2014 Paris Nice, Stage 3: Toucy - Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours 180k

[Parrulo]

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The bore fest continues . . .

 

[MatParker117]

Yes ASO no MTF's, no TT's that will bring GT contenders back to your race and make it riveting and exciting.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The German powerhouse will strike:

 

[Parrulo]

Yes ASO no MTF's, no TT's that will bring GT contenders back to your race and make it riveting and exciting.

I actually like the idea for this route, i just think this is a very poor execution of it.

The first sunday stage should have already been very hilly in order to separate the contenders from the pretenders on day one and reduce the nervousness of the peloton on the following flat stages.

The fayence stage should be much tougher, like in 09 when even a guy like Chavannel was in contention so it wasn't a mountain stage. And even the Col de Eze stage could have some more difficulties before making Eze much more selective.

So this would leave us with 4 flat stages (2,3,4 and 7), 3 proper hilly stages (1, 6 and 8) and the other one (5) imo should have been something like the pais vasco stage where purito beat Samu for the win in a 2 man sprint (the one where kiserlovsky attacked from far away), so pretty much a trap stage.

 

[gerundium]

I think the route is let down by the warm, sunny and low wind weather. Today's stage would have been carnage with some decent wind.

 

[Jspear]

Meersman will get revenge.

 

[Kwibus]

I actually like the idea for this route, i just think this is a very poor execution of it.

This. this and this.

Such a shame that when they try something nice they completely fail to execute it properly. Typical ASO I'm afraid. They tend to be too cautious.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I am mystified as to how they have found those elevation changes on the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. That was notorious for being flat, and for having been designed based on combining people's favourite corners from a dozen different racetracks, while retaining approximately none of the charm or character of these.

 

[Pippo_San]

Meersman will get revenge.

Will he jump behind another team car?

 

[manafana]

yeah degenkolb strikes me as the one for this.

 

[VeloHuman]

The open, flat finish makes this stage Coquard's best shot of hanging with the big guns. I kinda hope he does it.

 

[hfer07]

One thing is certain: Farrar won't do sh!t either

a match between Bouhanni & Degenkolb is in the forecast

 

[wirral]

One thing is certain: Farrar won't do sh!t either

a match between Bouhanni & Degenkolb is in the forecast

Yes he will, he will crash either at around 20 km to go or in a pile-up on the second to last corner. Hope he will be alright though.

Re the early flat stages, ASO are obsessed with having as many yellow jersey changes as possible and appalled at the thought of having the GC wrapped up in the first half of the race.

 

[tweak37]

Meersman will get revenge.

Meersman won't start.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Meersman won't start.

DO we know why?

Anyway the "new" step team on the road:

101.BOONEN Tom
102.BAKELANTS Jan
103.MAES Nikolas
105.STEEGMANS Gert
106.STYBAR Zdenek
107.TERPSTRA Niki
108.VANDENBERGH Stijn

So Bakelants and Boonen now?

 

[Roude Leiw]

DO we know why?

He was barely able to walk after arriving, add time penalty to this and I do not see a reason why he should go on

 

[theyoungest]

Yesterday's photo finish.

via @aigorgaldeano

 

[SafeBet]

Yesterday's photo finish.

via @aigorgaldeano

Lol.
He just needed 100 more metres

 

[Butterhead]

Meersman will get revenge.

Revenge?
He was giving a time penalty of only 1 minute and 10 seconds for pace, which is hilarious, he would have lost several minutes without the pace, I think he should be grateful instead.

 

[wirral]

Why finish on a racetrack?

 

[Oltean_RO]

Why finish on a racetrack?

For traffic issues, for fun...

 

[Wallenquist]

Why finish on a racetrack?

Because someone paid for it.

 

[Oltean_RO]

After 40 km. Quemeneur (EUC), Fouchard (COF) and Feillu (BSE) lead the peloton by about 3min.

 

[RedheadDane]

After 40 km. Quemeneur (EUC), Fouchard (COF) and Feillu (BSE) lead the peloton by about 3min.

Which one?
I'm assuming it's Brice, isn't Romain more of a sprinter?

 

[BigMac]

The first two stages were not boring. In fact, the first was quite good. It would have been even better if Betancur had stayed on the group with Bardet, the Schlecks etc. That is what you get for riding in the back of the peloton all day.

Only now noticed Andy is almost 9 minutes down in the GC.

Nacer will win the stage.

Which one?
I'm assuming it's Brice, isn't Romain more of a sprinter?

It's Romain.