World’s road race on Sunday and our hard-earned money is on Peter Sagan.
There’s been mucho talk about a climber perhaps winning in Florence but we base our prognostication on two factors: one, most everybody is tired at the end of the season except the man child Sagan. He’s just 23 — he doesn’t get tired. He’s gonna win the race and go right to the disco with a few podium girls and dance the nice away.
Froome is weary from Le Tour and had difficulty motivating, Quintana is worn out from le Tour and helping all those striking Colombian workers, Valverde is no spring chicken and did a hard Vuelta, etc etc. Same goes for Nibali who is going to make his attack but we don’t see it sticking.
Two, we get the feeling that Sagan has been building toward the road race. In August, he came two weeks early to Colorado for the US Pro Cycling Challenge and won four stages. Then he went to the Canadian races and beat people up: 1st in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal and three stages of the Tour of Alberta. Bang, bang, bang.
We all know Sagan can get over some pretty big hills. After watching him up close in the Tour of California the last few years, we know it’s damn hard to get rid of him on any climb that isn’t a pure cat 1 torture test. Same goes for Colorado this year where he took four stages including at least one with some serious hills.
Now maybe Philippe Gilbert can do something punchy or Joaquin Rodriguez but Gilbert has done almost nothing all year. Rodriguez rode two grand tours this season — a disappointing Tour de France and the Vuelta — so we’re guessing there’s just a little less kick in his legs.
Our money is on the Fastvakian for the rainbow jersey. And if anyone can shrug off the curse, it’s Sagan.
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