I’m a “Sprinter”
After reading MFT’s last post “I’m Here for the Hard” I have a few thoughts I would like to ad. No one is saying winning a sprint is not hard. From reading the post it seems that with very few exceptions the entire field was in MS150 mode and no one was even trying to make it a race. Chasing down attacks only to then sit on is a lame tactic unless you are riding for your teams sprinter. Even then, if you are really riding as a team for your sprinter you should be on the front driving it to discourage any attacks in the first place. Then again this was an amateur race so I know their were no “sprinter” teams. So either you have a lot of guys who are grossly over estimating their sprinting ability or you have a bunch of guys you are afraid to try and win. If your sprint is so great then why not try and get into the break?
If you are OK with being a lifer in the 4’s then sitting in all day because you are a “sprinter” is a great tactic. As a 4 though I think it is a bit premature to label yourself as a specific type of rider. I see it every year when a new crop of Cat 2’s arrive. Guys who won sprints in the 3’s are non factors in the 1-2’s, guys who won hilly races get dropped on the first climb. It is not because they are bad at these things it is usually because they have become one trick ponies and have never really learned to race their bikes up to this point because they never had to, they got by on sheer strength. They always raced their strength and never rounded out their skill set. Most people squander their time in the lower categories and don’t take advantage of the learning opportunities. They think strength is all that is needed to upgrade. In every state their are Cat 4’s that throw down times in Hill Climbs that would put them on the podium in the 1-2 race but I guarantee that 99% of them would get shelled if they started a hilly road race with the 1-2 field. Tom Danielson is a good example of this in the Pro Tour.
4-5’s, go race your damn bikes. Don’t chase the break, bridge, then work. Attack when it is hard not easy. Serious, don’t be afraid.
53:11
Cold water is good for the legs. Go fish!
3 Responses to “I’m a “Sprinter””
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I remember seeing Oscar Freire breaking away a few times to win a race and isn’t he a pure sprinter? (http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/70th-tour-de-suisse/stage-7/report) You would think someone with that type of kick would be content to take his chances with the bunch, but seems like he isnt afraid to take a chance and win a bike race in a different fashion.
Freire is actually a good example of the type. He’s not really a true sprinter, not as strong two up against a Boonan, a Cavandish or a Grieple or out of th ethundering herd. He does better out of the small group. He has also never had a trano at Rabo, so his results are all on his ability to read a race and be in the right place at he right time.
El Gato (Freire) is a fucking bike racer. In the Classics. In the Tour sprint stages. In the toughest one-day races like Worlds. Oy, he can sprint. But he doesn’t have a bunch of Belgian thugs towing his Candy ass to the well within the red kite. Cipo did this later in his career too. I agree with the Rev, you can’t call yourself a sprinter unless you are a shoe-in for Somerville or Athens. Then if you make it to Europe, you’ll be lucky to be the first of 4 guys to pull off after turning inside out for a bike racer who can actually win with a high percentage. 54×11.