Originally Posted by
busygizmo
Not saying Degenkolb did anything unfair but that was Krisoff's teammate pegging everyone back on the Poggio and single-handedly leading out the sprint. Degenkolb was cagey but this shows again that it is often easier to hide in the pack (of course you have to survive to that point) and then follow wheels in the sprint. Katusha rode to win and didn't have the numbers to pull it off but I admire them more, especially Paolini, for the effort. I like Degenkolb a lot and am glad to see him fallow up on his Vuelta de Espagna breakout of a few years ago with some really big wins.
I'd like to see Kristoff get a big one day result in the coming weeks although another part of me wants someone to tear Roubaix and Flanders to pieces ala Cancellara.
When I looked back, Giant did a lot of work catching the early break at MSR. If Degenkolb followed the wheels of other teams over the Poggio, that's entirely within his rights. And he did edge Kristoff for speed at the finish. Yes Paolini gets a lot of credit, but having the strongest team is no guarantee of winning races, otherwise Etixx would have twice as many wins as they do.
Originally Posted by
LGHT
He's good, but I watched most of those races and it seems like he just got off to a good year when a lot of other good riders / teams have yet to get into their stride. I have a feeling he will continue to be in the top 10, but I doubt he will have many if any wins once the season really gets going.
In 2014 he won a stage in Oman, won Milan San Remo, got 5th in Flanders, and kept his form going through 2 Tour stage wins in July and the Vattenfall Classics in August. He's not just some guy who caught the rest of the field out when they weren't looking or were building for something else, he's won big races against big names who were trying to win those races.
I think Kristoff's showing some great riding, and I hope he and Degenkolb both decide to have a real run at the green jersey in the Tour this year, rather than it being another Sagan procession. They can both get over the climbs just as well, and if anything they're faster in the sprints.