard time getting up for the race finish.
First on the Champs was Greg Lemond. Then the peloton with Indurain the winner. Even in his sprint position Indurain was about 6 inches taller that the rest of the riders and easy to spot. And then that spectacular finish.
Sagan seems to me a rider of those times and that is why I enjoy watching him.

[RobJ]

"announcers" need to hype SOMETHING in order to do their job...they have to fill hours of air time with jibber jabber, stupid statistics to make viewers feel like they are watching something special/historic (EVERYTHING is "historic"), etc etc.

having someone with personality on and off the bike is a bit of an anomaly in bike racing, so anytime it does happen, it gets blown up by the media...because thats what they are paid to do, its an industry.

cycling needs personalities to survive, like any sport, and sagan is a rare case of personality and talent wrapped up in a world champion's jersey...it really doesnt get much better than that if youre a fan of the sport.

so yea...hes a 2-time consecutive world champion, he's funny, keeps it real, knows how to race/ride a bike...pretty worthy subject for adulation if you ask me...

+1

The media outlets will milk this for as long as they can.. there isn't much else to talk about right now. I don't worship the guy, but it is refreshing to have someone like him in cycling. They just lost Scarponi who was always upbeat and pleasant and most of the others are very uninteresting. He's got great skills and more all-around talent, so I like to see him in the pack.

He was robbed. Cavendish was already leaning on his back hip and off-balance. Sagan's elbow moved after Cav went down, in an effort to keep his balance, which he did. Demare went off his line too.

[FlashUNC]

Sagan is the Boonen of his generation.
As before, high hopes are placed on him and he frequently falls short.
An "all rounder" but as we know when you expect someone or something to do too many things well they never live up to their full potential (think print, scan, copy, fax, web printers).
He looks a little confused himself on occasion. But that's what makes him a compelling character.

Well that's an insult to Boonen.

My feelings on Peter are rather well known at this point, so I won't bother rehashing them. But he's proof that one's palmares and size of the fanbase are not directly correlated.

[johnmdesigner]

Well that's an insult to Boonen.

My feelings on Peter are rather well known at this point, so I won't bother rehashing them. But he's proof that one's palmares and size of the fanbase are not directly correlated.

Humanity doesn't always progress with the next generation. But they are entitled to their heroes as well.

[ultraman6970]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=297Td7TwkG4


btw anybody remember's cippo's crash in salamanca?

[Matthew]

Did we really need another Sagan thread? Watching this will at least be more fun than watching the tour now that the 120 pound robot is in yellow again I guess. This thing has been beat to death though.

[saab2000]

Sagan is the most dynamic racer in cycling and pretty much the only one with a personality. He smiles. He's chatty. He races hard and gets very good results. Is he the best? No. Is he the most interesting person on cycling? Absolutely.

Most of the rest are automatons who, when they speak, just say the usual corporate-speak soundbites and say many nice words about trying harder and working as a team and blah, blah blah.

He doesn't have a legendary palmares but it's not that shabby either.

[chiasticon]

I guess that would make Bouhanni the SRAM version....rarely performs up to expectations, makes plenty of noise, and is known to cause crashes through erratic performance......hah!

so Froome is Shimano then, right? boring at sh*t, but does exactly what you'd expect, every time.

[El Chaba]

hah!

so Froome is Shimano then, right? boring at sh*t, but does exactly what you'd expect, every time.

...and not much to look at, but gets the job done....

[bikingshearer]

Want to see a sprint crash? Here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt4x3nuzfQ

I was there in 1991. I has never seen so many Campy parts forcibly removed from one bike in an instant.
The seat post sheared off at the top of the frame with the seat still attached. I believe it was an Eddy Merckx frame and naturally it and the owner survived.
Go Abdu!

That's what a lot of his contemporaries said: "Go! Preferably far away." Abdu was always something of a one-man wrecking crew. He wasn't called "The Tashkent Terror" for nothing.

