As seems to be the way on this Forum I will let you rip in to this post for the next few pages:
Stage 6 Preview
Sprinters:
So Peter Sagan’s fall in Stage 5 has really opened up the challenge for the Green Jersey. Today I couldn’t believe that Tyler Farrar had the nerve to accuse anyone else of causing todays crash as he stormed towards the Argos Team Bus when he finished the race to confront Tom Veelers. In my view it should be riders like Peter Sagan that should be approaching Tyler Farrar for his ridiculous actions leading up to the crash. He was badly cut and can be ruled out of tomorrows stage win as he has shown very little. Another rider that I don’t think will feature is Oscar Friere. He actually went for the win in todays stage but could still only manage 7th place and he just clearly doesn’t have the legs to challenge the true out and out sprinters at this years Tour. We no longer have to consider Marcel Kittel as he finally pulled out of the Tour De France prior to Stage 5 following the illness he has been suffering from virtually the beginning of the race. It’s a shame as the youngster is a very good sprinter and we won’t get to see what he is really made of at this years Tour. Replacing him for Team Argos is the ever consistent Tom Veelers who has pulled off some very good results thus far. A 5th place finish today, and a 3rd place finish yesterday sees him as being the shock figure in the daily sprints. With virtually no help and the last Kilometre he can shown some respectable grit and determination to get the results he has achieved. I can’t see him getting the win though, although he would be my selection if there was a shock winner in the bunch sprint. Mark Renshaw crashed again today and throughout the year Matt Goss has had his number in the sprints they have competed in. Heavy pressure on Renshaw though to get a win, although with Rabobank contributing nothing towards his sprinting efforts it’s no wonder he hasn’t featured heavily in the sprints, failing to get close to a Stage Win as of yet. JJ Haedo finally did something in a sprint finish by coming 3rd, but I cannot see him troubling the likes of Cavendish, Greipel and Goss on the flat/then downhill/then flat finish tomorrow as they will be going extremely fast. While Edvald Boasson Hagen missed his chance today in my opinion. The finish today suited him a lot more than tomorrows run in so chance gone for me before he has to work for Bradley Wiggins.
Warning:
Tomorrows run in is much more technical than the previous 2 days and look what has happened with them, seeing crashes in both. Three 90 Degree turns in the Final 3k and this is going to be manic. And it will be very hard for a single team to control the final 3k. Obviously the best chance is Lotto from what we have seen so far. Any stake made risks the chance of watching your selected rider go tumbling down the road. With Cadel Evans obsessed with being at the front when in my opinion he has no reason being there, all the GC teams just get in the way of Lotto, Orica-Greenedge and any sprinter looking for a Stage Win. Would love to see all the sprinters teams keeping there riders at the front at the bottom of the narrow entries to the mountains to block the way for the GC riders, it would all kick off then.
Other Sprinters:
Matt Goss blew it today, but once again I don’t think he could have done more. While I have said Goss hasn’t done enough in the sprints it is in my honest opinion that he his trying his absolute hardest and cannot offer anymore. He just hasn’t got the beating of Griepel whatsoever, and tomorrows finish suits Greipel more. I am ruling out Peter Sagan for the Stage Win as he prefers the roads going up to the finish rather than down but I would love to see him show fight tomorrow having missed out on a lot of points at todays finish. He shows over the top respect for Cavendish in the sprints and always seems to be moving out of everyones way trying to stay in the good books. The only fight he has shown was an elbow to Matt Goss in Stage 2. No more of the sitting up tomorrow and I would love him to sprint full speed. Can’t see him having enough again though. He is a great bike handler but has lost out to Cavendish and Matt Goss on getting the position behind Greipel on all opportunities he has had.
The Contenders:
Okay for me there are only 3 contenders for the stage. At outside odds I think Petacchi is worth a mention as he has a habit of coming up with a golden stage win just when everyone has forgotten about his existence in the bunch sprints. I think tomorrows run in suits Petacchi and further to this he has a great knack of positioning himself very well. A concern he couldn’t go around Greipel in Stage 4 when coming 2nd but none the less he is showing respectable form and this possibly represents his greatest chance of a Stage Win in the Tour De France this year. That Stage Win he has come for. Needs Lampre to get involved as they appear to be offering very little at this Tour. Then the Big two. We have Mark Cavendish, still the fastest man on two wheels when all is okay. But he looked in pain today. Excuse given was the build up which yes Sky got horribly wrong and on the evidence of todays Stage if I was Mark Cavendish I wouldn’t want any help from the Sky train again. But look at the problems Greipel had as well. They both had to check their sprints but Greipel found immense power while Cavendish had a face of pain. A rider doesn’t admit if they are hurting as it shows weakness, take Cadel Evans in few years back when he keep his wrist injury a secret so other GC riders didn’t expose him. I don’t think he is seriously injured at all, but bruises and cuts wouldn’t be a shock considering the high speed crash he had. He certainly went down a lot harder than Sagan did today. But this finish, being downhill some of the way will suit Cavendish and the Manx Missile has a habit of pulling out desperately needed wins when they matter most. And Greipel, two stage victories already and in my opinion along with others he is much more suited by tomorrows run in. Last 3k is technical though so Lotto need to bring that break back by about 6k and then sit on the front and control the pace. They need to shoulder BMC back to where they should be and control the finish as they are the only team capable of doing this. For me Stage 6, barring any crashes and hopefully Tyler Farrar sitting at the back of the peleton would help, is a two rider race between Greipel and Cavendish. And Petacchi would be my outside choice. Cavendish is best priced at 6/4 with Betfred, while Greipel can be backed at 15/8 with the same bookmaker. For me I am going for a Greipel hat-trick. While Cavendish is still the fastest man Greipel has everything in his favour. He has the backing of his Team, Lotto. The positioning is great because of his Team’s support, he is in great form and when losing to Cavendish is was only by centimetres. Cav could well do this but my money is with the Greipel. So:
Tip: Andre Greipel To Win Stage 6
Outside Pick: Alessandro Petacchi - Will Relish This Finish
Also Betfred offer a refund of your stake upto £250.00 if your selection comes 2nd which I think is a good little offer.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram