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

[Carols]

It looked like Froome was going to do his full on mode thing but just ran out of gas late. Maybe just overestimated himself a bit.

Major kudos to Tejay . I hope he can win this race overall, it would be nice to have an American win back to back.

 

[Netserk]

Grande Ricco _O_

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

To me, it looked like Nibali just couldn't be bothered and stopped, he looked less tired than Froome at the finish to me, and Dawg looked fresh

Agree on Nibali. I think Valverde just decided to ride his own pace. Always hard to tell at the Dauphine if the rider is just on bad form or just training though.

I dunno, Valverde looked cooked near Costa. He made some faces like never before.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

To me, it looked like Nibali just couldn't be bothered and stopped, he looked less tired than Froome at the finish to me, and Dawg looked fresh

Agree on Nibali. I think Valverde just decided to ride his own pace. Always hard to tell at the Dauphine if the rider is just on bad form or just training though.

Valverde looked quite cooked though. I think he just didn't have the legs today. He's a rider who always fights for the win, especially if he's so well placed.

 

[whittashau]

Re:

Wat a shitty rider Nibali is, turned into a boring one trick pony.

This season you're right, but over his career there aren't many riders who are as entertaining as he is. Often he is the only reason a race is exciting.

 

[IlGrillo]

Re:

what about other Astana guys? how did they look?

Scarponi was very good. Taramae was dropped way before the last climb.

 

[manafana]

superb from Bardet, rewards the faith with this highly ambitious attack that also paid off impressive from Tejay in behind to hang with Froome.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Grande Ricco _O_

He really could be his little brother, they have the same face.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

what about other Astana guys? how did they look?

Scarponi was very good. Taramae was dropped way before the last climb.

I expected more from Taramae to be honest

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

1 41 * Romain BARDET AG2R LA MONDIALE 04:31:22
2 91 Tejay VAN GARDEREN BMC RACING TEAM 00:00:36
3 11 Christopher FROOME TEAM SKY 00:00:40
4 76 Benat INTXAUSTI MOVISTAR TEAM 00:00:42
5 58 * Simon YATES ORICA GREENEDGE 00:00:50
6 196 * Louis MEINTJES MTN-QHUBEKA 00:00:50
7 1 Andrew TALANSKY TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN 00:00:55
8 25 Michele SCARPONI ASTANA PRO TEAM 00:00:57
9 151 Pierre ROLLAND TEAM EUROPCAR 00:00:57
10 131 Mathias FRANK IAM CYCLING 00:00:57

11 6 Daniel MARTIN TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN 00:01:03
12 81 Joaquim RODRIGUEZ TEAM KATUSHA 00:01:11

18 31 * Wilco KELDERMAN TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 00:01:42
19 71 Alejandro VALVERDE MOVISTAR TEAM 00:01:53
22 141 Rui COSTA LAMPRE - MERIDA 00:01:53
23 21 Vincenzo NIBALI ASTANA PRO TEAM 00:01:59
28 118 Haimar ZUBELDIA TREK FACTORY RACING 00:02:22
47 57 * Adam YATES ORICA GREENEDGE 00:06:11

 

[JRanton]

Plenty of old school Dauphine sandbagging today.

 

[mihhint]

Re:

what about other Astana guys? how did they look?

The moment Sky started pulling mid Allos with like 7 men, Nibali and Scarponi were only Astanas left in like 40 rider peleton.

 

[jalep]

Any possibility Mikel Landa might ride the Tour?

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Any possibility Mikel Landa might ride the Tour?

No.

 

[Carols]

Astana Very Disappointing. Actually everyone pretty disappointing except Bardet, Tejay, Froome and Intxausti.

 

[rhubroma]

Re: Re:

WTF tj dropped froome?

WTH LMAO

Well he did do the same to Contador in Catalunya so not entirely unexpected

Totally different scenario, AC having started the season decidedly under tone for the Double.

A better comparison is at the Vuelta last year and Contador slayed Froome decisively on a couple of occassions, because you had the same Froome trying to drop everybody like he did in the 2013 Giro, but Alberto was better so it didn't work.

Today TJ was a slighly weaker Alberto, but that was still good enough to keep Froome on a leash and then catch back up and drop him in the last meters.

I see Froome as very good at the Tour, but if he can't bull them over with his looking at the power meter technique, he will run out of steam and then gets cooked on a skewer.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sandbagging match has begun.

Mollema won this round by not finishing top 90

 

[Amsterhammer]

Re:

Sandbagging match has begun.

Mollema won this round by not finishing top 90

Another classic TGBM disappointment. Wilco doesn't have to peak yet, and he didn't lose too much, but it was a pity that he lost what he did.

A stunning climax after an unreal descent, with a very worthy winner!

 

[Scarponi]

i was happy with Scarponis ride

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

I missed the stage while sitting at home. Stupid French with their early finishes.

You haven't really been paying attention this week then

Anyway, this was a great stage. Fantastic ride from Bardet, really glad he won.

I always like it when someone takes the race by the scruff of the neck. And especially if there is going to be a flying Frenchmen for the Tour.

Nibali seriously disappointing. I know it's 'the tour training' but there aren't so many days left. And I'm seriously going off the guy. Looked like he was checking out the scenery when he just gave up. Can't he be bothered, or what? And Astana clearly had an A team at the Giro on this showing at least.

Froome didn't really pull away like I expected tbh, though Sky were more like their old self, though I'm still not 100% convinced. Not the biggest of climbs.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

GC fwiw

1 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 18:03:22
2 Benat Intxausti (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:17
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:20
4 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:31
5 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:41
6 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge 0:00:43
7 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:01:08
8 Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:01:16
9 Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling 0:01:17
10 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:01:25

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

Any possibility Mikel Landa might ride the Tour?

No.

Geez, I hope not. I'm not sure I can actually stand more rounds from Taxus about why Landa is the best climber since Edmund Hilary.

 

[Ataraxus]

TJ was very strong today. Catalunya and today is an indication that he has upped the game this year. I think he might surprise us all in the Tour, perhaps even beat at least one of the 4 top guns.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Looks good for Tejay for GC, although many were saying it was Valverdes to lose before today so I won't count my chickens yet.

Would be great to see Simon Yates finish in the top 5, the next couple of stages should suit him.

 

[arvc40]

Nibali would rather Look good and lose.