2014 Tour de France Stage 4: Le Touquet-Paris-Plage / Lille Métropole: 163km, flat

[BeagRigh]

2014 Tour de France Stage 4: Le Touquet-Paris-Plage / Lille Métropole: 163km, flat

I'm sure we're all psyched for this!

Anything other than a sprint would be a huge surprise.

Still maybe the other sprinters' teams are bored of chasing the break only to lose to Kittel and will try some different tactics.... We can but hope!

Preview: http://www.c-cycling.com/
Coverage: http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/#live

EDIT: Intermediate Sprint:

Weather:

 

[BeagRigh]

Posted this in the stage 3 thread but more relevant here:

Kittel is so dominant I think the other teams need to call Giant's bluff and refuse to chase.

... or try and get someone in the break. They probably won't be allowed but it might wear the Giant guys out a bit if they have to police and chase the initial break. Would be good fun if Lotto, Cannondale and OPQS just kept launching new attacks each time one got caught. There are enough riders down on time they could keep trying with people Astana don't really care about going up the road.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Nico Mattan@NicoMattan · 2 uur

Looking forward for stage of tomorrow #crosswind #bordures #tdf Many sportdirectors will (must) have a plan

We might have some action, many open field, someone has any info on the wind?

 

[Jspear]

Don't no anything about the wind...I do hope that there is hard cross winds as that usually takes a boring stage and makes it interesting to watch. Renshaw could even win then. If there are no cross winds then Kittel will take this easily. They are the new HTC from back in 2009.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nico Mattan@NicoMattan · 2 uur

Looking forward for stage of tomorrow #crosswind #bordures #tdf Many sportdirectors will (must) have a plan

We might have some action, many open field, someone has any info on the wind?

Looks like rain and a tailwind for the last 50km

http://france.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-france/region/previsions-meteo-nord-pas-de-calais-16-1.php

 

[BeagRigh]

We might have some action, many open field, someone has any info on the wind?

Weather added to the OP. Doesn't look hopeful

 

[Ruudz0r]

Weather added to the OP. Doesn't look hopeful

Ah I see, Mattans tweet got me excited but to bad then we ll have a wait a day for some action.

 

[VeloHuman]

Hopefully the breakaway will be bigger than two riders tomorrow. With a few early hills (small as they are) that should be the case.

 

[ILovecycling]

Kittel for 3rd,hopefuly echelons


btw Great opening post

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'm hoping that Coquard can surprise and take it. Second place, that is.

 

[Eclipse]

Hopefully the breakaway will be bigger than two riders tomorrow. With a few early hills (small as they are) that should be the case.

Seriously. Was disappointed only 2 tried today. Even if it's doomed to fail 9/10 it at least gives a bit of interest to a stage.

Inevitable Kittel again tomorrow imo. Maybe something will throw a spanner in the works and liven it up though.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Pray for crosswinds and OPQS to drill in HTC-style!

If not at least we have cobbles the day after.

 

[yespatterns]

Im hoping for a decent breakaway to succeed, but the flat run in indicates a bunch sprint yet again. Ho hum till stage 5 unless the winds kick up.

 

[BeagRigh]

I'm making a bold prediction: Sagan in the break to get the intermediate sprint points and get Cannondale out of chasing!

EDIT: maybe not, forgot about Wednesday!

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Would've been more fun if they put another couple of climbs in Heuvelland in there, instead of just the Kasselberg and the Zwarteberg. A mini Gent-Wevelgem before a mini Paris Roubaix would be nice.

Ah well, with the Sheffield stage and the cobble stage I can handle a couple of sprint stages I guess.

Also, why is the Kasselberg not a 4th cat but an intermediate sprint

 

[rghysens]

Kittel ftw, just like in Reims, Nîmes and Paris. And maybe in Porte du Hainaut.

Don't anticipate stage 5 too much. A 155km long stage with some easier or truncated hard cobblstone sectors is no Paris-Roubaix.

 

[murali]

Don't no anything about the wind...I do hope that there is hard cross winds as that usually takes a boring stage and makes it interesting to watch. Renshaw could even win then. If there are no cross winds then Kittel will take this easily. They are the new HTC from back in 2009.

Kittel's team is no HTC, though they only concentrate on sprints. HTC owned the sprints. Giant just usurp other team's efforts.

having said tht, crosswinds = echelons = OPQS win, tinkoff, movistar (nibali, if he wasnt caught napping) will assist OPQS and do a massive pull away from the rest.

i am praying for massive crosswinds. i cant endure one more dull stage like today's.


cud anyone plz post the map of last few kms? i want to know how many bends are there. chance for crash?

 

[glassmoon]

yawn...yawn... then Kittel
if rain/wind, Schlecks will lose 1 min. again

 

[therhodeo]

I seem to remember Giant getting caught out in crosswinds last year. Tailwind should aid the break if there is a strong one. I'm hoping everyone throws someone out there to try and soften Giant up.

 

[trevim]

I hope Quickstep and Lotto stop being stupid and put someone in the break. Or at least don't help Giant pull them back otherwise they'll smash them in the final sprint.

 

[ILovecycling]

Is there anybody who is well prepared (an forum expert for cobble classics) for st5 thread?
I would like to read a bit of analysis as I dont know which cobble secteur is dangerous,attack possible etc

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I hope Quickstep and Lotto stop being stupid and put someone in the break. Or at least don't help Giant pull them back otherwise they'll smash them in the final sprint.

If Steppers and Lotto want to play the "all yours" it can really only be done if they also put riders in the break imo.

Giant already have two stage wins and a day in yellow with Degenkolb in play on the cobbles stage and Kittel a shoe in for Paris. The other teams have zero results so far.

Without riders up the road, I certain Lotto and Steppers will blink first.

 

[Netserk]

Is there anybody who is well prepared (an forum expert for cobble classics) for st5 thread?
I would like to read a bit of analysis as I dont know which cobble secteur is dangerous,attack possible etc

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?p=1489589#post1489589

Would be useful to make a comparison with the stage from '10. Map and list of sections. Profile

 

[Tank Engine]

German sports fest today. Greipel is my prediction for second and there are some guys kicking a ball around on the other side of the world.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Lol @ the toughest climb of the day being to an intermediate sprint. It isn't steep, but it is cobbled.

Just once up it shouldn't cause any strife, but it does favour the likes of Sagan and Degenkolb over the Kittels of this world. The multi-time looping Mont Cassel stages in the 4 Jours de Dunkerque have always been among the most entertaining racing days of the year, and therefore it was horrifying to discover last year that they were disappearing.