Pro-cycling thread

Anyway, happy anyone but Valverde day everyone.

5th win in a row for AVDB... wow

Sagan really isn't having a good season. Just cracked again

Just spotted Betancur, does he have a mullet now?

Fuglsang vs Alaphilippe is turning into a very entertaining one-sided rivalry

thats Señor Betancur for you

Sagan to miss Liege.

Will Liege miss Sagan?

Damn. And Amstel + Fleche Wallonne, two DNFs in a row, very sad. I hope he'll find/re-invent himself someday before the Tour.

Lucky Miss Liege.

Tejay Van Sageran

Got to wonder whether the hunger has gone for Sagan after all that success, particularly as (probably) he's having a tough time in his private life. Back in 2016 he said he may only have as little as 3-4 more years in him but I assume that was PR fodder for him then.

Am I right in thinking he got married, had a kid, and got divorced in a fairly short timeframe? I can't imagine how some people's lifestyle must play out.

Apropos of nothing I was reading the Wikipedia for Billy Corgan, of all people. Never really been a fan, but he goes through partners and projects like I go through bog roll.

He came 33rd, I’m guessing after being domestique for Valverde?
Which strikes me as progress?

Is Sagan really being written off just like that now that you’re all swooning over MVDP?

One swallow doesn’t make a summer, but Sagan has had a shit spring by his usual standards, with just a single victory (at the TDU) and no podiums at the monuments.

Valverde must be pleased though, as Sagan’s struggles are diverting attention away from his lacklustre spring. He’s looking every one of his 39 years at the moment.

Watch him win Liege now I’ve said that.

Nothing to do with MVDP... as andyp said, it's been a shit season and it's not like he's been close; his only sniff of a podium was Gent-Wevelgem. It's not to say he won't come back but spring has been a write off for him.

For most riders, 4th at Sam Remo and 5th at Roubaix would be seen as a success. But Sagan has set himself impossibly high standards.

He looks heavy, he looks a lot more upright on his bike than the kids, is he in his penultimate year at Bora?

GVA has had a stinker too, one minor win and just one top ten, 10th at Flanders, in the major races.

It feels a bit like a changing of the guard, if it wasn’t for Gilbert’s win at Roubaix then the cycling press would be publishing articles on that theme to summarise this spring.

Bit early to be writing Sagan off, he's 29.

Agree the break up of his family/relationship is affecting his condition and motivation rather than any shortcomings in strength.

I don't think he CBA.

Sagan's 29. And from what I picked up on some commentary on one race or other, it seems moves in the one day races go earlier and harder. If they're going earlier and harder and his team isn't up to it and he's not great, he's not on the mix at the end. That seems a decent assumption?

I’m not writing him off yet. He’s had an okay spring, but compared to his usual level of performance he’s been below par. His strength used to cover his tactical shortcomings, this spring it hasn’t.