2011 Tour de Suisse, Stage 4: Grindelwald - Hutwill, 198.4 km

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

surely sagan.

 

[LukeSchmid]

Greg has a chance. Go BMC

 

[auscyclefan94]

Greg has a chance. Go BMC

I am not sure about his sprinting much anymore.

Just to note, this finish is actually quite similar to stage 1 of the tour.

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

could sagan win again after yesterdays huge effort and win?? he is pure beast mode, so i think it's totally possible! what will this kid be capable of in a couple years?? he's only 21 for cryin out loud!! beast mode!!!

 

[raddone]

Goss. It's too much for Cav.

 

[Alpechraxler]

if they ride the last round fast and hard all the big fat sprinters à la Cav und Greiper are getting dropped with 4 Km to go.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

1) Goss
2) Swift
3) Rojas
4) Hushovd
5) Sagan

Movistar and Sky should drill it on the 3rd cat climb to try and get rid of Cav. This stage is almost perfect for Swift, could be a little harder maybe.

 

[greenedge]

Goss is just perfect for these finishes ( beating swift in thousand oaks and other stages at TDu demonstrate that ). However i shall go for Rojas. Coming 18th 2 days ago blows me away and he seems motivated to get a win to get a TDF spot. I shall go Rojas, Goss, Swift. I think Cav will last the climb but have a mechanical/ bad positioning at the end.

Sagan will probably be one of the best riders in history in a few yrs time. I reckon he could win the World championships as well this yr maybe. However i think he needs to grow a bit more in strength. For that reason i disagree with Eddy Merckx as worded in Cycling Weekly/ february that he rates ( Andy, Basso, Nibali, Kreuziger and Sagan as his main TDF favourites ) If anyone thinks that's possible for Nibali and Sagan this yr ( 3rd in giro/ too young ) i want answers explaining why. Sagan could achieve that in the future but not this yr. Unless if Eddy knows something about Liquigas that has completely inspired him.

 

[Gloin22]

Sky is focused on getting stage wins so we will see probably all the team working at the end in lead out for Swift. I'd go with Swift today.

 

[dlwssonic]

Isnt the finish a bit too hilly for those pure sprinters. I think it suits the likes of sagan and GVA well. why not a breakaway. I dont think cavendish can stand these killer gradients

 

[dlwssonic]

Goss is just perfect for these finishes ( beating swift in thousand oaks and other stages at TDu demonstrate that ). However i shall go for Rojas. Coming 18th 2 days ago blows me away and he seems motivated to get a win to get a TDF spot. I shall go Rojas, Goss, Swift. I think Cav will last the climb but have a mechanical/ bad positioning at the end.

Sagan will probably be one of the best riders in history in a few yrs time. I reckon he could win the World championships as well this yr maybe. However i think he needs to grow a bit more in strength. For that reason i disagree with Eddy Merckx as worded in Cycling Weekly/ february that he rates ( Andy, Basso, Nibali, Kreuziger and Sagan as his main TDF favourites ) If anyone thinks that's possible for Nibali and Sagan this yr ( 3rd in giro/ too young ) i want answers explaining why. Sagan could achieve that in the future but not this yr. Unless if Eddy knows something about Liquigas that has completely inspired him.

no way sagan will be a gc contender now. He is too young and needs to develop more. He will also have to work his *** off for basso and nibali in the mountains.

 

[dabaideschbi]

i dont think sagan will ever be a gc contender! he should focus on classics, gt stages and small races overall classification ( tour de sardinie this year for example). so i definitely not agree with Eddy! today's stage suits me him well, i don't know if he won't be tired today cause yesterday it was a really hard stage for him while other sprintes like goss,henderson,cav hushovs, swift didn't waste a lot of energies as him!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I got sagan @4.25
And a long shot on franky schleck @200 (aware there is no chance, but weirder things have happened right?

 

[dlwssonic]

I got sagan @4.25
And a long shot on franky schleck @200 (aware there is no chance, but weirder things have happened right?

how is it for gva

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Isnt the finish a bit too hilly for those pure sprinters. I think it suits the likes of sagan and GVA well. why not a breakaway. I dont think cavendish can stand these killer gradients

It's difficult yeah, but Goss has proven that he can manage finishes like this and win. Ben Swift is more in the Friere mold than a pure sprinter like Cav and has openly said that he performs better in a sprint from a more select field.

Hushovd will get over the hills but isn't quick enough in a sprint anymore in my opinion.

I'll probably be proved wrong but I think Sagan will suffer from yesterdays exertions and I don't rate GVA as a sprinter. If GVA comes to the finish with any of the three I named above he won't stand a chance.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

how is it for gva

@41

not bad.

 

[boomcie]

What's remains to be said?

-Rojas will win, because he looks so good in the mountains and he's pretty fast and because he's tired of the jokes?
-Sagan will win, because he looked awesome yesterday and is also wicked fast?
-Ventoso will win, because this is the perfect finish for him and he's cool?
-Cunego will win, because he's back with a bang?
-Goss will win, because this finish is screaming for mighty Matt Goss?
-Hushovd will win, because he cries at night and wishes he'll finally win something in that wretched jersey?
-Greipel will win, because he’s one strong mofo?
-Di Luca will win, because the Killer is on a mission?

For me personally?

Sagan if he's up for it. Otherwise Goss.
No breakaway I predict, too many riders with a chance of victory today.

 

[theswordsman]

Freire quit the race to have sinus surgery, so mark him off the list

 

[boomcie]

Freire quit the race to have sinus surgery, so mark him off the list

Done and done.

Thanks for the heads up, haven't really been able to keep up with TDS, really busy the last few day.

 

[TeoSheva]

I don't know why a lot of you are quoting Rojas for today: the arrival suits perfectly for Ventoso, that has show much more than Rojas in a bunch sprint this year...

 

[theyoungest]

Freire quit the race to have sinus surgery, so mark him off the list

He'll quit the race tomorrow.

 

[boomcie]

He'll quit the race tomorrow.

People feeding me false facts are they now? Thanks for putting things straight youngest.

 

[maltiv]

It will be interesting to see how Ben Swift and Henderson are doing. They are both fighting for a spot in the TDF squad and should be very motivated. I guess whoever does best here at Suisse will get the spot.

 

[boomcie]

It will be interesting to see how Ben Swift and Henderson are doing. They are both fighting for a spot in the TDF squad and should be very motivated. I guess whoever does best here at Suisse will get the spot.

Why on earth would Sky take Henderson instead of Swift?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I am not sure about his sprinting much anymore.

Just to note, this finish is actually quite similar to stage 1 of the tour.

He might do it, got 4th in WC after that stupid attack where Gilbert followed him remember. If he finally decides to save his strength for the sprint he might win here

if they ride the last round fast and hard all the big fat sprinters à la Cav und Greiper are getting dropped with 4 Km to go.

Greipel might take this, he's lost weight(and some power) in comparison to last year


Also, this will be between Sagan, Swift, Greipel and Goss imo