As for Sagan, you can like him or not, but I don't think it's fair to chastise him for the "next coming of Merckx" hyperbole. He didn't start it, and while he certainly is not shy, he does not court attention the way, say, Cipolini did (now he was an attention whore). Two rainbow jerseys, a Ronde and five green jerseys ain't chopped liver. Not being afraid to have a personality is a nice bonus. And if announcers and others insist on anointing him as the Second Coming for it, how is that his fault?

[colker]

Sagan is fun. He looks good. He can ride a mountain bike. He can bunny hop in the cobbles. Appears in videos dancing with his wife. Has one of those weird eastern european accents. It still feels like he is thanking us for his place in the sun and he can win in his own style...
You still don´t know why he is worshipped?
The guy is a rock star of the most benign kind.

[trener1]

"The other exciting part of him is that he is racing pretty much alone, his teams sucked and will continue sucking because all the budget is on him and he doesnt need a team... "

I think you need to give his team some credit, I think they have shown much better then people expected, Take Sagen out of the picture and they still have more World Tour wins that Cannondale this year.
And they seemed to be doing a pretty good job in the leadouts the first few stages.

[r_mutt]

Sagan is not a true sprinter- he's more of a classics racer/puncheur that can mix it up with the sprinters. Yes, this is true. It is funny that people who deride his sprint have no explanation when he beats the pure sprinters in a pure sprint- like that race that got him his present rainbow jersey. the non-sprinter beat all the so-called specialists.

As for the Merckx comparison- I haven't heard that one trotted out since 2011. Let's face it, this era is too specialized for anyone to be a "new Merckx".

[ultraman6970]

He is probably the closest you can get tho.

[choke]

But he's proof that one's palmares and size of the fanbase are not directly correlated.So which rider currently racing does have a better palmares?

According to Pro Cycling Stats, Sagan is number 3 on the list of active riders with the most wins. Cav is #1 and Greipel is #2. Let's dig deeper...

Cav has 862 race days, 150 wins and 315 top 10 placings. To put that in percentages, he won 17.5% of the races he started and was in the top 10 32.5% of the time.

Greipel has 956 race days, 140 wins, 352 top 10s. His ratios are 14.6% wins and 36.8% top 10s.

Sagan has 615 race days, 96 wins, 338 top 10s. His ratios are 15.6% wins and 55% top 10s.

Van Avermaet has 887 race days, 40 wins, 286 top 10s. His ratios are 5% wins and 32% top 10s.

And since Boonen was mentioned: 1077 race days, 115 wins and 385 top tens. That's 10.7% wins and 35.7% top 10s.

Of course everyone pales in comparison to Merckx: 401 race days, 133 wins and 322 top 10s, or 33.2% and 80% respectively. :eek: But few people are comparing him to Merckx....except you.

One interesting thing is the low number of race days for Merckx compared to the current riders.

[Ti Designs]

I have a hard time getting all emotional about people I've never met...

[FlashUNC]

So which rider currently racing does have a better palmares?

According to Pro Cycling Stats, Sagan is number 3 on the list of active riders with the most wins. Cav is #1 and Greipel is #2. Let's dig deeper...

Cav has 862 race days, 150 wins and 315 top 10 placings. To put that in percentages, he won 17.5% of the races he started and was in the top 10 32.5% of the time.

Greipel has 956 race days, 140 wins, 352 top 10s. His ratios are 14.6% wins and 36.8% top 10s.

Sagan has 615 race days, 96 wins, 338 top 10s. His ratios are 15.6% wins and 55% top 10s.

Van Avermaet has 887 race days, 40 wins, 286 top 10s. His ratios are 5% wins and 32% top 10s.

And since Boonen was mentioned: 1077 race days, 115 wins and 385 top tens. That's 10.7% wins and 35.7% top 10s.

Of course everyone pales in comparison to Merckx: 401 race days, 133 wins and 322 top 10s, or 33.2% and 80% respectively. :eek: But few people are comparing him to Merckx....except you.

One interesting thing is the low number of race days for Merckx compared to the current riders.

Phillipe Gilbert? Four Monument wins, five semi-classics, a world title and two national titles in a field that I imagine is a bit deeper than the Slovak Federation can bear.

