2014 Tour De France stage Stage 2: York – Sheffield: 201km

[greenedge]

Though I'm not sure about Orica, who don't have Matthews and who may be not sure about Gerrans.

Hopefully Gerrans can still compete but OGE will still have options and should send riders in the bresk- Keukeleire, Yates and Clarke- while relying on Albasini/ Gerrans for the finish.

 

[greenedge]

I just think he's a very dull person on a very characterless team who races in a very dull and unlikable manner, hasn't made a race interesting in five years yet is trumped up for the win in everything he enters because he can possibly win the sprint when everybody else suffers a tactical lobotomy (which is depressingly frequent), and can't imagine why anybody would ever want to root for him.

So I don't want him hurt, but I can't see why anybody would mourn the loss of the opportunity to see him in yellow.

Have you seen the backstage passes???

That's a bit unfair- it's nice to see riders like Cancellara sometimes beaten and Gerrans in the last year has beaten both Sagan and Greipel in flat sprints- why wouldn't you just ride for the finale if you have that good a sprint and every other team leader rides sheltered until the end of the race.

Australians would love to see him in yellow- but a stage victory is good consolation

 

[SeriousSam]

I'm hoping for a Valverde victory but I fear thermonuclear Froome

 

[Ferminal]

Big test for Sagan, July is not March, he will need to bring something special. I think Froome and Contador get a gap but it comes back together as they will not work with each other. Piti probably takes the win if Sagan is absent although there could be a random flyer in the final few k say a Mick or Costa.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I don't want Froome to win and go into yellow this early unless he takes big time out of Contador but I cant see that happening here, let someone else have it for a few days, maybe Sagan.
If it rains this could be a brilliant stage, As long as there are no GC guys crashing and getting injured of course.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Cote de Blubberhouses

this is good!

 

[mewmewmew13]

Rui! would be nice...

or I would not mind Cancellara but I don't think it's a repeat charge tomorrow...

 

[auscyclefan94]

Greg van Avermaet ftw

 

[Jancouver]

I can't see there been more than 20-25 rides together by the finish.

I'm surprised to see so many tipping Sagan, I'm pretty certain he'll be dropped, it'll be too tough for him.

My money's on either Valverde or Rui Costa.

I've done the last 40km in the car & the climbs will break the race up.

My only concern is we have bad weather & the stage is rode conservatively

Can you please remind me of a recent race where Sagan got dropped on Cat 2 climb? I'm digging and digging in my poor memory and just cant find that occasion.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Can you please remind me of a recent race where Sagan got dropped on Cat 2 climb? I'm digging and digging in my poor memory and just cant find that occasion.

Jenkin Road is really steep with max gradient of 33%.

 

[Duke_S]

Jenkin Road is really steep with max gradient of 33%.

He will be one of the first over the top of that, even if he gets gapped by a few seconds, he will latch on during the descent. See.. Chieti, Muro di Sant'Elpidio

 

[sultanofhyd]

He will be one of the first over the top of that, even if he gets gapped by a few seconds, he will latch on during the descent. See.. Chieti, Muro di Sant'Elpidio

There will be some 20 riders and their teams trying to be the first over the top, it's easier said than done.

 

[gregrowlerson]

My money's on either Valverde or Rui Costa.

I'm inclined to agree.

Would like to see some aggression from Contador, but not only are the climbs not long enough, but stage 2 is a little too early in the race I think for him. I believe that Sky will ride this stage defensively.

 

[movingtarget]

Would have said that this was a good stage for Gerrans but after yesterday maybe not. Seemed to land heavily on his back. Looks like a Valverde stage with Sagan and Rodriguez thereabouts.

 

[yespatterns]

While stage 5 favors him more I think Sep might be in play as well.

 

[orangerider]

Rui Costa for the win.

 

[Bexon30]

Maybe a repeat of Strade Bianche Kwiatowski followed by Sagan. I'm thinking GC guys will all mark each other too tightly, Andy to lose time predictably.

 

[Devilen]

Might just be me, but could see someone like Mørkøv getting a free pass from babysitting Contador today, going out front and giving it a shot. If they hold home on the other hand? doubtful.

 

[jflemaire]

Jenkin Road is really steep with max gradient of 33%.

Actually, it's not that steep. See this thread.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

This guy could win it.

A walk down Jenkin road


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eDFjdp2ePA

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Tanman preview

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/55154/Preview:-Tour-de-France-Stage-2

 

[auscyclefan94]

Tanman preview

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/55154/Preview:-Tour-de-France-Stage-2

Lets hope the Schlecks can be malleable enough together

 

[R_O_Shipman]

Setting off shortly to Sheffield, hoping to get a spot on Jenkin road somewhere and see the action. Weather looks to be dry until about 3.30-4ish when there could be showers. If the rain starts just before the riders hit Jenkin Rd it could be chaos.


My guess is that Nibali will have a go. If not here then maybe even the hill before (he does like a pointless attack that just can't stick on this kind of parcour). I'd expect to see a few ones and twos off the front - someone from Valverde, Costa, Canc, Chavanel, possibly even Voeckler(is hoogerland here - surely he'll try a pointless dig!) on Jenkin with a smallish peleton grinding up after them with what's left of Canondale pushing it as hard as they can.

I can't see Froome/Contador have a real go here, but I'd like to be proven wrong. Whatever happens I don't think a group can just ride tempo up this climb together 5KMs out from the end.

 

[jaylew]

Purito singing a slightly different tune:

“I will do as well as I can. I am not trying to lose time on purpose. I will find my place on the road, but I am not 100 percent yet,” Rodríguez said at the line. “I don’t know if I will be riding for GC. We’ll have to see how I get out of this first week.”

 

[jens_attacks]

dream last night:

froome devastating attack. contador closes the gap very hard. they both stop and valverde catches them. this dream stops and immediately i see a headline on a site, oscar sevilla banned for life wtf? lol.

because too much cycling.

excited as hell for today. richie and froome will put on a show i think for british fans