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

[jaylew]

Because about 30 posters have made a team of Spanish climbers the favorites for a flat TTT, I can't question that (il)logic.

Firstly, only a couple of people have picked them for the win but many have (smartly) picked them for the top 5.

Secondly, it's not a team of Spanish climbers.

Erviti - straight dom, not a great climber
Rojas - not a climber
Castroviejo - not a climber
Gutierrez - not a climber
Amador - not a climber, not Spanish
Quintana - not Spanish
Costa - not Spanish

 

[Finn84]

125% time now about 32.26

 

[puffin]

OPQS 25.57

57.8km/h

How does that compare with other short TTTs?

 

[Flamin]

Lotto only 16 seconds slower than OPQS. Not bad at all.

 

[trevim]

Firstly, only a couple of people have picked them for the win but many have (smartly) picked them for the top 5.

Secondly, it's not a team of Spanish climbers.

Erviti - straight dom, not a great climber
Rojas - not a climber
Castroviejo - not a climber
Gutierrez - not a climber
Amador - not a climber, not Spanish
Quintana - not Spanish
Costa - not Spanish

Also neither Costa or Amador are pure climbers, they're good rouleurs.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

This course seems super fast

 

[willbick]

Cant see opqs winning this only 16 secs quicker than lotto

 

[Miburo]

What is a good time for riding at 95%?

I'm just commenting on the fact that their time wasn't significant to estimate how good OPQS was, that's all. And yeah it's a bad time.

 

[luckyboy]

Why does Brailsford always speak like he's talking to somebody who doesn't know anything about cycling

 

[Pulpstar]

Borgs released with the dog.

 

[roundabout]

Cant see opqs winning this only 16 secs quicker than lotto

It's a fast course so differences will be small

 

[Parrulo]

Lotto only 16 seconds slower than OPQS. Not bad at all.

I wonder what ACF has to say about that

 

[del1962]

No update from Cofidis at intermediate yet?

Finally (letour.fr slow on updates)

 

[scholar]

Apparently the revolutionary tactic of keeping a constant speed and varying the lengths of the riders' pulls according to their strength is another tactical innovation by Brailsford and Sky.

 

[willbick]

It's a fast course so differences will be small

Not that small

 

[Ferminal]

I'm just commenting on the fact that their time wasn't significant to estimate how good OPQS was, that's all. And yeah it's a bad time.

Yeh, and I was commenting on how obvious it was that they didn't try, which should be a clear enough statement as to their validity as a benchmark.

 

[Catwhoorg]

No update from Cofidis at intermediate yet?

+42 sec


(10 char)

 

[Flamin]

Geraint just sitting at the back.

 

[willbick]

Apparently the revolutionary tactic of keeping a constant speed and varying the lengths of the riders' pulls according to their strength is another tactical innovation by Brailsford and Sky.

Stop projecting yr own self-loathing onto an innocent cycling team

 

[Afrank]

No update from Cofidis at intermediate yet?

Finally (letour.fr slow on updates)

42 seconds back.

 

[Bumeington]

Katusha looking organising, everyone always underrates them, top 5 for sure imo

 

[One Man Grupetto]

Why does Brailsford always speak like he's talking to somebody who doesn't know anything about cycling

That's probably because he has to deal with the British media a lot so, with a number of very honourable exceptions. e.g. William Fotheringham, that's the usual level that he pitches at.

 

[Netserk]

Garmin slower.

 

[Afrank]

Garmin only 4.47 seconds back, doing well.

 

[Nastyy]

Seems like Omegas time wasn't that bad after all. Garmin 5 seconds behind.

FDJ doing a nice TTT by their standards, good for Pinot.