2012 Tour of California May 15 stage 3: San Jose - Livermore 185.5 km

[AntonioRossi]

After back to back stage win for Sagan it is possible that a different guy will cross the line in first place. The riders will ascend Mt. Diablo 100 km from the finish. It is a 9.2 km climb averaging 4.7%. About 15 km from the finish they will go up Patterson pass, a 6 km climb averaging 5.1%. Riders might see this as an opportunity to jump away here trying to look for a stage victory. After this climb it is downhill towards the finish. Sagan might be again the favorite for this stage but the late climb in the race might shake some things up.

The highest point is at about 670 meters

 

[cineteq]

The Nibali/Sagan show, 15 km downhill to the finish!!!

 

[ElChingon]

Wonder if everyone will just line up behind them and try to hide their faces so its not in the winning picture?

 

[whittashau]

The Nibali/Sagan show, 15 km downhill to the finish!!!

surely it's not the type of descent where those two could get away?

 

[Oltean_RO]

Will Sagan win 5 out of 8 stages?

 

[iZnoGouD]

Sagan easy again

 

[karlboss]

7km at 5ish% can Sagan be dropped? I don't think so and then there is always the possibility his team helps him out over the top and to the front on the decent. Sagan again.

New quiz. Will Sagan be in the leaders jersey after the ITT?

 

[maltiv]

Another stage tailor-made for Sagan. It's as if the organizers sat down and figured that they'd do all in their power to make sure Sagan wins more or less every stage.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Unless one of the favs goes all out, this will be Sagan show part 3.
This guy is just incredible, what a freak of nature.

 

[Parrulo]

it really is hard to look past sagan, unless the big guns really go for it which is highly unlikely.

Nibali also seems to be getting better as the race goes on. the race days are doing him well

 

[kukiniloa]

if memory serves these two climbs are more difficult than they sound as described by, "9km at 5%" or whatever...

Definitely not suited for Sagan. Nibali, much more so. And hopefully Horner too. If Horner can't handle, Machado?

 

[theyoungest]

if memory serves these two climbs are more difficult than they sound as described by, "9km at 5%" or whatever...

Definitely not suited for Sagan. Nibali, much more so. And hopefully Horner too. If Horner can't handle, Machado?

I'd be very surprised if they drop Sagan today. Very.

 

[karlboss]

if memory serves these two climbs are more difficult than they sound as described by, "9km at 5%" or whatever...

Definitely not suited for Sagan. Nibali, much more so. And hopefully Horner too. If Horner can't handle, Machado?

Why are they harder than that?
Sagan may surprise you with just how good he can be uphill. Check out stage 3 of last years tour de suisse. From a break he outclimbed jakob fuglsang, and lost only 1:45 to Di luca, Soler, F Schleck, Mollema, leipheimer all of whom were not in the break.

Good thing it was only a small hill http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?col=Grosse-Scheidegg&qryMountainID=5368

 

[kanari]

No way Sagan will get dropped here...

 

[Havetts]

I'd be very surprised if they drop Sagan today. Very.

I guess it would require attacks from the likes of Danielson, TJVG, Horner, Nibali etc. the top favorites to realistically drop sagan on this stage.

 

[greenedge]

Sagan is going so well but for the sake of the other riders i cannot just pick him all the time.

Therefore i shall go Haussler, GVA and then Sagan.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I hope somebody like Zabriskie tries something.

 

[karlboss]

Sagan is going so well but for the sake of the other riders i cannot just pick him all the time.

Therefore i shall go Haussler, GVA and then Sagan.

If either of those 2 have a chance Sagan takes it. The only hope is the GC favourites really hit that hill flying and can drop Sagan, I just doubt it will happen, infact at 5% average, unless there are some really tough pitches, I'm not sure that's possible.

 

[Leonardus]

Can't see past Sagan, again a tailor made stage for him. Expect a lot more attacks however to avoid another sprint with. So more fireworks during the stage but in the end the same winner is my guess.

 

[theyoungest]

I guess it would require attacks from the likes of Danielson, TJVG, Horner, Nibali etc. the top favorites to realistically drop sagan on this stage.

I doubt Van Garderen can drop Sagan on any sort of climb, let alone this one.

 

[BillytheKid]

This is another wasted finishing climb day, but perhaps the shortest "regroup" distance to the finish yet, but with Sagan banking bonus seconds there may be a different tactic among the climbers and their teams....unlikely though.

 

[Bala Verde]

I don't really understand why RAB hasn't tried to blow up the race on these last climbs, at least in an effort to unhinge Sagan and, instead of 'banking' on Matthews, try to launch LLS (if he can stay on board during the flight).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I don't really understand why RAB hasn't tried to blow up the race on these last climbs, at least in an effort to unhinge Sagan and, instead of 'banking' on Matthews, try to launch LLS (if he can stay on board during the flight).

they probably think Gesink can get 4th in the gc and want to 'save energy'

 

[Bala Verde]

they probably think Gesink can get 4th in the gc and want to 'save energy'

That'll please the sponsors...

 

[Ruudz0r]

Atapuma to attack on the final climb, Sagan will drop but return in the downhill section + they catch Atapuma ni the downhill section and Sagan takes number 3.