2014 Tirreno Adriatico, Stage 4: Indicatore → Cittareale (Selva Rotonda) (244 Km)

[Eshnar]

Here comes the MTF, and the longest stage.

 

[jens_attacks]

1. contador
2. basso

kiwi to lose some time here. i expect maybe too much for this stage but i do expect tinkov to go full gas here

 

[del1962]

1. contador
2. basso

kiwi to lose some time here. i expect maybe too much for this stage but i do expect tinkov to go full gas here

3. Uran - to take Jersey
4. Porte

Would be good results for my CQ Team - I can but dream

 

[podunavac]

Perfect stage for Sky train. Long with moderately difficult ascents. An opportunity to wear down the opponents.
The only question is are they betting on the tt or aren't that confident.
If Sky decides to pass on this, I can see OPQS rolling.
Some action at the top is guaranteed, but nothing decisive. Fairly large group to arrive together.

 

[Parrulo]

To be honest this climb isn't all that bad. It's not like he had 10k of proper racing up Prato di Tivo anyway.

Should be enough to show who the true contenders are.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Perfect stage for Sky train. Long with moderately difficult ascents. An opportunity to wear down the opponents.
The only question is are they betting on the tt or aren't that confident.
If Sky decides to pass on this, I can see OPQS rolling.
Some action at the top is guaranteed, but nothing decisive. Fairly large group to arrive together.

As a minimum the last 1,5km should provide some gaps imo.

Question is who will benefit. I will not fall down from the chair if Kwia wins the stage.

 

[the sceptic]

1. contador
2. basso

 

[Dazed and Confused]

To be honest this climb isn't all that bad. It's not like he had 10k of proper racing up Prato di Tivo anyway.

Should be enough to show who the true contenders are.

Nothing wrong with the stage or climb. This is up to the riders here.

 

[EnacheV]

Basso who ? He's more in Wiggins league than Contador's imo

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Basso who ? He's more in Wiggins league than Contador's imo

really? He can't even TT.

Anyway Basso is out of contract this year and you never know with these old guys.

 

[Miburo]

Will Contador rise again from the ashes he left in 2011?

Will we see the man again where the question wasn't if he would win but by how much he would win?

20 hours left until we find out.

Might be too soon but if he fails again tomorrow i got a bad feeling for the whole season. I think tomorrow is insanely important for him.

Kwia, for the leader's jersey.

 

[podunavac]

To be honest this climb isn't all that bad. It's not like he had 10k of proper racing up Prato di Tivo anyway.

Should be enough to show who the true contenders are.

The climb is O.K.. It gives opportunities. Not like Mortirolo or Stelvio, but the opportunities are there. We just need someone to exploit them.
And I think we'll see who among the contenders aren't true, rather than those who are. It's that type of a stage - where you can't win a race, but can lose it.

As a minimum the last 1,5km should provide some gaps imo.

Question is who will benefit. I will not fall down from the chair if Kwia wins the stage.

I think the gaps will be under 20 seconds between top 20 finishers and under 10 between top 5. It just looks like that kind of a climb and stage with riders thinking more about tomorrow.

 

[the sceptic]

really? He can't even TT.

Anyway Basso is out of contract this year and you never know with these old guys.

By Wiggins league I assume he means gruppetto rider? Either way its wrong of course.

Wasnt Basso one of the first to comment on the sky miracle? He knows what it takes, and this year he has been talking himself up. So I like to believe he is back. Could be just wishful thinking of course, but it would be beautiful.

 

[infeXio]

Well Cataldo DNF, so thats 1 less for the Sky train

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Well Cataldo DNF, so thats 1 less for the Sky train

191.PORTE Richie
193.EISEL Bernhard
194.KENNAUGH Peter
195.NIEVE Mikel
196.SIUTSOU Kanstantsin
197.STANNARD Ian
198.WIGGINS Bradley

Plenty left, at least for a large portion of the last climb.

 

[Publicus]

191.PORTE Richie
193.EISEL Bernhard
194.KENNAUGH Peter
195.NIEVE Mikel
196.SIUTSOU Kanstantsin
197.STANNARD Ian
198.WIGGINS Bradley

Plenty left, at least for a large portion of the last climb.

Seems to me Movistar, Lampre, Sky and Tinkoff have a common cause tomorrow--burn off what little support Kwiatkowski has as early as possible. I wouldn't be surprised if one or more teams had someone in the break.

 

[roundabout]

I hope to be wrong, but it may well be another stage where a decisive attack happens at 1 to go.

Hopefully the group will at least be a bit thinned down by then.

 

[Jspear]

Will Contador rise again from the ashes he left in 2011?

Yes

[/QUOTE]Will we see the man again where the question wasn't if he would win but by how much he would win?[/QUOTE]

Yes

[/QUOTE]20 hours left until we find out.

Might be too soon but if he fails again tomorrow i got a bad feeling for the whole season. I think tomorrow is insanely important for him.

Kwia, for the leader's jersey.[/QUOTE]

Contador for the win!

 

[Jspear]

Will Contador rise again from the ashes he left in 2011?

Yes!

Will we see the man again where the question wasn't if he would win but by how much he would win?

Yes!

20 hours left until we find out.

Might be too soon but if he fails again tomorrow i got a bad feeling for the whole season. I think tomorrow is insanely important for him.

Kwia, for the leader's jersey.

Contador for the win!

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Gonna give AC this one. Unless Porte goes AX-3 superhuman ofc.

 

[Marco Pantani]

Some action would be great. And there are a number of candidates. From Basso to Pozzo to Nairo.

But i have to go with Kwiatkowski again. Too hard for Sagan, too easy for the very best climbers. But i got my doubts Kwiatkowski is vulnerable at all this week.

 

[trevim]

Kwiat to outsprint the main GC contenders. Perhaps Porte or Quintana from some km out. I like the Velasco hype though

 

[tomorrow]

Some action would be great. And there are a number of candidates. From Basso to Pozzo to Nairo.

But i have to go with Kwiatkowski again. Too hard for Sagan, too easy for the very best climbers. But i got my doubts Kwiatkowski is vulnerable at all this week.

too hard for Sagan? I guess we'll never know and he won't even bother. But yeah, if kwiat survives yesterday, he'll probably have it. Lanciano was ridden prety fast last year and even sagan survived it, kwiat with his current form will survive it no doubt, as there will be no decisive attacks from that far. At least I haven't see successful one since Lance vs. Jan ages. Boy I miss that man to man fights for 3 cat. 1 climbs, despite being on the condition like it was.

 

[manafana]

2nd last climb won't be bad if its ridden hard enough but on final climb its only really going come to life at the very end. Looking into possible contenders now.

 

[cycladianpirate]

Isn't there, at least, a slim chance for a breakaway?