AlwaysCurious wrote:
The races he lost from being rattled were Kona 2014 (flat, then a penalty because of a boneheaded/distracted/rattled move trying to insert him back into the paceline), and Oceanside 2017 (you don't get a sidewall tear without hitting something major, you don't hit something major if you're calm and focused, and a pro can change a tire within a reasonable time if he's not distracted by knowing that taking too long will put him out of reach of Sanders--it's been pointed out above how to fix a sidewall tear, and anyone who's ridden as much as Jan knows this when he's not in fact rattled). But, yes, the being rattled part has a very evident history, even if it doesn't always cost him the win. You mentioned the Wiltshire incident, and I've heard his nerves start to grate in other interviews on other topics. Remember Kona 2015(?) when he was gesticulating toward officials when other cyclists were passing him and causing him to have to drop back? Nobody does that unless they're rattled.
And, even if it's not as big of an issue as I'm speculating, wouldn't it be fun to watch someone try to get under his skin? Maybe not an obvious trash talk like Macca, but more subtle head games like Crowie used to do. That would be grand spectacle.
You refer to Kona '14 and '15..... Really??? In 2014 he made his mistakes on the bike then came from way back at T2 (pretty sure he set the fastest marathon) and ran himself onto the podium. In 2015 he won convincingly! If that is the result of him being rattled then if I was a fellow pro I sure as heck wouldn't try and rattle him!!
It's pure speculation and drawing conclusions from nothing to state that he got a sidewall cut from being rattled at Oceanside.
For the record I think Sanders would have won Oceanside anyway, judging by how easily he closed the gap from the swim. This is more speculation though.