What set Petacchi apart?

[weisan]

I always wonder about this....so, what really set Petacchi apart from the rest of the field. I mean, you have a bunch of guys who are pretty much at the pinnacle of their craft, all pushing towards the finish line as if their lives depend on it, and yet without fail, the Italian maestro delivers. Eight stage wins in the Giro so far, that's crazy talk!

Now, before you start blurping out reasons like "He is simply too fast for them."...I already knew that. What I need is a careful study of what makes the perfect sprint, and a slow-motion interpretation of his every moves that tell a story. Can anyone please enlighten me? Senor Jerk? Anybody?

Much appreciated.
weisan

[bostondrunk]

You are reading too much into it. All those guys are at the top of their game, they know how to sprint perfectly. Petacchi just happens to have an edge on them strength/speed wise at the moment, 'edge' meaning maybe about 1% (if you looked at their speed?). Just like Lance has an edge on most everyone in the cardio department....
Just like I can out-drink anyone here.. :beer:

[weisan]

Thanks for your comments, B.Drunk.

I remembered Mario used to have that type of "edge" over everyone else at one time.

[oracle]

i must disagree with the drunk here - when a guy can turn over a 56 like a 42, when he can exit the field nearly at will in the sprints, when he can sit up 10 metres before the line and coast to victory, he is in a different league than the fishies by more than 1%. the differences in time at the finish of a sprint may be minuscule, but is proportionally more similar to pantani dropping other climbers like amateurs by minutes. i think he needs a bigger big ring - he seldom looks like he is even trying.

oracle

[bostondrunk]

I wasn't comparing Petacchi to the entire field, I was comparing him to the other top sprinters like Zabel, etc. They are all tremendously strong, just he has the edge at the moment..

[jerk]

petacchi is not even a pure sprinter.....he just is that damn good....his wattage numbers aren't nearly as high as cipo or zabel and certainly no where near the numbers of a track sprinter...his jump isn't as great as some of the other guys but he has the ability to maintain it longer than anyone the jerk has ever seen. he is the real deal....the kid doesn't really even need a train...if he's in the group at the end he will win.

jerk

[weisan]

Thank you Oracle, B.drunk, and Jerk for chiming in. I remembered Petacchi acknowledging the fact that he prefers long drawn-out sprints in an interview. Senor Jerk is hitting on something. Good observation. :p

weisan

[sfscott]

It seems to me as a very casual observer that Petacchi cannot climb at all. When I last looked at the Giro standings, he wasn't in first despite having won 7 stages.

Last year, he bailed in the TdF when the mountains came.

Is there something different now? better team? more mature?

[oracle]

alessandro petacchi accumulated twenty-four victories in a single season, fifteen of which were won in the gdi, the tdf, and the vae - he kicked major ass last year as well. but if he is not a pure sprinter, then what the hell is he? maybe he should go and slaughter everyone on the boards...

oracle

[shinomaster]

if my main man Cipollini does retire this year you can be sure that Petacchi has a lot to do with it..

[coylifut]

I agree that Ale Jet can start earlier and hold it longer than anyone I've ever seen. In last year's TDF, he initiated and won a sprint from close to 350 meters. Unbelievable speed endurance. Winning becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. The more you win, the more and better resources you get at your disposal. Two years ago, I didn’t see any real support around Petaci. However, when your sprinter wins, being part of that win by being a member of the set-up train is very gratifying and monetarily rewarding. Tom Danielson was left off Fassa’s Giro team in favor of domestics that can operate better in the last few kilometers. Petaci has Fassa’s full support which makes Coni’s GC placing quite impressive. Don't under estimate the power of an effective lead out train. When there is a string of riders clocking along at 36/37mph it completely strung out, any one that sticks their nose in the wind is toast. So Petaci is 4 wheels back, while all the other sprinters are working feverously to gain or maintain position. When he goes off, he ramps it up to somewhere around 40-42 mph. It’s just too difficult to come around the guy, and his sweeper, when a sprinter has burned so many matches just to get in contention. Where I’ve seen Petaci and Cipo get in trouble is when there are steep risers and tight corners that shuffle their set-up. The train is the reason why Petaci has won 7 stages. Perhaps with out it, he may have won an astonishing 4 or so.

[weisan]

Captured from Velonews (http://velonews.com/race/int/articles/6193.0.html) ...have fun reading, I am off to do my memorial day morning ride. My wife said, "Be home by 12:30"...which means I have about 5 hours of riding time, maybe a 75-miler with the Legend would be nice. See ya back! :D

"Petacchi calls McEwen his top rival"
After winning a postwar-record nine stages during this year's Giro, the apparently unstoppable Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) is already being pressed about riding the Tour de France.

"I've only just finished the Giro and they're asking me if I'm riding the Tour," complained Petacchi.

Having wiped the tarmac with most of his Giro opposition, the Italian admitted that Lotto-Domo sprinter Robbie McEwen, who won the fifth stage before bowing out, was the only one to really worry him.

"The only one who caused me problems here was McEwen," he said. "You can't afford to make the slightest error against him. I think he'll be my biggest rival at the Tour, along with (Mario) Cipollini (Domina Vacanze) - if he's there."

As regards his sprinting success, Petacchi said he had no secrets: "I work on my explosive power by climbing medium-sized hills, and I also do a bit of training behind the car."-Copyright 2004/AFP