2013 Tour de France, Stage 4: Nice / Nice 25km (TTT)

[saneguy]

Definitely expect Sky to do well. Its gonna be funny since the route ends close to where they start - teams will be seeing each other on the opposite roads..lol...I think thats what the route looks like...should be a fun stage.

 

[airstream]

For Quintana's and Costa's sake i hope Movistar doesn't win, Valverde in yellow wouldn't be very good for them.

I assure you Valverde prefers to wear the maillot jaune for awhile rather than not to wear it at all. It's his only chance in the race.

 

[Carstenbf]

On paper Garmin looks to be favourite with 7/8 tempo specialists. (imo)

Hesjedal
Bauer
Danielson
Dennis
Millar
Navardauskas
Talansky
Vande Velde

and then Martin.

Wouldn't mind being wrong though.

 

[Taxus4a]

Froome will leave Valverde behind on Ax 3 Domaines

That will be nice, becouse means Froome attacking far to the top... in the final rush, Valverde is stronger...If froome goes, and Quintana work for Valverde and he (Valverde)sprint to the end... little time I see for Froome, this is not Romandia, and even there Spilak was with him.

Maybe, but I dont think so, Valverde has a strong team and Ax 3 Domaines is not a long climb, in La Gallina Valverde put time on Froome, and Froome started la Vuelta still strong.

Anyway, If Valverde win tomorrow ten second on Froome, and froome take 5 second on Valverde in Ax 3 Domaines, Valverde will be still leader in the ITT.

It depends a lot how really are Stannard and Thomas.

 

[ILovecycling]

Is there official startlist?or at least when does the last team start?

 

[Anderis]

Garmin and Sky have the most balanced teams, but Garmin has the advantage of not having anybody hurt by crashes so far. They also have 5 riders who were in the winning roster in 2011 (Hesjedal, Danielson, Vande Velde, Millar, Navardauskas), and the other 4 seem to be a better time-trial mix than then.

Omega can't be discounted as well, especially if Tony isn't hampered much by his recent crash. They have 5 strong TT riders (Martin, Chavanel, Terpstra, Kwiatkowski and Velits), which is important, but the rest of the squad shouldn't be able to contribute as much as in Garmin or Sky.

But TTT are always unpredictable to some extent. There are definetely 8 or 10 teams which could win in right circumstances. Movistar, Orica, BMC, maybe Astana, Radioshack or Saxo are not without any chances. I will not risk any prediction about the final result.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Saxo looks strong. I saw even Noval on the front on the climbs today

Now watch Jesus and Noval smash the ttt tomorrow nothing will surprise me any more

 

[Gugashwill]

Hard to predict with all injuries picked up so far.
Normally OPQS, Sky, Garmin, Movistar, not necessarily in that order.
With injuries, the least affected team should have the biggest chance. That should be Movistar. Not a lot of individual time trialing power there, but their team is extremely well coordinated.

 

[the sceptic]

Saxo looks strong. I saw even Noval on the front on the climbs today

Now watch Jesus and Noval smash the ttt tomorrow nothing will surprise me any more

Saxo to beat sky tomorrow. I have a good feeling

 

[Taxus4a]

On paper Garmin looks to be favourite with 7/8 tempo specialists. (imo)

Hesjedal
Bauer
Danielson
Dennis
Millar
Navardauskas
Talansky
Vande Velde

and then Martin.

Wouldn't mind being wrong though.

Yes, very strong team, but they must protect Dan Martin.

Movistar has Valverde, Castroviejo, Plaza, Amador, Jose Ivan Gutierrez, Erviti, Rui Costa, Rojas.. all of them very strong in the flat, and maybe they want to protect Quintana as well, but maybe no, we will see...and Quintana is not good in a flat ITT, but not bad.

Anyway, after see Garmin Team, they are at least as favourites as Movistar, even more...

If Hesjedal put time on Valverde and Froome, we will see a nice Pyrinees as well...

When I say protect I mean: Quintana giving very strong pulls and later dropp, or Quintana giving soft pulls and try at the end dont drop. The same for Dan Martin.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Saxo to beat sky tomorrow. I have a good feeling

Seems like everyone is in great form such a shame Berto crashed

 

[Jelantik]

Saxo to beat sky tomorrow. I have a good feeling

lol. i hope you are right. *i was wishing the same thing quietly *.
I think moviestar will the surprised winner.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I am surprised that Lopez and Kennaugh aren't there, did sky do this last year?