My main complaint with Peter's palmares is it's littered with smaller race wins. And yes, that includes the AToC. It's largely barren at this point in his career when compared with the legends of the one day races, which fans and commentators love to compare him with. Hes won green jersey at the tour entirely on intermediate sprints and has fewer stages wins than Kittel or Greipel.

I'm sure some of his peers could go sandbag and win a bunch of stages at AToC and elsewhere, but for the true crown jewels of the sport, particularly those races he's supposed to excel at, he's lacking.

One Monument and two worlds. That's the extent of his notable one day races. No running the table like Gilbert in the Ardennes or Van Avameart in Flanders this year.

[e-RICHIE]

I like Sagan for many reasons, among them that he's not the stereotypical working class Euro boy who escapes his impending farm work or taking over the family HVAC business after a few years as a pro. In addition to being an accomplished bicycle racer, he has an engaging personality. At 28 years old, he's many years younger than every other rider he gets compared to here. I expect his list of results to grow in every category except grand tour GC finishes.

[crankles]

I like Sagan for many reasons, among them that he's not the stereotypical working class Euro boy who escapes his impending farm work or taking over the family HVAC business after a few years as a pro. In addition to being an accomplished bicycle racer, he has an engaging personality. At 28 years old, he's many years younger than every other rider he gets compared to here. I expect his list of results to grow in every category except grand tour GC finishes.

this...and I'll add that he truly looks like he's having FUN out there. The fact that I'm half Slovak has nothing to do with it...not a thing.

[Black Dog]

He is one of the very few riders that are entertaining. In an entertainment business that has killed the entertainment part of the equation with race radios and power meters during the races. So few are willing to lose in order to win. Risk no longer translates into reward in cycling.

[Climb01742]

Sagan is like Jens Voigt with more talent (and I mean that as a compliment.) Cycling needs entertainers...characters who reveal their humanity. For me, his palmarès isn't the main reason I like watching him (and no, he isn't Merckx, but who is?). What I enjoy most is how he rides, and how accessible and 'regular' he seems off the bike. I'd love to ride and have a beer with Jens...and Sagan too.:beer:

[Cicli]

He rides a hell of a mountain bike as well. Lets not forget that. Need to dump the time trials from the tour and add in a couple of mountain bike stages. See how he does then.
Time trials are boring as hell.

[Mikej]

+1 on the MTB - went through the Olympic field twice after staring in the back and flatting out-I truly think he would have medaled if he didn't flat out -

[OtayBW]

What I enjoy most is how he rides, and how accessible and 'regular' he seems off the bike.
Agree. In addition to his skill, he's entertaining and approachable which is pretty refreshing. I certainly don't worship him, and I don't think he's Eddy Merckx reincarnate (well...so to speak).
He's good for the sport, 'elbows' and all.

[weisan]

What I like about PS is if he saw flash pal stop at the side of the road with a flat or a crash, he would get off his bike and help even if he knows that flash doesn't think much about him...because to him that's beside the point.

:D

[jlwdm]

It seems that if one doesn't practically worship Sagan and is not allowed to say anything less than glowing about him lest they are attacked on this forum.


...

I would say your statement is far from reality.

I like him because he makes the race exciting. The stage in last year's tour where he attacked with a teammate and then Froome and Thomas joined them was spectacular racing. Sagan made a bold move and did the most work in the break.

Jeff

[kramnnim]

I'm sure some of his peers could go sandbag and win a bunch of stages at AToC and elsewhere, but for the true crown jewels of the sport, particularly those races he's supposed to excel at, he's lacking.


Peers like GVA? How many ToC stages has GVA finished ahead of Sagan on? :hello:

[kramnnim]

Phillipe Gilbert? Four Monument wins, five semi-classics, a world title and two national titles in a field that I imagine is a bit deeper than the Slovak Federation can bear.



And Gilbert is only 8 years older than Sagan.

[kramnnim]

Hes won green jersey at the tour entirely on intermediate sprints and has fewer stages wins than Kittel or Greipel.


Why are you comparing him to riders who, according to you, he can't compete with?

[FlashUNC]

Why are you comparing him to riders who, according to you, he can't compete with?

