2014 Tour de France, Stage 5: Ypres – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut: 156km

[Netserk]

Call me an OCD freak but this new trend of putting "flat" or "cobbled" at the end of the stage thread tittles is really rustling my jymmies

Same here, but I will still call you an OCD freak

 

[glassmoon]

See Cancellara's comments :"I've already been asked if I'll ask for the stage to be neutralised if it rains but this is different. I know that it’s not a nice stage for Froome, Contador, Nibali and even our GC riders. But my reply is: so why not take out the climbs to make it easier for us? That never happens, so it's only right we race on the cobbles. It’s a risk for everyone, including me, but we've got to live with it and calculate the risks involved."

it won't depend what Cance will or will not ask... (he managed it once but that was different story)

 

[King Boonen]

No way they neutralise because of rain. Only possibility is the riders do it themselves.

 

[Winterfold]

Why are people saying they hope no GC guys lose a lot of time?

If you said I hope no GC guy loses a lot of time in the mountains or TT that would be dumb wouldn't it?

The whole point of this stage is to watch the GC lightweights and ****ty bike handlers lose a lot of time

Despite his inexperience on cobbles, Nibs to ride like a boss...

 

[indianfanboy]

Mollema,Van den Broeck,Kwiatkowski are decent cobble riders with really powerful teams i dont think they will neutralize the stage
They could be gaining minutes at the end of the stage

 

[go crazy]

Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...Rain...

Please!

 

[therhodeo]

Despite his inexperience on cobbles, Nibs to ride like a boss...

Bike handling has never been a problem for him before.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I am worried hope none of the GC contenders crash and/or lose a lot of time...

 

[go crazy]

Velasco to lose time to his GC rivals tomm.

You really think Froome's a better bike handler than "Velasco"? LOL I think you are praying, more than being realistic. Tour Crash Count: Froome 1, AC 0, Nibali 0.

 

[King Boonen]

I am worried hope none of the GC contenders crash and/or lose a lot of time...

WHY?!?!?! It's the whole point of a stage like this!!

 

[go crazy]

I really hope Sky get taught a lesson tomorrow, by excluding Wiggins.

 

[hfer07]

I'm afraid one of the 3 big names will fall hard & abandon......

so by that rational & based on bicycle skills- is obvious The Alien will land on earth hard

just kidding- we'll see

 

[SafeBet]

Why are people saying they hope no GC guys lose a lot of time?

If you said I hope no GC guy loses a lot of time in the mountains or TT that would be dumb wouldn't it?

Well said.
I hope gaps will be made.

Vanmarcke lost some time today, I'd imagine he was saving legs for tomorrow's stage? He's my favorite by the way.

 

[indianfanboy]

Tomorrow is the the Judgement day for Frooma and his Wrist

 

[Eclipse]

Vanmarcke to get the freedom to race for the win, or do you think he'll be shackled to Mollema in an attempt to gain enough time to really further the latter's GC hopes?

 

[indianfanboy]

Cancellara and Vanmarcke targeting this big time

We could see them forming an alliance against sprinters like Sagan,Kristoff and Demare

 

[Fight.The.Power]

EPIC preview posts!

Really excited about this one, its going to be carnage.

How long till this thread has more posts than Stage 4...?

Yep best preview post I have ever seen

+11111 to ilovecycling - a great job.

Looking forward to this stage soooo much.

 

[go crazy]

Vanmarcke to get the freedom to race for the win, or do you think he'll be shackled to Mollema in an attempt to gain enough time to really further the latter's GC hopes?

Couldn't the exact same thing be said for Van Avermaet/TVG?

 

[King Boonen]

Who else managed to score a day off work tomorrow?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I really hope we get a big shake up in the GC tomorrow with at least one guy losing time. People moan about flat, boring stages, this should be exactly what people want to see.

Agree, we needs some gaps after this stage.
I hope 1 or 2 teams (Belkin, Steppers or Garmin) goes all in relatively early leaving chaos behind.

 

[indianfanboy]

Maduit on Cantador:"I cannot even say that the rain will be an issue on the cobbles for Alberto rides pretty well on them. He is technically comfortable. But in spite of the work we have done on this stage, you can never be sure. You can always crash, suffer a mechanical but were confident."

 

[LaFlorecita]

WHY?!?!?! It's the whole point of a stage like this!!

Because I don't want someone to lose the race in the lottery that is tomorrow's stage.

Some GC contenders are going to crash.... I feel it and I am really worried

 

[go crazy]

Who else managed to score a day off work tomorrow?

Pssh, you are too nice, asking for a day off? I'll just call in sick!

 

[King Boonen]

Pssh, you are too nice, asking for a day off? I'll just call in sick!

Legend. 10 char

 

[go crazy]

Agree, we needs some gaps after this stage.
I hope 1 or 2 teams (Belkin, Steppers or Garmin) goes all in relatively early leaving chaos behind.

It would be beyond awesome if Froome lost time. I would practically be salivating at the chance for him to go ultra alien on the first MTF stage. He may actually warp the space time continuum with his seated leg speed.