2015 Dauphiné, stage 5: Digne-les-Bains > Pra-Loup 161km

[Cance > TheRest]

Seems like an Alaphilippe stage to me, but perhaps he spent too much energy yesterday ? Valverde and Froome should be in the same group.

lol. those climbs are way too long for allaphilippe

Pra Loup is only 6k's long. If anything, Alaphilipe has shown that he's good on short climbs like that. That said, the competition here is on another level than in ToC. At best, I expect Alaphilipe to make the top 10

 

[Eshnar]

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Any chance for either of the Yates'?

Id say both could have a good chance on these sort of climbs, although I'd slightly favour Adam over Simon.

 

[Andro]

Does the stage start really early today? I can see Eurosport's live broadcast is scheduled for 13.30 CET and ends at 15.00.

 

[vladimir]

Re:

Does the stage start really early today? I can see Eurosport's live broadcast is scheduled for 13.30 CET and ends at 15.00.

Starts 1025 CET in other words in 20 minutes
Don't know why they start this early...

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Le Mond on Tour is on Eurosport...look at schedule as pops up now and again at certain times

People joke but I thought it a very fast , narrow winding descent ....bet Nibali tries to put Froome under pressure on this descent and very LONG
Also riders like Valverde & Sanchez will motor down it ....

If Froome can be over the top of the climb first with a teammate or 2 to help down maybe ok

Do you have a link? I'd love to see it.

Sorry no

but here is a video of it

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkpug8_descente-complete-col-d-allos-2010_sport

'Hardest descent in France' says Bernard Thévenet.

 

[The Barb]

To me this looks tailor made for Valverde. Even if Froome can drop him on the penultimate climb (which I don't see happening) he would need a sizeable gap over the top to hold off Valverde on the descent. Then the last climb doesn't seem tough enough to drop him again. With his superior sprint I see Valverde winning from a small group.

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

Le Mond on Tour is on Eurosport...look at schedule as pops up now and again at certain times

People joke but I thought it a very fast , narrow winding descent ....bet Nibali tries to put Froome under pressure on this descent and very LONG
Also riders like Valverde & Sanchez will motor down it ....

If Froome can be over the top of the climb first with a teammate or 2 to help down maybe ok

Do you have a link? I'd love to see it.

Sorry no

but here is a video of it

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkpug8_descente-complete-col-d-allos-2010_sport

'Hardest descent in France' says Bernard Thévenet.

Thanks - someone surely is going to go for it and put some time into rivals on that descent. It's begging for it.

Watching that might be tough though.

 

[Velolover2]

Seems like an Alaphilippe stage to me, but perhaps he spent too much energy yesterday ? Valverde and Froome should be in the same group.

lol. those climbs are way too long for allaphilippe

Pra Loup is only 6k's long. If anything, Alaphilipe has shown that he's good on short climbs like that. That said, the competition here is on another level than in ToC. At best, I expect Alaphilipe to make the top 10

And it's his birthday today. Could be the best present ever if he wins it.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Interesting break: Christophe Riblon (AG2R-La Mondiale), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), Pieter Serry (Etixx-Quick Step), Romain Sicard (Europcar), Arnaud Courteille (FDJ), Albert Timmer (Giant-Alpecin), Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka

 

[veji11]

The thing with this descent is that it isn't overly technical, it is mainly insanely fast on narrowish roads. So more than descending abilities, it is a question of boldness. Riders willing to risk it can make lots of time on riders who would get a bit scared... This is the key part of that stage.

 

[Ataraxus]

Re: Re:

This is going to be the next chapter in Rodriguez v Valverde. Probably both be too busy watching each other on the final climb and will let some non-specialist climber jump clear to take the win.

Can't see Froome doing anything here. He'd have to probably attack on the penultimate climb, which isn't really his style, because he'd just get caught on the descent. The last climb is too easy to drop Valverde and Rodriguez on, especially after a 20km descent where they can fully recover.

The descent is not an excuse for JRod and Piti recovery. All the multiple mountain stages have descents but almost everytime they've been dropped by the likes of Contador and Froome.
If Sky (or any other team) puts a high pace in Saint Michel and Allos, Jrod and Valverde will drop like stones when attacks will start on Pra Loup IMO

I think you're massively under-rating Rodriguez and Valverde there. They are not a couple of chancers that can hang on if there is an easy pace, they are two of the best climbers in the world, who can stay with the very best (Contador, Froome, Quintana, Nibali) on all but the toughest Grand Tour stages.

If either of them have any kind of form, I can't see them getting dropped on a 6km climb at an average of 6.5%. Sky can set a very high pace on Col d'Allos, but Sky domestiques aren't really good enough to seriously trouble Valverde and Rodriguez, so unless Froome really goes for it (which he won't, because he can't descend), the Spaniards should be strong favourites.

Farrapona and Ancares last year were the only multiple climb stages in the Vuelta and they dropped just after the attacks started. In the other mountain stages they were regularly contesting for the win.
Sky team looks weak true, but there is Astana who might be interested in a high early pace. Especially if Nibali has the form and plans to exploit the descent.

P.S. JRod and Valverde hanging on in the last kms usually is an indication of a boring, slow, actionless initial part. I certainly won't hope fot that to happen

 

[Velolover2]

The thing with this descent is that it isn't overly technical, it is mainly insanely fast on narrowish roads. So more than descending abilities, it is a question of boldness. Riders willing to risk it can make lots of time on riders who would get a bit scared... This is the key part of that stage.

