Paris-Nice 8th-15th March 2015

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Prologue Results
POL  1  KWIATKOWSKI, Michal (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)         7:40
AUS  2  DENNIS, Rohan (BMC RACING)                      
GER  3  MARTIN, Tony (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)                +  7
ESP  4  SANCHEZ GIL, Luis Leon (ASTANA)                  + 10
NED  5  BOOM, Lars (ASTANA)                             
GER  6  DEGENKOLB, John (GIANT - ALPECIN)               
FRA  7  CHAVANEL, Sylvain (IAM CYCLING)                 
AUS  8  MATTHEWS, Michael (ORICA GreenEDGE)              + 12
NED  9  DUMOULIN, Tom (GIANT - ALPECIN)                  + 13
GBR  10 THOMAS, Geraint (SKY)                            + 14
USA  11 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING)                
GBR  12 WIGGINS, Bradley (SKY)                           + 15
AUS  13 PORTE, Richie (SKY)                             
 

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The TV motorbike following Bradley Wiggins hits the crash barriers on the last roundabout. The driver did a good save as did the cameraman, standing tall on the pegs while trying to hold a large camera as they circle the roundabout at 60km/h

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Sky's budget is way to big

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Almost didn't recognize Porte

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[Gandalf]

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Joh, not nice seeing a bike go down, so i'm glad the guy kept the bike upright.

[tombeej]

Kwiatkowski comes of age (a legend is born)

 

Sagan and Kwiatkowski were both born in 1990 (both turn 25 this year) and have a history that goes back to their days as juniors. Kwiatkowski seemed to mature slower than Sagan and until last year has taken a bit of a back seat to the flamboyant Slovak.

 

Sagan burst on the scene when he won the rainbow jersey at the 2008 MTB Junior World Championships, and since he turned pro in 2010 as a 19 year old he’s racked up an astonishing palmares.

 

Also in 2008, Kwiatkowski won his own rainbow jersey when he took gold at the Junior World Time Trial. He finished 8 seconds ahead of Taylor Phinney (also born in 1990).

 

But in 2014, Kwiatkowski finally started to out-perform his longtime rival, starting with his win against Sagan at the Strade Bianche. Since then, Sagan has taken a bit of a back seat while Kwiatkowski is now absolutely flying.

 

MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX-QUICK STEP)

 

Just take a look at his 2014 palmares alone:

 

1^st   World Road Race Championships

1^st   Polish National Time Trial Championships

1^st   Overall Volta ao Algarve (won the ITT on stages 2 & 3)

1^st   Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana

1^st   Strade Bianche

1^st   Prologue (ITT) Tour de Romandie

1^st   Stage 1 (TTT) Tirreno–Adriatico

2^nd   Overall Tour of the Basque Country (1st in the Points classification)

2^nd   Overall Tour of Britain (won the Points classification, and won Stage 4)

3^rd   World Team Time Trial Championships

3^rd   La Flèche Wallonne

3^rd   Liège–Bastogne–Liège

5^th   Amstel Gold Race

7^th   Trofeo Ses Salines

 

PETER SAGAN (TINKOFF-SAXO):

 

But by his own lofty standards, his 2014 cupboard (while still a dream for 99% of the pro peloton) looks a touch barer than Kwiatkowski’s.

 

1^st   National Road Race Championships

1^st   E3 Harelbeke

Tirreno–Adriatico: winner of the Points classification and 1^st Stage 3

Tour of California: winner of the Sprints classification and 1^st Stage 7

Tour of Oman: 1^st Stage 4

Three Days of De Panne: 1^st Stage 1

Tour de Suisse: winner of the Points classification and 1^st Stage 3

Tour de France: winner of the Points classification and held the White jersey after Stages 1–7

2^nd   Strade Bianche

3^rd   Gent–Wevelgem

6^th   Paris–Roubaix

7^th   Coppa Bernocchi

10^th  Milan – San Remo

 

Young Kwiatkowski has it all. He can time trial with the best in the world, he can climb, he’s a world class classics rider, a master tactician, but above all else an all-round humble nice guy.

 

While I think of these two, there’s one name missing who should be there: Taylor Phinney. He’s the same age as these two, and should be right up there with them. Every time I think about his accident last year, I feel genuine regret. I will be watching Taylor’s recovery progress with great interest, and really hope the accident hasn’t limited his potential. What a shame that would be. He’s still very young, so there’s lots of time.

 

Holding thumbs that we’ll be seeing these guys continuing their old rivalry for at least the next 10 years, and that Phinney joins them soon.