Sam

[Sam @Sam583569]

@Na1chaca Most insane thing in this sport?? Don't you know what happened on Thursday?

[Sam @Sam583569]

@maccaisdanerd @AzeemRafiq30 Westley played 5 tests, and scored one 50. And everyone's averages are better against weaker teams. He averaged 64 vs South Africa. I'm not saying he's good, just aside from Joe Root and maybe peak Gary Ballance, he's been our best number 3 since Trott

[Sam @Sam583569]

@maccaisdanerd @AzeemRafiq30 Tom Westley? James Vince? Nick Compton? Joe Denly? Moeen Ali?

Pope was a very respectable number 3, some great innings and averaged about 34. His career average is better than Stokes actually. Yes, we'd like our number 3 to be more prolific but to say he was worst is insulting

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 Just take out sprint stages and this is done

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 Van Aert isn't an amateur or a sprinter, he won Paris Roubaix which is definitely not a sprint race

[Sam @Sam583569]

@HarryCartlidge @TheArsenalMind I forgive him for going to Barca. However, I don't forgive him for signing for Chelski after

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 Just like Pogi hid during the Olympics?

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 What were you saying again, Mou, about failing to drop Lenny Martinez?

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 World ITT is big race he is best at

[Sam @Sam583569]

@CinemaMemez @TheBarmyArmy Not only that, but a century on a flat pitch is easier than 5-for on grassy pitch. It's not uncommon for 3 batters to hit hundreds in the same innings. 4 occasionally. But impossible for more than 2 bowlers to get a five-for, and if another bowler gets a wicket this is impossible

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 People will, but for now, the novelty of his dominance is still there

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 He needed more than one rider in Sanremo, right?

[Sam @Sam583569]

@hsc_6 @mou55981652 Agreed, but tactics of RR are what makes it interesting. Philipsen had to fight hard to stay within touching difference on the climbs today. And Pogi had to make sure his attack was perfect in MSR to drop the bigger riders

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 Philipsen had the strongest finish, and MVDP and WVA where not sufficiently strong enough on sections where they were stronger to kill him off.

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 Pedersen won last year solo by 49 seconds. 2 years ago MVDP and Pederson stayed away after attacking at similar point. 3 years ago WVA and Laporte won by 2 minutes. If the Vans where stronger, they would have stayed away and one of them would have won

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 Pogi isn't racing a one-week race until May though, so not any races he is avoiding racing Pogi at

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 At the same time, Pedersen won last year by 49 seconds solo. Yet WVA and MVDP can't stay away?? Yes the route wasn't that hard, and a long way after the final climb. But a strong MVDP and WVA stay away

[Sam @Sam583569]

@mou55981652 What about Basque Country 2021?

[Sam @Sam583569]

@BenjiNaesen Flanders 2023. This was the first time he won a cobbled classic and first time winning a big race you'd never expect a rider of his type to win.

Also, stage 8 2021 TDF. Although he didn't win, first time he put 3.5 minutes in field, not even on a hard climb and looking so easy.