I hope none of them are taking too many risks. They all have to be ready for the Tour.

 

[veji11]

The thing with this descent is that it isn't overly technical, it is mainly insanely fast on narrowish roads. So more than descending abilities, it is a question of boldness. Riders willing to risk it can make lots of time on riders who would get a bit scared... This is the key part of that stage.

I hope none of them are taking too many risks. They all have to be ready for the Tour.

Yeah sorry I wasn't very clear, I mean that it will be the key part of the stage during the tour, where a group of 8/10 leaders can be broken up by the audacity of some and fear of others, leading to a more broken field hitting the slopes of Pra Loup.

But you are right, on the Dauphiné wie will probably see big leaders ride more conservatively.

 

[Velolover2]

It's gonna be interesting to Dan Martin. A stage like this could be good for him if he is in shape.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

It's gonna be interesting to Dan Martin. A stage like this could be good for him if he is in shape.

I doubt it, it's been a while since he has won a true MTF.

And it is one, not that hard but still, you've froome here. And he looked really good in the TTT, normally no one will be able to follow him if he's the same as the last 2 year in the dauphine.

 

[Von Mises]

The thing with this descent is that it isn't overly technical, it is mainly insanely fast on narrowish roads. So more than descending abilities, it is a question of boldness. Riders willing to risk it can make lots of time on riders who would get a bit scared... This is the key part of that stage.

I hope none of them are taking too many risks. They all have to be ready for the Tour.

Yeah sorry I wasn't very clear, I mean that it will be the key part of the stage during the tour, where a group of 8/10 leaders can be broken up by the audacity of some and fear of others, leading to a more broken field hitting the slopes of Pra Loup.

But you are right, on the Dauphiné wie will probably see big leaders ride more conservatively.

If big leaders ride more conservatively, it maybe opportunity for second tier conteders who are bold enough to take risks.

 

[Poursuivant]

Nibali to attack on the descent.

I think a lot will depend on the descent because if Froome is dropped he might struggle to make the catch on such a short climb.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

It's gonna be interesting to Dan Martin. A stage like this could be good for him if he is in shape.

I doubt it, it's been a while since he has won a true MTF.

And it is one, not that hard but still, you've froome here. And he looked really good in the TTT, normally no one will be able to follow him if he's the same as the last 2 year in the dauphine.

Yeah, I'd like to see who is able to hang on to Froome the longest.

 

[Potomac]

I think the big TdF contenders are just going look at each other today. The race will go to a GC rider that knows winning a race like the Dauphine will be highlight of his career.

 

[Hakkapelit]

Re:

I think the big TdF contenders are just going look at each other today. The race will go to a GC rider that knows winning a race like the Dauphine will be highlight of his career.

TGBM then?

 

[wirral]

Compare the ASO website, clear and functional, updates timely provided with KOM and Sprint results with the RCS / Gazzetta website, very big on colour and flashing graphics but lacking in facts and accurate updates. Analogies for the respective countries.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Compare the ASO website, clear and functional, updates timely provided with KOM and Sprint results with the RCS / Gazzetta website, very big on colour and flashing graphics but lacking in facts and accurate updates. Analogies for the respective countries.

Profiles are better though. I mean, RCS make actual profiles...
The rest is crap, I agree.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

This is going to be the next chapter in Rodriguez v Valverde. Probably both be too busy watching each other on the final climb and will let some non-specialist climber jump clear to take the win.

Can't see Froome doing anything here. He'd have to probably attack on the penultimate climb, which isn't really his style, because he'd just get caught on the descent. The last climb is too easy to drop Valverde and Rodriguez on, especially after a 20km descent where they can fully recover.

The descent is not an excuse for JRod and Piti recovery. All the multiple mountain stages have descents but almost everytime they've been dropped by the likes of Contador and Froome.
If Sky (or any other team) puts a high pace in Saint Michel and Allos, Jrod and Valverde will drop like stones when attacks will start on Pra Loup IMO

I think you're massively under-rating Rodriguez and Valverde there. They are not a couple of chancers that can hang on if there is an easy pace, they are two of the best climbers in the world, who can stay with the very best (Contador, Froome, Quintana, Nibali) on all but the toughest Grand Tour stages.

If either of them have any kind of form, I can't see them getting dropped on a 6km climb at an average of 6.5%. Sky can set a very high pace on Col d'Allos, but Sky domestiques aren't really good enough to seriously trouble Valverde and Rodriguez, so unless Froome really goes for it (which he won't, because he can't descend), the Spaniards should be strong favourites.

Farrapona and Ancares last year were the only multiple climb stages in the Vuelta and they dropped just after the attacks started. In the other mountain stages they were regularly contesting for the win.
Sky team looks weak true, but there is Astana who might be interested in a high early pace. Especially if Nibali has the form and plans to exploit the descent.

P.S. JRod and Valverde hanging on in the last kms usually is an indication of a boring, slow, actionless initial part. I certainly won't hope fot that to happen

I can remember a stage with two Alpe d'Huez climbs back in 2013. A stage where Purito and Nairo bossed the field.

6/10 Froome will drop both in a mountain stage with multiple climbs. But there are times too when both can stay up with Froome and beat him at the line. Because there are great climbers by themselve.

 

[del1962]

Purito ftw