2012 Tour de France; Stage 1: Liège → Seraing (198km)

[Geraint Too Fast]

2012 Tour de France; Stage 1: Liège → Seraing (198km)

Likely contenders - Sagan, Gilbert, EBH, Gerrans, Simon, Freire, Gallopin, Albasini, LLS.

GC Top 20
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan 0:07:13
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:07
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:10
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:11
6 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
7 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Argos - Shimano 0:00:12
8 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:13
9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
10 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:00:15
11 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:16
12 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 0:00:17
13 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
14 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:18
15 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp
16 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Sharp
17 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team
18 Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:19
19 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
20 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:00:20

Will Sagan live up to the hype? Gilbert to get his first win of the year? EBH to take the white jersey with a win?

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

They should've made a mini-LBL of this stage, now it's just a bunch of 4th cat's. Bassically a flat stage with an uphill finish, and one that isn't even steep. Basically only a boring uphill sprint.

 

[The Hitch]

Agree with Maarten that the stage should have been made a lot better.

But isnt this hill - 2k at 5, not too different from box hill? Could get a good idea on what form some people are for the olympics, of course in a significantly differet context.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Agree with Maarten that the stage should have been made a lot better.

But isnt this hill - 2k at 5, not too different from box hill? Could get a good idea on what form some people are for the olympics, of course in a significantly differet context.

Nah - apparently this consists of an initial very steep ramp for 300m, then false flat before kicking up to 5% for the last few hundred metres.

Even if it were the very same hill, 50km from the finish is a very different context to the finish itself.

 

[jens_attacks]

a certain kazakh hero to take all of them by surprise.

if not,i will be content with phil to finally shine this year.

i also hope it won't be a massacre on the belgian roads,nervous days coming

 

[taiwan]

Diet CavTM FTW

 

[Poursuivant]

I fancy Evans to try something here.

 

[LaFleur]

Taaramäe said that Vinokourov, Gilbert and Evans are the favourites for him, but he will try when the opportunity arises himself too.

I would bet on Sagan (I did actually.)

 

[Steady]

Hi guys!
It was nice Tour de France day today, but now the
"real" action starts.

So I'm playing Tour de France fantasy game where I have to pick:
1 time trial specialist
2 climbers
3 water carriers
2 sprinters
2 captains
2 youth riders

These shall be picked with a limited budget. For each stage.

I have picked these now:

Luis Leon Sanchez
Astarloza and J.Vanendert
Gerrans,Albasini,Chavanel
Sagan and Gilbert
S.Sanchez and Valverde
Gallopin and EBH

My question is how many of these have a good/very good chance of getting in Top 10 tomoro? And I'm unsure of my pick Chavanel, should he be replaced by this guy: Vinokourov


I appreciate your help very much

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

a certain kazakh hero to take all of them by surprise.

if not,i will be content with phil to finally shine this year.

i also hope it won't be a massacre on the belgian roads,nervous days coming

+ 943634632643246

As I staded earlier. He has started his road to yellow in Paris

 

[taiwan]

Hi guys!
It was nice Tour de France day today, but now the
"real" action starts.

So I'm playing Tour de France fantasy game where I have to pick:
1 time trial specialist
2 climbers
3 water carriers
2 sprinters
2 captains
2 youth riders

These shall be picked with a limited budget. For each stage.

I have picked these now:

Luis Leon Sanchez
Astarloza and J.Vanendert
Gerrans,Albasini,Chavanel
Sagan and Gilbert
S.Sanchez and Valverde
Gallopin and EBH

My question is how many of these have a good/very good chance of getting in Top 10 tomoro? And I'm unsure of my pick Chavanel, should he be replaced by this guy: Vinokourov


I appreciate your help very much

Chavanel > Vino tomorrow.

 

[Steady]

Chavanel > Vino tomorrow.

So you fancy Chavanel more tomorrow?

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

More detailed profile of he final climb

So the first few hundred meters are really steep, then arround the 2km mark there is a good steep bit as well. Possibly if they race real hard, some gaps might be made on the few hundred steep meters. Maybe just wishful thinking on my side

 

[taiwan]

So you fancy Chavanel more tomorrow?

I think Chavanel is in storming form, and Vino is not the Vino we all know and love atm.

 

[Another_Dutch_Guy]

It seems that tomorrow they will pass through this road! Locally known as the most absurd road in Belgium. Well, and as a Dutchman I know that means a lot.

 

[Steady]

I think Chavanel is in storming form, and Vino is not the Vino we all know and love atm.

Who would you pick betwen Astarloza and Scarponi ?

 

[jens_attacks]

yep chavanel is looking like in april but keep in mind that somehow he finds a way to fail on such finishes.always

 

[DominicDecoco]

Huge road turns into a smaller road through a bridge right before the hill. Not about if but more like who will crash. Going to be so ridiculously hectic. That final hill got small parts of pavees btw.

It has Sagan all over it.

 

[taiwan]

Who would you pick betwen Astarloza and Scarponi ?

Scarponi could be top ten on such a finish in form. I know little about Astarloza, but it's safe to say he won't figure.

 

[will10]

Sagan v Hagen

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Huge road turns into a smaller road through a bridge right before the hill. Not about if but more like who will crash. Going to be so ridiculously hectic. That final hill got small parts of pavees btw.

It has Sagan all over it.

Looking at the profile though, that's likely to be just within the 3km to go mark, so that may mean the peloton is a little less nervous.

I think we find out whether Sagan's the real deal yet. He's still got to deliver that big win.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Hagen

The final few km's do look very similar to Stage 6 of last year's Tour that Eddie won.

 

[Delicato]

Looking at the profile though, that's likely to be just within the 3km to go mark, so that may mean the peloton is a little less nervous.

I think we find out whether Sagan's the real deal yet. He's still got to deliver that big win.

Is 3 km neutralisation rule applied for tomorrow?

 

[Panda Claws]

Lousy finish, not tough enough for someone to really get away, so it's just a bunch sprint at 3-5%

Either Gilbert pulls a stunt

or it becomes a sprint

1. Sagan
2. Boasson Hagen
3. Gilbert (if he waited for the sprint)

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Is 3 km neutralisation rule applied for tomorrow?

Would be good to have a repeat of last year's farce where some riders crashed in the final 3k, others crashed earlier and got up, and then some who didn't crash at all but finished way down were given a better time than those who crashed and finished in front of them just to maintain the 3km principle.