2013 Tour de l'Ain: 9th-13th August (2.1)

[Ferminal]

Bardet was caught, I blame Gadret.

 

[roundabout]

Heh.

Belkins are 2 best sprinters, still the rest screwed up a bit for them to finish 1-2.

 

[Flamin]

Luisle, such a killer.

 

[Ferminal]

Top 17 de l'étape:
1 Luis Leon Sanchez (Belkin)
2 Tom Jelte Slagter (Belkin) à 1''
3 Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale)
4 John Gadret (AG2R La Mondiale)
5 5Reichebcach (IAM Cycling)
6 Thibaut Pinot (FDJ.fr)
7 Stéphane Rossetto (BigMat-Auber 93) à 4''
8 Kenny Elissonde (FDJ.fr) à 9''
9 Pieter Serry (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) à 2'13''
10 Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil-DCM)
11 Clément Chevrier (France Espoirs)
12 Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) à 2'15''
13 Marc Goos (Belkin) à 3'06''
14 Merhawi Kudus (Bretagne-Séché Environnement)
15 Alexis Vuillermoz (Sojasun)
16 Grégoire Tarride (La Pomme Marseille)
17 Théo Vimpère (BigMat-Auber 93)

Ok at least Pinot wasn't dropped.

 

[Ferminal]

There are time bonuses aren't there?

 

[Ferminal]

GC:

Slagter
LLS +5"
Rossetto +21"
Bardet +22"
Gadret +23"
Pinot +25"
Reichenbach +28"
Elissonde +31"

Hard to see that changing much tomorrow given the strength of the top two. Even if Gadret and Bardet can fly away on Colombier they'd lose out on the final 40km.

 

[roundabout]

Should be bonuses, yes

Devenyns was allegedly dropped on the downhill (but I guess something could have gone wrong as he is not that bad), Tschopp crashed, Pinot survived. Should be good for his morale.

 

[Ferminal]

I think Devenyns just exploded as soon as it went back uphill?

Pinot may struggle down to Culoz tomorrow...

 

[roundabout]

GC:

Slagter
LLS +5"
Rossetto +21"
Bardet +22"
Gadret +23"
Pinot +25"
Reichenbach +28"
Elissonde +31"

Hard to see that changing much tomorrow given the strength of the top two. Even if Gadret and Bardet can fly away on Colombier they'd lose out on the final 40km.

Who knows, even though the Grand Colombier side they are climbing is arguably the easiest one, a lot of time can be lost there on a bad day. The top-3 are not really high mountain riders

 

[roundabout]

I think Devenyns just exploded as soon as it went back uphill?

Pinot may struggle down to Culoz tomorrow...

You are right about Devenyns.

 

[theyoungest]

Who knows, even though the Grand Colombier side they are climbing is arguably the easiest one, a lot of time can be lost there on a bad day. The top-3 are not really high mountain riders

They aren't, but they were among the 8 best climbers today, so does it really matter? Maybe Pinot could build up a sizable margin, the rest of them isn't really better than the others, I reckon.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Nobody will be able to keep up with Kenny tomorrow.

 

[roundabout]

They aren't, but they were among the 8 best climbers today, so does it really matter? Maybe Pinot could build up a sizable margin, the rest of them isn't really better than the others, I reckon.

You are right, but I am thinking more that someone might crack. It's still is a long way from the top.

Profile for the last climb tomorrow (from Lochieu)

http://www.felesducolombier.fr/images/stories/cartes/graph-champagne.gif

 

[el chava]

Top 17 de l'étape:
1 Luis Leon Sanchez (Belkin)
2 Tom Jelte Slagter (Belkin) à 1''
3 Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale)
4 John Gadret (AG2R La Mondiale)
5 5Reichebcach (IAM Cycling)
6 Thibaut Pinot (FDJ.fr)
7 Stéphane Rossetto (BigMat-Auber 93) à 4''
8 Kenny Elissonde (FDJ.fr) à 9''
9 Pieter Serry (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) à 2'13''
10 Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil-DCM)
11 Clément Chevrier (France Espoirs)
12 Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) à 2'15''
13 Marc Goos (Belkin) à 3'06''
14 Merhawi Kudus (Bretagne-Séché Environnement)
15 Alexis Vuillermoz (Sojasun)
16 Grégoire Tarride (La Pomme Marseille)
17 Théo Vimpère (BigMat-Auber 93)

Ok at least Pinot wasn't dropped.

the best hope for african cycling?

 

[SafeBet]

Nobody will be able to keep up with Kenny tomorrow.

Romain will. And then will drop him

 

[Ferminal]

Looks ok, seems like Berhane has joined the Europcar scrap heap with the rest of his teammates. None of them have really shown elite climbing though (as good as Berhane was in Turkey).

@GTF I have a random feeling Kenny will go well too.

 

[Flamin]

Colombier is twice as long as today's climb. Pinot/Elissonde and Bardet/Gadret could definetely crack the Belkin boys. And Bardet looks like he's a good descender.

 

[theyoungest]

Colombier is twice as long as today's climb. Pinot/Elissonde and Bardet/Gadret could definetely crack the Belkin boys. And Bardet looks like he's a good descender.

Yeah, they're all super climbers... Pinot is one. The rest of them aren't.

Okay, Gadret is, every once in a while.

 

[Flamin]

Yeah, they're all super climbers... Pinot is one. The rest of them aren't.

Okay, Gadret is, every once in a while.

Because only super climbers are able to drop Slagter/Luisle on a high mountain?

Maybe they will hang on, maybe not. I'd say the latter is more likely, but we'll see tomorrow I guess.

 

[roundabout]

Atapuma at 23 minutes.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Atapuma at 23 minutes.

Colombia Pro Cycling‏@Col_Coldeportes2u
At @tourdelain feed zone, a musette in wheel sent @elpumaDarwin and @carjulian05 to the ground, affected stage and GC outcome. Bad luck!

 

[theyoungest]

Because only super climbers are able to drop Slagter/Luisle on a high mountain?

Yeah, that's what I said

 

[Flamin]

Yeah, that's what I said

Then what was your point?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Because only super climbers are able to drop Slagter/Luisle on a high mountain?

Maybe they will hang on, maybe not. I'd say the latter is more likely, but we'll see tomorrow I guess.

LLS finished top 10 in a GT. Slagter top 30 Giro. It's not like they are that horrible in high mountains either. (ofcourse no match for a good pinot or super gadret, but the rest? doubt they are much better)

You make it sound like they can't climb a high mountain at all

 

[Flamin]

LLS finished top 10 in a GT. Slagter top 30 Giro. It's not like they are that horrible in high mountains either. (ofcourse no match for a good pinot or super gadret, but the rest? doubt they are much better)

You make it sound like they can't climb a high mountain at all

Not at all. Check the post I was responding to.

I'm saying they can do some serious damage as a team, not necessarily that all of them are individually much better than Slagter/Luisle.