Joy of Riding.
I know, I may be the only one in the world that will admit to it, but I really like this Peter Sagan guy.
Sure, back-to-back World Championships make it hard not to at least respect his ability, plus all of the other stuff he's won and done, but for me, that's not it. OK, that may be part of it, but that's not the main thing.
The main thing is that he has fun doing it. He's playful even when he's deadly serious. He takes calculated chances that nobody expects. He plays on the same level as the world's best sprinters as he does the hard men of the Northern Classics. I have an almost religious respect for the guys who mix it up in races like Flanders and Roubaix- far more than I have for feather-weights that can climb a mountain or two in July. For me, holy week is pretty much the beginning and end of the professional racing season, with the rest just being a sideshow. Peter's been there in recent years, with his win at Flanders finally hinting at his true potential.
Cycling needs more racers like him. Riders who will race a whole season and contest for the win more often than not- even when nobody gives them a chance. It makes the races more exciting to have a wild-card in there among the specialists. When his rainbow jersey appears near the front, all bets are off. I really like that, even if he doesn't win. He changes the dynamics of the race.
The riders were like that in Merckx's day. Even in LeMond's heyday there were plenty of guys riding a full season, not afraid to enter a race just because it didn't suit their particular strengths.
And through it all, Peter looks like he's having fun. While I may not approve of his lifestyle choices (long hair, hairy legs, and Grease video tributes), I can respect that he recognizes that riding bikes is fun. He's likely the greatest rider of his generation, so he obviously puts in the work when he needs to, but he's playful enough to pop wheelies when he wins.
In a sport of guys weighing their food, he's a breath of fresh air.
Sure, back-to-back World Championships make it hard not to at least respect his ability, plus all of the other stuff he's won and done, but for me, that's not it. OK, that may be part of it, but that's not the main thing.
The main thing is that he has fun doing it. He's playful even when he's deadly serious. He takes calculated chances that nobody expects. He plays on the same level as the world's best sprinters as he does the hard men of the Northern Classics. I have an almost religious respect for the guys who mix it up in races like Flanders and Roubaix- far more than I have for feather-weights that can climb a mountain or two in July. For me, holy week is pretty much the beginning and end of the professional racing season, with the rest just being a sideshow. Peter's been there in recent years, with his win at Flanders finally hinting at his true potential.
Cycling needs more racers like him. Riders who will race a whole season and contest for the win more often than not- even when nobody gives them a chance. It makes the races more exciting to have a wild-card in there among the specialists. When his rainbow jersey appears near the front, all bets are off. I really like that, even if he doesn't win. He changes the dynamics of the race.
The riders were like that in Merckx's day. Even in LeMond's heyday there were plenty of guys riding a full season, not afraid to enter a race just because it didn't suit their particular strengths.
And through it all, Peter looks like he's having fun. While I may not approve of his lifestyle choices (long hair, hairy legs, and Grease video tributes), I can respect that he recognizes that riding bikes is fun. He's likely the greatest rider of his generation, so he obviously puts in the work when he needs to, but he's playful enough to pop wheelies when he wins.
In a sport of guys weighing their food, he's a breath of fresh air.
Comments
Post a Comment