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

[karlboss]

Movistar won't be top 5. Good team, but it's just too flat.

 

[Big Doopie]

Movistar won't be top 5.

god, let's hope not.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Omega, easily.
We'll see only very slim gaps, though as average speeds will be nasty.

LOL, Martin is injured their team had had to work quite hard over past days.

It is a two horse race between Sky and BMC for me. Slight edge for BMC imo with Thomas pretty much incapable of riding that fast.

 

[auscyclefan94]

But they had a superb Evans as the engine of that team. Does he have that kind of form now? I doubt it.


Belkin are here with a similar team to the one that won the Tirreno TTT a few years ago. Do I expect them to win now? I don't.

I would say that Cadel will have no problem with the TT and will be able to drive the pace like he did in 2011 TTT. One must remember that this squad is stronger than in 2011. TJVG is stronger than Hincapie and the other riders on BMC have improved significantly.

Sky has no Wiggins and ultimately no Thomas. They won't win.

 

[Miburo]

Normally easily sky.

I'm not so sure now, we'll see i guess. I've a feeling BMC will do great though.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The greatest thing about this TTT will be seeing Lotto completely ****ing it up yet again and Vandenbroeck going backwards.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The greatest thing about this TTT will be seeing Lotto completely ****ing it up yet again and Vandenbroeck going backwards.

Aww, still affectionate towards JVDB i see. How endearing. Still broken hearted after all these years. I'm sure Cadel will ride top 30, don't worry.

 

[Tigerion]

A few people saying BMC have a fair chance, who takes the yellow if they do. Is it Cadel, he is normally up there in sprint finishes staying out of trouble.

Also does anybody have a start order or at least let me know if order goes from team classification or GC classification?

 

[Yingge]

Start Order is the reverse order of the Teams Classification.

So, Argos-Shimano are first off, Radioshack last. 4 minute intervals I understand.

 

[Tigerion]

Start Order is the reverse order of the Teams Classification.

So, Argos-Shimano are first off, Radioshack last. 4 minute intervals I understand.

Thanks, could find anything telling me which classification to use

 

[PCutter]

A few people saying BMC have a fair chance, who takes the yellow if they do. Is it Cadel, he is normally up there in sprint finishes staying out of trouble.

Also does anybody have a start order or at least let me know if order goes from team classification or GC classification?

Cadel is 9th on GC currently, so if BMC win he would take the yellow (and presumably they would have him cross the line first)

 

[auscyclefan94]

Best placed rider overall is in brackets
15:15 Argos-Shimano (not possible)
15:19 Omega Pharma–Quick Step (Kwiatkowski)
15:23 Lotto-Belisol (Van den broeck)
15:27 Cannondale (Sagan)
15:31 Cofidis (Le Mevel)
15:35 FDJ.fr (Jeannesson)
15:39 Belkin (Mollema)
15:43 Garmin-Sharp (Millar)
15:47 Euskaltel-Euskadi (Astarloza)
15:51 Sky (Boasson Hagen)
15:55 Katusha (Vorganov)
15:59 Sojasun (Simon)
16:03 Astana (Fuglsang)
16:07 Movistar Team (Valverde)
16:11 Team Saxo-Tinkoff (Roche)
16:15 Europcar (Malacarne)
16:19 AG2R La Mondiale (Peraud)
16:23 Orica–GreenEdge (Gerrans)
16:27 Lampre-Merida (Cunego)
16:31 Vacansoleil-DCM (Lagutin)
16:35 BMC Racing Team (Evans)
16:39 RadioShack-Leopard (Bakelants)

Cadel is 9th on GC currently, so if BMC win he would take the yellow (and presumably they would have him cross the line first)

Yes, he would. Cadel usually leads the team home as well in a TTT.

 

[Jancouver]

QuickStep
Garmin
SKY
Movistar
Katusha
Astana
Orica
BMC
Shack
Saxo

 

[auscyclefan94]

Garmin
BMC
Sky
Saxo
Belkin
OPQS
Radioshack
Movistar
Orica

 

[Kingsley A]

I'd rate Garmin as favourite for this, there doesn't seem to be a weak link in their chain (except maybe Dan Martin).
OPQS, Sky and Movistar will likely all be very close, with Saxo and Orica not far behind.

 

[uconnryan]

Sky banged up (Thomas broken pelvis, Stannard injuries). World Champs OPQS would be big favorites IMO but Tony Martin isn't 100%. Movistar are winners of last two Grand Tour TTT's so they're potentially dangerous. I gotta go with Garmin here though because without Farrar to contest the sprints they gotta be feeling anything less than a win would be tragic (just drop Dan Martin at the start LOL). Plus, Garmin have a leg up on the competition with their equipment

1. Garmin
2. OPQS
3. Movistar
Last place: Guaranteed Euskaltel-Euskadi. Man they're awful at these!

 

[Jelantik]

Gerrant is banged up way worse than Bertie, a fractured pelvis can't be nice. The difference is though Sky can afford to drop G Thomas, Saxo can't drop Bertie.

that's what i'm implying. So either saxo has to slow down to make sure contador doesn't get dropped (mean saxo boys is actually strong), or sky even with the absence of gerrant still have the fire power? But is it enough to smoke saxo boys?

 

[Ripper]

Well, the TTT should be quite interesting.

 

[jaylew]

Really? All these people voting for Movistar...

if movistar win tomorrow, it should hardly be a reason to rejoice; it should raise a lot of eyebrows... ;(

Only among those that don't follow cycling year round. Movistar is a very good at TTTs. I will certainly be cheering for them but I think it will be:

OPQS
Garmin
Movi
Sky
Saxo
BMC

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Sky banged up (Thomas broken pelvis, Stannard injuries). World Champs OPQS would be big favorites IMO but Tony Martin isn't 100%. Movistar are winners of last two Grand Tour TTT's so they're potentially dangerous. I gotta go with Garmin here though because without Farrar to contest the sprints they gotta be feeling anything less than a win would be tragic (just drop Dan Martin at the start LOL). Plus, Garmin have a leg up on the competition with their equipment

1. Garmin
2. OPQS
3. Movistar
Last place: Guaranteed Euskaltel-Euskadi. Man they're awful at these!

What, you don't think Team Azenarioa can finish top 21?

 

[tomorrow]

well, the favourites for the first are obvious, but which team can come from second tier? E.g. Cannondale did surprisingly good in this years TA, and they've been practicing TTT before the tour. They will probably not win, but they could end up in top five, or very close to it.

 

[Ferminal]

They are always good at TTTs, but given how weak their team is here they could miss the top10 again.

 

[vcampbell]

Best placed rider overall is in brackets
16:11 Team Saxo-Tinkoff (Roche)

You're welcome!

 

[auscyclefan94]

You're welcome!

Thanks - fixed now.

 

[auscyclefan94]

27oC at 10am already at Nice. Gonna be a hot TTT.