2011 Tour de France Stage 1: Passage du Gois - Mont des Alouettes 191.5 km

[taiwan]

Goss is good, but I can't think of any results from him on uphill finishes. Doesn't mean that he can't be in the mix. but he won't be the rider I'd immediately think of as one of the favorites for second.

G.P. Plouay, '10 Giro stage 9. Don't know about the gradients but they were impressive wins.

 

[Anonymous]

Tommy Voeckler will be in the mix. TV may smash.

I beleive Voeckler comes from about 20 miles down the road from the stage finish.

 

[roundabout]

Those are good results, but I still feel that it's a slightly different level of difficulty compared to Saturday.

 

[taiwan]

Yeah, I mean I don't think he'll feature either, particularly after watching TdS.

 

[Anonymous]

The race doesn't start until after the Passage du Gois. That section is neutral.

And still someone from Euskaltel will go down...

Gilbert...but Evans will have a dig

 

[Anonymous]

And still someone from Euskaltel will go down...

Gilbert...but Evans will have a dig

My moneys on Frank Schleck

Maybe we should have a poll on who crashes in the Nuetral Zone before the tour has even started.

 

[Anonymous]

My moneys on Frank Schleck

Maybe we should have a poll on who crashes in the Nuetral Zone before the tour has even started.

I'm just glad we get a stage to start off with instead of a Prologue. 8K with full TT regalia has always seemed stupid to me.

 

[The Hitch]

My moneys on Frank Schleck

Maybe we should have a poll on who crashes in the Nuetral Zone before the tour has even started.

Evans to get his excuses in nice and early this year

 

[Bike Boy]

Gilbert beats Contador even on a good day, in a stage finish like this. A fresh Contador could come second though. After a tough giro I think Contador will be content with anything between 5 and 15. Evans looks like a confident second, but Goss takes him on the line.

 

[Parrulo]

Gilbert beats Contador even on a good day, in a stage finish like this. A fresh Contador could come second though. After a tough giro I think Contador will be content with anything between 5 and 15. Evans looks like a confident second, but Goss takes him on the line.

indeed on this kind of finish gilbert will beat contador 10 times out of 10.

a bit off topic now tho. i hope contador gives liege a serious try next season, i would love to see if giro form contador would be able to drop gilbert on saint nicolas

 

[Bike Boy]

indeed on this kind of finish gilbert will beat contador 10 times out of 10.

a bit off topic now tho. i hope contador gives liege a serious goal next season, i would love to see if giro form contador would be able to drop gilbert on saint nicolas

It would be nice not to know the winner before the race even started yes

 

[More Strides than Rides]

I think some of those not really hopeful, GC hopefull types- the Horners, the F. Schelcks, Hesjedals, ect. might try spoil this one.

Vino might take this opportunity to grab the yellow he was looking for, but maybe not if he wants to hold it for a few days.

I don't know... I was kind of hoping that by typing out a response I would figure out my biases, but that didn't pan out. Ohh well...

My official prediction is Cunego, for no other reason than I'll be hopelessly drawn to Levi (and Horner, Farrar, TjVG...) for most of the tour .

 

[For The World]

I'm just glad we get a stage to start off with instead of a Prologue. 8K with full TT regalia has always seemed stupid to me.

I don't know about that. I enjoyed Luc Leblanc being thrashed by Chris Boardman in a prologue after he (Leblanc) talked crap about Boardmans hour record.

 

[bikeit]

Will Evans be worried he has to carry the BMC team through the TTT and just aim to stay with GC riders at the finish rather then go for the win?

 

[Granville57]

Gilbert seems like the obvious favorite. Being a stage that suits him, he'll be heavily marked, no doubt. But I'd be surprised if Vino can contain himself on this one. I could see him aggressively positioning himself just enough to make a lot of other riders nervous.

Given the length and type of the climb to the finish, I will also expect to see Cadel in the mix. Sure he may want to conserve a bit on the very first stage, but if the opportunity presents itself...

Of course if Contador steals everyone's thunder, that would be the "shot heard 'round the world!" Bang bang!

 

[hughmoore]

Will Evans be worried he has to carry the BMC team through the TTT and just aim to stay with GC riders at the finish rather then go for the win?

In the all the early stages the last few years, Cadel Evans has always been sprinting for the line to stay out of trouble. I see nothing different, he will sit behind his mate Phil Gilbert all the way to the line.

Good warm up for next years classics when Phil joins BMC.




Hugh

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gilbert is obvious one. Watch out Samuel dumoulin tho, he'll top 3 on this. And could be a dark horse if Gilbert makes an error.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

The race doesn't start until after the Passage du Gois. That section is neutral.

Smart move by race organizers. The Tour is spectacle enough without throwing in needless danger by actually racing over the Passage du Gois.

 

[hfer07]

haters still hate this jewel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgPKbCt1DOk
but I think this time is for Gilbert to lose it -perhaps Vino can sack him if the opportunity presets....

 

[PCutter]

Maybe we should have a poll on who crashes in the Nuetral Zone before the tour has even started.

Matt White (2004 I think) fell and broke his collar bone an hour or two before the grande depart. I think he rode over a TV cable and the front wheel went from memory.

2011, my money's on a carrot.

 

[rides like a girl]

Too easy to go with Gilbert. My brain and wallet say he is the best bet, but my heart is hoping for a non favorite to win stage one. Rojas or Vino would be great to see.

Happy that we aren't going to have a prologue on Saturday. Happy I don't have to see how bad Sparty beats everyone in the ITT.

I am happy it isn't pan flat so I can delay the sprint stages where I am sure I will see marky Mark and his funky bunch lead out too many times to win those stages. I enjoy Marky Mark, but just don't enjoy watching the flat stages.

 

[greenedge]

I think Goss, Voeckler or Gilbert FTW. If Gilbert gets away he shall get pulled back but will still feature in a sprint of however many ( no pure sprinters like cav/ Farrar ). Voeckler will attack in the last few km as well. If there is a sprint however i expect the Aussie to win.

Dark horses:
.any GC dudes who are good at classics
. Hermans ( if he were here )/ Sagan/ Moreno
. Chavanel???
. Boonen
. Gadret
. Hushovd
. Voigt
. Casar???
. De Gendt
. Kolobnev
. Engoulvent
.Garate???

Also how big of a group are we expecting to arrive at the end as well.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Too easy to go with Gilbert. My brain and wallet say he is the best bet, but my heart is hoping for a non favorite to win stage one. Rojas or Vino would be great to see.

As if Vinokourov and Rojas would have been outsiders...

I'm curious to see who will work to get the escape of the day back. Maybe a group of Gallopin, Roux, Brutt and the likes can hold on to the finish. That would be great.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Normally I would not pick him but he only gets 1-2 stages to go FTW. HTC will want as many Green points so will want him to go hard.

At last year Vuelta when Gilbert won the uhill sprint Goss did really well - so just think he will do well.

Evans needs seconds and he will try and go with Gilbert I think.

Ooh, don't make me excited!!!!

Will Evans be worried he has to carry the BMC team through the TTT and just aim to stay with GC riders at the finish rather then go for the win?

Carry them through???? I don't understand that comment.

Anyway, I would really like to see Tommy Voeckler win but probably Gilbert. GC teams will want some riders to finish highly so they start later in the TTT. Should be an interesting stage.

 

[raddone]

I would like to see someone do a "Cancellara". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJNLMYpr2TM