2014 Tour De France stage 1: Leeds › Harrogate (190.5km)

[Anderis]

I actually wouldn't be too much surprised if Sagan attacks himself.

 

[MatParker117]

Hoping for someone like Cancellara to take a flyer in the final km.

Not with Tony Martin in Cav's train.

 

[masking_agent]

I'm predicting a 2-3 man break made up of domestiques that will stay away after the last little climb..

 

[ILovecycling]

Do you realize there is 600m at 6% with 1,5km to go? There will be no trains, just chaos. When punchers launch their attacks Petacchi and Renshaw will have a hard time trying to follow their wheels.

Can you please add this to First post. (thesceptic?)
And does anyone have a detailed last 3km map please? (turns etc)

 

[SeriousSam]

Why oh why does the London stage have to be on a Monday.

 

[Steady]

Top 10 for this stage

Does anyone dare to predict a top 10 for this stage?

It seems to be a 50/50 to whether it will be a bunch sprint or a reduced bunch sprint with full chaos for me.

However, here is my top 10 for Stage 1.

1.Sagan
2.Greipel
3.Degenkolb
4.Matthews
5.Demare
6.Modolo
7.Kristoff
8.Cavendish
9.Morkov
10.JJ Rojas

What is your top 10?

 

[trifun]

The profile should worry Kittel and Greipel more than Cavendish. Cav has won the worlds on a similar terrain.

 

[Warhawk]

I think we need to stop being surprised when Cav manages to get over relatively short climbs. Sure, he does it by the skin of his teeth sometimes, but he does it pretty regularly.

 

[orangerider]

After analyzing the current situation, I would have to say Cavendish will take this. Sure, that 6% near the end is tough but with fresh legs on day 1 it's not going to be a problem for him. I also see Sky collaborating to help Cavendish by devoting a few engines to keep a very high pace - this will help repair some of the public relation damage that's been done to Sky and it will succeed if Cavendish can take yellow. So basically, we have a very high paced fast finish and Cavendish's only threat will be Kittel, assuming he can keep up.

 

[Pippo_San]

This has written Sagan all over it.
About time to see him don the yellow.

 

[no_slipstream]

Hopefully Cavendish wins, but fear it could be Sagan. Kittel is the most likely to get dropped of the sprinters, Giant shimano is tactically inept in crosswinds
compared to OPQS, plus he is more prone to being dropped on climbs than Cvndsh. Griepel has gone awol since the beginning of the year, would need a big turnaround to trouble the above. Won't be Greenedge, they seem to have shot themselves in the foot twice before the riders have been introduced, no yellow jersey this year-parking the bus is likely to gain more exposure.
Breakaways should not be a problem for OPQS, with big engine Tony in good form.

 

[hughmoore]

Griepel has gone awol since the beginning of the year, would need a big turnaround to trouble the above. .

FFS he crashed at Gent-Wevelgem and had surgery.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/greipel-undergoes-surgery-after-gent-wevelgem-crash


Hugh

 

[Netserk]

This has written Sagan all over it.
About time to see him don the yellow.

He will take it the next day.

 

[Akuryo]

Not with Tony Martin in Cav's train.

After the stage win of Matteo Trentin at TdS he said "If I go 70 or 80 km/h (downhill) then there is no way someone gets past me. Simple as that"

 

[PunchingRouleur]

So, on what speed riders access that little ramp and its actually last kilometre technical?

 

[JRanton]

I predict a monster crash fest. Brave prediction I know.

 

[Googol]

So, on what speed riders access that little ramp and its actually last kilometre technical?

There is a roundabout 2 km before finish, but otherwise it's straight.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I predict a monster crash fest. Brave prediction I know.

Probably. Early forecasts saying some rain around on saturday

 

[Jagartrott]

I would say over-rated.

People think he's much better than he is because he does ostentatious riding on the front in races he can't win.

When it counts, like Cap Frehal and MSR, he dropped before Cavendish.

Anyway, they will all make this finish fine, crashes aside.

Greipel is pretty good on the shorter climbs. I remember a stage from 2 years ago where there was a short steep hill about 10-15 km before the finish, where he made it over in the front group and Cav didn't. Greipel won that stage ahead of Boasson Hagen I think.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Greipel is pretty good on the shorter climbs. I remember a stage from 2 years ago where there was a short steep hill about 10-15 km before the finish, where he made it over in the front group and Cav didn't. Greipel won that stage ahead of Boasson Hagen I think.

Stage 13, Mont St-Clair being the kicker at 20km before the line.

GER 1 GREIPEL, André (LOTTO BELISOL) 4:57:59
SVK 2 SAGAN, Peter (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE)
NOR 3 BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald (SKY PROCYCLING)
FRA 4 HINAULT, Sébastien (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
RSA 5 IMPEY, Daryl (ORICA-GREENEDGE)
FRA 6 SIMON, Julien (SAUR-SOJASUN)
ITA 7 MARCATO, Marco (VACANSOLEIL-DCM)
BEL 8 GILBERT, Philippe (BMC RACING)
SVK 9 VELITS, Peter (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP)
GER 10 HONDO, Danilo (LAMPRE-ISD)

One of Greipel's more impressive wins.

 

[Boardslide]

Stage 13, Mont St-Clair being the kicker at 20km before the line.

GER 1 GREIPEL, André (LOTTO BELISOL) 4:57:59
SVK 2 SAGAN, Peter (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE)
NOR 3 BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald (SKY PROCYCLING)
FRA 4 HINAULT, Sébastien (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
RSA 5 IMPEY, Daryl (ORICA-GREENEDGE)
FRA 6 SIMON, Julien (SAUR-SOJASUN)
ITA 7 MARCATO, Marco (VACANSOLEIL-DCM)
BEL 8 GILBERT, Philippe (BMC RACING)
SVK 9 VELITS, Peter (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP)
GER 10 HONDO, Danilo (LAMPRE-ISD)

One of Greipel's more impressive wins.

I think this is the one where Cav was 15 sec behind at the bottom of the climb and Yates wouldn't let anyone drop back to help him up to the front group but instead went with EBH with Brad doing a monster leadout and of course no one in Cav's group willing to chase. The start of the end of the Sky relationship.

 

[indianfanboy]

i think Cav will take this he should be able to come over that last climb with Martin doing a monster leadout

Expect Gerrans,Sagan,Degenkolb,Greipel to go close too

 

[Pricey_sky]

He will take it the next day.

Didn't everyone say the same about Corsica last year? He was outdone by Bakelands and Gerrans on stages 2 and 3.

 

[Akuryo]

I think this is the one where Cav was 15 sec behind at the bottom of the climb and Yates wouldn't let anyone drop back to help him up to the front group but instead went with EBH with Brad doing a monster leadout and of course no one in Cav's group willing to chase. The start of the end of the Sky relationship.

Yep, it was. He described it in his second biography. But the start of the end was the coffee-machine.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

And the weather forecast is . . . . .

SUNNY !!!!!