2015 Paris Nice, Stage 4: Varennes-sur-Allier - Croix de Chaubouret 204k

[Parrulo]

Profile:

Last Climb:

Winner:

/thread

 

[Parrulo]

All joking aside, about time this race got going.

I really don't understand why race organizers follow this boring formula for race design of having nothing for the first part of the race and everything crammed in the end.

And unfortunately i do think Porte will win =/

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Yeah, this one is definitely for Lil' Richie.

 

[Netserk]

Flower Power to outsprint Lil' Ritchie Borg.

 

[SafeBet]

I could see Bardet winning this. He looked excellent today.
I'm also expecting good performances from Porte and Kelderman.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

The climb is not too difficult. Maybe Kwiatkowski can stay close enough to win PN. At least I think Sky have to blow the race up from the beginning of they want Richie to win PN.

 

[Lupetto]

Taaram?e will win this. I hope...

But this has Sky written all over it.

 

[SafeBet]

The climb is not too difficult. Maybe Kwiatkowski can stay close enough to win PN. At least I think Sky have to blow the race up from the beginning of they want Richie to win PN.

If Porte is in good shape he will destroy Kwiatkowski on Col d'Eze.

 

[bala v]

TJVG for the win

 

[maxmartin]

TJVG for the win

 

[Bushman]

Van Garderen to outsprint Porte just a few seconds in front of Kwiat, who will get the Yellow Jersey.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

If Porte is in good shape he will destroy Kwiatkowski on Col d'Eze.

Hmmm.... you might be right, but I'm not sure if Kwiatkowski has ever done an MTT like Col d'Eze? But yeah, Porte is the favourite normally, if he has a good shape. But Kwiat is already ahead a bit and my guess is he will try to get some boni seconds in stages 5 and 6.

 

[MatParker117]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBLgEx6svA

 

[Wallenquist]

Really looking forward to this, so many possible winners, so many questions about current form and overall win chances. Hopefully we won't see a sprint battle between the climbers on last kilometer but proper racing for whole climb. It's the only real one during PN this year so I expect some battle here!

 

[Lupetto]

Last three times CdC was raced in Paris-Nice, they finished in Saint-?tienne:

2008
1 Kjell Carlstr?m (Fin) Liquigas 4.39.14 (35.56 km/h)
2 Cl?ment Lhotellerie (Fra) Skil-Shimano
3 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cr?dit Agricole 0.43
4 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
5 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
8 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre
9 Luis Le?n S?nchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

2006
1 Patxi Xabier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre-Fondital 4.23.28 (38.372 km/h)
2 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems
3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.16
4 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
5 Antonio Colom (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
6 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.25
7 Jos? Luis Rubiera (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.26
8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
9 Luis Sanchez (Spa) Liberty Seguros-W?rth Team
10 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole

2003
1 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 5.01.14 (36.35 km/h)
2 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Telekom
3 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Prevoyance
4 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
5 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
6 Volodomir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 0.03
7 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.18
8 David Latasa (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
9 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
10 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Last three times CdC was raced in Paris-Nice, they finished in Saint-?tienne:

2008
1 Kjell Carlstr?m (Fin) Liquigas 4.39.14 (35.56 km/h)
2 Cl?ment Lhotellerie (Fra) Skil-Shimano
3 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cr?dit Agricole 0.43
4 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
5 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
8 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre
9 Luis Le?n S?nchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

2006
1 Patxi Xabier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre-Fondital 4.23.28 (38.372 km/h)
2 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems
3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.16
4 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
5 Antonio Colom (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
6 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.25
7 Jos? Luis Rubiera (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.26
8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
9 Luis Sanchez (Spa) Liberty Seguros-W?rth Team
10 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole

2003
1 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 5.01.14 (36.35 km/h)
2 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Telekom
3 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Prevoyance
4 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
5 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
6 Volodomir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 0.03
7 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.18
8 David Latasa (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
9 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
10 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski

That 2006 stage was a great one, I remember. The shining moment in Patxi Vilas career.
As for tomorrow, TJVG will take it.

 

[manafana]

This is a quiet steady climb but 7% are a hard day should crack Kwia I thought. Also a fan of TVG going well.

 

[Sasquatch]

Rui Costa to win!

 

[Parrulo]

Rui Costa to win!

Highly doubtful if am honest.

I could see him finishing somewhere in the top5 top 10ish but i don't think he has what it takes to win a MTF against this kind of opposition.

 

[Sasquatch]

Highly doubtful if am honest.

I could see him finishing somewhere in the top5 top 10ish but i don't think he has what it takes to win a MTF against this kind of opposition.

Yeah, but who knows what form everyone is in though. If he can stick on wheels and ride his own tempo, there's a possibility he can be there at the end. The climb isn't that hard is it?

 

[Jspear]

Finally a stage worth watching for more than just 5 k.
Majka
Porte
Tejay

 

[eljimberino]

Finally a stage worth watching for more than just 5 k.
Majka
Porte
Tejay

Why the talking up of Majka?

 

[Jspear]

Why the talking up of Majka?

When in form he is a pretty good climber. He was okay in Oman, he'll be better here.

 

[dicanio_michael]

If Porte is in good shape he will destroy Kwiatkowski on Col d'Eze.

Even an in form Porte can hardly beat Kwiatkowski in just a 7% climb, needlessness to say, it is Kwiatkowski who are in form now, look at his TT and classics are coming.

 

[greenedge]

And you don't think Richie is in form?