To try to make the point he's not the Alpha and Omega of cycling so many think he is, and that there are a number of other riders who aren't thought of as superlative who have better results than he does.

What I like about PS is if he saw flash pal stop at the side of the road with a flat or a crash, he would get off his bike and help even if he knows that flash doesn't think much about him...because to him that's beside the point.

:D

You mean like Mark Cavendish? Then yes, Sagan would follow in Cav's footsteps.

http://road.cc/content/news/178878-mark-cavendish-helps-out-london-cyclist-fixing-puncture

[kramnnim]

Your point making is as good as your trolling.

[Bostic]

I am Mr. Conflict of Interest. Sagan Camo Venge but with the Cavendish Pro Vibe Sprint handlebars. :hello: :crap: :bike:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/923/DsUoim.jpg

[Fivethumbs]

Remember last year when Bodnar, Sagan, Froome, and Thomas broke away from the Peloton and Sagan and Froome came in one-two. I thought that was pretty cool. It reminded me of the racing of yore.

[bironi]

[QUOTE=Duende;2199884]I really like him because he's a great all-rounder and high-spirited.

In general, I like most riders who fit in this category, because it reminds me of the type of rider who would win the tour before team radios and bike computers ruled the course.

hat he does off the bike or his fame doesn't concern me so much.[/QUOTE

The like button pressed for an hour or so.

[rain dogs]

OP and others: What is a "pure/true sprinter"? How many "pure/true sprinters" are currently in the peloton?

Pure Sprinters? (age) - TdF wins to date:
Cav (32) - 30
Kittel (29) - 12
Greipel (34) - 11
......

are they the only "pure sprinters?" Only 3? Are any of these guys pure sprinters?:
Demare, Bouhanni, Ewan, Gaviria, Kristoff, Degenkolb, Matthews, Groenewegen, Stuyven, Bennett, Boasson Hagen ...... Sagan?

Many of the guys on the second list have yet to even win 1, that's one, TdF stage. Demare (25) has 1 - Stage 4 this year, which Kittel flubbed and Cav and Sagan... well you know.

Sagan who's 27 years old has 8 wins. I'm willing to be that by the time he's 34 like Greipel he'll have more than 11. He's beat Greipel in a straight up TdF sprint. He has many, many podiums in straight up TdF sprints. He had 5 podiums last year excluding his 3wins (3x 3rds, 2x2nds) - 8 total podiums.

So is the definition of a pure sprinter just Cav and Kittel, or maybe it's just Cav? Can the OP tell me what a pure sprinter is? Everyone else is just what? A "kinda sprinter"? A "B sprinter"? A "Not Cavendish"?

The thing is, when people phrase questions such as the OP any rebuttal sounds like a fan-boy defense of the rider. Or they worship him? But maybe it's just a perplexed attempt to sort out the logic behind what appears to be a non-objective argument. I feel like a "true sprinter" would be someone who's always a protagonist in sprints at the highest level (ie TdF) - which certainly Sagan is. Does he win numerous of the pan flat ones?, maybe not, but that's cause Kittel and Cav, and to a lesser extent Greipel, win them all.

And then if he can do that and more... well, isn't that someone quite good/talented?

[r_mutt]

i would put Bouhanni, Ewan, Gaviria, and Bennett on the pure sprinter list and also add Viviani and Guardini.

[solrider]

;)

lol

[pdmtong]

+1 on the MTB - went through the Olympic field twice after staring in the back and flatting out-I truly think he would have medaled if he didn't flat out -

anyone who has ever lined up knows how impressive that was - starting in the back he got all the way up into the top 10 ( or was it five) in the distance from the wide track to the single track.

[bikinchris]

Sagan's job of course is to win stages and he IS a good sprinter, but if you watched him get swamped in stage two of this tour, you realize he is not the top, most elite sprinter in the Tour. Anything really technical requiring lots of handling or requiring lots of climbing and none of those people who swamped him would be there at all. Then it's a sure win for Sagan.

[Frankwurst]

I have a hard time getting all emotional about people I've never met...

Hell I have a hard time getting all emotional about most people I have met. :beer:
Still like watching Sagan though.