Indeed - Paolini was awesome.

There was a brief shot of Kristoff nearly coming un-hitched from the back near the top of the Cipressa, with again, Paolini dutifully waiting to help Kristoff get back in it - and indeed, from there to the finish-line the bearded one, road like a machine, to almost get his team leader across the line first.

Yes, I sensed that, the SKY move could be a bit of a foil.

---

---

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Agreed, Sky's move was odd. There was no organized leadout from any team so if those three get to the bottom with Swift, it could have been interesting.

Regardless, awesome win by Degenkolb. Only 26 and he now has a monument plus Gent-Wevelgem, Paris-Tours, Vattenfall, some points jerseys and a podium at Roubiax. The conversation should turn to him as the one to watch instead of Sagan for the next few weeks.

i remember we had a discussion last year regarding how the podium of the 2010 U23 road race (Matthews 1st, Degenkolb 2nd, Phinney/Boivin 3rd) was really beginning to shine. Didn't take too long for Degenkolb to bring the goods. I was really impressed by his results at Paris Roubaix last year.

also, my picks were ruefully incorrect save for the wild card pick of Degenkolb. Oh well.

also, remember to tally your results here: https://docs.google.com/...3RW2XLLB4/edit#gid=0

1 pt if one of your pick lands in top 5
1 bonus pt (on top of the above) if one of your podium lands on the podium
1 more bonus pt for picking the correct winner

So if my math is right, I get 2 for Degenkolb, 2 for Mathews (WC) and 1 for Sagan, for a haul of 5 points?

The wildcards don't get any bonuses. so 3 points for 3 people in the top 5, and 1 bonus as one person you picked to be on the podium is actually on the podium.

i think @ landyachtz smoked everyone again

After two rounds, Landyachtz 1st place at 12, Carl Spackler 2nd place at 9, McNulty 3rd place at 9. We should have some sort of tie brakers, perhaps giving more for Monuments, then other WC classics, etc.

I disagree, Sagan is good but not that good of a sprinter when compared to the quality of sprinters he was competing with AND considering his team stopped for a coffee at the end. With a field strung out like that, nobody on the front chasing, and a gap you just go for it at that point.

But they're directed by a tactical genius...

I'm pretty sure this only nets me 2 points. Curious about Landyachtz...can you give me your picks for some soccer games? With your accuracy we can make some real money...

Also...very disappointed in how this one shook out. Seems like Tinkoff-Saxo were so careful to keep him at the front for a LONG time that they wasted just a tad too much energy. Then you get Degenkolb (who I didn't even see during the race) and Kristoff (who barely makes it over the climbs with the leaders) swoop in and take the spoils. Much riskier but obviously the rewards were significant. Smart racing from both of them. The only cool thing from camp-Sagan this week is his new bike. Looks badass as all hell. I may have to get me a china-venge and freestyle a similar paintjob :)

In reality Sagan is unlikely to beat Degenkolb or Kristoff in any situation, even Matthews is a handful. Those guys are closer to pure sprinters and nearly always faster.

I'll put down this marker, baring anything unforeseen like a crash or injury: Sagan takes this year's Ronde.

still better than my 1pt prediction. Dwars Door Vlaanderen, E3, and Gent are all on tap for this week. Deadline for picks before start of the races.

Dwars should be "fun" as it seems not so many big names will be doing it. Start list here: http://ddv.pro.p.assets.flandersclassics.be/...32198.pdf?1427055495

1st Terpstra
2nd Bo Hagen
3rd Trentin
WC Debusschere
WC Van Ashbroeck

That was a crazy one yesterday. I didn't think Kristoff was going to be there after struggling so badly on the Cipressa, but I figured once Degenkolb made it over the Poggio in the front group he had a good chance of winning. With the uphill punch he showed with his win in Oman, I think he may be the man to watch for Flanders.

I don't think so. Just going by how Sagan got dropped at Strade Bianchi on the hills when Sep was accelerating, and then finished behind the peloton, I think he is simply not strong enough to be a contender.

---

_____________________
Don't forget to attack!

I was watching the 2014 M-SR just before the start of the live Eurosport coverage, and Paolini was the same badass last year as he was this year.

i am begining to wonder too. Sagan used to win by the excess of talent he had oozing out of every orifice. now we has to work for it. and work smartly.

i don't think he has demonstrated those race smarts yet. Herb Brooks had a line, "you're trying to win on talent alone. gentlemen, you're not good enough to win on talent alone". i wonder if that's where Sagan now sits. he's still to young to write off.

Could be, but that race is still a few weeks away and he's looking stronger and stronger. Yesterday he had no problem following accelerations after 285k of racing (he actually sat up) and then sprinting, where he made a tactical error more than anything.

Patersburg is deceivingly hard. The uphill sprint in Oman is about 30 seconds or so, this is more than a minute, coming after 240 km of much hillier racing. If he gets gapped 7 seconds by a group, he'd have little chance of bridging up.

Yeah we'll see, he may be too good too early to maintain until Flanders and Roubaix anyway. E3, as always, will tell a lot about who's really a contender for Flanders.

Yeah, I wouldn't use the Strade Bianchi as any kind of indicator for Flanders necessarily.....lots of room for improvement and arguably peaking between the two.

---

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Yep, and the fact he had plenty of acceleration in his legs on the Poggio would seem to indicate he's going in the right direction. Fabian didn't win yesterday either but I doubt anyone is counting him out for Holy Week.

I was hoping for Fab to win again, but from watching yesterday, you could almost sense an invisible line that once crossed, there was no way Fab was going to win. I kept looking for him to make a move at the top of the Poggio or right at the base of the decent. When he didn't go then, about the time the GVA pulled back to get back in line, I figured that it wasn't going to be his day. Good for him to stick with it to the line and test his legs against the sprinters to see what he might have in him should things go down again like they did last year at Ronde.

I just want to see another attack of his like the one on Boonen on the Muur and then again at PR a week later...."oh la la la la la la....Balen we have a problem....TomTomTomTom!"

Who apparently got suspended ... Not sure if more pressure from an angry Russian thie...I mean...businessman is the answer to Tinkoff Saxo problems. Anywhooo...

I'll keep betting Sagan. He's demonstrated more mature and savvy racing and he'll get his if he doesn't let the media pressure and that jackass owner get to him. He's super consistent and has been doing it alone for a while. Nobody is questioning Cancellara's ride yesterday.

These guys are blessed/cursed to be THAT good to even hang with the sprinters in bunch finishes. You could see Sagan sitting up a bit and being patient rather than try to outrun the field at the finish. He's thinking.

Still marveling at Paolini. Kristoff was close to popping and managed 2nd.

I don't like Sky. Don't know what it is. It might be the homer Eurosport announcers. They wet themselves every time Sky goes to the front. It might be the unusual performances.

Well but 50 others had no problem following either and they won't be there in the final kilometers of Flanders. Milan San Remo is a much easier race than Flanders; so being able to follow on the Pogio doesn't convince me all these guys will be able to be part of the finale towards Oudenaarde. When Sep and Cancellara will drop the hammer on the Oude Kwaremont I don't see Sagan follow.

---

_____________________
Don't forget to attack!

Quintana Ftw!

Lars Boom, Boss, Zabel
WC: Terpstra and have to go with my man, Ted King

SKY is like the yankees, they're easy to cheer against simply because they have an all-star line up.

i'm not a huge froome or wiggo fan, but i'm loving porte and thomas. those two are great.