Third in Ourém, Corbin Strong knows what to do better to "upset Kaden and Wout in another sprint"
Cycling
Right behind the two strongest sprinters at the start of Vuelta a Espana (at last on paper) - Kaden Groves and Wout Van Aert, a fierce battle for third spot unfolded with Israel - Premier Tech's Corbin Strong coming out on top of the mix. With an impressive turn of speed evident in the final meters, the 24-year-old came close to passing runner-up Van Aert and Strong already knows what he can do better to raise his hands next time.
"It was a really fast final 10 kilometers, downhill with a tailwind most of the way, so it was pretty chaotic with a lot of fighting. I let them [Groves and Van Aert] jump first and I think that was a mistake," Strong admits what cost him a shot at the stage win in Ourém.
In Strong's second Grand Tour start (the Kiwi sprinter made a debut at last year's Tour de France) this is his first podium finish. That's definitely something Strong can be proud of. "In the end though, I was happy with the day. I had good speed at the finish and I can be confident that I can upset them in another sprint. Hopefully I can put the hands in the air during this Vuelta."
He'll get another opportunity tomorrow with another uphill sprint in Castelo Branco.
Read also
Just in
Play for FREE! Fantasy Paris-Roubaix
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Popular news
Latest comments
- By the way, try to specify details a little deeper next time, I know lengthy text is unpopular but often it’s very useful, like to distinguish between a cobble having the effect of many little hills or a cobbled section :-)Mistermaumau13-04-2025
- Sorry thenMistermaumau13-04-2025
- They made the mistake of asking Kopecky to wait for Lorena and also work for her. Typical Sdworx fail. Kopecly should have been sole leader with Lorena playing foil like Vismaabstractengineer13-04-2025
- these french guys are such petty jealous whiners i can’t stand Madiot.mij13-04-2025
- More crying from a failing team boss with no winsCrashjames13-04-2025
- (I was really replying to the other person...) In Paris Roubaix, the bits with the cobbles are slower than the paved sections, so wind resistance is less than it otherwise would be on a "flat" road, though as I keep pointing out, these are equivalent to a bunch of little hills. While momentum will help one maintain velocity given resistances, you aren't taking into account that one had to get that extra mass up to speed in the first place, which costs more power. So, you do get back most of the extra power you've put in, but that's not helpful. The less rolling resistance (and climbing over the bumps) of less mass will always be more helpful than having more mass, all else held equal. Actually, this could be easily demonstrated with a cyclist on cobbles, 2 runs, start at the same velocity, do the same power, have a backpack full of foam on run 1, then full of rocks on run 2 (ensuring the PSI was perfected for both) and see which run went faster. And when we think about it, we know which one will be faster intuitively.acem8213-04-2025
- Yes, you did say that but what is the point of stating the obvious when obviously a lighter rider won’t be able to avoid reality which is that above a certain speed rolling resistance becomes insignificant compared to wind resistance, so it pragmatically all things being kept equal is irrelevant for them in their task. Momentum is what you’re left with after overcoming resistances, and that’s what going to help you keep up your speed except on a longer hill where weight will slow you faster.Mistermaumau13-04-2025
- Yes ok, but then what were the exact details then, did he cross the line, did his team not ask the stewards committee if they thought it was an exceptional case? He got the time but not the ranking, not even the last ranking, which suggests it was looked at and decided but explain why you feel it wasn’t right? There are only two cases it doesn’t apply, team time trials and summit finishes, so flat or not makes no difference.Mistermaumau13-04-2025
- Rolling resistance goes up with weight. Also, I did specify "all else held equal".acem8213-04-2025
- Even light rain is tricky as it has been dry since ages and the normal roads will be covered in smeary dust that won’t get washed off fast enough. Not sure how many of the cobbled sections are open to heavy traffic during the year so that’s a different problem.Mistermaumau13-04-2025