2015 Critérium du Dauphiné, stage 1: Ugine > Albertville

[Flamin]

Time for the Dauphiné!

Km 17.0 - Côte d'Esserts-Blay 1.4 kilometre-long climb at 6.9% - category 4
Km 36.5 - Côte du Villard 1.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.7% - category 3
Km 40.0 - Côte du Cruet 2.3 kilometre-long climb at 4.9% - category 4
Km 56.0 - Côte du Villard 1.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.7% - category 3
Km 72.0 - Côte du Villard 1.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.7% - category 3
Km 88.0 - Côte du Villard 1.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.7% - category 3
Km 103.5 - Côte du Villard 1.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.7% - category 3
Km 119.5 - Côte du Villard 1.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.7% - category 3

Start: 11.35 - Finish: 14.34 - 14.52

 

[lemon cheese cake]

The route:

Last KM:

 

[Flamin]

Modolo vs Mezgec vs Bouhanni I guess.

 

[Arredondo]

That last hill likely isn't long enough.

I'll go for Nacer then.

 

[Miburo]

Piti all the way

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

Piti all the way

this.

 

[SeriousSam]

Bouhanni, don't think the finish suits Valverde enough

 

[BigMac]

Modolo to start a Lampre 8 stage win streak.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Piti all the way

So he will beat the likes of Bouhanni? Or will they be dropped?

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Piti all the way

Yep - Valverde v Gerrans for me.

 

[WheelofGear]

Valverde.

 

[thesrick]

Bala to outsprint Alaphilippe just like in FW and LBL.

 

[BigMac]

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

 

[Mr.White]

Yeah, like he has never beat sprinters before

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

The Cavs and Kittels of this world would be dropped in the middle of the stage.

 

[thesrick]

Re:

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

As if he didn't beat the rider in your avatar in Catalunya 8,7% in 1,2 km if raced hard can shake pure sprinter's legs a bit if not drop some of them. Plus Piti should be determined to take some seconds wherever possible.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Yeah, like he has never beat sprinters before

Where on a flat stage like this? 1.2km's @ 8.7% 12km's away from the finish, considering those hills won't most likely even be raced hard, there are plenty of guys who, in theory, should beat him with much ease. I will take the path of shame if he is among the five best.

As if he didn't beat the rider in your avatar in Catalunya 8,7% in 1,2 km if raced hard can shake pure sprinter's legs a bit if not drop some of them. Plus Piti should be determined to take some seconds wherever possible.

How is the Barcelona stage even comparable?

 

[DFA123]

Re:

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

I think it's such a short stage that it will be raced very hard from the start. That will put the sprinters in difficulty (not that there are very many to start with... Bouhanni, Mezgec, Farrar, anyone else???) , giving them little chance to recover between the climbs. If someone like Sagan, Degenkolb or Matthews was here, then Valverde would have no chance, but with this field, he could easily take the win.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

I think it's such a short stage that it will be raced very hard from the start. That will put the sprinters in difficulty (not that there are very many to start with... Bouhanni, Mezgec, Farrar, anyone else???) , giving them little chance to recover between the climbs. If someone like Sagan, Degenkolb or Matthews was here, then Valverde would have no chance, but with this field, he could easily take the win.

Also Modolo. Even Reinardt van Rensburg will finish ahead of him by leading out Farrar. Plus some other fast guys. There's also nothing to indicate Valverde will want to be on the mix so early in the race and risk a crash. As I said, I can be surprised.

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Yeah, like he has never beat sprinters before

Where on a flat stage like this? 1.2km's @ 8.7% 12km's away from the finish, considering those hills won't most likely even be raced hard, there are plenty of guys who, in theory, should beat him with much ease. I will take the path of shame if he is among the five best.

As if he didn't beat the rider in your avatar in Catalunya 8,7% in 1,2 km if raced hard can shake pure sprinter's legs a bit if not drop some of them. Plus Piti should be determined to take some seconds wherever possible.

How is the Barcelona stage even comparable?

And what if those hills will be raced hard? Has he got the chance then? I'd say he has. Watch out, he could easily end up, not in top 5, but on the top.

And how is not Barcelona stage comparable to this?! Montjuic is little longer, but less steeper then this climb

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Yeah, like he has never beat sprinters before

Where on a flat stage like this? 1.2km's @ 8.7% 12km's away from the finish, considering those hills won't most likely even be raced hard, there are plenty of guys who, in theory, should beat him with much ease. I will take the path of shame if he is among the five best.

As if he didn't beat the rider in your avatar in Catalunya 8,7% in 1,2 km if raced hard can shake pure sprinter's legs a bit if not drop some of them. Plus Piti should be determined to take some seconds wherever possible.

How is the Barcelona stage even comparable?

And what if those hills will be raced hard? Has he got the chance then? I'd say he has. Watch out, he could easily end up, not in top 5, but on the top.

And how is not Barcelona stage comparable to this?! Montjuic is little longer, but less steeper then this climb

And raced eight times, uninterruptedly, with the last climb just before the line. And even if it's raced hard, I wouldn't bet on him.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

I think it's such a short stage that it will be raced very hard from the start. That will put the sprinters in difficulty (not that there are very many to start with... Bouhanni, Mezgec, Farrar, anyone else???) , giving them little chance to recover between the climbs. If someone like Sagan, Degenkolb or Matthews was here, then Valverde would have no chance, but with this field, he could easily take the win.

Also Modolo. Even Reinardt van Rensburg will finish ahead of him by leading out Farrar. Plus some other fast guys. There's also nothing to indicate Valverde will want to be on the mix so early in the race and risk a crash. As I said, I can be surprised.

Yeah, you may be right actually. Having not raced for a while he could well just look to ease himself back into racing. Especially if he is going to seriously go all out for the GC. If some other teams ride it really hard though and there is a greatly reduced bunch near the end, I'm sure he'd give it a go in the sprint.

 

[Gigs_98]

bouhanni ftw

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

People must not be looking at the same profile as I. If Valverde wins here against the pure sprinters we may be witnessing the *** performance of the decade.

I think it's such a short stage that it will be raced very hard from the start.

The Giro ended last Sunday

 

[del1962]

This has got a Gerrans from a group of 30 stamped all over it, unless a late lone escapee gets away