No doubt come Ventoux, there will b 7 on the front at the foot of the climb after Kiri and Stannard have pulled the peloton for 200km. LOL

Sky were a shambles in the first week last year. Probably why they picked more flat guys this time.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Garmin and Sky have the most balanced teams, but Garmin has the advantage of not having anybody hurt by crashes so far. They also have 5 riders who were in the winning roster in 2011 (Hesjedal, Danielson, Vande Velde, Millar, Navardauskas), and the other 4 seem to be a better time-trial mix than then.

Omega can't be discounted as well, especially if Tony isn't hampered much by his recent crash. They have 5 strong TT riders (Martin, Chavanel, Terpstra, Kwiatkowski and Velits), which is important, but the rest of the squad shouldn't be able to contribute as much as in Garmin or Sky.

But TTT are always unpredictable to some extent. There are definetely 8 or 10 teams which could win in right circumstances. Movistar, Orica, BMC, maybe Astana, Radioshack or Saxo are not without any chances. I will not risk any prediction about the final result.

People always seem to forget what gets shown time and again, that sprinters and leadout riders are at least as valuable as decent TTers in a flat TTT.

 

[airstream]

Does anyone have a feeling Sky will beat Saxo?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Does anyone have a feeling Sky will beat Saxo?

Of course

 

[slosada]

Yes, very strong team, but they must protect Dan Martin.

Movistar has Valverde, Castroviejo, Plaza, Amador, Jose Ivan Gutierrez, Erviti, Rui Costa, Rojas.. all of them very strong in the flat, and maybe they want to protect Quintana as well, but maybe no, we will see...and Quintana is not good in a flat ITT, but not bad.

Anyway, after see Garmin Team, they are at least as favourites as Movistar, even more...

If Hesjedal put time on Valverde and Froome, we will see a nice Pyrinees as well...

When I say protect I mean: Quintana giving very strong pulls and later dropp, or Quintana giving soft pulls and try at the end dont drop. The same for Dan Martin.

I don't see Quintana being dropped, nor softpedaling and hanging for his dear life (however we all have the same doubts about his current level given the lack of recent competition).

 

[Jelantik]

Does anyone have a feeling Sky will beat Saxo?

i think the appropriate question will be does 50% Gerrant can beat 50% Alberto? *hint: both team has a crashed rider, and both riders are pretty crucial component of their TT makeup* - which theoretically means which "team members that's left (as a whole)" of which squad will reign supreme

 

[Cimber]

Does anyone have a feeling Sky will beat Saxo?

Yeah but time differences will be small

 

[Warhawk]

Eh, I think BMC could surprise some people and do pretty well. 7 of the same riders as they had in 2011 when they came in second in a TTT of very similar length, but with van Garderen and Gilbert (both of whom were on the Worlds team last year which came in second) instead of Hincapie and Santaromita. I call that an upgrade.

 

[Kris13]

It will be interesting that both Garmin and Sky will most likely start in first half of the race (and Moviestar and Saxo start is also not too late).

Hopefuly winds will not play big part since start interval is 4min.

 

[Leonardus]

1. Garmin
2. Movistar
3. OPQS
4. Sky
5. Katusha

I expect OPQS and Sky to get beaten because of the injuries in their ranks but time differences will be very small. BMC, Greenedge, Saxo, Radioshack and Belkin for the remaining top ten spots.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Thomas will be able to do nothing tomorrow so Sky won't win

 

[GazelleFormula]

Garmin is going to pick up the win tomorrow. OPQS second.

 

[Orbit501]

I would have said OPQS before Martins crash. But now I'm not so sure, don't know to what degree his injury will affect their chances. I could still see them taking it however. I say either OPQS or Sky to take it.

Movistar and Garmin will also do well I think.

Tony Martin finished in the front group today so he must be feeling fine I would imagine.

Can't see past an OPQS win personally.

My Top 5 prediction:

OPQS
Movistar
Garmin
Sky
Katusha