2014 Paris Nice, Stage 4: Nevers - Belleville 201.5 km

[Der Effe]

They do actually. It's the only reason they can make a living with bike racing.

That being said I found the stage to be entertaining enough.

Uhm no.

Every team rides to win, not to entertain. A win can be entertaining, but doesn't have to be.

 

[ILovecycling]

Chavanel did get a flat just before the climb, came back a few km's before it started.

Oh,thats a pity.Hope he can do something in upcoming stages

 

[Escarabajo]

Bentancur will have his chance again this Friday.

 

[theyoungest]

Bentancur will have his chance again this Friday.

He'll have to deal with the Butcher

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Why does it suck? Too many totally flat stages, I agree, but today's stage is 10 times beter than ZzzZzZzz another mountaintop finish.

Agree, today's action was brilliant.
But the first three flat stages are at least one too many imo.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Well deserved win for Slagter. He was the guy who attacked, who wanted it when the nominal favourites were shadow boxing (Betancur) or looking at each other (everyone else bar Thomas).

He's kind of an under the radar sort of rider - not a regular winner so far in his career, but when he wins its a WT race. Garmin is a good place for him. Lots of opportunities when Martin isn't there.

 

[Bushman]

Sepulveda in the front group also, looking good so far this year.

 

[jens_attacks]

well there was as much action as i expected. the climb wasn't exactly mortirolo
glad that we didn't have a bunch sprint. chapeau to slagter and g thomas, awesome riders, both of them
rojas still in contention for overall paris-nice though

 

[Roude Leiw]

Chavanel did get a flat just before the climb, came back a few km's before it started.

Yes and his team brought him back before the action started and then he was dropped like a stone

 

[Wallenquist]

Anyone have profile for tommorow's last climb ? Côte de Sainte-Catherine ? It suppose to be 12,5 km at 2,8% but i guess the are easier and harder parts.
Could be too hard for Degenkolb ?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Anyone have profile for tommorow's last climb ? Côte de Sainte-Catherine ? It suppose to be 12,5 km at 2,8% but i guess the are easier and harder parts.
Could be too hard for Degenkolb ?

Don't have a profile, but I think the top has steeper part.
However to get anything serious done, a team must start to thin the field a bit on Côte de Saint Martin en Haut (8,6 km @ 4,5%). The good news is we have plenty of good riders well behind already.

 

[BigMac]

Anyone have profile for tommorow's last climb ? Côte de Sainte-Catherine ? It suppose to be 12,5 km at 2,8% but i guess the are easier and harder parts.
Could be too hard for Degenkolb ?

http://tracks4bikers.com/beta_tracks/show/203540

 

[jens_attacks]

how are those things even categorised? this shouldn't be legal, 2% climb what a farce paris-nice

 

[BigMac]

Côte de Saint Martin en Haut

http://tracks4bikers.com/beta_tracks/show/203543

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Côte de Saint Martin en Haut

http://tracks4bikers.com/beta_tracks/show/203543

Yep, this is the one which needs to be used if anybody wants to get things done on this stage.

Long distance action. Nothing wrong with the design of this stage, but the riders must now deliver like today.

 

[theyoungest]

Haha just heard the British commentator call Kelderman, Keldermerckx.

Also, awesome Butcher slaughterfest

If it's the same commentator I heard, that's actually an Aussie, Matt Keenan.

 

[Christian]

Cool victory salute by Slagter! I could get used to seeing that more often.

But how scary is Sky When number 1 an 2 are out, number 3 still wins.....

 

[VeloHuman]

Hard to see Degenkolb getting dropped next stage.

 

[Flamin]

Better stage than expected I guess. Lots of action after the climb.

And Degenkolb fought like a warrior, chapeau to him.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Sepulveda in the front group also, looking good so far this year.

ashame he lost so much time earlier. is there a proper video of the stage yet?

 

[Bushman]

ashame he lost so much time earlier. is there a proper video of the stage yet?

Did he lose time? I didn't know that, sucks. Was it because of crash?

 

[Parrulo]

For the Costa fanboys:

“Não foi mau mas claro que eu queria que corresse melhor.” começou por dizer o Campeão do Mundo, Rui Costa.
“Quem me conhece sabe que eu sempre fui ambicioso, faz parte de mim querer sempre mais, embora tenha de admitir que não fiz uma má etapa. Na parte final já não consegui dar mais e não tive fôlego nem pernas para seguir Slagter e Thomas, mas deu para minimizar as perdas e chegar logo atrás no segundo grupo. O balanço é positivo e quero ter melhores pernas para as próximas etapas.”

 

[BigMac]

For the Costa fanboys:

I don't buy it.

And sadly, there aren't any Rui fanboys around here.

 

[Parrulo]

I don't buy it.

And sadly, there aren't any Rui fanboys around here.

All you have to do is to look at the mirror to find one!!

He just said on his own website that he couldn't follow Thomas and Slagter, and anyone with a working set of eyes saw it during the stage yet you "don't buy it"

 

[BigMac]

All you have to do is to look at the mirror to find one!!

He just said on his own website that he couldn't follow Thomas and Slagter, and anyone with a working set of eyes saw it during the stage yet you "don't buy it"

Still didn't see that fanboy you're talking about.

But seriously, when Rui is a failure I am the first one to point it out. He did not look bad to me.

I can tell my eyes are working fine. Perhaps the problem is my TV? Got to look into it.